Insideous & Evil

In case you are one of the 18 people who don’t believe that spammers are made from the purist of evil then consider this. They’re giving away free pr..n to humans who will give the spammerz real-time answers to the CAPTCHA questions.

This is more ammunition against the so-called “free” speech advocates who are fighting the move to quarentine all the pr..n people on a single “adult” domain. It just makes so much sense.

Play That Data

Give geeks a hot tub and some beer and the next thing you know they’ve figured out how to distribute music in an image. Very, very cool. [via kottke]

Amex, McDonald’s Evil; Microsoft Good?

So, what do American Airlines, McDonald’s and American Express have in common? They’re the “American” brands that other countries want to steer clear of. This kind of analysis needs to be taken up a notch, to include not just what a country’s current perceptions are, but tie those perceptions to their annual expenditures for each industry. Maybe this is being done. I’d love to get my mitts on that data. Why? Curiosity killed the cat, right? I’ll take my chances.

On a related tangent, isn’t all this talk of anti-Americanism only fueling the fire?

Crawford Comes Calling

So what would you do if one of your highly-regarded freshman suddenly decided he wasn’t happy, took his toys and went home? Kentucky basketball’s Tubby Smith has been facing exactly this scenario. Joe Crawford, a McDonald’s All-American, after playing a season-low three minutes against Kansas quit the team, packed up his gear and left with his parents. Now he’s back. So what did Tubby do? He considered all the available options and did the smart thing, he gave the kid a second chance.

[Note: All this while our cheerleading squad quietly takes their 10th title in 11 years.]

The Concept Gets Left Behind

Most people have quite positive reactions to all the latest concept cars. So why is it that so few of these designs actually make it to market? I mean seriously, take a look at this Ford Shelby Concept! The paint job is insane. It looks like that liquid baddy from Terminator 2.

Your Movie Database

For all you movie buffs there’s YMDB to keep track of your favorite movies, your least favorite movie and then chat them up with other film fanatics. Here’s mine. It’s kinda like your own personal NetFlix Hall of Fame.

Skateboarding Mac Daddy

First the dancing maniac, now this skateboarding guru. There are so many amazing people most of us have never heard of.

My Very Own ’24′

[It's 3:30pm on the afternoon of my trip to Dallas. My name is Tre Pryor, and this will be the longest day of my life. *dink DINK dink DINK*]

THURSDAY

3:37pm
Made it through security at Dulles. First time I was “selected” for the extra-thorough, pat-me-in-sensitive-area search. Of course, I passed with flying colors. I did feel a bit funny, but chalked it up to my inexperience.

4:12pm
First sign that something might be amiss. Overheard on the loud-speaker that an earlier flight to Atlanta was delayed 2 hours, something to do with bad weather. Surely my 6:00 departure will be safe.

4:27pm
People are starting to stress. Almost everyone has a cell phone and they’re not afraid to use them. I think I saw a 4-year-old with one of those new StarTACs^(TM).

5:51pm
My 6:00 departure was just murdered, with only 9 minutes to go. New departure set for 7:45. Got time for a Mango Smoothie!

5:58pm
Just remembered that my connecting flight out of Atlanta is supposed to be leaving at 8:44. Due to the bad weather, everyone agrees that those connecting flights will be delayed too. Our collective wisdom could fill a thimble.

7:15pm
We start to board. Right on time. Good sign.

7:57pm
Boarding, taxiing and “stuff” takes too long, but we finally get off the ground. Only two hours behind schedule!

9:01pm
We somehow manage to dodge the reported tornadoes and land in beautiful Atlanta, Georgia. I love uneventful flights. And taking 3 Valium had nothing to do with it.

9:05pm
Stewardess comes on to tell us to speak with the red coated agents in the terminal to learn about the connecting flights. That’s fine and all, but why would Delta pick red coats? Isn’t that a bit imperialist?

9:15pm
Mad scramble! Run for the gates!! E8! No, C18… uh, I mean, C25! Roger that red leader.

10:20pm
It’s no real surprise that I didn’t make the 8:44 connecting flight to Dallas. No one actually knows if that flight took off or not. The flight is still listed on the tote board and hour an a half after it was supposed to leave. This draws a baffled look from the nearby staff person, Mary. I just asked Mary if we’d entered the Twilight Zone.

We’re standing in line at gate c25 waiting for what must be Delta’s January Employee of the Month to help us get our lives in order. The line takes 15 minutes to move 1 person. At this rate, I can plan sticking around for the NCAA Southeast Regionals.

10:37pm
Shew. Big relief. I won’t have to sleep on the airport floor and bathe in the restroom by gate C25. (I’ve seen cleaner.) Got booked on the last flight of the day, the #1297 leaving Atlanta at 12:15. That’s good. I thought I might be late or something.

11:27pm
Watching Kobe go down with an ankle injury somehow brightens my somewhat disastrous day.

FRIDAY

12:15am
The flight is delayed til 12:30. Puff. Is that the best you can do? COM’s, bring it on!

12:45am
We finally start boarding. I haven’t seen a group this angry since the Pacers-Pistons skirmish.

1:02am
I’m in the Exit row! I’m in the Exit row!

1:17am
We take off with an estimated arrival in Dallas of 3:11am CST. I’m trying to figure out how to get these seats to recline, but what I didn’t realize… “I’m in an exit row!!”

1:40am (or so)
I fall into a dreamlike delirium. Images and sounds fade in and out of my conscious mind.

Mister 26C is leaning on me but what can I do… I accept his warmth and fade away… yappy dog barks!… where did that dog come from?… I hear Doug Heffernan’s voice… can’t get comfortable… turbulence… oh, my stomach… dear God don’t let me die… my neck is killing me… exotic black woman is getting a message on the Real Living channel… rain… flashing lights… cold, very cold.

[change to Central Standard Time]

2:14am
I return to the real world and it’s not a happy time. We land and people file out like zombies. We’re the living dead. Some people get to go home, but I’ve got to come back here in less than 10 bloody hours. I’m thinking about my 8am job interview and straining to find an excuse for my puffy, bloodshot eyes. I’ve got nothing better than, “It’s an allergic reaction to last night’s blackened Mahi Mahi.”

2:30am
Retrieved my luggage without incident. There’s a disaster I didn’t step in. All 27 of us are now waiting at the same taxi stand wondering how to snake the next cab without getting into a brawl. I never knew it could be this cold, this far south. I might have a fever.

3:40am
A kindly Indian I.T. worker and I share a cab and I get to the Courtyard Marriott and check in. The room is nice. I strip and hit the bed.

7:00am
“Good morning Mr. Pryor. This is your 7 o’clock wake-up call.”

7:01am
Wow. So this is what Keith Richards feels like every day.

11:00am
Interview goes great. I somehow manage to convince some FedEx people that I’m actually pretty bright. Of all of God’s creations, coffee is the most essential.

11:28am
Back to the airport for another round. Today is going to be different. It HAS to be.

11:39am
I’m 2-for-2 with the security people. “You’ve been randomly selected for additional security checks.” I feel so special. I wink at the burly TSA worker.

12:45pm
Grabbed some lunch and we’re boarding our 1:10 right on time. Everything is moving far too well. What crazy game are they playing?

1:08pm
We’re taxing out to the strip. Cool, right on time.

1:11pm
We’re stopped. What’s going on? We’re not moving!! Why aren’t we moving!?!

1:20pm
Captain came on to say that there is a little “mechanical” problem and instead of heading back to the gate, he’s sent for a tech to come to us. We’ll be underway shortly. I don’t believe him.

1:35pm
The door is open and crew people are looking at stuff around the door to the cockpit. The poor stewardess knows something is wrong and is getting that “Oh no, I don’t want to be nice to all these people who hate me” look on her face.

1:42pm
We’re heading back to the gate. Cindy the stewardess awkwardly explains our options, stating for the 3rd time that the flight isn’t cancelled.

1:50pm
Everyone deplanes and practically runs to the ticket counter. Cell phones bursting. Voices pleading. Somebody help us! We can’t get home!

2:22pm
Ok, I sweet talked the ticket agent, a nice young African lad, with the promise of gold and riches, if he could somehow work his magic and trade in my obviously defective Delta tickets (*blech*) to a shiny, new American Airlines ticket. AA has a non-stop flight to Louisville and the way I figure it, the fewer times to you have to take off and land, the less chance for screwups, right? Am I insane over here?

2:25pm
Where’s concourse C? I need gate C8 but I’m here at E31. Can somebody draw me a map? I’ll give you anything. My wallet! No wait, I need that. Uh… my frequent flier miles! Yeah! *mwhahahaa*

3:12pm
As luck would have it, I had to exit security to catch a bus to get to the other building. (Someone needs to round up all the airport planners and send them to Guantanamo.) But I’m not really worried, I’ve got four hours before my flight. I just remembered, I’m going to have to go back through security at the next concourse. Drat! Drat it all!

3:40pm
I wait through the whole security line to find out, I haven’t checked in with American Airlines yet. But? What is this ticket I’m holding? Oh, that’s just the itinerary. The neat thing is that they make the itinerary on the exact same paper, cut exactly the same as an airline ticket. Some usability person should take a look at that.

3:55pm
Back at security and you guessed it. “You’ve been randomly selected for additional security checks.” 3-for-3. Now I know how MJ must have felt.

5:19pm
There it is, Louisville on the board at gate C19. Huh? They just told me C8. I’m not making this up!

6:26pm
Only a few more minutes and they should start boarding. “Stay on target. Stay on target.”

6:46pm
They just changed departure from 6:56 to 7:12. Oh no, it’s beginning again.

6:50pm
Now we’re boarding, but I can’t trust this airline anymore than I trusted the last one. I’ve just had my heart broken too many times.

7:19pm
Houston, we have lift-off! If I didn’t know better, I could have sworn I just hear Flight of the Valkyries.

[change to Eastern Standard Time]

9:39pm
We’re about to land and the teenage girl in front of me has reclined her seat 437 times. Seriously.

9:41pm
The stewardess just said, “Please put your trays and seats into the upright and locked position.” Let’s see if little Miss Antsy disobeys a direct order.

9:57pm
We’ve landed without incidence.

[*dink DINK dink DINK*]

Standing In Line

Standing in line at the Potbelly today, I overheard two professional women behind me.

Woman 1: “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Hey, are you ok?”
Woman 2: (pause) “I’m starving. I could eat my arm, you know? Last night, all I was thinking about was eating red.”

Ok, now there are several strange aspects to this conversation.

1. I always thought you ate legs first? No wait, isn’t the buttocks the “meaty” portion?
2. Eating red? Red meat, I take it. I guess, but who says that? Bizarre.
3. The fact that I’m blogging on it. Yeah, I live an exciting life.

Amare: Taking It Up a Notch

This kid is flat-out amazing. Look at some of this:

• Olympic Team
• Rookie of the Year
• Only high schooler selected in 2002 NBA Draft
• Ranked 7th in NBA with 3.1 offensive rebounds and 12th in NBA with 8.8 rebounds as a rookie in 2002-03
• Topped all rookies in rebounds (8.8), free throws made (320) and attempted (484), was 2nd in points (13.5), blocks (1.06) and minutes (31.3) and 4th in field goal percentage (.472)
• Exploded for a career-high 38 points, the most ever in NBA history by a player making the jump from high school to the NBA in his rookie season

And that was just last year. What is Amare Stoudemire doing this season? How about:

• #1 in the NBA: Points, FG made
• #2 in the NBA: FG%
• #4 in the NBA: Points per Game
• #6 in the NBA: FT made
• #9 in the NBA: Blocks
• #18 in the NBA: Rebounds

Studly. Check this USAToday article on the man to learn that he’s not your typical NBA baller, he’s actually a good guy too.

The Real Rubberband Man

I have never seen someone dance this well. The term, “Mac Daddy” comes to mind.

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt

Oh that I let some wet-under-the-nose, young pup cause me so much pain.

“Joe, do you even know what you’ve done to the Big Blue Nation?”

Yes, Joe Crawford, one of our highly-esteemed freshman has decided that having the 6th most minutes on the team (a deep team at that) wasn’t enough for this wunderkind and he’s transferring out. Either that or his parents laid down the law and he was too scared to say anything. The shock waves haven’t begun to calm yet.

Oh yeah, we play Vandy tonight.

You’ve Been Waiting for radioSHARK

Lileks mentioned the radioSHARK today and all I can say is, “It’s about time!” I must have one, yes, I must. Do not try to deter me, you’ll only get hurt.

Do the Unborn Feel Pain?

It’s something that seems quite obvious but the detractors resist. For years the evidence has been pouring in, and their only tactic is to say, “there is no medical consensus on whether or when fetuses feel pain.” They fight the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act saying it would infringe on the mother’s rights. At least the mother had a choice, more that we can say for the 44,670,812 aborted babies.

At least China is starting to get it.

Mac Mini

It’s not so much the technology that impresses me. It’s not even their undeniable emphasis on having a high form factor. So it must be Apple’s desire to make things easy-to-use. Introducing the Mac Mini.

Will it sell? Who knows. The Wintel stranglehold makes “Rowdy” Roddy Piper look like a kindergartner.