Current Configuration

  • Further Proof That DJ Shadow Rocks

    I recently ordered a copy of DJ Shadow‘s latest mix album, Funky Skunk. Because it’s part of some thing he’s doing with Shepard Fairey and his OBEY project, I also got a tshirt as part of the package (I didn’t go for the big super-expensive package with seven tshirts and tons of stuff). I didn’t expect to get anything else. But when I opened the oddly-shaped packing box, I got the coolest piece of vinyl I’ve seen:

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  • HarryPotterandtheGobletofFireandThentheTournamentandtheOtherStuff

    A deatheater with the Dark Mark looming in the sky, by the title of the film.

    I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire while on Thanksgiving vacation and it was a mixed bag. In some ways, it was one of the better movies: it didn’t shy away from the darker content of the book and it hit the feeling of the world throughout. In other ways, it was the first in the series to really suffer from the divergence of the films and the book, and highlight the great lengths the writers, director, and editor will have to go to from now on to make the movies work. In fact, this may be the film that forces them to actually change the storyline to accomodate the differing medium, or make more movies than books (doubtful). I have a feeling Harry Potter fans will be howling “avada kedavra” when The Order of the Phoenix goes up on the big screen because so much of the story, characters, and world will be cleaved off.

    Spoiler Warning: In this post I assume you’ve read the book and won’t be surprised by the movie. I give away many plot points below.

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  • Robot Stories

    Alisa and I watched Robot Stories on Sunday. The title of this quartet is deceptive, as the term ’robots’ is used loosely, both in subject matter and theme. The series of four short films is a study of human nature far more than a study of robots or their influence on our lives (or speculative ones). This is a decidedly low budget work, but an enjoyable one. The stories are a bit pat, as they examine their subjects only superficially. They work as compact narratives, but as explorations, they’re dragging a nail across a surface that would yield readily to deeper digging. All of these themes have been explored elsewhere at greater length, so don’t look for anything completely innovative here. However, their spareness and brevity distills the themes down to their essence, which has its upsides as well.

    If you enjoy films just outside of the mainstream, light sci-fi, or vignettes, than Robot Stories is a decent rent. Otherwise, it may be too light and too brief to warrant your attention.

    MPAA Review: Not reviewed. But Australia raves: “Mature Audiences!” and Singapore chimes in with an exuberant “Parental Guidance!”
    Ad Exec Review: Everything is changing… Except the human heart.

  • I Would Not Have Made a Good Caveman

    Last night at around ten ’til four in the a.m., I stumbled out of bed to assuage my body, which was resentful that I hadn’t pulled a blanket over myself and sent a ’constrict like crazy’ message to my bladder. I didn’t turn on any lights to avoid blinding myself and aggravating Alisa, who will threaten to kill you if you trifle too long in the wee hours. Unfortunately, I wasn’t alone outside of the warm shelter of my bed.

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  • New AT&T Logo

    AT&T, now owned by SBC, has released their newly “refreshed” logo. So, what do you think?

    I’m particularly interested in the opinions of non-designers. For that reason, I’m going to reserve my own comments until later. I’d like to hear some genuine thoughts on whether you like it, does it represent the attributes of “innovation, integrity, quality, reliability and unsurpassed customer care”, is it better than the old one?

    Here’s the full press release on the logo.

  • St. Bernardus, Best Beer Ever

    A St Bernardus Abt 12 large bottle, small bottle, and full goblet.

    I just realized I haven’t mentioned this yet on Current Config: St. Bernardus Abt 12 is the best beer ever. From the moment I tried it on tap at the best Belgian beer emporium I know of in Philly, Monk’s Café, I was hooked. Just reading the description on the St Bernardus website makes my mouth water:

    The absolute top quality in the hierarchy of the St. Bernardus beers. It is also the beer with the highest alcohol content (10.50%). A dark ivory coloured beer with a high fermentation. The show piece of the brewery. Thanks to its soft and unconditionally genuine aroma, the beer can be smoothly tasted. The Abt has a very fruity flavour.

    The funny part about their description is that I wouldn’t quite characterize it as having a fruity flavor. For me it has a chocolaty, slightly nutty, flavor with a subtle banana flavor. Normally, the word banana would have me running for the hills, but in this beer it works brilliantly. Go figure.

    I’ve had one other beer from St Bernardus, the Prior 8. This beer tasted very similar to the Abt 12 to me. A bit lighter and distinct, but very similar. It’s less alcoholic, as well. I bought one of the larger bottles at Whole Foods for a party at a friend’s place in Brooklyn (bless NY liquor laws). It was my classy 40 oz. It held me for pretty much the whole party.

    Do yourself a favor and give it a try. It’s so delicious. It may not be for everyone, but those people are crazy. Don’t listen to them. Man, I wish I had some right now.

    By the way, if anyone can locate a tshirt with this guy on it, I will be in your debt. I wrote St Bernardus but got no response.

  • Call of Duty 2: Collector’s Edition

    Call of Duty 2

    “When it comes to the top World War II shooter, that battle’s over. Now we’re on to the top shooter, period.”

    —Thain Lyman, executive producer at Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty 2, in the April 2005 issue of PC Gamer

    For most games, that’s bold talk; unrealistically bold, in fact. But for Call of Duty 2 it was what we all wanted to hear, I’m sure. It certainly has the pedigree for that kind of talk. The original CoD emerged when the WWII shooter-fest was in full swing. The Medal of Honor series had recently swept the FPS scene with a whole new world of visceral and intense experience. The WWII experience straddled the line between high-tech and no-tech, real-life heroism and gritty on-the-ground situational tactics, and I loved it. It was a great series (excluding that Pacific drivel). Then, 22 members of the team behind MoH broke off and showed us what a WWII shooter really looked like with CoD. I was a full-on MoH devotee right up until the demo for CoD was released. In the short time it took to play that demo, it ruined MoH for me completely. I bowed at the altar of Infinity Ward. This was a new world for action shooters. It was the Band of Brothers you could experience. In fact, I enjoyed it (the demo) so much I wrote about playing. I’ve included an excerpt below the fold.

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  • New Show Idea

    Alisa and I are going to fund a new TV show to compete with Martha Stewart and Donald Trump. It’s called ’How Many of You Will Be Alive After All This Punching?’

    We’ll get a bunch of ambitious, whiny, self-serving MBAs and just punch them for a solid hour. Whoever’s left after that day gets to continue on to the next round. Alisa will stand over the corpse(s), point forcefully and say “You’re expired!”

    It’ll be great. Plus, we can do a promo with Mountain Dew where people can win a free punch on-air. 1 in 10 caps wins a punch, 1 in 1,000 wins 10 minutes worth.

  • A Day That Will Live in Matrimony

    On this date three years ago, I got to marry my best friend. And it’s only gotten better since then.

    Happy 3rd Anniversary, Alisa. I love you.

  • Ho, ho—Shut Up.

    Saw my first Santa Claus ad of the season earlier this evening on TV. And so it begins.