- I think the brouhaha over Justice Alito's scowl is hilarious! Who the frick cares!!! What a waste of energy, newsprint & InterWeb electrons! #
- No Adobe Flash on iPad? What is Apple's problem with Flash? Why does Steve hate it so? Here is Adobe's reaction: http://bit.ly/bOr2UC #
- Not that the Dems are innocent angels, but the GOP really blew this one. Deception or incompetence? Likely both. http://bit.ly/9XdjDR #
- Has anyone seen vpike.com? I don't get it. It is just Google Maps & Street View. What does it add? User photos? Okay, then use Google Earth. #
- Bottom line: Forget tech companies, is there another company in any market that makes you feel as excited and giddy as Apple? #
- Well, enough Apple watching. Time to get on with the day.
# - I can't believe the iPad is missing a camera! I'd like to see a front and back cameras or one you can flip. Video iChat/Skype would rock! #
- Without video and audio out, why bother having Keynote on the iPad? I assume there will be an accessory dongle you can purchase. #
- iPad is NOT an eReader, but SOOOOO much more. At first blush, it is slick. #
- As an eReader, don't forget the Kindle was designed to be readable in direct sunlight and has network access built in with no extra cost. #
- I would subscribe to a newspaper with an iPad. What about magazines and comic books? #
- CNN is webcasting the Apple event. It looks like they are behind ~20 minutes or so, but the quality is good. http://bit.ly/b03LtT #
- The live feeds for the iPad, Apple coverage, suck! #
- Have they mentioned Adobe Flash on the iPad? Price point will be huge… $999? More? Less? I am guessing $799. (I'd like $499) #
- iPad, is lame. I think it is time for Apple to drop the "i" from its names. iT has run iTs course… #
- How does Apple not have a live broadcast of its own? #
- "You maniacs! You are going to reboot it again? Damn you! God damn you all to hell!" FOX reboots Planet of the Apes: http://bit.ly/9nQNBh #
- Who says there isn't "Justice"? NBC picks up a pilot from Conan O'Brien's production company. http://bit.ly/bwEJ9q #
- How busted is McGraw Hill for preempting Apple's announcement tomorrow morning? #
- Addicting Game Alert: Tiger Woods Mistress Defense: http://bit.ly/4oA30V #
- I restored my Mac via my Time Machine backup. Worked like a charm! The podcast will be back up and running this week. #
- Jimmy Fallon's tribute song to Conan was great! #
- Just watched the final Tonight show of the Conan era. Epic! NBC will be burned by his departure. He is a class act and a great talent. #
- About to see Legion. My hopes aren't high, but I'm going to watch it anyway. Angels attacking humans with machine guns and rocket launchers! #
- This is great for Conan. A small setback in his career. The way he was treated, screw NBC! He will come back big! Will he return to NYC? #
- Might not have a podcast this week. A couple of power outages messed up my computer. I am working on it, but I may need to reinstall my OS. #
- A rough night for the Dems. What happened in Massachusetts? The fact is that voters have short term memories. #
- The Chargers are such whiny bitches. As much as I dislike the J-E-T-S, I am so happy the Super Chargers lost!!! Go Sanchez!!! #
- The NFL Pro-Bowl is the most worthless All-Star game of them all. #
- Finally, someone teaches a sensible way to tie your shoe! http://bit.ly/6zWPVV #
- Google really stepped in it this time. Five reasons Google’s gonna kill the Nexus One: http://bit.ly/8QjZeq #
- Good explanation by Jay on his show tonight. Doesn't make him innocent, just human. #
- Cool! Oceans of Liquid Diamond May Exist On Neptune and Uranus. http://j.mp/6P9qDu #
- God's control panel. http://bit.ly/4HN7f7 #
- Everything I need to know I learned from D&D. @wilw You'll love this. http://bit.ly/5PH1t8 #
- The Internet will run out of IP Addresses in 2012. That must have been what the Mayans figured out! http://bit.ly/4WKksY #
- The Book of Eli was a HUGE disappointment. Holy boring movie, Batman. The "twist" at the end was LAME. This will not make Denzel's top 10. #
- I really like Denzel, so I am going to check out The Book of Eli today. It looks good, but the reviews are mixed. #
- I see "Stranger than Fiction" on loads of Best of the Decade lists. I thought it got panned? I haven't seen it, is it worth watching? #
- Tonight Show for sale on Craig's List: http://bit.ly/4NBWP7 #
- "Pants on the Ground" as sung by Neil Young. http://bit.ly/5N1xAo Fallon has talent! #
- One of my most valued listeners (@kevincrossman) informed me that I screwed up my show's intro on this week's podcast. I'll fix and repost. #
- Good article and perspective, "Why Jay Leno's Not the Villain in the Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show Fiasco" http://j.mp/7CFezt #
- Will this be the winner of the burger-off? http://moby.to/w77rvg #
- Now that the podcast is posted, it is time for some research at In-N-Out. Double-Double, animal style with fries and a chocolate shake. #
- Where Icarus Flies Podcast Episode 8 has been posted. Leno vs. Conan, Hoover Report & More! http://bit.ly/6d1rBJ #
- I couldn't let a power outage ruin my day. It may have slowed me down, but the podcast is recorded. A smidgen of post production work left. #
- Working on this week's podcast and the power went out. That will set things back a bit. Thank goodness for the iPhone! #
- Very well done. Modern movies made into classic Atari 2600 video games. http://bit.ly/6hmTry #
- Another iPhone Killer down the drain… http://bit.ly/4EfFFH #
- A guy from another table interjected, "You mean Avatar." One of the guys arguing responded with, "No, that is the one with Clooney." OMG! #
- Two guys here at Carl's are arguing over if James Cameron directed the animated film "Up in the Air" or not… #
- Gotta say… I like Conan's statement. http://j.mp/85OvWU (via @kevincrossman) Great statement! Can The Peacock get any worse? #
- Today is Western Bacon and The Whopper. Tomorrow In-n-out and Wendy's. Two burgers a day for a week or so, I'll need to carry an AED! #
- I have decided to push out my burger discussion to next week. I am going to resample. Yesterday was the Quarter Pounder and Angus Burger. #
- Is anyone really crying over no Tobey Maguire in he next Spider-Man? I liked him, but losing him and Sam Raimi will not kill the franchise. #
- I think I'll do a best burgers segment on this week's podcast. I'd love to hear what your top 5 (non-homemade) burgers are. #
- I really like Conan O'Brien, but they never should have given him The Tonight Show. What a mess… #
- LA Times: Star Trek now w/ PGA & WGA noms could be poised to be real contender for Best Picture slot http://bit.ly/6GukBR (via @TrekMovie) #
- Spider-Man's reboot. Enough with the reboots. Just recast and move on, the way Bond worked for decades. (via @RottenTomatoes) Amen! #
- Has the Balloon Boy story finally come to an end? We can only hope… http://bit.ly/7WLnV7 #
Where Icarus Flies Episode 8 is not budging from its original time slot!
WhereIF Episode 8 Contents
Well, it has been an interesting week. The Balloon Boy’s dad went to jail, Earthquakes rock the globe, Tiger Woods looks like he will hide from The Masters, American Idol goes on without Paula, NBC creates yet another mess with The Tonight Show and that is just the start! We have no time to waste let’s get right to it. This is what I have for you this week…
NBC Prime Time/Late Night/Leno/Conan Disaster!
What the hack is going on over at NBC? These are the words, more or less, that have been said over and over this week by all sane individuals. This is a screw-up of major proportions. The battle lines have been drawn, but I think they have been drawn incorrectly. In the last few days, folks have been dividing into Team Leno and Team Conan (a.k.a. Team Coco). This is very unfair to Jay. The war is between Team Conan and Team NBC. Although I am sure that Jay is not innocent, neither is Conan. He helped contribute to this mess as much as anyone else by pushing for The Tonight Show as hard as he has. Don’t get me wrong, he was within his right, but Leno never wanted to leave The Tonight Show. He was forced out.
The bad guy in this tale is, of course, NBC. They created this mess. Is Conan getting screwed? Yes… yes he is. Don’t forget, however, Jay is getting (has already gotten and continues to be) screwed as well. Sure, no one cries for a multimillionaire who has an aircraft hanger full of fancy cars. Still, he is just as much a victim as Conan. I am fans of both Leno and Conan. Unfortunately, NBC has created a situation where only one can stay. Who should it be? You’ll just ha Abrhams ve to listen and find out.
Hollywood and the Current Reboot Fad
What is the difference between a reboot, a remake, a retelling, a retooling, a reinvention and a refresh? Who cares! What we really want are good movies. Done right, with the right franchise at the right time, rewriting the story into a similar, yet new tale can be just what the doctor ordered. Take Star Trek (2009) for example. After 10 movies the Star Trek franchise was tired and worn. That being said, it is still a highly successful franchise that just needed a pick-me-up. There are a lot of things that they could have done, but they chose to rewrite events from a point in the franchise’s past and create an alternate timeline for a new story (fitting for a sci-fi franchise). J.J. Abrams was the right director, he chose a great cast and they had a decent script. It all worked very well and Star Trek is likely to get a Best Picture nomination this year. Could it have flopped? Sure.
Star Trek is not the first success and will not be the last. Batman Begins is another great success story. There have also been horrible failures. I am not just talking about bad remakes, there are lot’s of those. I am talking about movies that were intended to reignite a franchise, but failed. Moves like Godzilla (1998) and Planet of the Apes (2001). I read that Hollywood wants reboot the Teen Wolf and Ghostbuster franchises. Are we really calling it the Teen Wolf franchise? Anyway… are we really that short of good new screenplays? Please say it ain’t so!
“Would you like debit or credit?”
Bank card fees. What are they, why are they, where are they? The answer to this now common everyday question makes a big difference to our economy. I spend some time oversimplifying and demystifying bank transaction fees. I bet you didn’t know that Visa was the schoolyard bully. Come find out why.
The Hoover Report
Joey stops by to give us his take on Kate Gosselin’s new show, the 2010 U.S. Census, Pat Robertson (man, what an idiot) and more.
Masterworks Theatre
We have a very special Masterworks Theatre this week. I give a dramatic reading of part of Conan O’Brien’s statement. Which, I think, will forever be known as The Statement.
Podcast File Info – Episode 8
I have gone back to making the enhanced version of the podcast (.m4a) the default version in my RSS Feed and on iTunes. If you have any problems with it, let me know (although if you use iTunes, .m4a is not a problem). I have received feedback that some mobile devices have trouble with the enhanced version (yes, that is you Blackberry). You can still get the .mp3 version from the website.
- Running time: 58 minutes
- MP3 file size: 56MB
- M4A file size: 58MB
All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com
Bill
WhereIF Episode 8 - Enhanced Version [58:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (130)
WhereIF Episode 8 - MP3 Version [58:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6)
WhereIF Episode 8 - Enhanced Version [58:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (130) WhereIF Episode 8 - MP3 Version [58:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6)- It could happen almost any time now. We now have the technological capability to identify Earth-like planets. http://bit.ly/4CpjAq #
- At long last, Where Icarus Flies Episode 7 has been posted! Joey and I are back for 2010!!! http://bit.ly/4Gea55 #
- This week's podcast is done, but not posted yet. I have about 20 minutes of post production work to do but it will have to be later tonight. #
- Still working on this week's podcast. Joey was running late. I'll have it posted tonight. #
- Four hundred years ago tonight, a man with a telescope from Pisa, Italy changed mankind forever. http://bit.ly/7JRwkc #
- Ah, California. A small earthquake while I was recording a segment for my podcast. http://bit.ly/7EZaym #
- We can argue many of the PCA winners from last night, but "The Proposal" over "The Hangover" for best comedy? That is a crime! #
- Working on the 1st Podcast of 2010. It should be posted later today. #
- Here are some cool YouTube tricks I came across: http://bit.ly/8HEBte #
- As slanted and sensational as Fox 2 News is, the Bay Area's worst newscast is CBS 5. They are just inept. It is embarrassing to watch. #
- What the hell is happening in our society? Girl suspended for peppermint oil??? How to ruin a teachable moment. http://bit.ly/8fsGPK #
- I am not sure why I read the comments at the bottom of online articles. They just get me riled up. People are such idiots! #
- How to flaunt excess when you are debt ridden: The Burj Khalifa tower. http://bit.ly/6NqrdM #
Where Icarus Flies Episode 7 is full of hope and optimism for the new year ahead!
WhereIF Episode 7 Contents
It has been a month since my last podcast. I can’t believe how quickly time flies! You have also noticed that I have neglected both updating the blog with articles or posting on Twitter. What can I say, I was overwhelmed by the end of 2009 and the first days of 2010! I haven’t even listened to any other podcasts since the beginning of December! I normally listen to the That’s What She Said Podcast with Kevin and Matt, but I haven’t even had time to do that! Excuses, excuses, I know! Anyway, let’s get to what you have in store this week…
Holiday Season Recap
It was craziness at the WhereIF compound this holiday season! I tell you a bit about the close of the year, some of the great Christmas gifts 0f 2009 and what I hope to accomplish in 2010.
Apple TV
Yep, I got an Apple TV! I have been using it for about a month. I give you my review, it’s pros and cons and my impressions of using a 3rd party product called ATV Flash to take Apple TV to the next level!
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
The main topic this week is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This attempt at education reform is pure garbage! A friend of mine said it best the other day, “NCLB creates nothing more than mediocrity. The high students are not challenged, the low students are not helped and the middle students stay in the middle.” Don’t be fooled by the bogus stats that supporters of this ill conceived legislation throw at you. They have done nothing but manipulate the data. NCLB went into effect in 2003 (although the law was signed by President Bush in January of 2002). There was a larger jump in Math and Reading scores from 2000 to 2003 than from 2003 to 2007 (when NCLB was in effect). You can check out the U.S. Department of Education if you want to verify for yourself.
NCLB just does not work! Education reform cannot be legislated through unrealistic goals and punishment. Teachers are saddled with unrealistic expectations and given no time to get through all of the curriculum let alone be able to stop and help the low students! NCLB punishes teachers and schools who do not meet unrealistic test score results, but does nothing to actually help the students that are not at grade level. Those students are still pushed through the system! Listen in as I give you my thoughts on this debacle.
The Hoover Report
Joey is back from the hiatus revved up and ready to go! This week he gives you his unique insight on Demi Moore, Mariah Carey, Sour Patch kids and more!
Podcast File Info – Episode 7
I have gone back to making the enhanced version of the podcast (.m4a) the default version in my RSS Feed and on iTunes. If you have any problems with it, let me know (although if you use iTunes, .m4a is not a problem). I have received feedback that some mobile devices have trouble with the enhanced version (yes, that is you Blackberry). You can still get the .mp3 version from the website.
- Running time: 56 minutes
- MP3 file size: 52MB
- M4A file size: 50MB
All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com
Bill
WhereIF Episode 7 - Enhanced Version [56:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (137)
WhereIF Episode 7 - MP3 Version [56:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (7)
WhereIF Episode 7 - Enhanced Version [56:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (137) WhereIF Episode 7 - MP3 Version [56:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (7)- Great Sharks game! They were outplayed, but still came up with the win! #
- Top 10 Worst Commercials of the Decade: http://bit.ly/6ZI4Qf #
- Okay, my Holiday Hiatus is almost over! Wow, it has been a crazy holiday season!!! Joey and I will be back on the air next week! #