It’s about time, literally and figuratively. The AppleBlog reports that iTunes song previews (for tracks longer than 2.5 minutes) will be tripled in length, to 90 seconds. I’ve long argued for this change. Thirty seconds simply isn’t long enough to decide if you like a relatively unfamiliar song (or a familiar one in a new… Continue reading Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds
Random Thursday
A few observations while marveling at the fact that a “Random Thursday” post is actually getting posted on a Thursday. I was reading the fifth chapter of Lamentations this morning (when’s the last time you read the most depressing book of the Bible?) and a particular verse caught my attention. Now, keep in mind that… Continue reading Random Thursday
The Sci-Fi World of Insects
I walked over to the north pond yesterday, hoping to get some photos of the big crane that’s been hanging out the past few weeks. He flew away before I could do that, so I sat at the water’s edge waiting for him to return. He never came back (thanks to you, Mr. Loudmouth Cell… Continue reading The Sci-Fi World of Insects
Universal Truths
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it before, but it’s been long enough that I had forgotten most of it (meaning that I may have actually read it just last week, but that’s a completely different story). Anyway, I ran across a friend’s blog post (no longer active) offering a list of “universal truths” and it’s… Continue reading Universal Truths
Voting Daze
I stood in line about twenty minutes today, waiting to cast my vote on the last afternoon of early voting. There were about a hundred people in line when I got to the polling place, and that number stayed steady throughout the time I was there. Entering the building where the voting was taking place,… Continue reading Voting Daze
New Toy: Voyager Hard Drive Dock
I recently filled up a 1TB internal hard drive with Time Machine backups. I ordered a 2TB drive to take its place, and put the full, bare drive in a drawer for safekeeping. A couple of months later, I needed to access some of the data on the old drive, so I pulled out a… Continue reading New Toy: Voyager Hard Drive Dock
In Progress Book Review: “Warriors”
I’m about halfway through a compilation of short stories and novellas entitled Warriors. It’s edited by acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy authors George R.R. Martin (whose Wild Cards series I’ve been devouring whenever I can find a volume in e-book format) and Gardner Dozois. The anthology is filled with stories that go beyond the genres that its editors… Continue reading In Progress Book Review: “Warriors”
Sears: Where the Undead Shop
Why would Sears create a remarkably graphic (but still tongue-in-cheek) ad campaign that features zombies? Beats me, but I’m impressed, if slightly unnerved. I mean, they’ve gone all out, including three videos using the undead to pitch their products, and their zombieized website is at least a couple of clicks deep before you get to… Continue reading Sears: Where the Undead Shop
Random Thursday – The Friday Edition
Because I spent all day yesterday in a hospital waiting room without reliable WiFi and was too cheap to spring for a 30-day 3G data plan on my iPad just to write a blog post, and because vacuuming and dusting the house and doing the laundry are not tasks to be done without interruption, here’s… Continue reading Random Thursday – The Friday Edition
Run, You Fool!
Note: The following will seem relevant only to those who consider themselves runners, but it also applies to anyone who routinely, or even occasionally, tries something that’s hard. And if you don’t fall into any of those categories, go ahead and read it simply to enjoy the sublime beauty of my prose. Have you ever… Continue reading Run, You Fool!