Yeah, someday we'll get MacBS

Yeah, someday we'll get MacBS up and running. In the meantime, we're calling bullshit on this story: ZDNet UK's
Comdex 2001 preview.

Apple's i2DVDBox combines Internet, DVD, MP3, and even interactive television technologies, all in one device. The i2DVD Box offers all the same features as a conventional DVD, including digital Dolby and composite and s-video outputs. The digital outputs are both optical and coaxial for compatibility with other home entertainment devices.

Clues:

• The story links to Apple's iDVD software, not to any mythical i2DVD box
  
• According to this list of Comdex exhibitors, Apple isn't even going to be at the show
  
• Apple has never used Comdex has a show for announcing products--it's just not their kind of show

We will say, though, that it sounds awfully cool. And btw, almost everything described there could also be done just with an iBook.

[Later note: looks like Damien not only found this one before us, he debunked it before us, too. The actual box (from an entirely different company, of course) can be found here. And as he noted, "That didn't stop the little kiddies at the Mac rumor sites whipping themselves into a frenzy. It's no wonder some PC users make fun of us Mac users." Which is the whole reason behind MacBS in the first place.]

Here's a well-done column about

Here's a well-done column about Bush's fetish for secrecy, and how his recent Executive Order blocking access to past and future Presidential papers bodes ill for the country.

I'm used to being able

I'm used to being able to yell across the room to Tom, "Hey, check this out!" Okay, it's not a big room, and I don't have to yell very loud, but it's handy. Now that he's got an iPod, though, that doesn't work any more, so I have to do it here. Hey, Tom, check out PocketMac: the Macintosh to Pocket PC sync software package.

Quote of the day: "Desperate

Quote of the day: "Desperate Times editorialist calls for desperate measures."

Is it an Apple press

Is it an Apple press release or a Microsoft press release? Neither; it's a Wired article: Jobs Likes Gates' New Office. Somebody should buy the writer a copy of Office X for Macs for Dummies. Tom and I had fun playing "Spot the Errors." You can, too; there's no shortage to go around.

New link here (or at

New link here (or at least new to us): Eventual Blog.

Pet peeve of the day:

Pet peeve of the day: Why isn't this site the same as this site? Or this site the same as this site? I hate having to remember that with some sites, I have to type in the darn www, but with others I don't.

Defendants Not Nice in Internet

Defendants Not Nice in Internet Case: This is a fascinating case going on in Santa Clara County Superior Court (okay, it's fascinating to me; I come from a family of lawyers).

Here's how the case is working:

1. Post a message on a Yahoo board about your ex-employers.
   
2. Ex-employers sue you for libel.
   
3. While in court, post messages to the same Yahoo chat board, making fun of the plaintiffs and their counsel.
   
4. Later that day, watch the plaintiff's counsel introduce that morning's board posts as evidence.
   
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4, throughout the trial.

This may be the first, but I'll bet it's not the last time this happens.

The Republicans lost two governorships

The Republicans lost two governorships tonight, and their winner in NYC's mayor's race bought the job with $50 million of his own money, netting him a whopping 1% majority in the vote. Virginia (!) went Democratic by 5%, and New Jersey by 14%. I'd have to say that it doesn't bode well for the GOP in next year's elections. Works for me.

I understand that the US

I understand that the US Postal Service has been under a bit of a strain lately. But what's the real reason behind the incredible slowdown of mail lately? I ordered some books from Amazon on 10/26. They shipped them Priority Mail from their Fernley NV warehouse (about 40 miles from Reno) on 10/27. They arrived today. That's nine working days to get a 2 pound package less than 300 miles. The USPS Web site is still saying that Priority Mail should take only 2 days. I'm certainly going to think twice before 1-Clicking at Amazon again. The USPS can't blame everything on anthrax.

From the You Can't Say

From the You Can't Say We Didn't Warn You Department, the Attorney General of the United States has now made a medical decision for all of the citizens of the US, and has, single-handedly, overthrown a legitimate vote of the citizens of Oregon. Ashcroft Reverses Reno Order on Assisted-Suicide Law. His action also subverts a Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to make their own rules on assisted suicide. It's another payoff to the religious right. 2004 can't come soon enough to get Bush and his stinking, corrupt crew out of office.

While watching last week's West

While watching last week's West Wing, Tom couldn't understand why I was laughing so hard at the idea of CJ not having anything to talk about with Kary B. Mullis, Nobel prize winner in Chemistry. Here's the article I remembered reading about him.

Mullis is like hangin' 10 in La Jolla, surfin' every day, brewskies in the fridge, LSD whenever. (Hey, he knows how to make the stuff.) Aliens occasionally visiting. A sexy new wife (since all the women at scientific conferences finally got sick of his lechery). And he just had a book published with his naked bod on the cover.

And that doesn't even include why he thinks that HIV doesn't cause AIDS, or why OJ was innocent. Yeah, I think that he and CJ could find something to talk about.

Had an appointment with the

Had an appointment with the doc today, so there's an update. Next step: wait. Which is not one of my strengths, unfortunately.

New links here: Jerry Kindall

New links here: Jerry Kindall and Ephemera--thanks!

"Put another candle on our

"Put another candle on our birthday cake..."

Happy birthday to us; today is the second anniversary of Backup Brain. Of course, if you count Yahoo! Unplugged, I've been blogging since 1995. Blogging on dead trees; you can't say that we weren't ahead of our time.

The three of us saw

The three of us saw Monsters. Inc. Friday night; we thought it was great. I've since read a few of the reviews, and I've discovered a good rule of thumb. If the movie being reviewed is for kids, and the reviewer refers to one or more obscure French films, the reviewer is an asshole and may be safely ignored.