Wireless Wednesday: Samsung Goes Wild, A Death in the Family, and the Definition of iNsanity

Long title, I know. Whatever. You know what this is!



So Samsung has unveiled a total of 5 new high-end Android devices in the last week. They are coming out with the Galaxy S series of phones on every major US carrier, and a little rural one. AT&T is getting the Captivate, T-Mobile's is the Vibrant, Sprint's is a little different with the Epic 4G, Verizon has the Fascinate, and the little carrier that could (for now) US Cellular is getting an otherwise unnamed Galaxy S. Specwise, the phones are mostly identical. All are 4" SUPER AMOLED screens (I'm not excited about them, they're really all caps), have a 1GHz "Hummingbird" processor, 5mp cameras with 720p video recording, and run Android 2.1 for now, but Froyo has been promised. Sprint's model is the only one that features a slide out QWERTY keyboard, 4G capability, and of course the front-facing VGA camera. The T-Mobile rendition will ship with The Sims 3 and James Cameron's Avatar, and it's the only model with a release date and price (July 15th for $200 with a contract). As a bit on insider info (see my post on Corporate Social Media Policies), I can tell you that RadioShacks, and I hear Best Buys, won't be replenished on the HTC Hero starting some time next month, so we will probably see the Epic hit Sprint very soon.



Next up, let's have a brief moment of silence for Microsoft's Kin. We done? The Kins, which launched in May, saw very little success. Like really nobody bought one. I have yet to see one in the wild, and strangely, earlier today was the first time anyone asked me about it by name. About an hour ago, Microsoft announced that it would no longer be focusing on the project, and the majority of its resources would be reallocated to the upcoming Windows Phone 7 OS, which ships later this year. So what did we learn? Either that kids aren't stupid, and if they're going to get a phone with internet, they want a true smartphone (or an iPhone), OR parents just don't want to get their kids $30 data plans. Either way, I'm sure you will be missed, Kin, by someone out there. Somewhere.



And finally, yes, more iPhone stuff. In addition to all the prelaunch issues, and the AT&T issues, and the whole being biased against left handed users, more rumors are surfacing about the possibility (or inevitability) of an iPhone on Verizon. Now, I've gotta tell you, I am so damn sick of these rumors, and it's not because I don't like the iPhone. I'm just so sick of hearing about it's possible migration to ANY other carrier. Someone is always quoting "people familiar with the plan", or some guy has some friend who has an uncle who cuts the lawn of the guy who saw an Apple employee walk past a Verizon store. It's to the point that yesterday, Bloomberg posted an article saying that 2 "people who are familiar with the plan" are saying that the mystical CDMA iPhone will launch in January. Ignoring how far journalism is willing to stoop to create buzz, anyone who seriously believes this is an idiot! Since 2008 we've heard these same exact rumors. And 100% of the time they've been wrong! Who could possibly not have learned from the past 800 times this came about? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Which is why I was texted this, along with the rest of my district, from my boss, who's boss heard it on a LOCAL FOX STATION. Yep. I wish I was making this up. Hopefully I'll see you next Wednesday, if I don't die from over-exposure to idiocy.

The Virtues of Being Stupid

So the other day, Cailin and I were waiting in the blazing heat for some yummy breakfast (Big ups to First Watch. Place is baller), which made us a little cranky. And when we get cranky, we start judging people. And that's when a small gaggle of stereotypically ditzy girls walk up and marvel at the line (it's a Sunday morning breakfast place, how is it this shocking?) in voices that could only be described as a bad mash-up of 80s Valley Girl mixed with the dead-pan sadness of the Hills cast. In other words, it was a sound worse than nails on a chalkboard, because I can't understand the stupidity of nails on a chalkboard. But it made me ponder upon a single, life-changing question: "How would life be if I was stupid?" And before the jokes fly in, "...any MORE stupid?" Better?

My answer came very quickly at evaluating it: Life would be much easier. Seriously, life would be a much simpler and more gratifying experience if I was a moron. And it would be a hell of a lot more fun. If I had a low IQ (not that I know what my IQ is anyway), I'd be in a constant state of wonder at the world. When you look at the world and how predictable most people in it are, it's kinda depressing. With seemingly limitless possibilities, people tend to continue to do the same thing over and over, which is the definition of insanity. That's right, I'm claiming that most of the world is insane. But if I didn't have the capacity to realize this flaw, and couldn't predict what people would do or say in given situation, I wouldn't be so bummed that these numbskulls never learned.

Some might say that being stupid would take away all foresight, which could very easily lead to unfavorable circumstances, and they are totally right. But I wouldn't know that my bad decisions would lead to overall unhappiness. So I would completely enjoy myself in the meantime. And since I would be oblivious to the fact that it was my fault, I could participate in one of America's favorite pastimes: Blaming everyone else when it's totally your fault. Seriously, the fact that I know I'm the cause of my situation can be good, but can also really suck. Sure, when life is good, I can have a sense of pride, but it would be so nice to blame people when things suck. Lost my job because I didn't show up enough? Nope, those jerks kept scheduling me during my Wii time (no dirty jokes)!

So yes, life would be much simpler and happier in the short run, but I (unfortunately) know I can't just become blonde, and ultimately, I like being a fairly intelligent individual. And I don't know what I'd do while waiting in long lines if I weren't smart enough to judge and life at other people. Maybe I'd just play with my iPhone...

Hello my name is...

Hi everyone! I’m writing this to introduce myself to all of you. I’m JK and I’m BluePrints Blog’s advice columnist.

Here’s some stuff you probably don’t want to know about me…

I have an intense love for reading and don’t get to do it as often as I’d like to, which ideally would be for a few hours a day.

I have a bad Tetris habit. I mean, it hasn’t dried up all my money, alienated my friends and family and put me out on the street yet, but it does have a way of turning 5 minutes into an hour extraordinarily quickly.

I eat way more cheese than is good for my body but just enough to be excellent for my soul.

I have a strong desire to be picked for jury duty. There is just something about performing my civic duty that speaks to me. (You can picture an American flag waving gently in the background. I’m not suggesting that you should as that would be a bit melodramatic but if you wanted to that would be an appropriate image.)

I really enjoy helping people and I have a habit of seeing people’s potential and trying to bring out the best in them. I always do my best to do the right thing and I like helping others try to do the same. It’s not always easy but it makes the world a nicer place to live.

Oh, and Coke is better than Pepsi. That’s right. I said it.

So, here’s how this works: the only way I can offer advice is if you submit questions. There are no limits on the kinds of questions you submit, if you’ve got a question or something you need advice about, you can send it here and I’ll offer you an answer. Questions can be sent in anonymously if you wish, they can be serious, funny, complicated, simple, as long as they’re in a language I can read, I’ll do my best to give you an excellent answer.

I’m really looking to the current BluePrints Bloggers to get the ball rolling here and submit some questions of their own. I think it will offer you guys some insight into both them and me and let’s be honest here, after reading some of their posts, it’s painfully obvious to me that they need my help. : P

That’s the gist of it. I’m looking forward to hearing from you all and I’m very excited to be joining the BluePrints team.

Good Idea, Bad Idea - Kids' Songs

Good Idea - Educational Kids' Songs

This week Amanda (my wife) and I have been babysitting her little cousins. They are 5 and 7 and really not all that important to the story (if for no other reason than that only her parents would care if I sit here and tell you how cute they are). Suffice to say, we've had fun with them.

While driving different places with them, we have the kids' channel on for them to listen to, and I've noticed something. All the songs they have are educational in some way.  I don't remember it being that way when I was a kid. Like this is a great song from my childhood that I still remember today (watch the video, its worth it):

HAHAHAHA!!! You're gonna have that stuck in your head for a week now!!! But really, what did that song teach us? Other than gibberish and that Bram really can't play the circa 1822 tuba, nothing. What lessons can we learn from Itsy-Bitsy Spider? 1) Rain will make spiders fall. 2) The sun makes water go away (though no explanation of how) and 3) Spiders are really stupid.

So its probably a good thing that the songs these kids hear are educational. For example, we heard an entire song on the water cycle. It talks about water evaporating and becoming clouds, then the clouds bringing down rain, then starting over. Certainly a more useful thing to remember than Skidamarink.

Bad Idea - Non-Educational Kids' Songs

The problem with making educational kids' songs so prevalent is that it starts to become the norm. So when you're listening to the kids' channel and the song "Don't Play With Bruno" comes on (which is the entire reason for the topic of this post) it makes you think twice. First, because the song is absolutely ridiculous, and second because it teaches the wrong lessons.

At the end, you will find the MP3 of this song to listen to, but first, I want to give you a brief synopsis of the song. Two girls are sitting on a swing whispering to each other, and up comes Bruno. As they see him approach, the following conversation occurs (also the chorus for the song):

Sue: Don't play with Bruno. Bruno is a dweeb.
Shirley: A dweeb, what's a dweeb?
Sue: Oh you know... like Bruno.
Shirley: Shhh here he comes.

Then Bruno approaches, and in what can only be described as the voice of a retarded Seasame Street character, says "Hey girls, I'm digging a hole, want to help?" to which they of course reply, no. So he starts to dig his hole alone.

Then approach Mike and Mike on a red bike and another red bike, who see Bruno's hole (which is now 3 feet deep) and want to join Bruno. Shirley and Sue quickly repeat their chorus in unison, informing the boys of Bruno's dweeb status, and that they shouldn't play with him. Bruno then informs the group in his retard voice that he found a horseshoe. Mike and Mike reply in a very sarcastic manner "A horseshoe? Neat. Bye." They go over to the hole to look at the horseshoe and Shirley and Sue are left alone.

The next verse is more of the same. Baby Gail shows up with a shovel and pail, Shirley and Sue tell her to stay away from the contagiously dweeby Bruno, Bruno finds a tractor, Baby Gail goes to look at it. The next verse is where the song really takes a turn for the worse. A jeep pulls up and a man CLAIMING to be a doctor from a museum is looking for Bruno. The girls quickly tell the stranger that Bruno is a dweeb, but he's in a deep hole where no one will see the adult stranger and the child. The stranger then runs over to the hole and a short time later, Bruno exclaims "I found a lost 'city'!" Apparently, Shirley and Sue have a thing for lost cities, because they realize they want to see the city and go join Bruno.

So the things I learned from this song are all bad. Here they are in a nicely organized list:

1.  Don't play with people that are different.
2. Spreading gossip is the way to go!
3. Its completely acceptable to dig giant holes next to your mom's bushes.
4. Allow babies to go play in deep holes unsupervised.
5. When strangers pull up in cars, inform them where they can find groups of unsupervised children to play with.

None of those are really lessons that we should be teaching children. Now, this may all seem a little strange to you, so I encourage you to listen to this song:



Really...you just can't make this stuff up, you know? Awesome.

Well, that's another Good Idea, Bad Idea. Till next time, nice gravy to you all!

Wireless Wednesday: Not All About iPhone!

Hey BluePrints, it's been a while since we've had a legit Wireless Wednesday, so let's get back into the swing of things!

First off, the iPhone 4 does launch tomorrow. And hopefully launch day will be less catastrophic as every other part of this launch has been. The day preordering started, AT&T servers crashed, leaving hopeful buyers to just wait, or try valiantly to get through to the ordering screen. In store preorders were done on good old paper, and those who did get through later received emails saying they had been cancelled without a real explanation. AT&T's response: It was because of the hug demand. Well no kidding. It's not like this should have been a shock. iPhones have always sold a ton at launch. Or did you suddenly forget all those current owners that are currently raping your network? Oh, and that new shiny white iPhone? Don't hold your breath, since they won't be available until mid to late July. Why? Apple's official answer:

White models of Apple's new iPhone® 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected.



Really? You've introduced new colors to your existing products before, and you'd think green, orange, purple, etc. would be more challenging than white. And speaking of white things, Best Buy announced that they will start carrying a white HTC EVO on Sprint starting July 11. It'll still be $200 with a contract.



Now let's end on a high note. The big news of today is the announcement of the Motorola Droid X. Think of it as the Verizon EVO, rocking a 4.3" touchscreen, 8mp camera with 720p video recording, 1GHz processor, Android 2.1 (running a new, less kiddy version of MotoBlur), HDMI out slot. It lacks the front-facing camera for video conferencing, but instead it has 8GB of internal storage, which means the Droid X can have a total of 40GB of memory, when added to the microSD card slot. It also comes preinstalled with Swype, the awesome gesture-based typing app. Unfortunately, despite the Adobe CEO's presence at the unveiling, the Droid X won't launch with Android 2.2 or Flash 10.1. Verizon did tell us that Froyo will launch later this summer, hopefully not too long after the July 15 release date. You can pick this bad boy up for $200 on contract. The good part: It also will have WiFi tethering. The bad news: You only get 2GB of tethering, despite the unlimited non-tethering data. Bad move Verizon. Don't be like AT&T.

Why Apple, Microsoft, and Google Are All Stupid

We all know my blatant dislike for Apple and my general shocked indifference towards Microsoft, but did I just call Google dumb? Yeah. I'll explain in a bit.

So why is Apple stupid? Well, allow me to narrow it down so this post isn't absurdly long. What am I specifically talking about that makes Apple dumb? Much smaller. So here's a Fun Fact for you: Apple DOMINATES the $1000+ computer market. DOMINATE meaning it has 90%. I give Apple a lot of crap, but I will never discredit their success. They deserve props for that number. Not the "Great business model and products, Stevie! *high five*" credit. More like "Good Job (get it?) at making a business model that caters to the mass of people who's tech knowledge extends only to basic music playing and liking shiny things! And price gouging the suckers! *high five*". Anyway, they make and sell a lot of expensive computers. So why are they so dumb? They ONLY make and sell expensive computers!

The cheapest desktop Apple offers is the iMac, which starts at $1200. Their cheapest laptop, the Macbook, starts at $999. So basically every computer they sell is in that $1000+ market. And despite the ridiculous pricing, they sell like hotcakes. Now, the $1000+ market isn't growing very much. The fastest growing computer market is the netbook one. Despite the fact that I find netbooks to be a dead-end technology, they sell a lot. So my ultimate question to Steve is: Do you not like making money? Sure, you just passed Microsoft in market cap (basically, they got more money), but seriously, put out something the size of a netbook, and people will buy it too! Even the numb-skulls who bought iPads will camp out for an iNoteBook, or iPretentiousMoleskinCover. It would be what the world actually wanted the iPad to be, before you went and screwed that pooch.



Now, Bill Gates was always thought as a super smart dude when he ran Microsoft. But he left to unleash hordes of mosquitoes on famous, unsuspecting geniuses (true story). Now, The Soft (May I call you The Soft?) is run by Steve Ballmer. To put it nicely, next to Gates, Ballmer looks like a confused gorilla. And is about as big. And since Ballmer has taken command, he's made some crap decisions. The biggest being completely losing touch of what consumers want. Remember Vista? That sucked. Windows Mobile was a great idea: Windows, but portable! Problem was they stripped down as little as they could and put it on devices that were a tenth as powerful (at the time) as a computer, then wondered why people en masse didn't love the laggy POS. So what's their biggest recent mistake? Becoming Apple.

Windows Phone 7, despite the stupid name, looks nice. A lot of WinMo fans have been craving for a nicer look on the versatile phone OS, but only HTC tried to make it better, which ultimately made it even slower. So they do a revamp. "Good on them!", the collective tech world thought. That's when we learned the details. My main complaints about the iPhone (before iOS4) were: No Multitasking, No 3rd Party Apps, and No Customization. Guess what Windows Phone 7 doesn't allow. Microsoft is dropping the multitasking that Windows Mobile 6.5 already has, is improving the Marketplace of apps, but blocking non-Marketplace apps entirely, and is forbidding manufacturers, like HTC, from making new looks on the platform. Microsoft has become Apple. Correction, Microsoft has become Apple circa 2007. Not a compliment. I get that they have 97% of the computer marketshare, but seriously, people are getting pissed. And I know that once the Linux version of Steam comes, I'll probably be switching. Or maybe Android, which brings us to...


Google. Now, I love me some Google. I really do. I'm even willing to give them a pass on their bonehead move of collecting unencrypted WiFi data (Wait, people still don't encrypt their networks? Leechers rejoice!). What I'm not able to understand is this Chromium business. The idea is nice: Computers are slowed down by the data they store, the internet can store that same data, so why not speed things up and store the data online. The problem is, I like having my data offline too. And more importantly, they've already got a killer OS: Android! You know, that little thing that is quickly eating up marketshare?

Google is being stupid because they're even trying to make Chromium an OS. Chrome is an awesome browser that is capable of EVERYTHING Chromium does. So what should Google do? Drop Chromium entirely. Give most of those resources to improving Android more, including make the Android browser into a more Chrome-like experience, and devote the rest of those resources to further Chrome development. Manufacturers are already turning to Android as a netbook and even laptop environment alternative. It's open source, so they can make the necessary tweaks to make it a better computer experience. And while you're at it, make someone, ANYONE, make a laptop-tablet hybrid, like that recently deceased Lenovo U1 Hybrid that runs Android. That's really all I want.

Good Idea, Bad Idea - Time Travel

Good Idea - Developing Time Travel


Wouldn't it be awesome to travel through time? Like, go back and fix something that shouldn't have happened? Make the world a better place for all of humanity (but mostly just for yourself)! It'd be cool. Go into the future and find out who wins major sporting events and then bet on them back in your own time. Continually write sentence fragments. With no coherent point.

Really though, think about all the cool things you could do. I would go into the past, change something, and then jump into the FUTURE instead of going back to my own time first. Think about it. I would make something better, and then my life would go on till the point I went back in time, and then when I get to the future, it will be like I didn't exist in the time period between my traveling backwards and where I arrive in the future. Then, you could watch videos (or holograms) of your funeral and see what everyone would have said if you had died, BUT you didn't actually have to DIE!! Big ups to that brilliant plan! Although, I guess you could skip the going backwards first thing. If you just jumped a few years into the future it would accomplish the same goal. Or maybe not. That kinda brings me to my next point:

Bad Idea - Thinking Too Much About Time Travel Paradoxes


See, this is where time travel just becomes a pain. There's physicists that say its possible because if you put a piece of string end to end it creates a circle, which is of course the start of a smiley face, which of course is the universal sign for running morons with leg braces, which makes time travel possible. Then there's the school of thought that says timelines can't overlap each other so we can't do it. Then there's the crazy-haired scientist theorem which states "using an old car and three pieces of fiberoptic cable, we can jump off the timeline, thereby making classic movies that do not hold up in modern times, but are no less entertaining to watch" (even that plan has a paradox).

So then if we assume some form of time travel is possible, we have to decide what kind. For example, there are some that argue we could go back in time, but not forward, since the future isn't set yet. If we can go forward in time, then that thereby proves that our lives are predestined to go a certain way, and this idea of "free choice" is actually a sham. There is the option of going back in time, but any changes to the time line would ruin the ever present "space/time continuum" which ruins the "very fabric of our universe." So that would be bad. There is the other option (often referred to as the "Futurama theorem") which says that any created paradoxes are doom to be destroyed, and typically in an absurd but highly amusing way.

What I think would be cool would be if you could travel back in time, but only as a third party observer, like some kind of creepy voyeur fetish gone out of control. See, the big benefit is the complete lack of paradoxes. You couldn't change anything as bodyless observer (unless you meet a creepy homeless looking guy outside of a subway who teaches you how to flick bottle caps) so you wouldn't be able to change anything. This concept would be great for science because we could see all the stuff that happened before for fact instead of trying to decipher crap that happened from the stuff we dig up (a topic on which I have lots of thoughts to be discussed at a later date). We wouldn't be able to record anything because we all know that only living tissue can travel through time, but we could come back and tell other people what happened. And that would be cool.

So the point I'm trying to make in this rambling, crazy post is that if you put too much thought into the complexities of time travel, you will either go completely insane, or make really cheesy movies (which of course requires a certain level of insanity).

Oh, also, check the labels for the specific movies I referenced above.

The A Team Review: "A" Plus! I Pity The Fool, and Other Predictable Puns!

So, I just got home from watching the new A Team movie, starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and Jessica Biel, among others. I freaking LOVED it! To give you an idea, it's Qui-Gon Jinn, Phil from "The Hangover", Wikus from "District 9" with less sanity, and an MMA fighter taking people out. It was without question the best movie of the summer thus far (Sorry, but nothing will beat Toy Story 3, just sayin'). It has the well thought out and beyond ridiculous action of Prince of Persia, with the non-stop and often overflowing wit of Iron Man 2.

The cast was awesome. Neeson continues his badass streak from "Taken", while adding in a few good laughs of his own. Cooper supplies the sleek factor, moving the plot, cracking up audiences, and still blowing up a lot of crap in a cool fashion. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, a prolific MMA fighter, fit perfectly. His acting wasn't very good, which made him a perfect Mr. T substitute. And Sharlto Copley of District 9 fame, was, in his own words, "Bat-shit crazy", and a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Jessica Biel didn't really add much, as per usual, but fit the part of essentially emotionless hot girl. Patrick Wilson (Night Owl from "Watchmen") made a surprisingly awesome villain as well, combing the realistic corrupt government guy with the archetypal madmen with a taste of theatrics.

For anyone who walks out say "Wow, the action was SO fake!", honestly, why in the world did you go see the movie? Seriously, even if you don't know much about the TV show (like myself), and didn't catch ANY of the trailers, you have to have figured out in the first 5 minutes what it was going to be like. As ridiculous as it was, the action was both clever, inventive, B.A. (get it? Like the character?), and often times hilarious ("No, they're trying to fly that tank...").

The dialog is what really surprised me. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. Obviously Rampage's character can only be so funny as the angry black guy, but the biggest source of comedy to me was actually Copley, not Cooper, despite how hilarious he was in "The Hangover". Cooper still was quite humorous, but the sheer craziness of Murdock had me literally loling (not the instant message version, which usually means you find something funny enough to chuckle quietly at best). And it was all much faster than I expected. I assumed that there would be well-timed one liners, and there were. But the fast-paced quips the A Team threw back and forth shocked me, and I think that you can easily watch this movie again and find a great gem that you missed the first time.

Overall, I loved The A Team and I think it's a perfect summer flick. It's certainly not going to win an Oscar, but it is completely entertaining, and a spectacle that is a lot of fun to watch (Biel definitely included in that). Worth the ridiculous ticket price and will hold you over until Toy Story 3. (He's just a dinosaur!)

Good Idea, Bad Idea - Wizarding World of Harry Potter

So I know that Matt did a post on the WWoHP, but that's what's on my mind this week as I have been out there three times and only now managed to get on The Forbidden Journey (the new themed ride in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter).

Good Idea - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

This place is awesome. If you've just seen the movies and are looking forward to the new ride, you won't be disappointed. However, if you're an avid fan and reader of the books, you will love how every detail is matched to the book and really immerses you in the books that we love. From the interior of the Three Broom Sticks to Honeydukes, you'll feel like a student on weekend in Hogsmeade. Walking through Hogwarts to get on The Forbidden Journey has so many elements to be noticed that one trip can't possibly let you see them all. And the ride itself? Well, there are just no words to describe (but I'm going to try anyways). It is a fully immersive experience bringing you through some of the coolest parts of the Harry Potter universe. Best described as Spiderman on crack.

What makes this park so awe inspiring is the deal that J.K. Rowling made with Universal Studios. It basically stated:

1. We, at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL agree to pay you a large yacht full of unmarked large denomination bills.
2. You must approve every last detail so that it is exactly how you want it. Literally, we give up all creative influence to you.

Every detail is correct. Unlike other parks where its just sorta neat, this park fully encloses you in the theme. Like when you walk through the Lost Continent there are random dinosaurs poking out and making cheesey picture spots. There's nothing like that in WWoHP. It becomes hard to remember where you are, except inside Hogsmeade Village.

Bad Idea - #potterwatch

Ok, so for those of you that don't know, #potterwatch is the hash tag used on Twitter to keep up with updates on the Wizarding World soft launches. Its really a grassroots kind of thing with other guests at the park posting what they notice and whether its open or not.

Actually, #potterwatch itself is a good idea. The bad part is the way Universal is handling the soft launches. I understand that the park doesn't actually open until June 18th, but by having it open at certain times, people start to expect it to be open. As everyone comes in the gates, we run to the right, straight to WWoHP. Tourists see the movement and join in, as is natural. Then when its not open, they start to get angry. However, this group isn't really the problem. The people who are loyal, all the #potterwatch-ers, are getting annoyed at what seems to be random opening times. These are the people that will be spending money at the park. These are the people that will be back again and again for butterbeer and to eat at the Three Broomsticks.

When I say random, I mean really random. It was open at 9:30 on Wednesday for about 2 hours, 9:56 on Thursday for 4 minutes, right at 9 on Friday for about 3 hours, right at 9 on Saturday till about noon, and closed completely on Sunday. Open for a few hours on Monday and closed completely on Tuesday. Today, they didn't open till 11:30 or so, but stayed open later than ever.

So we have assumed that the goal is to test the park and make sure it can handle loads of people. Since Forbidden Journey goes down pretty regularly, this makes sense. Usually the random opening/closing times are based on its downtimes, but it was up most of the day on Sunday and it never opened. Same thing on Tuesday.

Today, we're just over a week away from the grand opening, and its the first time that it has stayed open past noon. The first time that The Three Broomsticks has served lunch (which is way better than normal theme park food). The point being, they don't seem to be getting much testing going on.

The solution? Open Hogsmeade and only change whether Forbidden Journey is open or closed. Let the hotel guests into Forbidden Journey (the ones that are supposed to be there for the sneak peak). People would be able to see the park. Three Broomsticks could serve three meals a-day like it should. The shops could let people in and have them spend money (making money for the park, which at $9.95 for one chocolate frog is their obvious goal).

So, anyways, I know this isn't the funniest of all posts (or even funny at all), but that's what's on my mind right now, and isn't that the point of BluePrints Blog?

Even Better Idea - Taking a Nap After Being at IOA for 8 Hours

No real explanation necessary. It was just an awesome nap!

Burn, Casey, Burn

"Burn, Casey, Burn" is all I seem to hear when the Casey Anthony case surfaces in conversation. In case you are unaware, Casey Anthony is the twenty-four year old women indicted for murdering her three-year-old daughter, Kaylee Anthony, in June of 2008. Before we begin, let's all quickly come to truly understand the word "indict". An indictment is a formal accusation brought upon a citizen by a body of government. An indictment can only be issued after a Grand Jury of no-less than twenty-five peers have found enough reasonable evidence to try a case. This means that, presently, there is enough evidence to contest prosecutive claims against Casey Anthony, or conversely convict her of murder in the first degree.

We must all remain machinists to the constitution as that is how it was formally intended to be executed. I've made this claim before -- the claim that an autonomous agent, programmed to execute legislation within the confines of the Constitution would be the only fair way to go about a process like this (JUDGEBOT 5000 coming soon). But the fact is, we, HUMAN BEINGS, are left up to interpret legislation as we wish. We apply emotion, religious perspective and personal experience to entirely complex cases, when we are just asked to take an objective look. We get angry and wish death, or worse -- a life's imprisonment so that the accused 'may suffer'. We demand blood; Publicus ultio ultionis under the writ of law, when we are asked to offer a open-ear.

The truth is that, although we like to pretend for peers that we understand all of the elements of this case, we do not. How is it fair to wish death upon the accused if formal accusation is the only proven extent of guilt? That's right! I'll be the first to admit that Casey Anthony does not appear stable and, at cursory glance, evidence mounted against Anthony suggests guilt. But we must, as the constitution demands, find a chance to offer a fair trial -- both publicly and judicially. The framer's meant to constitutionally prohibit fire starting, shovel wielding mobs from carrying out their own convoluted intentions on neighborhood villains. What about this is so different?

Don't get me wrong! I'm angry too! This is a disgusting crime, but the facts therein remain unclear. How do I know Casey Anthony is guilty? Truly, aside from raw intuition there is no way to be sure. How can I be sure that poor Kaylee isn't just the product of retribution by some angry third party? Admittedly, there is no way. So, I will wait until the moment that a formal charge has been forged by jury; the constitutional machine at work. I put my trust not in the hands of the legal system, but in the conceptual ideology of our forefathers.We needn't ask for bill of rights amendments or for radical change, but rather, demand principled constitutional execution.

So next time you're out and about and the topic of "raging, murderous lunatics" comes about, just remember; take a step back, put the pitchfork down and don't sentence the uncharged with eternal condemnation. Be patient and be informed. The Constitution was agreed upon so that we, Puritan successors, would never burn another 'witch' again.

Wireless Wednesday: Now Girlfriend/Wife/Fiancee Approved!

It came to my attention recently that I post a lot about phones, and apparently not everyone cares as much as I do about them. I know, I don't get it either! More specifically, my fiancee and sister in-law(s?) don't. So this edition of Wireless Wednesday will feature some editorial about ageism!

So a few weeks ago, Cailin and I had plans to have a nice fondue dinner, but we had to kill an hour or two until the place opened, so we went to a nearby mall. While we were there, dodging the creepy T-Mobile salesgoons, we stopped in some department store's (who shall remain nameless not to protect its identity, but because I totally forgot) men's department so I could get a new belt.

We had found the right style but the wrong price (rather the wrong price for Cailin for my money) (I kid, she's great) (save me!) at another store, so we knew what size I needed (the size will remain vague, though not due to poor memory). This crappy department store had the right style (yeah, I'm picky with my belts, what about it?) but they didn't have my size, so I proceeded to take it to the counter to see if they had any in the infamous The Back. This is where the trouble started.

The gentleman at the counter had just finished with another gentleman as I started my approach from not 15 feet away. We made eye contact as I walked over. The clerk had to have been around his mid-40s, putting him 20+ years above me. As I neared the counter, he pulled out his phone and starting typing away. I got to the counter, expecting him to look up, start to say hello, or at the very least grunt to acknowledge my existence. He did nothing of the sort, and continued to be consumed in his phone. Now he was using an AT&T Palm Centro, which I know for a fact has really NOTHING that is that interesting (sorry ladies, I'm taking baby steps here).

I quickly realized that the brief moment of contact before arriving at the "help" desk was the best I was going to get, so I asked the top of his balding head if they had more belts of varying size. He asked me if I had gotten it off the rack, rather, I assume he was asking me since the Centro didn't respond, despite him looking intensely at it. I responded affirmatively, and was then told that what I saw is what they had. I had to resist from expressing my relief from their adequate supply of douche bags. Instead, I dropped the belt on the counter and said thanks a bunch with enough sarcasm that even a boy with Asperger's would have taken the hint.

To clarify a little, it's not like I was some obnoxious teenager, or even an even more annoying frat boy who's conceited attitude is outshone only by the Bedazzles on his Ed Hardy shirt. I had just come from work myself, so I was still in my button up shirt and slacks. We hadn't been loud or ruined their displays, so the only thing I can think that annoyed the grump about me was my age or him being just generally unpleasant. That was until a similar situation happened with a woman in another pretentious department store.

So apparently being my age is now an offensive thing. Now I don't know what crawled up the anal cavity of the previous generation, but may I suggest an enema for you Baby Boomers, because Fun Fact: You are our parents, the reason we are who we are. While I'll be the first to admit that my generation is far from perfect and not showing signs of getting any better (Proof: the growing success of Lady Gaga and the existence of The Hills), don't assume that all of us are wastes of space. And instead of insta-hating us and thinking we all have an unnaturally large sense of entitlement, how about you take a second to see if you're right.

I'm not entirely sure what happened to these people that make them so surly. Maybe it's "The Economy", or maybe it's a growing awareness of how fast the world is changing around them, and how little it seems to effect those who have known nothing else. But of nothing less, they need to remember who will be the ones voting in 30 years about whether or not to keep social security.

Hope you ladies enjoyed! Stay tuned next week when we're back to normal!

The World of Amateur Pool

Almost everyone has heard of Jeanette Lee, the Black Widow, currently ranked third in the US for the WPBA (Womens Professional Billiards Association)... The woman who "met pool" for the first time at 18 years old and went pro by 21 years old. She's amazing...

But not many people are familiar with the world of Amateur pool... I play regularly in the APA (Amateur Pool-Players Association), so this post will be geared around that. The APA is the nations largest amateur pool league. It is a handicapped league, so all levels can play.

If you want to play in the APA you'll need to join an existing team, or start a new team. The rankings go from 2 (lowest skill level) to 7 (highest skill level).

If it's your first day in the league and you're a guy, you'll start as a 4. If it's your first day in the league and you're a girl, you'll start as a 3. From there, you will go up and down in rank based on their handicapped system. The handicap is based on wins and the number of innings it takes you to win them (which I'll talk about later).

When you are put up in a match against an opponent, you're team will watch and keep score. You start by doing a "lag". Each of you shoot a ball from behind the line to the opposite rail. Which ever ball bounces off the rail and returns closest to the rail you shot from wins the break. From there, when player A (the person who breaks) finishes a turn, player B shoots. When player B finishes their turn, that is the end of one inning. Innings and Defensive shots are both tallied. They do this because a defensive shot is essentially an opponent "giving up" their turn... and thus an inning. So if you win in 5 innings - but you had 2 safeties - you actually won in 3 innings.

The handicaps in 8-ball are set to require certain skill levels to win a certain number of games against another skill level. So if a 2 plays a 7, the 7 has to win 7 games to win the match, the 2 only needs to win 2 to win the match. In 9-ball, the handicap requires a certain number of points... each ball is one point, with the 9-ball accounting for 2 points. A 2 has to get 19 points to win a match, where as a 7 has to get 75 points to win a match.

A team (with 8 maximum players) will play 5 members each league night. The summation of the 5 players skill levels cannot be more than 23. This prevents a team from playing five 7's in a night.

The rules for the APA are somewhat different than the typical rules you have in a bar...
Some common fouls that result in Ball-in-hand (your opponent gets to put the cue ball ANYWHERE on the table):
-You don't hit your ball first
-After hitting your ball - any ball must be pocketed, or touch a rail (this prevents someone from simply touching a
ball to play a safety)
-You scratch (cue ball goes in a pocket or off the table)
The only time your opponent has to put the cue ball "behind the line" is if there is a foul on the break.
If the 8-ball is made on the break - that's an automatic win. If the cue ball goes in with it - that's an automatic loss.

If your team is in the top 3 of the bar you play in, you'll go to Tri-Cup (a weekend tournament against the top 3 of other bars). If you are the top 4 in this, you move on to Cities (another weekend tournament) where you play all the top 4 of other tri-cups. If you win this, you're team will be paid for a trip to Las Vegas for the teams national championships.

Aside from team play, there are also Singles qualifiers (individual) and Jack and Jill Qualifiers (boy-girl teams of 2) that can also take you on a free trip to Vegas!!

Playing in the APA is a lot of fun, and has consumed a lot of my time in the last year. I've been on one free trip to Vegas and can't wait for many more!!!

In addition to all the APA stuff, there are also non-APA local pool tournaments. Pretty much any pool hall on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday holds a local tournament. They are usually $5-$25 to join and you can win $50 to $500. If you aren't in the APA, they will watch you play for a little bit and rank you.

Pool has become a huge passion for me, and hopefully (if you're interested in pool), this sparks some passion in you as well!!!!

Till next time!!!

WWDC 2010: The iPhone 4 OR Really? It Took Them HOW Long?

So yeah, another Apple conference has come and gone and yet again I find myself asking the question: People were waiting for that? Let's review:

The iPad is getting PDF viewing. It didn't have that already? Wow... makes me wonder further about the mental well being of about 2 million people worldwide.

The iPhone OS is now called iOS 4. While it makes sense that calling something that is on non-cellular devices iPhone OS, is iOS the best they could come up with? iOS, more like uOweUs! Yay pricing puns!

And finally, iPhone 4. First off, thank you, Steve, for not giving it a misleading name like some of the rumored ones (4G, HD, etc.). Gotta love their revolutionary naming schemes. The device itself is thinner than the 3GS, has the same screen size (contrary to one prototype), but does have 4x the pixel density, so it'll look very pretty (credit is owed where credit is due). The back camera is beefed up to 5mp (though Jobs says that doesn't matter. Riiiiiight...) and flash (Not to be confused with Flash. DEFINITELY not getting that here!). There's also a front-facing VGA camera for video chat. How is it different from HTC's EVO? WiFi only, and only to other iPhone 4 users. Useless? I think so. I'm sorry, I'll be fair. Considering that iDrones seem to travel in packs, it'll be useful to them, but frankly, I doubt they read this blog.

App-wise, you can expect some more iAd stuff, bringing pop-ups to a whole new level of obnoxious, some more games (which is what smartphones were made for), FARMVILLE (excuse me while I kill myself), and Netflix streaming. Now that last one could have been so freaking cool had AT&T not, well, been AT&T. To give you an idea, 2GB will give you about 300 minutes of Netflix streaming. Oh boy. And if I'm in WiFi, I damn sure won't be watching a movie on a 3.5" screen.



The design itself is a double-edged sword. I've said before that I liked the look of the prototype, and that hasn't changed. It looks more like a smartphone (and an ice cream sandwich) and less like a toy. Here's the interesting thing: The steel on the sides aren't for decoration, they are in fact the antennas. One piece is the GSM antenna, the other is the Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi receiver. In other words, Apple has magically traveled back in time to the days when our antennas stuck out of our Nokias, and had the ability to even extend! No, the iPhone's doesn't (score one for Nokia Brick!).

The iPhone 4 (and iOS 4) will be available June 24th, in 2 colors (default black and hideous white) and 2 sizes, 16GB and 32GB for $199 and $299 respectively. One good-depending-on-how-you-look-at-it-thing is that AT&T is going to allow anyone who's contract ends some time in 2010 upgrade early, which is pretty nice of them. Apparently they didn't learn that stuffing iPhones into their customers' hands breaks their network. I believe the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Someone prep a padded room for Ralph de la Vega.

Oh, and one final jab. Notice how I didn't say Verizon up there? Who's got 2 thumbs and totally called it? This guy. Now go buy a Droid Incredible, Big Red faithfuls. See you in a few days for a Wireless Wednesday with a surprising twist!

Our Adventure to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Warning: SPOILERS)

Today myself and Garrett (one of the newest contributors to the BluePrints Blog) went to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. We went there so that he could pick up his new season pass so that on Monday there would be no delays when we went back for our official #potterwatch duties. Being both avid Harry Potter fans, we volunteered to help the good folks out at Behind The Thrills (@getreadytoride) sit in for a shift to watch and see if the staff at Universal would allow every day guests to enter into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP). These "soft launches" have been our life blood as normally they would only allow hotel guests from their on-property resorts enter this new section of the park to stress-test the capabilities of their newest (and quite technical) ride, the Forbidden Journey.

So since we were already there, and being the Harry Potter fans we are, it was more than obvious that we should swing by the gate just to see what would happen. And wouldn't you know it? The guards were all lined up (the yellow shirted staffers), but NOT impeding the flow of traffic on the pathways! No no, they were lined up on the side allowing people to pass!

As soon as I entered, the thing you will notice most is how amazing Hogsmeade looks. The castle towers off in the distance (an incredible perspective trick that they worked out) and all of the little shops line the road as you enter. Knowing what to do, Garrett and I both headed immediately for the entrance to the Forbidden Journey. We met up there and walked in to one of the best queue experiences I've ever had. More than any "themed" ride, I really felt like the wait was part of the ride itself. There was so much to see I can't even possibly touch on a 10th of it here. We ended up going through the line twice today seeing all new elements. I whole-heartedly believe that for the next few times we walk the line, there will be something new to see.

You start out in the green house where most Herbology lessons take place, then walk into the castle passing statues, the giant gold griffin that is at the entrance to Dumbledore's office, then the office itself, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and ultimately the Room of Requirements before boarding the ride. Even in the "hallways" between these rooms, there are "moving pictures" in their frames hanging on the wall. In the time we spent there, I not only didn't hear repeat verbiage, but the portraits all interact with each other. And I must say, the design of them is absolutely incredible! Oh and if you want to see the video we recorded just for you [the readers], watch this:



The ride itself (major spoiler) is an interesting mix of video screens and actual sets, rides with fixed track paths, anamatronics, and a giant robotic arm that moves you in pretty much any direction it so chooses. Think of it like Universal's Spiderman ride but then imagine a giant arm pushing you "into" the experience. It's a lot of fun to ride, though apparently it is still having some technical difficulties, and in our case closed just as we were about to ride it for the second time. This affected Brad (BluePrints contributor) and his wife the most, who upon being woken up by my ecstatic phone call upon entering the WWoHP had driven out specifically to see this.

Afterwards, we walked past Olivander's (makers of fine wands since 382 BC) and had Brad's wife wait in line to go in while we made a quick stop at the Hogshead to order a round of Butterbeer. Our timing worked out perfectly because as we returned, she was at the front of the line and we walked right in to the next showing. Now this brings me to the next thing I'm really impressed with: unlike the other "worlds" at Universal, the cast is really into this experience. One of the Hogwarts students was asked by us to take our photo and he feigned just the right amount of ignorance towards our "Muggle tech" to ask how to take the photo (Where was Arthur Weasley when you needed him?). He then genuinely sounded disappointed in the quality of the picture since ours wasn't moving. His performance was perfect, and really goes to show how the entire world is immersive. The cast and the setting all blend together to give you the authentic experience. As is the case in Olivander's, where you enter his little shop, and he chooses one lucky guest to find their wand (erm, rather have their wand select the wizard). He goes through the entire speech as heard in the movie, along with special affects built throughout the entire store (lights, sounds, and physical movement of objects when wands are pointed at them) until he finds the perfect wand.

Now back to the butterbeer. I know what you're going to ask, and all I can say is, "Yes, it does kind of taste like cream soda", but the white foam on it adds a little different excitement to the mix and makes the drink exceptionally good. For an even better taste, order it frozen. For those lucky enough to go in before the official launch date, the collector cups for the butterbeer are a status symbol. As soon as you exit the WWoHP, you aren't allowed back in. Seeing as most guests aren't allowed in anyways (they arrive too late, etc) it is sure to draw just the right amount of attention from those guests eager to hear about the magic you saw.

The village itself is beautifully done. There are only two little discrepancies in it (though they do not detract from the enjoyment at all). First is that Olivander's shop is supposed to be in Diagon Alley. Secondly, they have joined Zonkos and Honeydukes. They are still themed differently, but they are adjacent to each other without a separating wall. What I will say might be a detractor from this experience is how small the WWoHP is. The shops are all very small (some actually are even only false fronts (though I wonder if more will open as the launch date draws closer). The entire "village" can be walked within a minute and will be prone to over-crowding for a long time.

Anyways, I think that is all for now. We are going again tomorrow to continue to see as much as possible. Our #potterwatch will continue as we report live when they are letting people in and what is happening in the WWoHP. If this post has you all excited for the park, look forward to at least one additional upcoming post where (if we get to) will cover things like the food choices there (hint: the Feast at the 3 Broomsticks is a great deal) and also some tips Garrett has written up that might prove useful to all you Muggles out there. Just remember to never put your wand in your back pocket.

Good Idea, Bad Idea - BP

So I feel compelled to make a post about the BP oil leak thing. I do not, however, feel any compulsion to do any research on the topic, so if its not accurate, don't bother emailing me to let me know.
 
Good Idea - Drilling for Oil in The US
 
No, really. Despite how you might feel about nature conservation issues, drilling for oil in the US is a good idea. I mean, I'm all for foreign trade, and it certainly does help the world economy, which we are (for better or worse) tied to. Foreign DEPENDENCE however, is not our friend. I mean, does anyone really want to be dependant on anyone else? Like, even as a teenager, you desperately wanted to be independent of your parents. Granted, you didn't realize how hard that would be once you were, you know with that whole having-to-get-a-job thing. Paying bills, buying and making your own food, doing your own laundry. Global dependence however, is more of a "Do what we tell you or live without gas for your peoples' cars" kind of thing though. Like, do we really want a lot of sheiks having something over our heads? I mean, I'm sure they're cool enough dudes with their solid silver cars and crazy palm tree islands and such, but sheiks? I mean, just the fact that this country still has a governmental system so ridiculous should make us stop and wonder. The point being, drilling for our own oil, even if its just some of the our national usage, is a good idea.
 
Bad Idea - Everything that BP has Done Leading Up To and Since This Disaster
 
Ok, here's where things get icky. Like, how did they manage to get one of these oil rigs to SINK? Have you ever seen Mega World, or Really Big Stuff, or Stuff That's Big, or How They Make Big Stuff, or Giant Crap? (which are all real shows on Discovery HD by the way)(at least it seems that way)(ok, I might have made up a couple of them). These things are MASSIVE. Like, the-size-of-a-city massive. And they're designed to withstand like 4 simultaneous hurricanes convalescing on their exact location. But one little spark and the whole thing goes down in flames? So bad engineering of the structure aside, why is there oil just gushing out of the ground? Like, the pumps should be off (I assume someone was smart enough to try that solution first) and oil doesn't naturally just GUSH out of the ground. If its really that easy, why do we need the giant rig in the first place? Just run a big tube from the ground in the ocean to the land. We'll deal with it there.
 
So, bad engineering and unnatural phenomena aside, lets look at BP's ideas for fixing the problem. First, the dome. BluePrints Blog has been recently given the actual engineering blueprints for the "Giant Dome" idea, done by BP's chief engineer. In a BluePrints exclusive, here are the images:
 
http://i47.tinypic.com/33cy83t.jpg
 
No really, that's about how well thought out that idea was. I mean, the thing fell apart while they were trying to get it into position. Brilliant. Then there was the "Lets try to set water on fire" idea, which simply said, lets burn the oil once it reaches the surface. Needless to say, that plan worked flawlessly.  Then there was the much anticipate "top kill" procedure, which I know almost nothing about except that like all of their other plans, it failed.

Suffice to say, this oil leak isn't stopping any time soon. In fact, BP likely would have learned from its mistakes, but the US Government (in its infinite wisdom) has now stepped in to fix the problem. 2 years and 18 committee meetings later, we might get a solution (you can't expect them to work more than a couple days a year, they have golf schedules to keep and interns/hookers to bone)(was that a little too crass?)
 
And that was another edition of Good Idea, Bad Idea.

Wireless Wednesday: A Lament to Unlimited Data

So, it is my sad duty today to report the loss of our good friend: Unlimited Data Plans. Today, AT&T announced that starting June 7th, they will no longer be offering unlimited data consumption, which was a monthly $30 fee. Now, for those of you who have that service, fear not. You won't be required to change your service, though you can if you want. Here's how the new plans work out:

The DataPlus plan costs $15/month for 200MB of data, which according to AT&T is "enough to send/receive 1,000 emails (no attachments), plus send/receive 150 emails with attachments, plus view 400 Web pages, plus post 50 photos on social media sites, plus watch 20 minutes of streaming video". Oh boy. The DataPro plan is $25 a month for 2GB of data (Don't have math on this one, pretty irrelevant considering how dumb this all is anyway). The only thing that saves this bad move are the overages. Instead of the per KB charges seen on aircards, they'll have overage bundles. For the DataPlus, if you go over your pitiful 200MB, you get another 200MB pack for another $15. Those using more than the 2GB limit imposed by the DataPro plan will have to pony up another $10 per GB overage.

Good News: Tethering! Bad News: It's really not. Other companies who offer phone-as-modem give you a 5GB allowance just for tethering, in addition to your regular data consumption. That makes sense, right? You pay more to use more data. Not to AT&T (big shocker, I know). Their tethering package will cost you an additional $20 a month on a smartphone (which does include an iPhone running 4.0), but it uses the data that using your phone does too. Key difference: it does it a metric ****-ton faster. Seriously, how on God's green Earth can they justify charging you a premium to tether if you gain literally nothing from it. How does it cost AT&T more to send data to your phone for your computer than your phone for your phone? That was rhetorical, by the way. Everyone knows the answer: They're dumb and evil.

Oh, and they somehow managed to find a way to make the iPad even worse (I know, I didn't think it was possible either). They are also abandoning the unlimited data plan for Apple's tablet (which just opened up internationally and has now sold 2 million units, but the discussion on the idiocy involved there has already been discussed), in favor of the $25/2GB plan. I wouldn't be surprised if you start seeing some (probably frivolous) lawsuits over this grand-scale bait-and-switch soon.

The best thing about this ridiculous move is that AT&T will be sending automatic texts at regular intervals warning you about your consumption, something the FCC is considering making all carriers do. So they deserve credit there, but ultimately AT&T has yet again taken 1 step forward and 3 steps back. And they wonder why so many people say "I love my iPhone, but I hate AT&T!" or "I want an iPhone, but I hate AT&T!" or just plain old "JESUS I HATE AT&T!".

But let's leave today on a high note. Friday, the HTC EVO 4G comes out. And I know most of us here at BluePrints are pretty pumped about it (at least 3 of us are getting one launch day). And I have it on good authority that Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO, is probably having an awesome week because of it and AT&T yet again trying to throw customers at him.