Monthly Archives: November 2004

Shake-Up On The Internet

Posted on by

LA based journalist Marc Strassman reports on “34 days that shook the (Internet) world:”

On October 14th (adopted)/October 18th (released), the FCC authorized the “unbundling” of FTTC (fiber-to-the-curb, also known at FTTN, or fiber-to-the-node), making it economically desirable for incumbent telcos (Baby Bells, RBOCs) to deploy fiber optic networks directly into neighborhoods.

On Oct. 26, 2004, the day it received final approval of the deal from the FCC, Cingular Wireless (which is 60% owned by SBC) “completed its previously announced merger with AT&T Wireless Services Inc., creating the nation’s biggest wireless carrier with the largest digital voice and data network in the country.”

On November 11th, SBC announced that, taking advantage of the new regulatory climate adopted by the FCC on October 14th and announced by it on October 28th, it would spend $4 billion “to deploy fiber optics closer to customers and build an advanced, IP-based (Internet Protocol) network capable of delivering a rich array of integrated next-generation television, data and voice services substantially beyond what is available from today’s telephone, cable or satellite TV providers.”

Besides ultra-broadband access for the home, I see the next big development as city-wide WiFi: As if they don’t already have enough problems, this will be the death knell for those investing in those wife terminal kiosks. It will also be devastating to satellite radio providers XM and Sirius.

Sportsman of The Year

Posted on by

Pat Tillman is up for Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the year. I didn’t hear bout Pat Tillman until after he had died in the line of duty. An NFL player who “had it all” and gave “it” up to serve his country after 9/11.

So go vote.

Via Blackfive.

If It Were Any More Of a Dog, It Would Shed: The Joy of Very Bad Movies

Posted on by

We have to face the fact that most movies— since the inception of the art form—are agreeable mediocrities, neither very good nor outstandingly bad. Such movies are the backbone of the television schedule, an agreeable way of passing an hour or two, and evaporate from the memory almost as soon as the titles roll, as consumable as Kleenex. I certainly watched enough of them as a broadcast technician, since the AFRTS television package accommodated as many of them as do the bargain bin at K-Mart.

While there might very well be a rough-cut gem among them, the chances are rather closer to %100 that a journeyman director, mediocre actors, a hackneyed script and low budget will produce a mediocre or even dreadful movie. G-I-G-O (Garbage in, garbage out) applied to human endeavors long before the invention of computer programming. This is what conventional wisdom expects, and most times conventional wisdom is not disappointed.

I only consider movies for my personal hall of badness if I have actually been suckered into paying money and sitting in the theater for them, and I’ve been able to avoid doing this since seeing the Kristy McNichol vehicle “The Pirate Movie” sometime around 1984 or so. Life is too short, first-run tickets at the multiplex are closing in on $10, and you will never, ever get those two hours or so back of your life. In the case of something as stupendously awful as “Battlefield Earth” the critical brickbats flung at the screen were several times more amusing than the movie itself, not that anyone was really expecting all that much from L. Ron Hubbard’s oeuvre.

A horrendously bad movie resulting from the confluence of a much-respected top director, riveting source materiel, talented actors and a lot of money…. Ah, that is a cinematic pratfall to be relished. It is puzzlement, a train wreck, the stuff of prolonged analysis, of knowledgeable discourse on exactly how this degree of suckage was achieved at such cost, and who is at fault. It appears that Oliver Stone is the unhappy auteur of the moment, with “Alexander the Great”. Even those few good reviews for it are somewhat restrained in their enthusiasm, and the rest of them are poisonously amusing. A friend of mine reported guffaws and snickers in the audience during the death scenes— surely not a good sign for Mr. Stone’s directorial pretensions. It all rather reminds me of Michael Cimino’s mega-flop “Heaven’s Gate”, which got worse and worse with every dollar and edit spent.

So, pass the popcorn and enjoy— and let us know in the comments about this, and other horrendously awful movies you have ever seen. Be vicious… and be amusing.

Let The Debate Continue

Posted on by

Thanksgiving was a nice break from the routine, and I found much for which to be thankful. My heart went out to our Marines, soldiers, airmen, sailors, and all the others who had to spend this day away from home and family. All day long, my thoughts and prayers kept going back to those very special people.

Today I went back to Timmer’s post of 11/22, concerning the Constitution and the very difficult situation regarding the Marine who was taped by Kevin Sites last Saturday shooting the insurgent in Fallujah. As of this post, there were 44 comments on that thread, and it proved to be a really interesting subject with a broad variety of opinions.

Time has moved on and this is no longer the breaking front page story, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of the subject. Al Jazeera, of course, has jumped on the story, as has the anti-American UN. The ICRC is also wringing their hands over the possibility of civilian casualties, again accusing the US of war crimes while ignoring the enemy who saws heads off innocent civilians. Something here smells worse than a dead fish under the hood, just a little off kilter! Our fighting forces are in harm’s way in order to free civilians from the brutal regime that had taken root in Fallujah, and from all appearances, they have leaned over backwards to keep civilian casualties at a minimum. Yet, our guys are expected to be the “gentlemen” of this war, not just in Fallujah, but in all of this war. I refer you to the comments by LTCOL Willy Buhl, referenced in Kevin Sites’ letter to the Devil Dogs.

So, where do we go from here in this debate? Is it really about the Constitution and the First Amendment, or is it about OPSEC, or the need to get the enemy before he gets you, or just what? Go back and read Timmer’s post, and read all those comments, and let me know:

What do YOU think?

Chemical Weapons Lab Found

Posted on by

Iraqi National Guard troops have reportedly found a chemical weapons lab in Fallujah. No word yet on whether any or all of it predates the invasion.

Update: Hans Blix is skeptical:

But Dr Blix told students: “Let’s see what the chemicals are … many of these stories evaporate when they are looked at more closely.”

He added: “If there were to be found something, we would all be surprised.

“The chances are, I think, relatively small. I would be surprised if it was something real.”

But It does seem that there is something to this:

The US military has described the find in Fallujah as the “largest weapons cache to date in Fallujah”.

The weapons, including anti-tank mines and a mobile bomb-making lab, were found inside a mosque used by Sunni rebel leader, Imam Abdullah al-Janabi.

The military said troops also found documents detailing hostage interrogations, as well as what may be a mobile bomb-making factory housed in a truck, mortar systems, rocket-propelled grenades, launchers, recoilless rifles and parts of surface-to-air weapons systems.

Update 11/29/04: The major media still appears silent. But the Washington Times’ Bill Gertz seems to be all over he story. Look for something from him tomorrow.

Thankful

Posted on by

Today I’m thankful for:

God.
My Beautiful Wife for loving me no matter what.
Boyo for keeping me young and my eyes open.
Friends of Bill.
My Mom, Sister, Aunts and Uncles for reminding me where I come from.
The folks I work with for being good people even if they are mostly a bunch of bottom-feeding-scum-sucking contractors…and I mean that in the best way.
Every man and woman who now wears or who has ever worn a uniform in service to their country, their state, or their city.
The gang here at The Daily Brief and Digital Warfighter.
(Wayne’s World Dream effect…doodoodoodooderloop)
Butterball.
Karo Syrup.
Poppin Fresh.

Oreo Pie Shells.
Green Bean Casserole.
(POP)
Okay…lost my focus.

To one and all, may you have a bountiful and blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Butter Or Margarine?

Posted on by

My post concerning brine-soaked turkey seems to have been lost. But here’s another one appropriate to the season: What is better, butter or margarine? Most comparisons focus on the matter of nutrition – the issue of natural fat vs. trans fat. But I think the leading factor should be one of taste. Let’s face it; would you take a dollop of margarine on your fingertip and eat it plain? How about butter?

And the matter of taste places a major, and often disregarded, vector on the matter of nutrition. I don’t know about you, but for me, as a spread (the way most of us use the majority of our butter or margarine), I will use about half as much butter, for the same application, as I would margarine. Real butter just delivers more satisfaction.

Then it comes down to a matter of value. And frankly, at the price most supermarkets normally charge for real butter (about $4/lb. in this area), the value scale tilts badly against butter. But I just went to Costco, and paid $7.71 for 4 lbs. of Kirkland brand butter. At that price, the scale tilts strongly the other way.

So, now Not Just Ginger/Mary Ann, But Also Mrs. Howell

Posted on by

I have just learned that, on the new TBS series, The Real Gilligan’s Island, the part of Mr. and Mrs. Howell on one of the two castaways teams will be played by Glenn and Mindy Stearns. Married about one year now, Glenn is the CEO of First Pacific Financial. And is reported to be worth somewhere north of 1/2 billion dollars. (still well short of the Forbes 400).

But the real story is with the vivacious and beautiful Mindy Stearns (nee Burbano), who has lit the Los Angeles area on fire over the past few years, as entertainment reporter for local WB affiliate KTLA. She is sure to give the far more internationally acclaimed supermodel Rachel Hunter (“Ginger” on her team), not to mention the relatively unknown Kate Koth (“Mary Ann”), a run for their money on popularity.

Thanksgiving (Carnival of?) Recipes

Posted on by

Okay, here’s the deal. I’m going to be home MOST Of the day…except when I’m tossing the football around with my son or beating myself up at the gym. So why don’t we just all post our bestest, most favorite-ist Thanksgiving Recipes? It’s still early for most of us…we can still run to the store if we see something we MUST have. I don’t cook on Thanksgiving…Beautiful Wife has the holidays down pat. I’m more of a stew/chili/soup kind of cook.

————

Father Pat’s Cranberry Chutney

4 C Cranberries, whole
1 C seedless raisins
1 2/3 C sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp ground fresh ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 C water
1 med onion, chopped (abt ½ C)
1 med apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ C thinly sliced celery (use the smallest stalks)

Combine cranberries, raisins, sugar, spices and water in a large non-aluminium saucepan and bring to boil.

When cranberries start to “pop” stir in the onion, apple and celery, bring back to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes longer.

Refrigerate.

If put in sterilized jars and properly sealed, this can sit on the pantry shelf until needed.
Great with Turkey, Beef, Pork.
———–
Go ‘head, post your favorite to the comments.

Why The Herk?

Posted on by

I have changed my profile to put my name on my blog posts, but wanted to explain how I got “herkybirdman” for the benefit of those who may not understand how I got it.

The last eight years in the AF were spent on C-130′s, known affectionately as “Herky Birds.” This airplane was and is really special to those of us who flew and worked on them, much unlike my previous birds, KC-135′s. I spent nearly eight years on those hogs, and was so disgusted with them I never wanted to see the inside of one again. There’s no comparison, I know the herky is slow, but it’s a really sweet flying machine, and ours at the 302nd AW were in the best shape, for a 30-year old airplane. Thus, my choice of a blogname was meant as a tribute to a fine piece of work.

Joe