Chris Ullrich @ micro dot blog

On Sunday, the US has won “gold” in the World Cybergames. Team3D defeated the Titans of Denmark in CounterStrike to take home the $50,000 prize. The final match was played before an “enthusiastic crowd” of unspecified size in San Francisco. Ok, let me hear it “USA!”, “USA!”, “USA!”, “USA!” Thanks, that was good.

A few days ago it was the one year anniversary of Microsoft’s pledge to make security job one. How’s it going for them? Jon Udell has a good article on the subject in this week’s Infoworld. His conculsion, Microsoft is on the right track but they still have a lot of work to do. I’ll stick with my macs and OSX thank you very much.

The FBI has shut down 20 sites that were part of an alternative media network known as Indymedia. Rackspace handed the servers over after receiving a court order on Thursday. It’s not clear what Indymedia was doing wrong, but the FBI says it was acting on the request of Swiss and Italian authorities. 

Indymedia said it had been “asked last month by the FBI to remove a story about Swiss undercover police from one of the websites hosted at Rackspace. It is not known, however, whether Thursday’s order is related to that incident since the order was issued to Rackspace and not to Indymedia.” The seizure has sparked protests from the International Federation of Journalists. The EFF is offering help.

Halo 2 has gone gold. Bungie says the hotly anticipated XBox game will make its November ship date. Now if they would just hurry the f*** up with the Mac version (or even the PC version) I would be a happy camper.

And finally, now that I have given the happy and fluffy puppy news, here’s the bad shit. Apparently, some equipment that could be used to make nuclear weapons has gone missing and nobody seems to know where the f*** it is. Isn’t that nice? Now you know why I hardly sleep people.

Also, a US Senator is closing his office until after the November election over fears of an impending terrorist attack. Is this guy crazy or does he know something we don’t know? Either way, its a bit troubling.

And, fellow blogger Sean Bonner has some info that could be related at his blog.

What a world, eh? I sometimes wonder if we ever get the complete truth from any media outlet. Perhaps our leaders feel that we “just can’t handle the truth”. I don’t know about you but I am getting rather tired of getting things spoon fed to me and having my news “spinned”. Maybe after the election is over and we have a new President things will be different? Probably not but its a nice dream to have anyway.

Later.

Episode 2 - The Empire Strikes Back. A few friends and I spent most of last Saturday watching two of the three Star Wars DVD’s. Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. I realize that sounds pretty geeky but it was a really good bonding experience. It was me in a living room watching a 50" television with three friends who are all film directors.

I’m not a film director. Although I have directed short films and what is called “2nd Unit” on films before. 2nd Unit is a group of people who go around shooting stunts or inserts or whatever the main unit (aka 1st Unit) doesn’t have time to shoot. Things like closeups of feet pressing gas pedals during a car chase or shots of what the actor is reading in his hand or cars flipping over and blowing up (my personal favorite).

The funny thing about our little group that day was we all had one major thing in common, beside or love of gadgets, pizza and asian supermodels. We are all roughly the same age and all work in the entertainment industry and all saw Star Wars when we were kids and all of us found it a life-changing experience.

I don’t know if I knew exactly what had happened to me at the time. After all, I was only a boy. I did feel it though. Something came alive in me in that dark theater on May 27, 1977. As I said in my previous post when I watched Star Wars earlier in the month, I knew something important was happening to me. I knew for the first time what I wanted to do with my life. I knew for the first time who I wanted to be.

We all had that same experience. As I looked at the faces of my friends last Saturday I didn’t see a bunch of jaded guys in their mid-thirties with nagging wives, crazy girlfriends, studios gutting their movies or any of that. I saw a bunch of kids watching something extrordinary. I saw a bunch of kids who, despite their age or what had happened, or not happened, in their careers or their lives, were able to put that aside for a few hours and relive what it meant to be a kid again.

So, whatever George Lucas did to the movies. How he changed them or added this shot or these silly characters, he can’t change what the film and the experience means to us. No amount of “enhancements” can alter that. We were lucky enough to grow up at a time when movies were about something and had the potential to change people’s lives.

I have spoken and written about what a golden age the seventies were for movies and how those times are gone. Star Wars came out at a time when we needed something to believe in. Vietnam, Watergate and the other events of that time were a little easier to handle when presented with such a bright and hopeful vision of the future. The idea that we are all part of a whole and that a force binds us all together is a powerful message.

It’s a message we could all use today. Unfortunately, the hollywood of today, with its corporate ownership, audience testing, direct marketing and quest for profit, is incapable of producing something like that. Just as tragic, the so-called “independent” studios are all but gone as well. Swallowed up by their corporate parents and unable to exercise much creative control over their projects or to take a chance on any “risky” fare.

All is not lost, however. Somewhere, perhaps in a darkened theater right now, is the next visionary who will finally get it and do something about it. It might have even been one of the guys in that living room with me on Saturday. And that’s the greatest thing about showbiz and life in general. You just never know what might happen. After all, tomorrow is another day.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Episode 2 - The Empire Strikes Back. A few friends and I spent most of last Saturday watching two of the three Star Wars DVD’s. Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. I realize that sounds pretty geeky but it was a really good bonding experience. It was me in a living room watching a 50" television with three friends who are all film directors.

I’m not a film director. Although I have directed short films and what is called “2nd Unit” on films before. 2nd Unit is a group of people who go around shooting stunts or inserts or whatever the main unit (aka 1st Unit) doesn’t have time to shoot. Things like closeups of feet pressing gas pedals during a car chase or shots of what the actor is reading in his hand or cars flipping over and blowing up (my personal favorite).

The funny thing about our little group that day was we all had one major thing in common, beside or love of gadgets, pizza and asian supermodels. We are all roughly the same age and all work in the entertainment industry and all saw Star Wars when we were kids and all of us found it a life-changing experience.

I don’t know if I knew exactly what had happened to me at the time. After all, I was only a boy. I did feel it though. Something came alive in me in that dark theater on May 27, 1977. As I said in my previous post when I watched Star Wars earlier in the month, I knew something important was happening to me. I knew for the first time what I wanted to do with my life. I knew for the first time who I wanted to be.

We all had that same experience. As I looked at the faces of my friends last Saturday I didn’t see a bunch of jaded guys in their mid-thirties with nagging wives, crazy girlfriends, studios gutting their movies or any of that. I saw a bunch of kids watching something extrordinary. I saw a bunch of kids who, despite their age or what had happened, or not happened, in their careers or their lives, were able to put that aside for a few hours and relive what it meant to be a kid again.

So, whatever George Lucas did to the movies. How he changed them or added this shot or these silly characters, he can’t change what the film and the experience means to us. No amount of “enhancements” can alter that. We were lucky enough to grow up at a time when movies were about something and had the potential to change people’s lives.

I have spoken and written about what a golden age the seventies were for movies and how those times are gone. Star Wars came out at a time when we needed something to believe in. Vietnam, Watergate and the other events of that time were a little easier to handle when presented with such a bright and hopeful vision of the future. The idea that we are all part of a whole and that a force binds us all together is a powerful message.

It’s a message we could all use today. Unfortunately, the hollywood of today, with its corporate ownership, audience testing, direct marketing and quest for profit, is incapable of producing something like that. Just as tragic, the so-called “independent” studios are all but gone as well. Swallowed up by their corporate parents and unable to exercise much creative control over their projects or to take a chance on any “risky” fare.

All is not lost, however. Somewhere, perhaps in a darkened theater right now, is the next visionary who will finally get it and do something about it. It might have even been one of the guys in that living room with me on Saturday. And that’s the greatest thing about showbiz and life in general. You just never know what might happen. After all, tomorrow is another day.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Christopher Reeve has died. He never gave up on life despite his injuries. He really was, I have to say it, a super man.

He will be missed.

I love this. The local Crawford, TX (Bush’s adopted hometown) paper The Lone Star Iconoclast has endorsed John Kerry for president. Kerry’s home paper, the Boston Globe, hasn’t come out with an endorsement yet.

What a bunch of brave guys. They are sure getting a lot of flak for this one. I admire them for standing up for what they believe in. Good for them.

Maybe there is something to this Democracy thing after all?

Later.

RIP Rodney. You will be missed. More here.

Later.

EDWARDS 1

CHENEY 0

Who the heck was that angry, bitter man that looked vaguely like the Vice-President? And, didn’t he realize that he was wearing a microphone? If he slouched any more forward he would have fallen over. That’s probably why he wanted to be sitting at a table.

Really, all I can say about Cheney’s performance is that he looked about ready to pass out much of the time. I have to believe that he is an intelligent and articulate man with a great deal of experience in government. However, that guy was not in attendance tonight. What we had instead was someone who looks beaten down. A man who knows, deep down, what kind of hole he and President Bush have dug. A man who knows that he and President Bush have no idea how to get us out of the mess in Iraq or the mounting deficit here at home. He looks like a man without a plan.

He did have a few good points and managed to seem positively upbeat when he attacked John Kerry and John Edward’s records in the Senate. Really, he was at his best when attacking Edwards personally. Which is, of course, another refuge for the desperate. When you don’t really have anything substantive to say or any real plan, just keep calling the other guy an asshole over and over. Loudly. And in front of lots of people.

After watching last weeks debate between John Kerry and President Bush, I felt like Kerry was finally able to show that he has a backbone and is ready to kick some ass in order to become President. He was on the world stage and looked every bit Presidential. Edwards did a great job as well but sometimes came across lacking in the experience department. He made little sense on Afghanistan; he wobbled on the “global test” issue; and he was completely lost when asked to respond to the question that he was too inexperienced for office. Of course, that’s a hard question to answer without seeming defensive. Sadly, Edwards blew that one.

Right now, an ABC news poll gives the debate to Cheney with 43 percent to Edwards 35 percent with 19 percent calling it a tie. Those numbers are a little unfair in that ABC’s viewership is 38 pecent Republicans, 31 percent Democrats, and the rest independents. Factor that in and its almost a tie.

A CBC poll of only uncommitted voters found that 41 percent said Edwards won the debate, versus 28 percent who said Cheney won. Thirty-one percent said it was a tie. So, there you go. That poll makes a little more sense to me, even though it is on CBS (i’ll give them a break).

I would also like to know what Cheney really thinks of President Bush, especially where gays are concerned. I don’t know about you, but I sensed a little rift there. I respect Cheney for acknowledging his daughter (finally) but how can he support a man who’s beliefs classify his daughter as evil? Maybe we will get all the dish in a few years when Cheney writes a tell-all with Kitty Kelly.

In the meantime, I think that Edwards helped Kerry tonight. Cheney was effective on some points and for sure was a hit with his base supporters but i would be surprised if he had any effect, except a negative one, on the so-called “swing” voters. He just came across, as I think he often does, as cranky and used to getting his own way and how dare you question me and while were at it go fuck yourself.

Later.

I just found out that I’m a crook because I use an iPod and iTunes. At least according to Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates' whipping boy.

I wonder if he might be biased in favor of his own company when it comes to who should be your music vendor of choice? He also thinks that Apple and the Mac are the wrong platform if you want to have a digital home of the future. I really think that Steve has been sipping a little too much of the Microsoft Kool-Aid.

I know, I am not the best person to speak in an Apple versus Microsoft debate. I make no secret of the fact that I think the Mac is a superior platform for most things that most people want to do with their computers. I am writing this here entry on a Macintosh right now.

In my more recent career as a tech guru I am often asked which computer to purchase by one or more eager folks with some money burning a hole in their pockets. Many of them are paying clients and some are just family members or friends looking for some free advice. Either way, my answer usually leans towards the Macintosh.

However, the real answer depends upon what the person or the company is doing and plans on doing with their computer or computers. For the individual, who is doing basic computing such as e-mail, browsing the web, digital pictures, music and that kind of thing, The Mac is a fine product and can do all of those things, and much more, extremely well.

If the person or company want to go farther and more importantly, want to have some sort of collaborative environment with group tasking, calendars, etc. then I would tend to steer them towards the Windows side of the street and go with something like Microsoft Exchange.

I’m sure many of you are gasping for meaning with this revelation and to that I can only say that my job as a tech consultant is to provide the best solution that best fits the needs of the client. As much as I might want it to, the Mac can’t do everything and has some severe shortcomings when it comes to the corporate environment.

Now, I realize that their are probably many ways to put together several applications that will do close to the same job as Exchange but kludging together a solution is not in the client’s best interests and therefore not what I am going to recommend to them.

What does all this mean to the average user? Not too much. For the normal user and small business that doesn’t require complex collaborative software and is looking for basic file, print and web functions, the Mac running OSX would be a fine choice and I have recommended it many times. The Mac is shown in the best light when it is used for creative endeavors such as photos, music, graphic design, video editing and the like.

When it comes to more specific needs, especially for the business customer, Windows can fit the bill and does so quite well. I would actually choose it over linux at this point as well until linux emerges more into the consumer space and out from the “geek” closet.

That said, I still prefer the Mac over Windows, especially at the consumer level, because of its ease of use and reliability as an OS. I have many computers (too many, really, just ask the wife) but I still use a Mac daily to get my work done. It just works.

Oh, I also want to plug the good folks at TiVo for one of the greatest invention of the last ten years. I just picked up a new TiVo series 2. It was very easy to set up and also joined my wireless network with ease. Now I can stream pictures from iPhoto and music from iTunes into the living room and play them over the television. All with the included Home Media Option. That’s cool.

If you don’t have a TiVo, go out and get one. It’s that great. You can trust me, I’m not really a crook.

Later.

A short question for you on this fine Saturday. Did Fox News use Photoshop to make President Bush look taller than he really is? Compare the AP picture to the Fox picture. Did the President grow a couple of inches? Is he standing on his tip-toes? Did someone at Fox use Photoshop to make Bush appear taller than he actually is? You make the call.

Also, just because I thought it would be kinda fun, I went to a live taping of The Screensavers on Thursday. Then, I went to Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday. Do I love live tapings of shows or something? I don’t know exactly. I kinda though it would be fun and it kinda was.

The sad thing, really, is that having worked in “the business” for so long going to see a TV show get made isn’t the thrill it probably is for most other people. I did enjoy meeting the cast of The Screensavers. They were a bunch of nice kids. Even Alex, who I don’t particularly care for on-air, seemed like an ok guy in person. I’m not sure if he belongs on a television program but as a person, he’s ok.

That’s all the time we have for now. We now return you to your life, already in progress.

Later.

First debate tonight.

KERRY 1

BUSH 0

So far, so good. Here’s what the “pundits” and other informed individuals had to say.

Later.

So, I’ve been watching the Star Wars trilogy on DVD and I have a few comments to make. As a person who saw Star Wars as a boy, I feel a certain affinity for the way I first experienced the film. In fact, like many others of my generation, Star Wars was the film that inspired us to get into filmmaking.

After watching it I was struck with some things. First, it looks pretty good for a film shot in 1976. I know that George and company took a lot of time and effort to clean it up. They did a great job. The annoying audio problems that have plagued the film are also far less noticeable this time around. So kudos to Skywalker Sound for that. The film can now be presented in all of its THX enhanced glory.

As someone who has seen the film over a hundred times (I know, I know) I can say for certain exactly where the changes have been made and the film altered to more closely meet George’s “vision”. For the most part, the changes are subtle and provide a broader experience for the film. Wider shots of the Mos Eisley spaceport, for example, give the film a bigger scope than it previously had.

Plus, George is now able to have the Banthas actually move instead of seeing stromtroopers sitting on cardboard cutouts covered with fur in the distance. So that’s pretty cool as well. And many of the other “enhancements” don’t really hurt the film very much and some actually help it so I will leave them alone.

The one that bothers me is the one that bothers many other fans of the film. Yes, I’m talking about the scene where Greedo shoots at Han Solo first. All I can say is WTF is George thinking? This single act completely alters Han Solo’s character for the rest of the film and in the trilogy as a whole. It changes his entire arc. I don’t understand why that was necessary at all. Why do directors feel compelled the mess with their films and change things many years later? Yes Mr. Spielberg, I am talking about you. Walkie Talkies? Come on.

Although, if you look at how Han Solo evolves over the next two films maybe it isn’t hard to understand. By Return of the Jedi, Han has become a bumbling comic foil and really doesn’t have very much to do. Plus, Harrison Ford pretty much phones it in at that point. I’m sure part of the problem is that Han Solo was supposed to die in The Empire Strikes Back.

Harrison Ford had only signed on for two films so they planned to kill Han Solo which is why he is frozen at the end. This scene, of course, is one of Han and Princess Leia’s best as she finally tells him she loves him and he answers “I know”. Classic.

Did the change in Han Solo’s character ruin the DVD version of Star Wars for me? I guess not. Will I get over it? Sure. Besides, I can always watch the “Definitive” collection on Laserdisc anyway so what the hell.

But in the end, the movie is still fantastic. When the star destroyer flew over my head at the beginning I still got a chill. And for the next 90 minutes, I was that boy again. Changes or no changes, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Next - The Empire Strikes Back (really, the best of the series, IMHO).

And in other news:

Microsoft announced Monday that it’s going to start charging if you want to use Outlook or Outlook Express to access your Hotmail account. If you’ve ever used Outlook to get your mail you’ll have until spring 2005 to get over it. The rest of you will have to start paying $19.95/year right now. The company says it’s to thwart spammers.

Russians are pirating so many copies of Windows that Microsoft has decided to offer a low cost version to Russians to keep them from piracy, or worse, Linux. Russia is the fifth country to be offered Windows XP Starter Edition, a stripped down version of the operating system. It costs about $36 but the Russkies have to buy it with a new PC - standalone versions are not available. The Business Software Alliance and IDC reported that 97% of all software in the former USSR was stolen.

Virgin is getting into the download music business - choose from any of one million songs for 99¢ - monthly subscriptions are $7.99. Virgin Digital is based on MusicNet but offers a completely rewritten jukebox program. Files are encoded in protected Windows media format.

According to USA Today, a little known branch of the Department of Defense is pointing spy satellites at the US. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is paying particular attention to big events and public gatherings.

May the force be with you.

Not really. No fighting for me, thank you very much. I am currently at work right now in lovely Santa Monica, CA and am watching a progress bar go across the screen. Very exciting, I can tell you. Only 27 minute left. What Joy! What Bliss!

Seriously, I have been giving quite a bit of thought about my moods and ranting of late. It seems like the times have put me off. It feels like all the stupidity and moral decay in the world has had its way with me. Well, I am going to try to not let it get me down or get me too angry.

After all, things are going to be just fine. Especially if we end up with a new President and a new credibility in the eyes of the world. That would be a good thing. Ok, enough of that. Take a look at this. NASA will let you use their cool planetary imaging satellites to check out your house from space.

It’s really cool. Although, I would not try to do it over dial-up or with a computer with a crappy video card. The images are pretty big and pretty complex so only more recent hardware and broadband need apply.

In other news, Microsoft has announced it won’t update Internet Explorer unless you’re using Windows XP. The company said in a statement, “We do not have plans to deliver Windows XP SP2 enhancements for Windows 2000 or other older versions of Windows. The most secure version of Windows today is Windows XP with SP2. We recommend that customers upgrade to XP and SP2 as quickly as possible.”

Well, good for them. I think. With all the problems that plague Windows, I understand them wanting to put all their effort into Windows XP. It’s also another incentive for people to upgrade to XP, which is good for Microsoft. Who stands to benefit? Microsoft, of course.

And, those closed-minded dolts at Sony have finally pulled their collective heads out. In addition to supporting its proprietary ATRAC audio compression, new Sony music players will finally support MP3 files.

If they want to compete with the iPod, this is the right move. I’m still going to use an iPod, however. And you should too. They rock. But kudos to Sony for finally seeing the light.

Finally, a recent survey of web users says nearly half couldn’t go two days without the net without suffering withdrawal symptoms.  The “Internet Deprivation Study” from Yahoo and media group OMD said that respondents felt that they couldn’t function without the net. Participants in the study “experienced withdrawal and feelings of loss, frustration and disconnectedness when cut off from the online world.” They felt helpless, too, apparently having lost the ability to use the phonebook and newspapers to fetch information. They had to pay people $950 just to participate in the study.

I will be testing that research when I go to Mexico next month for my friend Kris' wedding. 6 days, no internet. How will I ever make it? We’ll see if I do. . . I’m sure the resort has a T1 line somewhere.

Good, only 5 more minutes. Damn progress bar!

Later.

Eddie Adams, famous war photographer, died a few days ago. His photos, including this one:

showed the horrors of war. The Washington Post has the story.

Pioneering “Adult” filmmaker Russ Meyer also died in the last few days. Who can forget such classics as “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” and of course, “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!”, one of the great films of all time? If you like chicks who kick ass, which I do. Just look at some of my photographs sometime.

Well, at least the work of Eddie Adams and Russ Meyer will live on so they will be remembered. The people who died in Iraq today and the people who will die in Iraq tomorrow and the next day and the next day, they don’t have that.

Let’s not forget them, even though they aren’t famous. We owe them that much.

Later.

Now, is it any wonder that I always say Macintosh is better than Windows? Take a look at this if you don’t believe me.

Glad I wasn’t on one of those planes. Although, I will be doing some traveling soon. Wish me luck.

Later.

With props to Andrew Sullivan, whom I agree with. John Kerry is getting better at taking the fight to President Bush. Here’s a great example of that from his speech at New York University.

Here’s the best part:

The administration told us we’d be greeted as liberators.  They were wrong.

In fact, the only officials who lost their jobs over Iraq were the ones who told the truth.

That’s a little more like it. Now, if we could just do something about his hair.

Later.

Sorry, can’t help myself. This guy is a complete idiot. How he got his job I just don’t understand.

Please, Mr. Hastert, lower your head in shame and just walk away. Don’t touch anything. Don’t take anything. Just go. Away. Far away. And never, ever, ever come back.

That is all. Hope you all had a great weekend and have a great week. I will be avoiding responsibility as much as possible this week. What else is new, right?

On the bright side however, you gotta love John McCain sometimes. Whatever your politics, he seems like a good guy who tells it like it is. Especially when he agrees with me. Maybe this is the start of a trend? Fingers crossed.

Later.

Here’s what’s up in the tech world of late. Lots of interesting stuff. Good and not so good.

Wal-Mart is taking orders for the new Gameboy. Apparently the Nintendo DS will cost $200 and arrives November 30.

There’s another significant security flaw in Windows that could allow a worm to be hidden inside a JPEG image. The bug is in GDI+ so any application written in Visual Studio or using the .net framework is vulnerable.  Microsoft rates this as a critical vulnerability because a hacker could use it to infect your computer without any action on your part. The company has released a fix for Windows via Windows Update, but you’ll have to update Office and other applications individually. In addition there’s a scanner available that will pinpoint other vulnerable applications.

And, another reason to run Windows Update: the new sdbot or spybot worm uses the same flaws as Sasser and MSBlast to sneak a password stealing program on your computer without user intervention. Updated systems and those behind firewalls are not vulnerable.

And this is really comforting I can tell you: A former credit card help desk employee has plead guilty to selling 30,000 credit card numbers, causing $2.7 million in losses. He faces 14 years in prison and a one million dollar fine.

The British Consumers’ Association is complaining to the government that Apple’s iTunes Music Store is a ripoff.  It costs UK customers about 11 pence more to buy songs than their European cousins (79p vs 120 Euro cents). Apple says blame the British music industry. I blame society.

Slashdot notes that Firefox is gaining on Internet Explorer. According to the latest info, only 57% of their users are using IE.Less than 2 years ago, IE had a 95% lock on the market. Where is my favorite browser of choice, Safari? 11.5%. Not bad considering Firefox works on both Mac and Windows. So that means that 11.5% of the visitors are using a Mac and not only that, a Mac running OSX. Cool.

Lastly, the high tech sector lost 403,300 jobs in the past three years, and according to researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago the market remains bleak. Neat. Glad I don’t work in the tech sector. Oh, wait. . . . Crap.

Later.