26 Nov

Pittsburgh Thanksgiving

Well, it was fortuitous that our plans brought us to PIttsburgh this year, as my mom was imprisoned at Magee Women’s Hospital for the last 12 days. Instead of seeing only Kate’s family for Thanksgiving dinner, I was quite accidentally able to see my own family, too. Imagine that!

On our way back from the hospital – where mother received her release just moments later – we decided to stop on the top of Mt. Washington. In so doing, we found this amazing scene where the rain collided with the sun. And a lovely rainbow.

23 Nov

Watch: “My Secret Friend” by IAMX featuring Imogen Heap

Music by Nick

22 Nov

Dirty secret

General Entertainment by Nick

I have to admit that I’ve got a secret: most of the music I’ve recommended, loved or listened to in the last few years has found its origins from one music video blog, Cliptip. However, Since April, Cliptip has been more or less on hiatus as its author traveled the world and generally, it would seemed, lived a more fabulous life than any of us could hope to have done. I felt cold, alone and abandoned with Cliptip’s updates.

Where else could I find amazing music videos? And not just that, but amazing music videos that are also high quality?

So many blogs seem to focus on getting the newest artist out as quickly as possible (and rely on the crappiest video quality possible to do it.) Cliptip not only finds great new music but also the absolute best quality available. In its previous incarnation, Cliptip relied on QuickTime where possible but it seems that we’ve now gone for the speed and ease of using Vimeo. While I will miss the ability to download my favorites, at least we are back up and running. Look for a link in the right sidebar (I love it that much.)

19 Nov

Sometimes he becomes my idle again

Art, General Entertainment by Nick

(Thanks, Dave.)

19 Nov

Thoughts on a new game

Cars, Games by Nick

During a much needed break to read gadget blogs today, I found myself thinking about racing games. No, not because of my recent infatuation with Forza 3. I was actually reading a review of a massive steering wheel and stand combo (verdict: not so great.) This wheel has a Porsche logo on it and the brand purist in me finds it repulsive to think of “driving” an Alfa-Romeo or Ford in the game with a Porsche logo still on the wheel.

Not that you really have time to look down during most races. Right?

And this got me thinking…in a conversation with Kate on iChat:

Me: I want to design a racing game that has commuter challenges.

Get to the Target, the Petco, the post office and back to your office all in a lunch break.

Beat traffic on to the highway before the light.

That sort of thing.

Kate: i’d never play it

too real

Me: I would.

It would be awesome.

You could hit pedestrians.

Ram “competitors.”

Power slide into parking spaces.

Jump speed bumps.

Crash through store fronts.

Basically all the things you wish you could do in reality.

Kate: LOL

ok

i’m won over

Okay, I know this sounds like a weird game concept, but I’d absolutely find this enthralling. (Full disclosure: I played Need for Speed on the PC and would occasionally drive the tracks at the speed limit just because. I also played an entire level of Grand Theft Auto while endeavoring not to damage the Volvo station wagon I had stolen.) You have to admit that it would be far more enjoyable some days to be able to smash the crap out of the other cars you are stuck at an intersection with than it would be to take the checkered flag at Monza in a Ferrari. Who’s with me?

18 Nov

As Flora would say, “what the shit?”

Cars, General Entertainment, Rant, Technology, Unexplained by Nick

I’m ninety-nine percent certain that the four horsemen of the apocalypse are using my nasal passages as a means for entering into our plane of reality. Right now, I’m busy passing pestilence, but I’m sure the others aren’t far behind.

Seriously, though, I can’t freaking breathe. I feel fine otherwise – aside from the mystery aches and pains of this past Friday and not being able to use my respiratory system for its intended purpose. I’m not sick, dammit.

In other news, Audi Financial Services mysteriously lowered my monthly lease payment today by $35. If this sticks, it will save me about $420 each year. I’m not going to complain, but I am confused.

Also, researchers at IBM are all excited because they’ve successfully mapped the neural structure of a cat’s brain. Is this scientist-talk for having done nothing at all with your grant money? Because we all know that cats don’t have brains…

17 Nov