television industry

I don't know really don't know how it is in any other industry (save restaurants where I worked six years), but the television industry is real f***ed up! I'm talking in general.

For the most part, where else do your customers (we call them viewers) see nearly every mistake you make? If you're an editor (like me) and you use the wrong video... everyone watching your station will see it. If you work at the bank and you give out the wrong change just a single customer notices it -- the one affected by the mistake.

I guess that is the nature of the beast. I think the only thing that is close to my industry is politics. If you make a mistake there... everyone will see it - thanks to, of course, television.

21

Sometimes birthdays don't really suck if you find have anyone to share them with (at least for one night). Oh well, that's life... ;-)

33

Sometimes birthdays can really suck if you don't have anyone to share them with. Oh well, that's life...

Halfway Home

The hardest part done, the seven astronauts are now orbiting the Earth. I was so worried something would go wrong because the lift-off time was the exact same minute of the day as the doomed-Columbia mission in January 2003. So far, thank God, I am wrong.

Today, they're using the robotic arm to view the tiles in the nose and wing sections of the shuttle. The video we got this morning of this was pretty bad. No, not in as there was a gaping hole someplace, rather, you wouldn't want to be epileptic and be affected by strobe-light effects on the TV. The shuttle video was black-and-white and kept flashing a few times a second. I'm thinking while they were recording video, the camera was also taking detailed still photos for the engineers to comb over later this week.

Now, let's all pray they get home safe and sound... two shuttle disasters in my lifetime is enough for me.

Not fantastic... but fun

Monday afternoon I went to see the latest superhero movie, Fantastic Four. From probably age 14 or so until three years ago (when I was 30) I had bought and read every issue of The World's Great Comic Magazine as Stan Lee once called it.

While the movie had some storyline problems and definite pacing issues - it took nearly 100 minutes before we get to a major fight scene - it was an overall fun movie because it didn't take itself too seriously, say like Batman.

Michael Chiklis played perfectly the Thing's personality of a downtrodden loser with a heart. And Chris Evans' Human Torch was close to the comic with the character having fun with life, yet showing responsibility and courage when needed. However, I just didn't find Ioan Gruffudd or Jessica Alba worked very well as Reed Richards or Susan Storm. And making Alicia Masters black just popped out as a way to through in a role for a non-white actor.

My favorite inside bit was the cameo of Stan Lee as postman Willie Lumpkin. It was very cute... especially not that Lee is over eighty years old and now actually looks like Lumpkin does in the comic book.

a three hour tour... (not so much anymore)

Last year I drove to Orlando a number of times from Tampa and learned the hard way what a number of Floridians already knew - the traffic on I-4 between the two cities sucked.

A few years ago the government noticed that the traffic had become so bad at times (especially between Haines City and Walt Disney World) it was almost like gridlock. So the powers that be decided a third lane each way needed to be built. The only problem -- the original I-4 architects didn't always make sure all the bridges that traverse over the interstate were conducive for a six line highway. So a number of bridges have had to be torn down and re-built.

One time last year it took me three freaking hours to drive approximately 85 miles. Let's just say it was only worth it because it was the Necessary Evil pre-release tournament. While the construction isn't completely done, they have opened the third lane in long stretches through Polk County. Let me just say... driving the road is now a lot more enjoyable - and I don't have to worry so much if I'm going to be late to where I'm going anymore because of traffic.

tropical cyclone websites

Since I'm in Florida I have to pay attention to nearly any tropical wave or disturbance during this time of the year. There are two websites I go to for such information:

The National Hurricane Center is the official website for hurricane predictions and tracking in the North Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. The information on this page is updated no less than every six hours.

Penn State hosts a Tropical Cyclone Genesis Potential Fields page. PSU gathers various tropical weather forecasting models (from Florida State, the U.S. Navy, Canada and the National Weather Service). When a tropical storm has formed it's cool to check out if the various models agree on what the cyclone may do. The models are usually updated twice day at noon and midnight GMT.

So when Tropical Storm Franklin develops sometime over the next few weeks... you'll know what sites I'm surfing over to.

Beam Me Up...

March 3, 1920 - July 20, 2005

just a geek

I always knew it but this confirmed it... I'm a geek. This morning I took the Geek Test and passed easily - answering 81% of the questions a geek would making me a "Deviant Geek". Here is what the survey said about me:

You're a geek and you know it. You've got all sorts of fringe hobbies and socially unacceptable tendencies. Chances are, whenever possible, you hate to be grouped with other people and sometimes go out of your way just to be different. You're smart too. You're more willing to depend on your own brainpower to solve problems, instead of relying on others to pull you through life. You probably read a lot, and generally enjoy learning new things.

So what's it all mean? You may be considered by some to be uncool, but you probably don't care either. In social situations you may be either slightly passive or slightly loud (geeks always fall into the extremes). In a nutshell, you answered enough questions correctly supporting a geek philosophy to be considered a more potent geek than 60% of the population.

They say sometimes the truth hurts... but this isn't one of them - I'm proud of my geekiness.

One hundred dollars richer

Just got back from a four day trip to my parent's house in Ohio. This is the third year in a row I've played with my dad in the Member-Guest Invitational at his country club.

We still haven't won our flight... but did take second - good enough to win $200 for our team. I also won a box of cigars worth $50 by getting my tee shot on a par 3 hole about two feet away from the cup. I don't smoke, so the box is going on ebay.

I played good for the first three rounds getting two birdie (before that day I had only ever had one birdie in my life) and tied my second best score for nine holes with a 48. Overall, I had alot of fun and can't wait to play again next year. Maybe we can finally win our flight.

Curling is cool

ESPN2 was showing the Canada-Switzerland World Curling Championships finale this evening. While I know this was on tape-delay... this is the first time I have seen curling since I moved from Buffalo where it was shown on either CBC or CTV. The sport might be somewhat similar to shuffleboard - but it's so much cooler (and I don't just mean that because it's played on ice).

"We have a problem"

Seems like the old gas gauge malfunctioned so Space Shuttle Discovery will be sitting on Earth a little bit longer. Don't you hate it when you take your vehicle to the mechanic for problem, they say it's been fixed and three months later it occurs again? Grrr...

11:39am EST on January 28, 1986

Space Shuttle Discovery is to blast off from Kennedy Space Center at 3:51pm today. It will be the second time Discovery has been the first shuttle to fly after a tragedy.

In 1986 I was in 8th grade. Our lunch consisted of two halves: half the class ate while the other half played ping-pong, board or card games, shot hoops in the gym or talked with your friends. Then you would switch at the twenty-five minute mark.

On January 28th of that year I was on the "play" side first. A teacher who had been out in their car and heard the news on the radio, came inside the school and got a television brought from the A/V room in the library. The we all saw it...

Space Shuttle Challenger had blown up.

I feel I was naive that bad things happened to decent people. I wasn't born when JFK was assassinated. I remembered the hostages in Iran but didn't fully comprehend the situation - I was just seven at the time.

The loss of Challenger is ingrained in my brain as vividly as the collapse of the Twin Towers. NASA's worst moment was the day I lost my innocence.

I couldn't move from the television set. I didn't eat lunch that day. I could only stare straight ahead as Dan Rather did this best he could to explain the accident. People around me started making jokes... but I thought they were in bad taste - I still do. There is one and only one topic I will not joke about... and that's the destruction of a space shuttle. Heroes deserve more than being the butt of a punchline.

Dick Scobee. Michael Smith. Ellison Onizuka. Judith Resnick. Ronald McNair. Gregory Jarvis. Christa McAuliffe.

Ronald Reagan said at their memorial: "A nation, too, will long feel the loss of her seven sons and daughters, her seven good friends." I still feel that loss.

To the heroic crew of Discovery... I wish you God speed and a safe trip home.

two becomes one and one

Christopher came over to my apartment this evening. He wanted to talk about something serious - not always a good thing when you're dating.

So, long story short... we've broken up for now.

Except for eight weeks while he was temping Chris has been unemployed since October - shortly before we met. He just feels he can't give 100% to the relationship right now... and that wouldn't be fair to me. I understood and said I was sad and upset - but not angry.

We're still going to be friends... and if he gets his life in order (i.e. a job, his own apartment, etc) he'll take a look at him situation to see if he is ready to get back into a relationship. So not all is lost...

Wishy-Washy

You know...

I don't mind doing laundry, but it's the folding of shirts that I don't much care for.

Washing the dishes (especially when I have a dishwasher) can be quite enjoyable as long as it doesn't include washing of silverware.

I really love the feel of a just-made bed with the sheets tight to the corners and fluffy pillows... but josh darn it, there is no thrill for me in actually making the bed.

Come to think of it, there's many things I enjoy doing half of at least 50% of the time.

Number Five is coming...

Well, Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University warned all of us this would be a busy hurricane season...

...so far his prediction has been right now.

According to the National Hurricane Center from 1944 to 1996 the average date for the first named tropical system of the season occurred on July 11th. Considering that is today, and we've already had four named storms - and may have our fifth by tonight - things are getting a little CRAZY for all us Floridians. I mean last year we had 15 named storms, but the first one, Alex, didn't form until July 31st. I can only wonder what the next twenty days might bring before the end of the month this year.

And if you want even more fun, check out the path of Frances last September.

Do you notice any possible similarities to Emily (which is what the current tropical depression will named)? I do. Though the storm is ten days to two weeks away from the American mainland coast, the more the storm's path stays in a more southern latitude, the greater the chance it will strike the U.S. at some point. I've got a bad feeling that this year the Sunshine State will be renamed the State of Emergency.

Whew!

Looks like the hurricane's worst effects are going to miss the Tampa Bay area. Already today we've received some rain from an outer band, and there are some reports of F1 tornados around. Overall I feel pretty lucky, especially compared to what's heading towards the poor souls up in Mobile or Pensacola (not forgetting what's occuring to the island of Cuba right now).

I do have to work tomorrow because of the storm - but that's eight hours of overtime!

Thanks for the pizza Max

I was just over at my friend new place. Max and his wife just bought a nice house in Pinellas Park... and I was over there playing LotR TCG with him.

In the first game I played my Gmili & Elves/Raider Archery deck vs. his Rohan deck. Easy win because I went first and double-moved the first two turns while he singled moved his first three turns.

The second game was closer - my Dwarf/Orc culture deck vs. his Hobbit/Wraith deck. He played it pretty well... but not well enough. I forced him to double from 7 to 9 into the Cavern Entrance. Poor Frodo had no chance against two Trolls in the Fierce skirmish.

Boy do I like playing that game for fun... sometimes competitive play is just too demanding (but when you win something like the Florida TOC then it's really fun).

F-U Terrorists

You think killing regular citizens on the streets of London is going to help your cause by having British soldiers leave Iraq sooner? I guess you really don't understand the way England and America work do you?

The evil the perminates an otherwise decent religion must be stopped. It's about time the good member of the Muslim faith had better step up and get stop their terrorist cousins now... or else we are headed toward World War III. And last I checked the Christian countries of the world do have more nukes than the Muslim ones.

Hope you enjoyed hell bastards because no honorable God would allow his flock to kill in his name! Only one who has been tricked by the Devil would... and that's what has happened to you.

I'll take the Fish 'N Chips

Well the International Olympic Committee decided this morning (7:45 am ET) to award the 30th Summer Olympiad in 2012 to London bypassing Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow.

I'm actually happy with the results. The arrogant French lost another battle and this one involved neither troops nor Germany. See, yesterday Jacques Chirac said Paris deserves the 2012 Games because France's food is lightyears better than the Fish 'N Chips found in so many English pubs. He may be right, but this isn't the time to put another country down. I now hope Mr. Chirac has a sour taste in his mouth today after swallowing his pride.

The final vote count in round four was 54-50 London. Want to really know who gave the victory to Londontown? It was most likely the Americans. See, in round two when New York got eliminated the Big Apple garnered 16 votes. The majority of those 16 votes went to London in round 3 when their total went from 27 to 39. Conspiracy from the Bush adminstration? Probably not, but I wouldn't doubt a little arm-wrangling by the powers that be to give one back to Chirac for his anti-American rhetoric the past three-and-a-half years.

Me? I'll take the Fish 'N Chips and down some Guiness... and salute the city that has never lost when they've put themselves up for consideration as an Olympic city.

Not Again...

I doubt you realize this but when the tropical depression southeast of Jamaica was named Tropical Storm Dennis earlier today it set a new record. This is the earliest day in the year since tropical weather records began to be kept in 1851 for the formation of the fourth tropical storm of the season. Ugh!

Last year in Florida I had to deal with three hurricanes (I was in New York on vacation when Charley struck). So I really hope this is not a start of another season where Florida is a bullseye.

At least Dennis right now looks to be heading towards the western edge of Cuba and head into the open Gulf... hopefully heading away toward Louisana and Texas. While I would feel compassion for any potential victim of the storm... I would rather not have the roof of my apartment building damaged this year, too.

Welcome

I guess everyone has to start somewhere... and for me, to paraphase Marv Levy, that is right here, right now.