Looking for Something to Watch...

The Promise looks promising.

Meanwhile, Google has more video too watch, and Boing Boing points out a public domain movie BitTorrent tracker.

Time to exercise that broadband connection.

Better Web Browsing

Get Firefox 1.5, then get extensions. Read The Firefox Hacks You Must Have and the Firefox Tweak Guide.

Boing Boing: Experiment: How hard is it to shoot off a lock?

TV and movies get it wrong, again:

Experiment: How hard is it to shoot off a lock?

A Look at Blogging Software

Tools of the Trade:
Blog Software Smackdown: The Big 3 Reviewed [Site Planning]

Mark Cuban vs. Sir Charles and Kenny Smith

Tempest in a TNT Pot

Besides finding this little exchange between the TNT crew and Mark Cuban amusing, I picked out a few important aspects. There's actual substance here, unfortunately the clash of personalities is what's being played up.

1. Blogs vs. television. Older forms of media have been trying to grapple with emergence of blogs. Now, the media backlash has a high profile example in sports. Charles and Kenny dont "get it" about blogs, or the Internet.

2. Computer statistical analysis. Examples of such analysis can be see at http://www.82games.com/ and The NBA Tries to Make Teamwork a Science. Again, the TNT analysts don't "get it".

3.NBA analysis shows. Mark blogged earlier: 'Watching the ESPN crew with Stephen A, Greg Anthony and Tim Legler is painful. They are a cliche a second. Same soundbites every single game, just the player names are changed. TNT isnt much better. At least Barkley is entertaining at saying nothing." Indeed. How about relevant lessons from Hoops 101, instead?

New Toy: iPod Nano

I now have an iPod Nano. Yes, it's awesome. Yes, it's covered with greasy finger prints, though that can be fixed.

Check out this interesting iPod nano review . Don't try this at home.

How can I iPod my car:
Offical accessories homepage
FAQ & Instructions: Aux Audio Adapter - From Selection to Completion

Living with Windows

Pepping Up Windows
Windows Spyware Survival Tools
How to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data

Because Windows could be better.

Ten Tips for Better Blogging

The link below has some useful blog advice, especially if you want to be read by a wider audience. Even if the blog is meant for a handful of people, having good design and good practices just improves blog readability.

Boing Boing: Nielsen's top-10 blog usability mistakes

Craft Beer in a Can

It's about getting and selling beer in new places. And to shed the snob facter.

WSJ.com - Can It

Food for Thought

WFMU's Beware of the Blog reviews tropical fruits. My favorite is the Dragonfruit.

Forbidden fruit? No longer. Sichuan's Signature Is Now Legal Again. Where did those Szechuan places get their Sichuan peppercorns, anyway? And I'm craving some ham right now. Now that's a meal: ham and Szechuan thrice-cooked pork.

New: Durian, Durian- If only you were a mangosteen

WSJ Does a Beer Tasting

WSJ.com - Tastings: "A couple things became obvious. The panelists couldn't easily distinguish the imported lagers from the craft-brewed American lagers. But almost everyone was able to spot the national-brand lagers when they tasted them -- noting a smooth sweetness and a clear lack of the hoppy aroma or bitterness that distinguished many of the others. Often, they didn't care much for what they tasted, with beers from the big U.S. brewers grouped among the lowest scorers."

I probably can't distinguish the American craft lagers and import lagers either. I always go for the local brew to encourage diversity and variety.

A Fistful of My Movie Dollars

Some links about movies and directors which I favor.

There's a trailer for V for Vendetta. The movie touches upon terrorism and other -isms; I wonder how well the movie will stay true to the spirit of the graphic novel.

'Once Upon A Time in Italy': The Films of Sergio Leone is an interview of Christopher Frayling on his new book, Once Upon A Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio Leone.

The Last of the Indies is an article about Jim Jarmusch. I particularly like Dead Man and Ghost Dog. Check out who did the soundtrack for Ghost Dog.

Harrison Soccer Stadium

The long, torturous journey of getting a soccer stadium built in Harrison, NJ finally has come to an end. Thanks to St. Phil.

ESPNSoccernet.com: MLS: MetroStars secure stadium deal

MAKE: Blog: @ DEFCON - The Kegbot project

I want to make one of these.

MAKE: Blog: @ DEFCON - The Kegbot project

Korean Gamers

Korea = Gamer Nation? Koreans take their games seriously. Mainly Starcraft, I've been told. And what enables it? Twentish bucks a month for broadband? A "wired culture?

Why not here, in the US? An article in Foreign Affairs tries to explain.

Choosing Athletic Shoes

I need to start running again, but I'm getting shin splints and sometimes my arches hurt. Maybe I should find running shoes that feel like soccer cleats? Or try the Nike Free?

The How To's of Choosing Athletic Shoes
New Wired Article: Nike Makes Barefoot Breakthrough

Bringing Starbucks to the Home of Coffee

Ethiopia (along with Yemen) is generally accepted at the birthplace of coffee. The circle starts in Africa, through the Middle East, eventually to Italy and making a last stop in Seattle before returning to Africa.

Along With That Caffeine Rush, a Taste of Seattle - New York Times

Hideous Soccer Kits

ESPNSoccernet.com: ExtraTime: 10 of the worst...football kits. Too bad the article author isn't familiar with US Soccer.

Here are some ugly MLS kits.

NY Times On Beer

Summer days and beer: Ale or Lager? Am I a beer snob? Probably.

Crisp, Complex and Refreshing - New York Times
Finding Gold in a Glass of Pilsner - New York Times

A Galaxy vs. Galaticos

The other most popular sports team in the world comes to play.
Stargazing in Los Angeles
Discount Guide: Real Madrid

Edit: Match Report

An Examination of Belief

...as opposed to beliefs.

KQED | Forum: Belief

Gothamist: Drink Up: Gothamist Revisits The Idea of Sangria

On a hot and lazy summer day, not much beats a glass of sangria. All I need now is to find my tools.

Gothamist: Drink Up: Gothamist Revisits The Idea of Sangria

New Jersey and Blogs, Perfect Together

In New Jersey, Blog Carnival Is WWWeird - New York Times

American Bikes Conquer the Tour de France

I just found the following article interesting, since it touches upon globalization and technology.

For American Bikes, a Takeover de France and All of Europe - New York Times

And it's not just the Americans (Trek, Cannondale, Specialized): see Giant.

Slashdot | Attack of the Corporate Weasel Words

Slashdot | Attack of the Corporate Weasel Words

And a comment from the originator of Action Item.

"Digital Devolution"

Why music in digital formats can suck: Wired 13.07: PLAY

It's not the format, but the whole processing chain.

Podcasting and the iPod

I just installed the newest iTunes (v4.9), with the newest iPod firmware. With those two pieces of software in place, I now have a well integrated tool for following podcasts.

del.icio.us podcast bookmarks

What to Try Next: Audible does Podcasts - the complete guide (and HOW TO)

Blogger Features

Mobile Blogging:
Blogger Help : On the Go with Blogger Mobile

Photos:
Blogger Help : What other ways to post pictures are available?

The Logan

How to do design a car that everyone can afford and everyone wants.

Renault's tony Champs Elys�es dealership has sold 40 Logans since the car's June 9 debut. The waiting list stretches into November.

It reminds me of an automotive Target or Costco. Or perhaps the original Volkswagen Beetle?

Got 5,000 Euros? Need A New Car?
Online Extra: The Making of the Logan

My New Favorite Genre

Postcyberpunk

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times

Interesting piece by one of my favorite writers, Neal Stephenson. His concluding paragraphs are quoted below:

Scientists and technologists have the same uneasy status in our society as the Jedi in the Galactic Republic. They are scorned by the cultural left and the cultural right, and young people avoid science and math classes in hordes. The tedious particulars of keeping ourselves alive, comfortable and free are being taken offline to countries where people are happy to sweat the details, as long as we have some foreign exchange left to send their way. Nothing is more seductive than to think that we, like the Jedi, could be masters of the most advanced technologies while living simple lives: to have a geek standard of living and spend our copious leisure time vegging out.

If the "Star Wars" movies are remembered a century from now, it'll be because they are such exact parables for this state of affairs. Young people in other countries will watch them in classrooms as an answer to the question: Whatever became of that big rich country that used to buy the stuff we make? The answer: It went the way of the old Republic.

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times

First Post!

Check out current blog at http://www.livejournal.com/users/microbrew_nj/. I may be migrating.

Why? CSS support. Javascript embedding support. And I already keep another blog here, larryang.blogspot.com.