Here are 2 more interviews with famous sex blogger Belle de Jour, who revealed herself as a research scientist named Brooke Magnanti. One from the New Scientist and one from Freakonomics.

From what I read last week, it appears that she only outed herself because the Daily Mail was going to bust her. She got wind of the interview and decided to upstage them. So basically, it didn’t come as a choice, the choice was made for her.

Both interviews don’t reveal much more than what was circulated in the UK papers.

Fringe intertitle, image via Wikipedia

It’s fitting that this show will premiere on Fox, since this was the network of the X-Files. Fringe has got much in common with the X-Files, yet it is different. Fringe is the latest show of wunderkind J.J. Abrams. Like most new shows, the pilot was leaked on the internet a few weeks ago.

Just like a few other shows, like True Blood, I’m happily surprised by Fringe. The production values are great and I’m enjoying it a lot. A lot of money has been pumped into this show, and it just looks fabulous. The protagonists are also an interesting bunch. There isn’t much more that we learn of the Pattern, but Massive Dynamics is most definitely deeply connected with those events, even though they aren’t sharing their information with Agent Dunham.

I think that this show takes a few common elements from Alias, especially for all the things that concerned the mystic scholar Milo Rambaldi. The same kind of esoteric science is involved in this show. It’s done very well. I’d actually like to see this type of mystic science have more of an impact on the show. It would suit the show very well. A bit of the supernatural wouldn’t be bad either.

Warning: spoilers ahead

* * * * *

The code for this week is BLIGHT. This episode is all about the Observers. We learn a bit about them, but not much. It’s kind of annoying, but it lets you believe that something bad is going to happen to Dunham quite soon.

Fringe is one of the best shows on TV right now. It’s getting better and better, and I like it maybe a bit more than X-Files. Why? There are less filler episodes. Most episode deal with the mythology of the show.

* * * * *

An Observer is observing and taking some strange notes. He’s got some alien technology with him. A vet gives him a flag pin. He’s looking for something. He tries to abduct a girl and then is forced to fire his ray gun. He tranquilizes the girl and puts her in a car. A guard fires at him, but it doesn’t affect him. He starts the car with his finger.

Olivia is hanging out with her niece. She gets a call about the incident. She has to leave. She calls the Bishops about the Observer. The check the footage and see that it isn’t the same Observer that they encountered before. They also see him catch a bullet with his hand as if it was a fly. Walter isn’t talking.

The Observer is tying up the girl in a motel. He says that it will be safer for her. Her name is Christine Hollis. Broyles says that she is quite normal. Her parents are dead. Dunham doesn’t know what to think. They usually only observe.

Peter is trying to find out more about the Observer, but Walter isn’t talking much. Peter finds some blood on the page. Astrid isn’t making progress with the writing. There are no repetitions in it. It looks like Walter knows what the code is saying, but he isn’t talking.

Astrid finds out that Massive Dynamic is researching the symbols as well. They go back to the earliest writing of mankind. He shows them art where the Observers have been captured. He says that they aren’t limited by the human perception of time. He says that we think of time as linear. He says that they are observing time and show up at important moments. It’s very rare. There have been maybe 2 dozen different appearances over the last 5 thousand years. Recently, he’s charted 26 sightings in the last 3 months.

We cut to a scene with some observers having some Indian food. They like it very hot. Another Observer arrives and says that they have a situation with August. The girl was supposed to be on a flight. It looks like the flight was important. The elder Observer says that they need to repair this irregularity. He wants Donald contacted. We see Donald. He’s some kind of alien fixer.

Christine’s roommate says that she was leaving for Italy. Her family died in San Francisco in ’89. In the last photo of her family, we see an Observer in the background.

Meanwhile, Christine gets loose but August returns. He sees that she has hurt her wrists trying to get free. He brought her some food. She wants to know why he abducted her. He shows her the news. The flight she was on crashed. Dunham and Peter hear this on the radio as well. The Observer tells Christine that she isn’t safe yet.

They find that the blood is actually chili sauce, the hottest kind. They try to trace it. August appears before his fellow Observers. August thinks that Christine is important. The only time that they interfered was to correct something that they caused themselves. They tell him that they sent someone to correct his mistake. Walter is being secretive.

Walter gets a message and meets August. He doesn’t want them taking Peter. He needs his help.

The bagman arrives at August’s flat. Peter and Dunham are on their way there. The bagman has the address of the motel. The bagman has a gun on Peter. Peter is fast enough to disarm him. The bagman runs away. He’s fast for a fatty.

August says that the others are trying to kill Christine, no matter what he does. Walter says that he must make her important. That would solve his dilemma. He comes back to Christine and has some instructions for her.

The bagman finds the motel. August has the man shoot him a few times. The bagman tries to get away, but Dunham is after him. August gives Peter his ray gun. From the effects, it looks like a plasma gun of some sort. The bagman is about to shoot Olivia when Peter takes him out. Dunham shoots him as well. They find that August is gone. They only find his hat. Dunham finds Christine. She’s fine.

Another Observer got August out of there. August tells him that he developed feelings for her. He thinks that he loves her. The other Observer says that she will be safe because August made her important.

Broyles says that the bagman was an assassin. They also cannot fire the ray gun anymore. They think that Peter fired the last round. The tip off to find the Observer came from the motel.

Ella and Olivia go to the amusement park. Two Observers are watching. The older one comments at how things are going to get so hard for Olivia.

* * * * *

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Fringe intertitle, image via Wikipedia

It’s fitting that this show will premiere on Fox, since this was the network of the X-Files. Fringe has got much in common with the X-Files, yet it is different. Fringe is the latest show of wunderkind J.J. Abrams. Like most new shows, the pilot was leaked on the internet a few weeks ago.

Just like a few other shows, like True Blood, I’m happily surprised by Fringe. The production values are great and I’m enjoying it a lot. A lot of money has been pumped into this show, and it just looks fabulous. The protagonists are also an interesting bunch. There isn’t much more that we learn of the Pattern, but Massive Dynamics is most definitely deeply connected with those events, even though they aren’t sharing their information with Agent Dunham.

I think that this show takes a few common elements from Alias, especially for all the things that concerned the mystic scholar Milo Rambaldi. The same kind of esoteric science is involved in this show. It’s done very well. I’d actually like to see this type of mystic science have more of an impact on the show. It would suit the show very well. A bit of the supernatural wouldn’t be bad either.

Warning: spoilers ahead

* * * * *

The code for this week is ARRIVE. A Massive Dynamic employee’s son is kidnapped. We learn that there is more to this than meets the eye. It’s part of William Bell’s experiment in mind control.

Fringe is one of the best shows on TV right now. It’s getting better and better, and I like it maybe a bit more than X-Files. Why? There are less filler episodes. Most episode deal with the mythology of the show.

* * * * *

In Queens, NY, two men kidnapped a boy. When they get cornered by the cops, something happens to one of the uniformed officers. He is pushed off a parking structure. Another cop is forced to shoot the cops and then shoots herself.

The kid is Tyler Carson, 15 years old. Walter says that the victims were mesmerized. He’s bored. The kid’s father works for Fleming Monroe, Massive Dynamic’s aerospace division.

Walter, Peter and Dunham go to MD. Carson is there with Nina Sharpe. Patrick Hicky and Tom Dobinson have nothing to do with MD. They are the kidnappers. Both Sharpe and Dunham believe that these men are trying to extort corporate secrets from MD.

Walter is amazed and despondent at how much William Bell has achieved. He tells Peter that Bell introduced him to his mother in Berlin.

One of the men has got these mesmerizing powers. He uses them to great effect and in front of security cameras. It seems like they don’t have any plan. The boy isn’t running. Maybe the boy is controlling the men.

The kidnappers were great used car salesmen. Peter and Dunham float the idea that they were foreign spies. Walter is examining the brains of the victims. He says that it isn’t hypnosis, but mind control. The brains had hematomas, which could be caused by brain control. Walter hypothesizes that the mind control is used by sound.

The kidnappers make their demands. They want $2 million. That’s strange. Nina Sharpe says that they will cover the ransom demand. Dunham says that money is a distraction. They took Carson’s son for a reason. Walter is going to use white noise in order to block the mind control. Dunham is planning on laying a trap.

Do not remove the headphones under any circumstance, if you do, you might die a gruesome and horrible death. Thank you for your attention, and have a nice day.
Bishop briefing the tactical assault team

The tactical squad is wearing headphones which are used as relay points to play white noise to block the mind control. One of the kidnappers comes to get the money. They move in when they don’t see the hostage. His partner tries to drive away, but his car hits an obstacle, and tumbles and explodes.

The kidnapper is trying to kill himself. He was being controlled by the boy. The boy takes Peter hostage. He wanted the money. He says that the headphones won’t work.

Sharpe says that Carson was collaborating with a pharmaceutical company for a hands free piloting project. The pilot was given a drug to enhance his brain waves. Carson thinks that Tyler might have found the samples of the drug at home.

Bishop proves that it’s possible that since Tyler is a teen, he was taking ADD drugs, it created a mind control cocktail.

Peter and the kid get stopped by a cop. Tyler is about to make Peter shoot him with his own gun. He knocks him out instead.

The Director of the FBI classified Tyler as a National Security threat. They have to stop him. Tyler bought 2 tickets to go to Costa Rica before this all started. This could mean that he is working with a foreign handler. Broyles says that they need to stop him ASAP, or Peter could become collateral damage.

Olivia and Astrid find out that Tyler was looking for his mom. Tyler tells Peter that his mother was dead when she was alive. Tyler discovered this. They arrive in Springfield. They meet Renee Davies. She tells him that his dad isn’t to blame. He doesn’t know that Renee has a new family. She isn’t going anywhere. He makes Peter get the gun.

Walter is modifying an electro-magnetic pulse to affect Tyler’s brain. They don’t have time to wait for Bishop. Broyles storms the front door. He tasers Tyler, but it isn’t enough. Tyler has Peter shoot him in the arm. They leave. Bishop fires his device. Peter uses the few seconds he has to crash the car.

Broyles is fine. Peter managed to shoot him in the arm. The kid wanted to shoot himin the head. Tyler’s powers wore off when the drugs wore off.

Sharpe briefs Bell. She says that one of the Tylers did display mind control abilities. It was part of their experiment. Davies wasn’t his mother, but his surrogate mother. Sharpe is suspending the project. Their experiment was a success. Tyler Carson was just one of many copies.

* * * * *

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Fringe intertitle, image via Wikipedia

It’s fitting that this show will premiere on Fox, since this was the network of the X-Files. Fringe has got much in common with the X-Files, yet it is different. Fringe is the latest show of wunderkind J.J. Abrams. Like most new shows, the pilot was leaked on the internet a few weeks ago.

Just like a few other shows, like True Blood, I’m happily surprised by Fringe. The production values are great and I’m enjoying it a lot. A lot of money has been pumped into this show, and it just looks fabulous. The protagonists are also an interesting bunch. There isn’t much more that we learn of the Pattern, but Massive Dynamics is most definitely deeply connected with those events, even though they aren’t sharing their information with Agent Dunham.

I think that this show takes a few common elements from Alias, especially for all the things that concerned the mystic scholar Milo Rambaldi. The same kind of esoteric science is involved in this show. It’s done very well. I’d actually like to see this type of mystic science have more of an impact on the show. It would suit the show very well. A bit of the supernatural wouldn’t be bad either.

Warning: spoilers ahead

* * * * *

The code for this week is DEJA VU. People are dying and falling into ashes. Broyles was involved with a similar case years ago. This is the case that broke his marriage. He gets personally involved in the investigation to resolve it.

Fringe is one of the best shows on TV right now. It’s getting better and better, and I like it maybe a bit more than X-Files. Why? There are less filler episodes. Most episode deal with the mythology of the show.

* * * * *

A man is planning on surprising his wife and gets killed by a shadowy thing. His wife finds his body as he collapses into ashes.

Walter rules out fire as a cause. There were no scorch marks. Broyles comes to the scene. He says that it’s not the first time he saw this phenomenon. Four years ago, victims were turned into dust just like Danzig. Each of the vics worked at or had been at Tyson General in DC. Broyles was contacted by someone who claimed being the killer. He would turn himself in if they could decipher his formula. Some sort of compound was injected into the patients.

Danzig visited his mom at Latchmere General. At Latchmere, the shadowy man stalks through the corridors.

The FBI arrives at the hospital to take over. They think that someone is involved in this hospital, either a patient or a part of the staff. The body doesn’t contain any radiation, which is strange because everything has background radiation. Walter hasn’t cracked the formula, but thinks that it’s organic in nature. Broyles says that the killer was distraught, like he couldn’t help himself.

At the same hospital, a fly touches a patient and she crumbles into dust. They have a name. His name is Thomas Kozalov. He’s a night nurse. His place is empty. He knew they were coming. He was building something. Kozalov is an alias but he’s definitely Russian.

Broyles gets a call from a friendly Senator. The CIA wants to take away his case. The Russian is searching for this guy. Apparently, he removed some Russian property. Broyles tells Dunham that he was ordered to hand over the case to the CIA, but he won’t. From this point onward, they will put nothing down on paper nor computer, everything will have to be said in person. Dunham is worried about Broyles. Who will protect him? Dunham finds a shadowy man stalking the corridors on the security footage.

Kozalov arrives in his motel room with a bunch of car batteries and some more gear.

Walter thinks that this is part of some Russian Fringe Science experiment. Broyles gets a package from Senator Van Horne. He knew that Broyles wasn’t going to follow orders, so he sent him what he had. Timor abducted his brother in Russia. His brother was a cosmonaut. He was being studied and Timor removed him from the ward.

Walter thinks that the entity is absorbing radiation. It is going after radiation and while it does, it vaporizes the victims. All of the victims had higher levels of rads than normal. One of the nurses finds Timor about to take out a patient. Broyles and Dunham find her sedated. Timor is moving out his brother.

Walter is making some progress on the formula. He’s quite engrossed. He says that it’s something inside the cosmonaut, some kind of organism that he brought back. The organism projects another version of himself without leaving the host body. Walter thinks that he can solve the formula. They leave Timor a message. Timor is trying to contain the monster. He’s partially successful. It comes after him. He uses electricity. He used too much and his brother Alex flatlines for a few moments before coming back.

While using Tinkertoys to make a physical representation of the molecule, Walter makes a bad discovery. He tells Dunham that the Russian tried to remove the organism, but failed. The two organisms merged. There is no way of removing it without killing him. Broyles tells Timor this. While he is talking on the phone, Timor is vaporized. The line is still open and Alex’s shadow leaves the room. They arrive and Walter notices that the shadow is gone. Alex’s body has no radiation. Peter suggests distressing the host, since that was what Timor was using. They hear a scream. Broyles shoots Alex in the head. I think that the organism moved onto the little girl, who’s acting strange.

Broyles tells Dunham that this case was the one that broke his marriage up. Broyles tells his ex-wife in person that he closed that case. Broyles meets a CIA bagman. He is told not to make a report. They took the cosmonaut. Once he started breathing, they launched him into space. At least, that’s what the bagman implies.

* * * * *

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The newly revamped Pogoplug looks really amazing, but that’s not all it does. It enables you to push some of your data into your own personal cloud computer, thanks to internet connectivity, and stream it to anyone in the world, while leaving your data on your hard drives at all times.

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If you want to setup a not too expensive way of looking into your home, and getting some interesting security features, then you should look at the Astak Mole webcam. Read on to find out more!

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I started reading the Errol Morris blog over at the NYT a year or so ago ― I can’t really be sure of the exact date, but his long posts and examinations are though provoking. A few days ago, I started getting all this Opinionator junk in my feed reader. What happened to Errol Morris?

Thanks to Russ’ immunity idol, Kelly was evicted last time. Russell is also working Shambo to get rid of Laura. The immunity idol is also going back into play, much to Laura’s dismay. Russell is pretty happy how things are going.

That was almost as great as my kids being born.
Russell

Shambo is feeling quite a bit of schadenfreude. At the crack of dawn, Russell is back looking for the next immunity idol.

She is the viper queen on Galu.
Shambo on Laura

Shambo comes out to John about voting for Laura. He can’t assure her of that. She asks him not to tell.

It’s time for the challenge. They will divide into two teams of 5. One person will be suspended in a cradle. The other tribemates will maneuver them around to gather 15 flags. The winning team will fly out to another island and have a nice dinner. Laura and Russ are in the same team. Nat has 2 flags for purple while John is struggling for yellow. Yellow knocks out a flag and they have to put it back into its slot. Nat almost falls out, but she gets the 15^th flag. They easily win the reward.

The winning team gets to take pictures with a smartphone. They get to eat some food. Jaison talks with Monica. She’s not saying much. They tell her that they’ve got 5 votes already. Is this is a smart play? They basically tell her that Shambo is the traitor.

On the phone, they get the clue about the next clue. It says that a rolling stone gathers no moss. They also see a rock covered in moss underneath which the idol is hidden. As soon as they get back to camp, the old Foa Foa goes looking for the idol. The old Galu tries to sabotage them. Russell leads Dave around because he’s annoyed that he’s tagging along. Dave loses him easily. Russell outsmarts them again and manages to find it quite easily.

Monica tells Laura that the old Foa Foa is after her and this includes Shambo. She needs to win immunity.

The goal of the immunity challenge involves breaking tiles to gather spears. In the 2^nd part, they will launch spears at a bulls eye. Jaison knocks out a tile. Dave knocks out one of Monica’s tiles. Brett knocks out two of his tiles with one shot. Mick gets one too. Laura, Russell, Shambo, Dave, and Nat don’t get a shot at immunity. Brett is on the board. Jaison shoots wide. Monica is too low. Mick gets a better shot of Brett’s. Mick wins immunity.

Shambo tells Brett that she is voting for Laura. Laura and Dave ask John’s advice. He says that they need to vote for Nat. She’s the one who’s the least likely to have the idol. Monica and Dave scramble with Brett. Monica comes up with the idea of telling Foa Foa that she is voting for John. She tries to talk with Russell, who doesn’t care what she is saying. Monica is greasing everyone’s wheels in Foa Foa. None of them believe her. Russell comes up with the smart idea of letting John know. Brett tells John that he’s a patsy. He’s not happy about hearing this. John tells Russell. They talk. Russ says that they are still voting for Laura. Russell tells John to do a switch after the 1^st tie. John isn’t very confident.

It’s time for tribal. Shambo says that after they voted off Erik, Galu was broken. Laura glares at Shambo. She says that her group is tight knit. Jeff argues that if Shambo is on the fence, they aren’t. Russell doesn’t look worried and doesn’t play the idol. The old Galu vote for Nat. It’s a tie between Laura and Nat. Laura and Nat won’t vote and they vote again for only those two. Will John switch? Laura is evicted by a 5-3 vote. Laura and Monica are shocked. Dave is devastated. Shambo is laughing.

* * * * *

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How many times do you have to get up or glance at a clock while you are in bed? It happens to us quite often, but we simply love this idea of simply putting a clock underneath your bedspread and let your fingers find out the time.

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Right now, the iPhone is the cell phone to beat. Apple just made a great product and people have been flocking to it. What could dethrone the iPhone? How about a new Google Phone! TechCrunch reports on some juicy details, including a full Google Voice functionality.

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This blog and I have been mentioned as notebook addicts over at Notebook Stories. I agree, I love my notebooks and the written word. Oddly enough, I haven’t taken any photos of my recent additions, nor of my notes, so I’ll have to oblige later in the week.

I’ve noticed a couple of great posts about notebooks by Range over at Memoirs on a Rainy Day. I love it when people can just talk about their notebooks and why they like them and how they use them, as in this post: Notebook Obsession and Rhodia Love. He doesn’t have a photo of his whole collection, but he seems to be using 10 notebooks concurrently, as described in a post called Never Enough Notebooks, which I’ve excerpted below.

I also just received some swag from Karen at Exaclair, for Clairefontaine which makes Rhodia and Quo-Vadis. I’ll run some tests over the next few days, with some pics and post them. I was surprised at how small the webbie was, but it was oh-so-pretty in orange.

Today was a great day. I caught up on some grad school work, received some swag, finished early and ate a Vietnamese beef soup. I also played some Dragon Age: Origins. I’ve been wanting to play all week, but didn’t have them time. I’m about 44 hours in and completed 18% of the game. That gives you an idea how long it is!

Most external hard drives don’t really look that great. They’re basically enclosures for hard drives and they serve that purpose. There are thousands of different enclosure designs. Hitachi just released their updated SimpleDrives, which look pretty different from anything else we’ve seen.

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Jon Ronson and his 8-year old son on the worst swear word in the English language, and it’s pretty funny. Limone!

I also like the sanitized swear words such as: dang it, fudge, son of a gun.

Dan Brown's latest

It’s been pretty challenging trying to read for fun when I started grad school in mid-September. It’s been a rush and I love that I have a pile of books to read, though I haven’t been able to read more Murakami and Palahniuk, I’ll get to them eventually. I’m still missing Kafka On The Shore and Norwegian Wood.

I started reading The Lost Symbol. I hate to say this, but it’s a bit awful. The whole pretext of Noetic science sounds completely BS to me. I only bought it because it was so cheap and I told myself, what the heck. Do I regret the purchase, no. It’s not that bad, but it’s definitely a step below my usual books. It actually makes me want to read Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco again. Now that was a really good book with lots of the occult.

I’d like to finish the year with another 43 books read, that way, I’d have read 100 books in a year, but I think that this will be quite hard. It’s possible, but since I don’t use public transport nor do I have as much time as before, it’s going to be a challenge.

September and October reading

The Time Travelers by Linda Buckley Archer⁶
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
(Pandora’s Star by Peter F. Hamilton)⁵
(Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton)⁵

August reading

The Temporal Void by Peter F. Hamilton
(The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton)⁴
(The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton)⁴
(The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton)⁴

June and July reading

The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi
(House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds)¹
(The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell)²
(Children of God by Mary Doria Russell)²
Anathem by Neal Stephenson³
A Far Horizon by Meira Chand
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris

May reading

Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra
Cover her Face by PD James
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
Dieu porte-t-il des lunettes noires? by Maurice Dantec
Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler
The Glass Harp by Truman Capote
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M Forster
The Snake Charmer by Sanjay Nigam

April reading

The Lighthouse by P.D. James
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Les hommes qui n’aimaient pas les femmes by Steig Larsson
La fille qui rêvait d’un bidon d’essence et d’une allumette by Steig Larsson
La reine dans le palais des courants d’air by Steig Larsson

March reading

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Cosmos Incorporated by Maurice Dantec

February reading

Seven Silent Men by Noel Behn
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Human Stain by Philip Roth
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold [due to become a Peter Jackson movie]

January reading

Final Account by Peter Robinson
The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev and G. Weston DeWalt
Samarcande by Amin Maalouf
Devil’s Claw by J.A. Jance
Pilgrim by Timothy Findley
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The High Window by Raymond Chandler
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

* * * * *

book count: 57

[¹]: I read this book again. It’s fabulous.
[²]: I read these books a few years ago. My mom really liked them, I didn’t. At least that what she tried to tell me before I borrowed them again. I’m going to write a post about what bugged me about them.
[³]: Reading this book was an incredible experience. I had to leave it with my parents in Quebec. It was too heavy to take with me. Luckily my mother-in-law sent me another copy of this book to Taiwan. I can read it again. This book deserves to be read a few times.
[⁴]: I read these three books again in the month of August. Since they were quite long, it took most of the month to get through the trilogy.
[⁵]: As I mentioned before, I just had to read these books again. The Temporal Void just made me want to read them again.
[⁶]: This wasn’t a very good book. It’s a book for young adults and I didn’t really like it that much. Some parts were good, but others were bad.

My comment on a Lifehacker poll. Would you pay for online content? Or do you already pay for it?

I went completely digital back in 2005. I have spent over $20,000 on CDs, DVDs, and vinyls― I was a hard techno/minimal techno DJ. I no longer pay for cable, nor video rentals, nor would I pay for any kind of content anymore. I don’t have a TV, only a big computer screen. Like the hacker mantra, information is supposed to be free. It’s up to the companies to find new ways of leveraging their readers. Usually, when I hit a pay wall, I stop clicking on articles to that source, the WSJ is among them. I signed up for the NYT as it’s one of the best papers and I really like the online version, though I don’t pay for it.

★

What do I pay for? Books. I spend hundreds of dollars a year on books. Books are great. I love them. I always have one on me and read in the lost moments of the day. I’ve never liked ebooks and don’t plan on getting an ebook reader anytime soon. The technology is too new and riddled with faults. I also rarely go to the movies. In fact, I’ve probably stopped going altogether. I used to go almost every week a few years ago. I used to spend a lot of money on DVD rentals. I don’t anymore.

Back in 2005, I was paying between $50-400 a month on my cell phone bill. It’s because I worked in finance and needed to talk to clients and employees. Right now, I spend about $30 a year on my cell phone. I bought a SonyEricsson Cyber-Shot K810i in 2007. I rarely get any calls, and it’s usually to do with work.

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t do many backups. Sometimes it just seems ludicrous to do so. But since computer hard drives can easily malfunction and burn out, using a NAS HD is probably a good idea.

Read More…

It’s good to be back at school. I missed most of last week because I was teaching 30 hours. I didn’t miss much³, but I felt terrible. In the future, I won’t want to miss any school at all. My classmates were actually worried about me, which was kind of nice.

I ran some errands.

I finally got my health check. As usual, I’m doing this at the last minute, but it will be in time so that I can get a Resident Visa and an ARC. I went to the hospital on Renai Rd. To my surprise, the health checks are about 2.2 times more expensive. I seem to remember them costing about 800 NTD (~$24). I paid about 1,880 NTD (~$58) for mine. Luckily, I was at the hospital at around 2:40PM and I was finished by 3:20PM. It was pretty quick. I got some blood drawn and a chest x-ray. Since I had already gone to this hospital in 2007, everything else was kept on file. That was pretty neat. All that’s left is to collect it next week, get my Resident Visa and then get my ARC. Pretty straightforward, though they make you jump to a bunch of hoops.

I got dinner at Evan’s. I had a cheeseburger. It was pretty good. I need to remember that they have lunch special on Wednesdays only. Yesterday, I bought $13 worth of fruits at a fruit shop. That doesn’t sound like much, but it is. I bought 30 Taiwanese oranges. They were 6¢ each. That was damn cheap. They don’t taste as good as Sunkist oranges and they are green for some reason¹, but hey, at 6¢ it’s hard to say no. I plan on detoxing from the bad carbs that I’ve been eating over the last few months². It hasn’t gotten out of hand, but I know that I need to completely cut out carbs for a while.

I went to get a haircut at my usual place Fully near Taipower Building on Fuxing N. Rd. I got a great massage and head massage from my hairdresser. Initially, about 2 years ago when I first started going there, I was surprised when I got it. Now, it was something relaxing. My hairdresser is meticulous and gives a hard massage. It’s painful at times, but feels pretty good.

It’s been a few weeks since I took any photos, so yesterday, I snapped away. As always, I started with my pets. I got some nice shots of both Yoda the cat and Spike the French bulldog together on the couch between my legs.

* * * * *

[¹]: They are actually tangerines and they are pretty darn good.
[²]: I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, but I just got onto it today, after eating fried rice at my school yesterday.
[³]: That’s actually wrong. I spent about 3hrs today catching up on what we did in Complex Analysis and the Stokes theorem proof was especially challenging. I started swearing when I noticed that it was a few pages long. My classmates found that funny. I as in my office.

Are you finding your leather seats too cold? Well, look no further, because we’ve found an idea that’s quite interesting. It involves installing some seat heating into your seats to make them warmer in cooler temperatures.

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If you are looking for a simple and efficient way of having your iPhone/iPod stand in front of you without spending any money, look no further, because this hack is just pure genius.

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There’s just something about having robust and nicely engineered small appliances. Let’s be honest, those are the ones that you tend to use almost every day. Who hasn’t had a cheap blender or mixer break? That’s why it’s a good idea to have something of better quality.

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image via Daily Mail

My wife told me that this was pretty scandalous, and I agree. Sex blogger Belle de Jour unmasked herself over the weekend as a medical research scientist with a PhD. Are you shocked?

We’ve been talking about this since the news broke and we still can’t really understand the situation. Needless to say, unless you are Dr. Brooke Magnanti, you can’t. We just wonder if she is going to continue being a researcher or if she will just be a full time writer. Two TV series were made from her books. The Daily Mail published an interview with her ex-boyfriend.

Here is a link to her academic publications.

She has made a great deal of money from Belle de Jour, but I haven’t received a penny and my life has been completely affected.
The Boy from Belle de Jour comes to life in a Daily Mail interview

My wife says that he was in love with her. I said that he was a dumbass for believing that a call girl didn’t have sex with her clients. He sounded like a simpleton. Then again, love blinds.

Image via the Times

Well known sex blogger Belle de Jour came out today to the Times. She’s Dr. Brooke Magnanti.

She’s real, all right, and I’m sitting on the bed next to her. Her name is Dr Brooke Magnanti. Her specialist areas are developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and is now working at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health.

Magnanti is a medical research scientist. The reason why she became a prostitute are pretty straightforward. She was in London, having given in her PhD thesis and preparing for her viva, when she was running out of money. She didn’t want to go into debt, so she started turning tricks. I am really surprised. I didn’t expect her to be an academic. This paraphrase of her explanation sounds a bit simple ―and it is― so it’s best to read the original article at the Times, where the reporter actually met her.

She was a London call girl for 14 months, from 2003 to 2004. She worked for an agency, and continued being a call girl after she found a job as a computer programmer for 3 or 4 months.

Californication title card, via Wikipedia

How long will it take Hank to mess things up with Karen? Not very long. Hank’s usual nice disposition doesn’t win him any favorites when he tries to talk his way out of a warning. He just gets arrested.

I enjoyed the whole first series. I enjoyed the second series as well. Even though some critics were against some of the more controversial scenes, I enjoyed them. It paints an interesting picture of the life of Hank Moody and his messed up life. Hank has been a real asshole in the past, but at the end of it all he’s a good man. If you thought that the second season was going to be any less controversial, think again. This time, it’s mouth rape. The third season starts smoothly enough.

Warning: Spoilers ahead and strong language.

* * * * *

Hank is a college teacher. That’s a strong word. He’s just trying to make some money. He’s got trouble at home with Becca. Runkle is still trying to patch things up with his ex, but he comes across the fact that she likes rape fantasies. He tries to do one himself. It doesn’t work out. He’s moved back into his house.

Kathleen Turner looks really bad as his nympho boss. She keeps trying to get into Runkle’s pants. I don’t know which is more disturbing. Runkle messes things up with Marcie by relenting to his boss’ sexual harassment. Moody fantasizes about Jackie and has sex with his TA Jill, while fooling around with Felicia. All in all, a good day for Hank Moody!

* * * * *

Becca is being a difficult teenager. Karen swipes her cell phone away. Karen says that Becca should live with her permanently. Hank supposes that he’s coming with Becca to NYC, but from Karen’s looks, it means that she’s involved with someone else. The next morning, Karen breaks the news to Becca. Becca is livid. Karen says that she slept with Bill. Karen is coming with Hank to class.

Things couldn’t get more awkward. Jill and Jackie are in the class with Karen. The only person that is missing is Felicia. Karen thinks that he slept with Jackie. Karen meets Felicia. Karen doesn’t like her.

At Runkle’s, after being pissed off at the amount of pills Marcy has to take, she is flabbergasted to find Rick Springfield practicing lines with Runkle.

Chelsea is pissed for Becca at her moving away. They drive Chelsea home and find Stacey and Felicia playing tennis. Becca is being a bitch. They leave her at Felicia’s.

They arrive at Runkle’s. Rick Springfield, Runkle, and Sue arrive. They get called away by Becca, who raided the dean’s wine cellar with Chelsea. Marcy and Springfield retire to her bedroom. Springfield is screwing Marcy. Runkle is crying. His whimpering makes Sue leave. She says that sex is supposed to be about joy. She makes a little show for Marcy. It makes Marcy stop.

When they arrive, they find Felicia drunk. The girls opened $3,000 worth of wine. Karen is pissed. She gets angry with Stacey and Felicia. Becca is drunk as well. Becca pukes on the dean.

Karen and Hank are putting Becca to bed. Becca wants Hank to stay. Becca says that Chelsea is the only friend that she has ever had, the only one who has accepted her the way that she is. She makes a compelling point. Hank will have to argue with Karen. Hank tells Karen that they need her here. LA isn’t a place to raise a daughter or a dad.

Karen says that she didn’t sleep with Bill.

* * * * *

Relevant Posts

• Californication S01E01
• Californication S01E02
• Californication S01E12
• Californication S02E01
• Californication S02E12
• Californication S03E01
• Californication S03E02
• Californication S03E03
• Californication S03E04
• Californication S03E05

Californication title card, via Wikipedia

How long will it take Hank to mess things up with Karen? Not very long. Hank’s usual nice disposition doesn’t win him any favorites when he tries to talk his way out of a warning. He just gets arrested.

I enjoyed the whole first series. I enjoyed the second series as well. Even though some critics were against some of the more controversial scenes, I enjoyed them. It paints an interesting picture of the life of Hank Moody and his messed up life. Hank has been a real asshole in the past, but at the end of it all he’s a good man. If you thought that the second season was going to be any less controversial, think again. This time, it’s mouth rape. The third season starts smoothly enough.

Warning: Spoilers ahead and strong language.

* * * * *

Hank is a college teacher. That’s a strong word. He’s just trying to make some money. He’s got trouble at home with Becca. Runkle is still trying to patch things up with his ex, but he comes across the fact that she likes rape fantasies. He tries to do one himself. It doesn’t work out. He’s moved back into his house.

Kathleen Turner looks really bad as his nympho boss. She keeps trying to get into Runkle’s pants. I don’t know which is more disturbing. Runkle messes things up with Marcie by relenting to his boss’ sexual harassment. Moody fantasizes about Jackie and has sex with his TA Jill, while fooling around with Felicia. All in all, a good day for Hank Moody!

* * * * *

Becca doesn’t want to visit her mom in NYC. She says that Chelsea has Lakers tickets. Hank warns Karen about Becca. Hank’s buddy is coming by. Hank picks him up from the airport. Slaz has got 3 kids and lame come on lines. Laz tells Hank that the is through with his wife Kim. After an argument, he hopped on a plane to LA.

Daisy comes by to see Runkle. She’s got a new set of boobs. Daisy says that she’s got a bunch of STDs.

My vagina looks like downtown Baghdad right now.
Daisy

Flaz and Hank go to a party, thanks to Runkle. They meet Sue’s husband, who is in a wheel chair. Marcy wants to screw in Sue’s house. Runkle tells Marcy about the STDs. She knocks him on the kisser. She runs off with his car.

Flaz gets busy with a chick who has a dick. He hits her and makes a scene. Hank decides to go to Faster Pussycat. Jackie is there. Flaz gets thrown out for sucking on a strippers nipple. Hank tries to defend and they start a brawl.

Hank wakes up with Jackie in his bed. There is a midget there as well. Runkle is in bed with two strippers. He asks her to wake up Slaz by lying in his arms. Slaz tells Hank that he’s sick. He needs to take care of himself. That’s why he had a big blowout with Kim the other day. He drops off Slaz at the airport to pick up Becca. She arrives with Karen.

* * * * *

Relevant Posts

• Californication S01E01
• Californication S01E02
• Californication S01E12
• Californication S02E01
• Californication S02E12
• Californication S03E01
• Californication S03E02
• Californication S03E03
• Californication S03E04

How long will it take Hank to mess things up with Karen? Not very long. Hank’s usual nice disposition doesn’t win him any favorites when he tries to talk his way out of a warning. He just gets arrested.

I enjoyed the whole first series. I enjoyed the second series as well. Even though some critics were against some of the more controversial scenes, I enjoyed them. It paints an interesting picture of the life of Hank Moody and his messed up life. Hank has been a real asshole in the past, but at the end of it all he’s a good man. If you thought that the second season was going to be any less controversial, think again. This time, it’s mouth rape. The third season starts smoothly enough.

Warning: Spoilers ahead and strong language.

* * * * *

Hank is a college teacher. That’s a strong word. He’s just trying to make some money. He’s got trouble at home with Becca. Runkle is still trying to patch things up with his ex, but he comes across the fact that she likes rape fantasies. He tries to do one himself. It doesn’t work out. He’s moved back into his house.

Kathleen Turner looks really bad as his nympho boss. She keeps trying to get into Runkle’s pants. I don’t know which is more disturbing. Runkle messes things up with Marcie by relenting to his boss’ sexual harassment. Moody fantasizes about Jackie and has sex with his TA Jill, while fooling around with Felicia. All in all, a good day for Hank Moody!

* * * * *

Felicia checks in on Hank. He’s having a nap. She says that she was in love with Stacy before he cheated on her with a student. She kisses him again. Jill interrupts them. She also wants to talk. They start fooling around. She says that she hadn’t had sex in a while before last night. Now, it’s kind of like he awoke the tiger in her.

Sue wants to pimp out Moody to some high-powered older women to make him attractive to Hollywood again. Hank takes Becca shopping. Hank doesn’t want to buy her $200 jeans. Felicia drops Chelsea off. They take Becca shopping.

Moody and Runkle drop by Faster Pussycat. Jackie dropped his class. She gives Moody a lapdance. Runkle comes in his pants. Marcie calls him. Someone is coming by to make an offer for their house. Marcie’s tampon doesn’t flush and the visitors see this and flee.

Hank tries to defend Jackie’s honor, but gets his ass kicked. She takes him home and they start kissing. Jackie weakens his resolve and they screw.

Runkle makes another play for Marcie, and she capitulates.

Hank calls Karen. It’s apparent that they are drifting apart. Very far apart. Almost too far for it to work out anymore.

Hank comes to class. Jill, Felicia, and Jill are all in his class. It’s going to be interesting. Jill already told him that she isn’t wearing any underwear. He writes FUCK on the whiteboard.

* * * * *

Relevant Posts

• Californication S01E01
• Californication S01E02
• Californication S01E12
• Californication S02E01
• Californication S02E12
• Californication S03E01
• Californication S03E02
• Californication S03E03

I really enjoyed the original series. It was something quite astounding to watch. I didn’t really get much at the time nor did I watch it really, I just knew of it. I watched it a few times when I was older, when I got the DVD sets. The episodes were a standard science-fiction affair, but the concept was really good.

V tells the story of visitors from outer space coming to Earth to trade with humans. Strangely enough, they look human. In the original series, it took a while to find this out, as they were always wearing helmets for a while. It also took a while to discover that the Visitors aren’t really human. We discover this in the first episode of the new series. The Visitors have got a plan to take over Earth, only the people are too dumbfounded to react. They are in awe of the technology and the trades that the Visitors promise

Warning: spoilers ahead

* * * * *

I was pleasantly surprised by this show. I wasn’t expecting much, as the concept of the V show would have been easy to miss. For now, it’s nowhere near as good as Battlestar Galactica, but I’m expecting that the next few episodes will help flesh out the story.

The actors are good, so expect something better than Stargate Universe. The fact that they are using an ensemble cast makes parts of the story difficult to follow. For one thing, the skip in time is confusing. Well, not that much, but it would make a lot more sense if you watch more than one episode at a time.

We will see 4 episodes of V in November. The rest will be broadcast in the spring. The 1st season has 13 episodes. All in all, I liked the pilot. I’m looking forward to more episodes.

* * * * *

Erica and Jack are talking about creating a resistance movement. They look at the mothership and see a shuttle coming down. They clean up the evidence. Erica tries to call 911, but she is unaware that the Visitors have jacked the local phone lines. Another killing drone is after them. It had its shards deployed and goes around a corner when Erica takes it out. She says that her partner is a Visitor, and he’s been her partner for over 7 years. This means that anyone could be a Visitor. She tells Jack to go home, not to trust anyone and pretend this didn’t happened for now. They can’t face this head on.

Erica tells Tyler not to get involved with the Visitors. The next day, she gets a call from her boss. He says that Dale has gone missing.

The US is talking about establishing full diplomatic relations with the Visitors. This would give them freedom of movement within their borders. On the mothership, Anna is informed that India hasn’t responded to their request for diplomatic relations. Anna says that they will all fall in once the US grants it.

Evans is facing some kind of inquiry at work about Dale. It’s interrupted when they find Dale’s car. Father Jack gets a visitor from an FBI agent. She asks him questions about the guy who died. He doesn’t say anything. It’s obvious that the Monseigneur is a Visitor. He tells him not to try and influence him.

Mexico and Japan have already granted diplomatic relations. Chad is anxious about what will happen next. He didn’t like the way that Anna manipulated him into doing a plush piece, even though it was viewed by 80 million people.

Tyler goes to see Lisa at the Visitor’s Center with Brandon. He gets booted out for being violent in front of the center with some protesters. He’s messed up things for her. Her boss gets a recording of her 911 call. She says that she suspected Dale of being a terrorist. Her boss says that he got this recording from a tap of the DEA. The 911 call didn’t go through. The DEA had the payphones wired because of some kind of smuggling racket.

The Visitors are questioning one of the survivors from the warehouse. They mention the 1^st Resistance. It’s obvious that there was another resistance before this one and the Visitors dismantled it.

Father Jack goes to see the Visitor’s Threat Assessment Unit at the FBI. He’s surprised to see that Erica works there. She is also surprised to see him.

Ryan gets his wound patched up by a contact that he knows. He was also involved in the 1^st Resistance. Ryan gets drugged by his contact Angelo. Ryan wakes up and goes home. Angelo is gone. Angelo calls him later on. He found out about Val. If he can find out about her, the Visitors can do so as well.

Chad has a newscast about the Visitors and if they should trust them. Erica goes to see Father Jack. She wants to question Dale’s wife. Jocelyn says that Dale had two cell phones. One for work and one for home. He called two numbers a lot, hers and another. She doesn’t recognize it.

Erica investigates the calls. She thinks that Dale tipped of the terrorists 20 to 30 minutes before a raid.

Chad meets Anna again. Another Visitor isn’t happy about what he did. He says that he did a lot for them. He says that the next one they want his help, it will be on his terms. In the end, after the show, the Visitors received a gain in the polls.

Chad announces that the US and the Visitors have struck an agreement. A limited number of Vs will be allowed down to the surface. Anna calls Chad to thank him.

Father Jack and Erica meet once again. Erica swiped a list from the Visitor Task Force. It could have other future resistance members on it.

Dale is patched up on the mothership and wakes up.

* * * * *

Relevant Links and Posts

• V 2009 Wikipedia page
• Stargate Universe
• Sanctuary
• Battlestar Galactica
• V S01E01

White Collar promotional poster

The pilot episode of White Collar was most definitely slick and smart, as well as charming, as Matt Bormer will charm the pants off anyone he meets as his suave alter ego Neal Caffrey.

This show most definitely fits in the USA Network’s slew of shows, which include Burn Notice and Royal Pains. It has good pacing and interesting chemistry between Matt Bormer and Tim DeKay, something that isn’t easy to fake. They work well on the screen, there is no denying this.

Basically, Dekay’s Burke is a white collar specialist who put Bormer’s Caffrey away a few years ago. In order to reduce his sentence a bit further, after having escaped a super max jail, Caffrey offers to help Burke to catch the illusive Dutchman, a criminal that Burke has also been chasing for a few years. This setup kind of reminds me of Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can as well as The Sting with Redford and Newman.

What’s also interesting, is that the guys don’t just keep this professional. They also involve their personal lives. Burke needs help to make his hot wife Elizabeth, played by Tiffani Thiessen, happy while Caffrey is searching for his wife that just vanished. All in all, a great show with good actors. I recommend it.

Warning: spoilers ahead

They are after an Israeli counterfeiter called the Ghost. They are interviewing a witness. An Israeli model named Tara was at a party. She saw the Ghost and someone else arguing. The other guy was murdered. They didn’t see her hiding in the closet. Guvat killed a known associate.

Burke thinks that this is linked to NYC’s fashion week. Caffrey thinks that they can throw a party and have Tara will ID him. Caffrey says that Elizabeth will help them out and give them a good deal. That’s Burke’s wife. They go through the FBI seized goods for supplies. Burke wants to throw the party in a seized loft. Caffrey has got a better idea. It’s a rooftop garden. Neal meets Lauren Cruze, a hot FBI agent that was transferred to the task force.

They find a guy speaking Hebrew at the party. They are sure that Guvat is here. Guvat dumps his phone on another guy. This happened after Caffrey swiped Dmitri’s phone. They get the wrong guy and Guvat is making his way away.

Moz comes to see Caffrey. He still wants to find Kate. He told Kate that he kept all of this spoils in San Diego. Some guy is making her look for it. When Kate came to say goodbye, he thinks that Kate might have left him a message. Moz tells him to ask for the footage.

They didn’t lose Guvat. They are tailing him.

Elizabeth is meeting Burke in a park. She got him something. It’s a new watch.

They trace Dmitri and the model Guvat was with. He is at a photo shoot. Dmitri is a buyer. Caffret poses as a rival buyer. He meets Guvat at a hotel, but is killed shortly after.

Dmitri was killed with a dress. They find a place for a high tech security system. It’s basically a USB flash drive. They find the designer. He says that his son was kidnapped. Guvat is responsible. He had to smuggle something in using the dress. Once in the US, his son was released. The designer says that Guvat took the wrong dress. They are analyzing the data on it. They use the dress as bait. Tara is modeling it. Guvat calls and offers 5 million for the dress. Caffrey says that he wants 10. Guvat says that he tried to reason with him and hangs up.

Tara was kidnapped on her way to the safehouse. Guvat phones Caffrey. Guvat wants Burke to make the exchange. He found his card on Tara.

The thread in the dress holds the holographic code of the latest European currencies. They will be putting a counterfeit one on it.

Guvat calls him and tells him to run to the fountain. He doesn’t want any of the FBI surveillance to move. Guvat tells Burke that Tara is modeling an explosive belt that can be remote detonated with a cell phone. Caffrey gets an idea. They will try and jam Guvat’s phone. Everyone keeps dialing it. Cruze tackles him.

Caffrey gets to watch the tape of Kate. He sees her signaling him ‘Bottle’ in Morse code. It’s the bottle that she left for him.

* * * * *

Relevant Posts and Links

• White Collar @ Wikipedia
• White Collar S01E01

FlashForward title screen, via Wikipedia

A mysterious global event causes everyone on the planet to simultaneously see, for two minutes and seventeen seconds, his or her life six months in the future. When it is over, many are dead in accidents involving vehicles, aircraft, and any other device needing human control. Everyone who survived is left wondering if what they saw will actually happen.

A Los Angeles FBI agent named Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) tries to figure out what exactly happened and why it happened. Along with his team, he creates a database of people’s flash forwards from around the world called the Mosaic Collective (for which a website has been launched). Apart from the various catastrophic visions, people also see themselves engaging in unexpected behavior; for example, Benford sees himself drinking again, and his wife Olivia has a vision of herself with another man.

*

So there is another new science-fiction series. Well, it’s hard to attribute this series a science-fiction label, as unlike the book, the flash forward that the world experiences is only 6 months away. In the book, it’s 21 years and tied to the CERN Large Hadron Collider as well as the search for the Higgs boson. It’s based on a science-fiction novel of the same name by Robert J. Sawyer. That’s strange. I’ve been thinking about the Higgs boson for the last few days.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

* * * * *

So a plot tool from Lost has become a TV series in its own right. That’s kind of funny. What’s not funny is how slow the story progresses. Even with Lost, the story moves at a certain pace. The first episode of FlashForward seemed to just crawl along, with nothing really happening at all.

It’s also described as a thriller, but I’d call it a fake-thriller, since none of the thrills are surprising. They are easily predictable. However, the show is beautifully shot. I hope that the next few episodes will move at a quicker pace and we will discover more. No improvement on the pacing. This show was picked up for a full season, but it’s still very slow.

I still can’t believe that Defying Gravity was canceled before this show. Seems like such a waste. At least in Defying Gravity, there is a lot better pacing and the characters are engaging.

As usual, things are moving along very slowly. Janis is alright, Simcoe and Benford finally meet. We learn that Simcoe is behind the flash forwards. He was working with a quantum physicist. I wonder if this is tied to the the search for the Higgs boson with the Large Hadron Collider, like in the book on which this series is based.

This series is faring better than Defying Gravity. It has been given a full first season.

* * * * *

A quantum physicist is trying some lame come on lines on a hottie. He explains Schrödinger’s cat.

Janis arrives at Olivia’s hospital. She is crashing. They get her back. Olivia phones Mark. She gets his voicemail. She’s been calling him, Demetri and Stan as well. The office has been stonewalling. Simcoe is playing card tricks with his autistic son Dylan. Simcoe is trying to tell him that he is going to live with him in his house.

Benford and his team arrive at the hospital. Janis is recovering. Stan sends everyone home. Demetri says that he is staying here. Stan orders him home. Demetri takes Al and heads out.

Benford says that they were attacked simultaneously as Janis. It’s connected to the attacks. Olivia tells him that the flash forwards are pulling them away from the present. She doesn’t want to miss another moment.

Demetri and Al head to the morgue. The enemy agents are blanks. No IDs. This is means that they were pros. They use the UV light on the body and find a blue hand. That is one of Benford’s clues on the Mosaic board.

Stan apologizes to Mark for his comments. Demetri says that China is a dead end. He doesn’t want blue hand to become one too. Janis has regained consciousness. Demetri wants to pursue the clue. He wants to go to Baltimore Street, because Mark connected the blue hand to it.

Mark goes trick or treating with his daughter. They see a real life kangaroo hopping by. Simcoe finds out that his son has gone missing. He’s dressed up as a pimp and taking a bus. A nice gangster takes him to his house. Jane is crashing again. Well, her blood pressure is dropping.

The quantum physicist tells the hottie that he is bedding that in his ff he killed a man with his bare hands.

Demetri and Al find a stop sign on Baltimore Street with a blue hand on it. They are clues to an underground club, or at least that’s what they believe.

Dylan arrives at the Benford residence. Benford sees a couple of guys with the same masks as in his ff. They run off when Benford runs after them. It’s just a kid who pulled a prank. He gives Mark the name of the store where he got the mask. Nicole phones Benford and says that a boy showed up. He comes home. In Dylan’s ff, he was at the Benford residence. Dylan and Charlie know each other. Simcoe arrives. Simcoe recognizes the place from his ff. Olivia walks in. Benford glares at her. They all know what is going on. Erin takes Charlie and Nicole to the kitchen.

Mark tells Simcoe to leave and not to come back. Lloyd gives him his hand and Mark shakes it. Mark starts an argument with Olivia about Simcoe. She turns it around. Mark admits that he was drinking in his ff. Olivia says that they don’t trust each other anymore. She doesn’t know if it is going to work out between them.

Al and Demetri find a body with a blue hand. They found a passport on one of the bodies. It’s from Rutherford. It’s connected to a case.

Janis tells Stan that because of the most recent surgery, it will be almost impossible to have a child. She is crying.

The quantum physicist is Simon. He knows Simcoe. They caused the blackouts. Their experiment killed 20 million people.

* * * * *

Related Posts

• FlashForward S01E01
• FlashForward S01E02
• FlashForward S01E03
• FlashForward S01E04
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The Mentalist tells the story of Patrick Jane played by Simon Baker, a man specializing in studying the micro-expressions of people who became involved with trying to catch a serial killer named Red John. Red John killed his wife and daughter. Since then, Jane has been working with the stupidly named CBI, California Bureau of Investigations, a kind of state police.

Robin Tunney plays Agent Lisbon, who is in charge of the unit. Van Pelt is the new agent on the squad. Rigsby has a crush on her. The Mentalist is kind of like the TNT show Psych, but it’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. I’ve enjoyed this series because it’s light and interesting. I’ve kind of come to despise Criminal Minds.

Jane uses his semi-celebrity and his lack of protocol to solve cases quickly, cases in which the CBI wouldn’t be able to come up with answers without him. Each episode has the color red in its title. The Mentalist resembles the show Lie to Me, which premiered in 2009 on Fox. The Mentalist started on the 23rd of September 2008 on CBS.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

* * * * *

Bosco’s squad is looking for a woman who was kidnapped. The house they storm has Lisbon and Jane in it. They are investigating a case. The corpse has been dead for a few years. The corpse was a kidnap victim as well. Minelli wants both units to cooperate on this case.

The cases are similar. Both victims were from rich families. The family received a proof of life from some kidnappers. The girl Mia Westlake isn’t wearing a blindfold. This will end badly for her.

Lisbon goes with Bosco to question the family. They receive a ransom demand for 3.75 million. The amount is pretty specific. Bosco thinks that the Mexican mafia is involved. It’s because of a tattoo on the kidnapper’s hand. Jane manages to have a word with the family. He spotted that the husband of the sister was supplying her with dope. He tells her that she needs to be present, otherwise she will regret it for the rest of her life.

Jane tells Bosco that he wants to work on his team. Bosco is being disrespectful. After the stunt he pulled with the Westlakes, the husband comes to see them. The sister comes out and thanks Jane for his words.

Lisbon talks with the SFPD officer who was in charge of Colin’s kidnapping. He says that the girlfriend was suspicious. He says that when the money is dropped, they will kill the girl. That’s what happened before.

Van Pelt finds out that the squatters that were reported at the house are linked to some drug dealers who took up on some habits from the Mexican cartel.

Bosco goes to see a CI in the Mexican cartel. He says that the cartel isn’t involved. The tattoo was too visible, kind of showing off. Bosco was trying to warn him off from working with Lisbon. Jane wasn’t impressed. Jane wants to try something.

Van Pelt gets shot while canvassing for the Crazy Hill Gang. She got shot in the vest. Rigsby goes after the woman after he made sure that Van Pelt was OK. The woman was about to shoot Hicks, one of Bosco’s minders for Lisbon’s team, but Rigsby shoots her dead. Van Pelt has to go to the hospital. The shooter’s name was Diana Zaranski, Connor’s girlfriend at the time. She’s also known as Deezer. This means that the gang has got an inside man at the Westlakes. Bosco won’t even hear out Jane. Jane tells the sister that one of the kidnappers is in her house. He tells her that her lawyer is the mole. The sister goes postal on her. The nanny is the one involved. Bosco and Jane staged this, as per Jane’s instructions.

They use her phone to find the kidnappers. They get the girl and the kidnappers.

Bosco gives Jane a copy of the new findings in the Red John case. He wants to know what Jane thinks.

* * * * *

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The Mentalist tells the story of Patrick Jane played by Simon Baker, a man specializing in studying the micro-expressions of people who became involved with trying to catch a serial killer named Red John. Red John killed his wife and daughter. Since then, Jane has been working with the stupidly named CBI, California Bureau of Investigations, a kind of state police.

Robin Tunney plays Agent Lisbon, who is in charge of the unit. Van Pelt is the new agent on the squad. Rigsby has a crush on her. The Mentalist is kind of like the TNT show Psych, but it’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. I’ve enjoyed this series because it’s light and interesting. I’ve kind of come to despise Criminal Minds.

Jane uses his semi-celebrity and his lack of protocol to solve cases quickly, cases in which the CBI wouldn’t be able to come up with answers without him. Each episode has the color red in its title. The Mentalist resembles the show Lie to Me, which premiered in 2009 on Fox. The Mentalist started on the 23rd of September 2008 on CBS.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

* * * * *

The CBI is called to a crime scene in Sutter Valley Meadow, CA. Local PD stomped all over the crime scene, so they don’t think that forensics will turn up anything. The vic was Kirby Heinz, a local welder.

Rigsby tells Van Pelt that Jane knows about them. It’s just a feeling. It gets ugly quickly. Some old dude gets arrested. Bosco has Jane arrested for his bug. Bosco offers not to file charges if Jane resigns from the CBI. Jane tells him to charge him. He’ll be in jail for a few days at least. Jane goes to jail. He doesn’t want protective custody. Jane’s cellmate is accused of raping and stabbing someone. They bond. Bill tells him that a bunch of people know that he’s a cop, so tomorrow might be difficult.

The next day, Jane meets the other prisoners. He meets the shotcaller and befuddles him before using the phone.

Bosco comes to see Lisbon. He wants them to be cool. She tells him that she needs to think about it.

They found a notebook on Kirby. Cho is talking with Ted, the old guy. Ted says that the 10-acres on which Kirby died belonged to his grandfather. His uncle stole it and sold it to the Gerber. It’s all down to oil sands. It’s worth 50-60 million. He took the Gerbers to court and didn’t get anything.

Lisbon and Van Pelt go to see the Heinz family and the widow. Donna’s family is the Gerbers. They kind of were too much for him. She stands to gain about $80,000 a year from the oil deal. Kirby was pretty badly beaten up 3 weeks before he died.

Jane is hypnotizing the shotcaller. He is trying to get him off the glue sniffing. Jane gets a visitor. It’s Cho. He brought the case paperwork and some Sudoku puzzle.

Lisbon is questioning Donna’s father. He thought that Donna deserved better than Kirby.

Cho and Rigsby go see Bosco to get out Jane out of trouble. He doesn’t want their help nor will he relax his stance.

In his notebook, Kirby wrote down vultures. Jane has got an idea, but he needs to talk to Roddy Gerber. Jane warns Rigsby that Gerber might be hard to deal with. It’s all part of his plan to get Gerber into jail. He calls Gerber and asks him about his affair with Kirby. When Rigsby arrives, Roddy punches him. Rigsby arrests him. He arrives at the jail. Jane says that Kirby found turkey vultures nesting on Gerber’s land. If he found them, they are protected, they can’t drill on their oil land. Jane tells Roddy that he shot the vultures so that he wouldn’t lose 1 million. He kicked his ass but he didn’t kill him.

The team asks Lisbon to ask Bosco to get Jane out. Bosco is sweet on Lisbon, it’s obvious to everyone but her. Jane calls her. He wants her to come see him in jail. He says that Roddy is innocent. They are here to see Roddy talking with Donna’s father.

Jane tells Lisbon that she can make Bosco do anything she wants. She denies that Bosco is like this. Jane says that she is keeping him in jail to teach him a lesson. It isn’t going to work.

Jane shares the muffin that she brought him to catch a mouse. The next day, Jane fakes that he passed out to get to the infirmary. My guess is that he’s trying to pull his own Prison Break. He uses the mouse to scare one of the guards who has a phobia of mice. He gets out quite easily.

Virgil and Bosco want Lisbon to lure him back. Jane calls Bosco. He’s at Julie Gerber’s house. He says that he’d have Kirby’s killer in 10 minutes. He asks Donna how it made her feel when her brother beat up her husband. Jane links the glitter found on Kirby’s body to Sandrine, Donna’s stepmom. He warned her that he would come clean about their affair. She begged him not to tell. Their affair was over quickly. Kirby was back with his wife. Sandrine killed Kirby to keep him quiet. The cops arrive.

Lisbon tells Bosco that he has to let Jane go or she’ll talk about what happened 8 years ago. Bosco is surprised. He doesn’t believe her. She emphasizes it.

Jane is out. He tells Lisbon that Bosco loves her, but his guess is that Bosco killed a bad guy that they couldn’t catch him any other way. She let him go because the bad guy deserved it. She had something on him.

* * * * *

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The Mentalist tells the story of Patrick Jane played by Simon Baker, a man specializing in studying the micro-expressions of people who became involved with trying to catch a serial killer named Red John. Red John killed his wife and daughter. Since then, Jane has been working with the stupidly named CBI, California Bureau of Investigations, a kind of state police.

Robin Tunney plays Agent Lisbon, who is in charge of the unit. Van Pelt is the new agent on the squad. Rigsby has a crush on her. The Mentalist is kind of like the TNT show Psych, but it’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. I’ve enjoyed this series because it’s light and interesting. I’ve kind of come to despise Criminal Minds.

Jane uses his semi-celebrity and his lack of protocol to solve cases quickly, cases in which the CBI wouldn’t be able to come up with answers without him. Each episode has the color red in its title. The Mentalist resembles the show Lie to Me, which premiered in 2009 on Fox. The Mentalist started on the 23rd of September 2008 on CBS.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

* * * * *

In Eagle Creek, at the Beckworth Mansion, a rich dude is killed. He was an architect named Alan Forrester. They find a brass button with the letter B in his hand. Sheriff Fisher denies knowing anything about this. Fisher says that the button could have been from Walter Beckworth, who’s supposed to be haunting the mansion.

Van Pelt goes on about how volunteering is bringing joy to her life. She’s dating a chef there. Rigsby is all messed up about this.

Forrester’s wife says that the previous owner of the Beckworth mansion was pestering her husband. After they had closed on the place, she claimed that they had stolen it away from her. Jane tells Lisbon that Beckworth died the exact same way as Forrester. The widow mentions that Alan mentions sounds and stuff moving around.

Rigsby and Van Pelt find that someone broke into the storage area and stole a bunch of tools.

Victoria is being questioned by Cho. Her nephew Drew arrives. He’s a lawyer. She says that Forrester’s aura was pink. She says that Alan was going to gut the mansion. He wasn’t going to restore it. She’s kind of got an alibi. Jane phones him and says that Beckworth was involved in spiritualism. There might only be a rumored treasure at the mansion. Victoria confirms it. Beckworth was a successful bootlegger.

While exploring the mansion, Rigsby and Van Pelt are surprised by Jane’s ghost. It’s a setup. The mansion was rigged. Old school rigs. Someone tried to scare Forrester. Jane says that the house is riddled with secret passages because Beckworth was a bootlegger.

Lisbon questions the local thief. They find the stuff in his truck. He wants a deal on the breaking and entering charges. Cho also mentions tax evasion charges. He says that he saw Forrester’s wife in the woods in a black BMW. She sat there the whole team. Cho was lying about the tax charges.

Rigbsy and Van Pelt have a moment in the tunnels, he tells her that he loves her and has so since the moment he met her. He almost has time to kiss her when Jane bursts into the scene.

Cho and Lisbon go to see Forrester. They see Victoria and Drew at her place. Lillian gets violent. There is a cat fight. Lisbon and Cho break it up. Lillian admits to spying on Alan because he was unfaithful before. Jane already knew this. She didn’t trust him anymore. No one showed up. She left at around 10.

Rigbsy asks Cho for advice. He says that he told Van Pelt that he loved her and she hasn’t said anything since. Cho tells him that he should tell her again.

Lisbon and Jane question Victoria. Jane suspects that she was after the treasure. They go back to the historian. He found a clue to the treasure. It’s riddle. He told Abner, but the house was already sold.

Jane takes the clue and convenes all of the suspects at the mansion. They find a grand piano there. He finds a box with another riddle. Lisbon and Jane stage a little show for the suspects. Lisbon pretends to stop the search and they sit on the mansion for the night. Drew goes into the house trying to find the treasure. Drew was trying to scare Forrester, but he didn’t buy it. He killed Forrester while trying to get away and then threw him away. Jane says that Drew killed Forrester for an old key. Lisbon says that Jane is just messing with him.

The widow was rebuffing Jane when he told her that he knew how it felt. She asked around and comes to see him at the end of the episode.

The team is celebrating the end of the case. Van Pelt takes Rigsby to a closed office and they kiss. It’s cute. She tells him that she will leave in 5 minutes. He should meet her at her car. As soon as they arrive, Jane knows that something is up between them.

Jane says that Beckworth collected wine. He’s got millions of dollars worth in old wine.

* * * * *

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From a pulp art book by Neil Krug

{via designyoutrust}

I love the blue in this photo

{via designyoutrust}

The merge happened in the last episode. Things fell apart quickly. Erik became the first member of the jury.

That night, Russell thinks that he is out next. He’s hoping for a miracle. The girls from the old Galu couldn’t believe that their plan worked. Laura has got her target set on him to go next. Nat stumbles upon a mouse. She wants to eat it. She apologizes after she kills it. She shows it to the tribemates. They are amazed. Jaison thought that she was the Southern belle. He says that he was shocked to death. They say that it tastes like chicken. The tribe gets tree mail. Russell wants to get the other immunity idol. He doesn’t know that Erik had one. It’s probably back in play.

For today’s challenge, they will divide into two teams of five to retrieve some coconuts. They have to put the coconuts together into a digital number. The winning team will go to some rock slide and eat a picnic. Nat isn’t playing. She won’t participate. She will choose one team to support. She can go on reward. She decides to support the old Foa Foa team.

She’s certainly not wearing a sports bra.
My wife on Kelly running

Both teams are neck in neck. Shambo slows down significantly. It gives Jaison and Russell the lead. It’s only a few seconds. Dave and Russ take control of their teams. Dave barks out 4673. Monica has to find it by touch. Russ gets 7346. Laura starts working on her combination. Monica gets it right and they win reward. Nat and the yellows are out of luck. Laura and Mick also strike out.

At the reward, John is having a good time. The others also have a good time. They get a clue about the next immunity idol. It’s hidden at camp. Dave says that they should keep it secret with the old Galu. Kelly says that they need to get rid of Kelly. Shambo doesn’t want him to go. Of course, Shambo will share it with Russell. Meanwhile, Russell is searching for the idol. I can’t believe it. He actually found the idol again without a clue. He says that he won’t share it with anyone. He was searching near landmarks and found it under the bridge.

He shows it to Shambo immediately. They want to get rid of Laura. As smart as Russell is, he’s also an idiot. The immunity idol is most powerful when no one knows about it but the bearer. He has to play the idol again. The only thing that wills save Laura is immunity.

For today’s immunity challenge, they must retrieve a puzzle pack. The first 3 will move onto the next round. The winner is the one who assembles the puzzle the fastest. Shambo snags the 1^st bag. Mick has his 1^st. Kelly as well. Brett also has his 1^st. Mick has 2. He’s in the next round. Jaison has his 1^st bag. Laura has her 1^st bag. Russ has his 1^st bag. Shambo is in the next round. Laura just beats Russell into the final. If Russ had been quicker instead of strutting his stuff, he would have been in. Strangely, Shambo is in the lead with Mick trailing. Laura picks up speed. She’s like clockwork. She’s in the lead now. Laura wins immunity in a decisive manner. Laura is confident that Russ is going home.

Shambo and Russ will vote for Kelly. Russ tells Jaison. He doesn’t believe it. He tells him to vote for Kelly. Jaison tells Mick and Nat to vote for Kelly. He’s got another idol. Foa Foa is feeling pretty good.

At a Galu meeting, Monica brings up the idol. John is also concerned. Dave dismisses it. They work out a strategy. Russ overhears them talking that they will for Nat. He doesn’t know what to do now.

It’s time for tribal. Jeff asks Dave about Erik. Dave and Kelly blame Erik for some bad vibes at camp. Nat is being diplomatic, which is smart. Galu is pretty confident. Russell plays the immunity idol. Galu is worried. Kelly is voted out. All of Galu voted for Russell.

* * * * *

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Not all coffee makers are alike, and let’s be honest, we all need our caffeine fix, one way or the other. We’ve been using an espresso machine that works pretty well, but how about when you need something more compact?

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It’s a given that almost everyone has scalded their hands from water that was just too hot. Wouldn’t it just be easier to be able to tell the temperature of the water with a simple glance?

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Docks and charging stations are necessary to keep your desk free of the usual clutter. The LEGO Recharger combines our love of LEGO bricks with the simple task of juicing up your gadgets in style.

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While there was a fad of fiber-optic lighted flowers a few years ago, they never came anything close to looking this good. These magnificent LED flower bouquet lamps will make great mood lighting for your rooms.

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If you aren’t using Gmail as your main email client, this new Google announcement might change your mind, as moving stuff into the cloud has never been easier. Google has announced more storage for less money!

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By Le Niners, minutes before sunrise in Normandy, France

It takes a special talent, and sometimes a little luck, to get stunning results with photography. Creating images through technique and just the right setting is something many of us would love to achieve, and sometimes we get lucky, producing a photograph that we know is special. Amazing photography can be found in some wonderful compilations, from film photography to digital, black and white to color. Photography that depicts historical events, explores the far reaches of the world, cultures, and the natural beauty of landscapes and animals can make an impact that words alone cannot. Here is a top ten list of books where pictures are more than pictures, they are inspiration.

1. Gettysburg: A Journey in Time – Compiled by author William A. Frassanito, 1996. An amazing book featuring actual photographs from the Battle of Gettysburg in a unique progression as though it were following the action frame for frame from beginning to end.
2. Life: A Journey Through Time – Photographer Frans Lanting, 2006. A fantastic collection of photographs by Frans Lanting comprised of images from the most remote regions of the world to show the world as it once was and the chaotic beauty of nature from microscopic life to the human embryo.
3. Angkor: Cambodia’s Wondrous Khmer Temples, 5th Edition – Author Dawn Rooney. Photographers Magnus Bartlett and Peter Danford, 2005. This book chronicles through pictures the temples of Angkor which date back to the ninth century. It includes the history, legends, and religious beliefs depicted on the monuments.
4. Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz, 1920-1950 – Compiled by authors Frank Driggs and Harris Lewine, 1982. A stunning achievement of bringing together some of the most memorable pictures of the jazz era and its beginnings.
5. Karl Blossfeldt: The Complete Published Work (Taschen 25th Anniversary) – Author Hans-Christian Adam. Photographer Karl Blossfeldt, 2008. A phenomenal collection of the German photographer Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932), showcasing his work of still-life images.
6. A Shadow Falls – Authors Nick Brandt, Peter Singer, and Vicki Goldberg. Photographer Nick Brandt, 2009. See wildlife as never seen before through these haunting images of animals and the landscape of Eastern Africa.
7. Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs – Author Gene Weingarten. Photographer Michael S. Williamson, 2008. A tribute to the lives of dogs in the late stages of their lives. For anyone who has loved a dog who has grown old, this book will certainly touch the heart.
8. The Best Dog in the World: Vintage Portraits of Children and Their Dogs – Compiled by author Donna Long, 2007. A collection of both antique and vintage photographs of children and their dogs through the period of 1875-1925 in beautiful sepia tone.
9. Animals in Motion – Compiled by author Eadweard Muybridge, 1957. A collection of nearly 4,000 photographs of animals and birds in motion.
10. New York in the 70s – Author/Photographer Allan Tannenbaum, 2003. An amazing collection of photographs of a turbulent era in New York.

{Ed. note: This is a guest post on The Memoirs by Christine Howell is a writer who regularly writes about Online Photograpny Degrees and college related topics for Online College Guru, an online college directory and comparison website.}

There are a lot of MacBooks out there, but someone pointed out to us that not everyone is using the glass trackpad to its full multi-touch potential, especially if you’ve just bought your first Mac. With this being said, we’ve decided give a few pointers on how to use that fancy new trackpad.

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With the rapidly plunging temperatures, it’s certain that most of us have already abandoned using our patios, unless you’re in a warmer state. Let’s face it, patios are great for BBQs and hosting parties. It just bums us out when we can’t use them anymore.

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Art Lebedev’s most recent project is a refresher on their Rozetkus power strip. What’s really interesting is that it’s more than just a socket. It can deploy an additional 4 sockets from its midst. Funky enough for you?

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Revo’s nice-looking new retro-styled iPod/iPhone dock might look old, but it’s filled with great features, making this a most interesting dock to have in your home.

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Dragon Age Origins cover

Since last Friday, I have been playing Dragon Age: Origins. It’s been a while since I played any PC games, but this one was pretty interesting since it came from the makers of Massive Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, two games which thoroughly engrossed me.

This isn’t a review, I’ve just noted down my initial impressions on the game. I’m about 22 hours into the game and it has been challenging at times as well as frustrating. I’ve noticed a few bugs, but all in all, it’s a great experience.

Warning: These impressions include spoilers, so if you are planning on playing the game, be forewarned. I cover the Brecilian Forest missions here, so there are spoilers ahead.

The First 20 Hours

I hadn’t heard anything about Dragon Age until a friend mentioned it two weeks ago. We were talking about upcoming games and he said that he was looking forward to this one, but there were others that he had planned on buying first. At first, I didn’t realize that Bioware was making this game. Once I did, I realized that it would be a good game to try out. I’ve known Bioware since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and more recently with the first Mass Effect game. I only played it and finished it last year. It was pretty damn good.

Let’s just mention this quickly, Dragon Age is nothing like Mass Effect. It’s not like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion either. It’s more of an inheritor of Baldur’s Gate than anything else. I had a distinct Diablo-esque feel while playing it

It took me 20 hours to finish the Brecilian Forest part¹, including the Elven Ruins where the werewolves took refuge. On the way there, I faced a small dragon, a few shades, as well as an Arcane Horror. The actual Ruins were quite long, as they had at least 3 levels. After having faced werewolves, there were a lot of undead populating the ruins. I came out of the place having resolved the situation, without having shed any needless blood. Plus, the Dalish Elves are now ready to be called for the army against the blight. On the way, I picked up Morrigan, Sten, and Leliana, as well as a Maburi hound. For sentimental reasons, I like having the dog on my party, but in actuality, it’s best to have two melee fighters with two casters on it. This combo works well. While the fighters are doing the deed, the casters attack from a distance, healing up the fighters as much as they can. This tactic works well, as long as you are careful not to get surrounded. Also, some enemies will target your player, which is strange.

I naturally created an Elvish Mage. I’ve mastered a few spells and I’m currently a Level 9 magus, having unlocked the shapeshifting specialization, but I haven’t yet decided to take it. I wouldn’t mind trying out the Arcane Warrior spec. As I’m playing a Lawful Good or Neutral Good game, I’m staying away from Blood Magic.

I’ve had to launch fireballs at my party quite a bit in order to get an area effect when enemies surround us. It’s a good tactic when everybody is healed up. I’ve had the most difficulty with the dragon, who killed me about 10 times before I understood what to do. The Arcane Horror and the Shade were easy enough, as well as Zathrian, as I simply applied the tactics that I developed earlier on.

The feel of the game is enveloping. I did not like being stuck in a dungeon for so long. It reminded me too much of Diablo. It has taken me 21 hours to finish the ruins. I tend to finish all quests before moving on to another location. This is how I played Oblivion. At the end of the mission, even when I stopped to heal up and change characters before facing the dragon, I ended up with at least 5 dire injuries on my main player character, who’s a mage. The melee fighters were also in bad shape. It was getting a bit pitiful, but at least I made it through.

Also, I haven’t brought up a thief yet, so I’m currently trying to make Morrigan into one. It won’t work out, as Leliana is much better at it. I like Morrigan because having two spellcasters in a party is really good. The gameplay is pretty straightforward and the graphics are good, if your machine can support them.

Needless to say that the game is engrossing. I expect to play it at least 100 hours, if not more, which is quite astounding. I’ve just arrived at Redcliffe².

The game is hard. It isn’t easy, no matter what other gamers will say. I’m an experienced RPG player, and getting the dragon took a while. The same was true for the Arcane Horror. Saving a lot and thinking about tactics is important while facing the bosses. Blindly charging into the fight might work initially for ogres, but it just won’t cut it with the more powerful enemies.

Zathrian was an interesting boss. I died once and then changed tactics. I wanted to involve the werewolves, but they didn’t fight. Still, I kept to the back of the room, fighting off the Sylvans with fire and healing up the fighters. In the end, Alistair still died, but Sten was still going well. It also took me a while to figure out how to make potions. A good mix of potions helps out in any fight. I like brewing them. This is one part of the many parts why I enjoyed Oblivion.

* * * * *

[¹]: A small caveat: I had the game on pause for a few hours, but I’m pretty sure I played it for at least 15 hours.
[²]: I’ve just completed the siege, which was long because a lone undead was hidden in the village below. It wasn’t too bad, but everyone died except the player character.

Sam/Dan came in 1^st. They beat Meghan/Cheyne. The poker players were eliminated not for lack of trying. The teams leave for Stockholm, Sweden. They must travel to an amusement park. There are two KLM flights. One leaves at 6:55 AM and another at 9:25. The KLM counter is closed and doesn’t open until 5:30AM.

I find that strange, as these types of counters are open almost 24/7. It must have been closed because of the Race. Gary/Matt and Ericka/Brian don’t make it on the early flight. They are 2:30 hours behind the others.

In Stockholm, the teams scramble to get onto the train. Sam/Dan make it onto the train in time. The BB players are left behind.

The teams must go on a ride. They must spot their next clue from the ride. It’s a Roadblock. Both Dan and Cheyne spot it quickly. Teams will do some ring tossing. Teams must choose Nobel Dynamite or Vikings. In Nobel Dynamite, they must set out some sandbags to blow up some earth in order to find a box. In Viking Alphabet, they must decode some Viking script.

Flight Time looked like he was about to poop his pants when he was coming down on the ride. Gary/Matt and Ericka/ Brian arrive. Gary/Matt miss their train. Brian/Ericka get the clue. Brian is afraid of heights, so Ericka has to do it. All the teams decide to blow stuff up. The BB players make up lots of time because the other teams took a lot of time to find the bomb range.

Sam/Dan use their hands to fill sandbags with their hands. Meghan wants them to fill one sandbag at a time. It’s a bit idiotic. She can’t keep her bag open while she shovels. Gary/Matt are lost. Sam/Dan complete their bunker first and blow stuff up. Teams must drive themselves to a farm to complete one of the toughest challenges in the Amazing Race. Finding a clue is a bunch of haystacks. Meghan/Cheyne leave for the farm. Meghan is bitching to Cheyne in the car.

Ericka has to get down and dirty at the Detour. She’s ruining her manicure. Oh no! Sam/Dan race each other to the Roadblock. The farm is also the pit stop for this leg of the race. Dan is getting on Sam’s nerves already. Cheyne makes Meghan do it for being a bitch. Dan is terrible. He keeps shouting at Sam, who’s getting pissed off. The BB players arrive. Big Easy does it. Sam tells Dan to shut up. He keeps shouting at him like a bastard.

Brian/Ericka finish while Gary/Matt arrive. All teams are now at the farm. The BB players find the flag first. They finish 1^st. They win a trip for two. The teams have been working at it for 2 hours. Dan finally shuts up. He realizes that he was being an ass thanks to Brian, who tells him that’s it’s quite hard. Meghan finds one and decides to mess with Cheyne. They leave for the pit stop. Brian finds one and they finish 3^rd.

Sam finds a flag and they finish 4^th. Gary/Matt finish last. They find their flag after 3 hours. They aren’t eliminated. It’s a non-elimination race. They will face a Speed Bump in the next leg of the race.

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Relevant Links

The Amazing Race S14 @ Wiki

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Mika/Canaan were eliminated because of Mika’s fear of heights and water. Plus, the BB players heckled her good. Teams depart for Amsterdam. They will have to drive themselves to a monument for their next clue. The earliest flight leaves at midnight. This is an equalizer. Sam is an anthropologist. It’s an equalizer flight. The BB players admit that they heckled Mika/Canaan. Sam/Dan come out to the group.

Brian doesn’t know how to work the car once they land. He needs help. Ericka tells him to stop freaking out. It makes her freak out. Teams must now drive to Groningen and find the highest point in the city. It’s some kind of tower. The BB players don’t know everyone’s name, but they know Brian’s because of Ericka’s incessant screaming.

The teams face a Roadblock. They need to count the number of bells in the Martini tower. Sam and Meghan work together. Matt finishes 1^st. They must drive themselves to a town named Vierhuzen and find a windmill. Sam/Dan finish with Meghan/Cheyne. Sam tells Tiffany the number of bells. Sam/Dan get into 1^st place while Gary/Matt ask for directions. The poker players leave. The BB players leave. Only Ericka is left. She’s off by 19. They face a detour. Farmer’s game or Famer’s dance. They must dress up as farmers. In Farmer’s game, they must swim across a creek and play some farmer’s golf. In Farmer’s dance, they must learn a folk dance and perform it correctly. They must then eat a salted herring.

Ericka guesses 56. She has to start over again. She looks despondent. Meghan/Cheyne decide to do the golf while Gary/Matt do the dance. The poker players also do the dance. Sam/Dan do the games. Dan does well in the task while Meghan/Cheyne have to start over. Ericka guesses 57. The right number is 62. Ericka wants to give up. Sam/Dan complete the 2^nd hole. Sam/Dan finish easily. They must bike through town to find the pit stop at the harbor. Meghan/Cheyne start over and over again because Meghan can’t golf. Matt doesn’t like fish, so they do the golf instead. Meghan/Cheyne finish their detour.

Maria/Tiffany are having fun but having trouble with the high striker. Ericka finally gets the right number. It took a long time. Sam/Dan finish 1^st. They won a sand buggy. While Meghan/Cheyne get dressed, Gary/Matt arrive.

The poker players have tried about 30 times. They decide to go do the golf. The BB players get it on the 1^st try. Meghan/Cheyne finish 2^nd. Gary/Matt and Maria/Tiffany are golfing while Brian/Ericka forget to take their bikes.

Once we got it, it was Soultrain!
The BB players

The BB players are hilarious to watch with a bunch of small ladies dancing around them. They have no trouble eating the herring. The poker players head back to the dance.

Maria/Tiffany are trying the high striker again. After their 50^th attempt, they hug it out and try it again.

While traveling, Brian reads the clue again and sees that they need to get on bikes. The BB players finish 3^rd. Gary/Matt finish the detour and head to the pit stop. After attempt 71, the poker players go back to the golf. Gary/Matt finish 4^th. Ericka/Brian finish the dance. They have to eat the herring.

Brian/Ericka borrow some random bikes. They head to the pit stop. They are 5^th but because they didn’t use the bikes they incur a 30-minute penalty. Tiffany’s arms are too tired to work anymore. Ericka is crying. She doesn’t want to be eliminated. Phil checks them in. They finish 5^th. Phil comes to see the poker players. They quit. They get eliminated.

* * * * *

Relevant Links

The Amazing Race S14 @ Wiki

* * * * *

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It’s time for the merge. Foa Foa is down to 4. Russell has got some ideas about what to do, but they will just be picked off if Galu sticks together. However, Shambo and the boys have irritated the girls.

At Galu, Laura thinks that Shambo doesn’t like her. There is some tension. Laura’s canteen is missing. Shambo isn’t turning it around and making it about her and how Laura is a cheerleader in high school. Erik is in his hole and thinks that Laura is a bitch since they all know that Shambo is nuts.

The treemail the tribes receive implies that they are merging. The tribes meet at a treasure chest. They get new buffs and some survival gear. They are going back to the Galu tribe and get a feast. Dave/Nat go off, John/Jaison talk as well. Russell sees that his old Foa Foa tribe is going after the other members to secure their position in the new merged tribe. Brett knows some Samoan and comes up with the new tribe name. It’s Aiga. Erik is confident because he’s got the immunity idol. Russell shows Laura his immunity idol and tells her that he will give her the idol if he makes it into the top 7. Laura doesn’t think that he will give it to her, but this means that they will blindside him.

Russell isn’t convincing her. He wants her to get rid of one of her boys. Laura says that none of her guys is leaving. She says that one of his guys or Shambo is going home. He tries the same thing to Monica. He doesn’t believe what Monica is saying. He does the same thing to Jack. Russell tells John that Laura needs to go. John thinks that this is doable.

This means that Russell is going to go home, unless he wins immunity. The next day, Shambo and Russell bond. Shambo says that Laura hates her. Russell thinks that it’s a good idea of getting rid of Laura. Shambo trusts Russell. Russell informs the rest of the old Foa Foa. Russell thinks that it is easier than with the other tribe.

It’s time for the individual immunity challenge. They are playing t-ball. There are two necklaces to win. Then genders are competing with each other.

Making love is my sport.
Dave

Dave gets 3. Jaison gets 0. Russell gets 4. Brett gets 0. Mick gets 2. Erik gets 0. John gets 5 and wins immunity. Nat and Shambo get 0. Monica gets 2. Kelly gets 3. Laura gets 4 and wins immunity. This is going to be interesting.

Erik tells the old Galu that as long as they can keep the old Foa Foa from winning, they will just knock them off. Shambo says that Erik and Laura are going to decide who is going to go. Laura tells Erik that Russell has got the idol. They think that they will just smoke it out and vote for Jaison. Erik tells John that Russ has the idol. John wants Monica gone. Erik doesn’t like the idea, but he kind of starts getting into it. John says that every old Foa Foa will vote for Monica. Dave think that Erik is crazy, but he thinks that Erik isn’t telling everything. Erik tells the old Foa Foa to vote for Monica, but they will make Russ believe that they are voting for him. That will flush out the idol.

Jaison doesn’t believe him and doesn’t like him. He wants every Foa Foa to vote for Erik and send him packing. Nat starts talking to Laura and Kelly to vote for Erik. Kelly tells Monica. They tell Dave. Everyone is scheming. Russell doesn’t know what is going on. Everyone knows that Russell has the idol. No one knows that Erik has an idol as well.

It’s time for tribal. Erik is cocky, cocky enough for everyone to vote for him. He also insults Jaison. He retorts with even more personal attacks against Jaison. Erik basically tells the old Foa Foa that they are assholes.

Russell plays the immunity idol before Jeff reads out the votes. Erik is voted out by a 7-2. Erik is voted out. Everyone on Foa Foa is smiling. Laura is also pleased.

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A great article on the current health care debate in the US, showing problems and issues that need to be addressed by Obama’s initiative.