Microsoft Management Summit 2008

I’m at MMS 2008 this week, so there will be light blogging over here. Instead, check out my technical blog at MyITForum.com for all of the cool things I’m seeing that I don’t want to bore everyone with here. Vegas!

BBC America shows added to iTunes Store)

Sweet! Robin Hood season pass!

Three BBC America shows have just been added to the iTunes Store line up. The shows are:
Torchwood (Series 1 and 2)
Little Britain (Series 3 only)
Robin Hood (Series 2 only)

[From BBC America shows added to iTunes Store - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)]

Robin Hood (BBC) Series 2 started tonight

Ever since we’ve started watching it, Robin Hood has been one of our favorite shows. Series One wrapped up on BBC America a few months ago and Series Two started tonight. It’s off to a fairly strong start, with a new plot unfolding to keep things moving through the season. Marion and Robin didn’t miss a beat and the Merry Men are still going strong (mostly).

My biggest compliant about the first episode was that the makers of the show discovered that they had the equipment necessary for slow motion video. There were at least three or four times when slow motion was used, probably to mask some technical problem in what we were seeing. It felt out of place and unnecessary.

WALL*E

I’m looking forward to Pixar’s latest. It’s going to have very little dialog, so it should be an interesting experience.

Andrew Stanton, writer/director of Disney/Pixar’s upcoming animated SF movie WALL?E, told reporters that the movie was based on a simple question: “What if mankind left Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off?”

[From Untitled]

Heading East: Lies I’ve told my 3 year old recently

This seemed appropriate

Before your eyeballs fall out from watching too much TV, they get very loose.

[From Heading East: Lies I've told my 3 year old recently]

Flight of the Conchords

I just picked up the new Flight of the Conchords album on iTunes. It’s all older stuff, but it hasn’t been available on iTunes, so I haven’t purchased it.

If you haven’t heard anything by them, they’re a parody duo that are funny as they can be. Check Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros below. It’s one of my favorites.

Warning: There are some obscenities, so don’t watch if you care.

Zebras on the prowl

A college student decided he would add a little wildlife to campus. I personally think it’s a pretty funny prank, since the zebra was unharmed. Pretty dangerous though.

Things I noticed about myself today, Thursday edition

• I can’t find time to blog when I’m working a lot or traveling. I just got back into town today and, miraculously, I manage to post something.
• I really don’t care about watching TV anymore. We watched this week’s episode of Back To You and I didn’t have the will to continue. I did watch two episodes of The West Wing on the plane today. It’s still a great show.
• I’m in better shape now that I was in three months ago. That’s like saying that the Leaning Tower of Piza is leaning just a little bit less, but still.
• Reading is back on my list of fun things to do. It seems odd, but it really wasn’t for a long time. I’m reading lots of management and business material right now. I recently discovered Fortune and find it fascinating. Peter Drucker is all right too.
• Technology for technology’s sake is less interesting to me now than it ever was.

That’s enough for today. I have more than 100 starred items to go through in Google Reader. I don’t think I’ll make it.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is by far the funniest movie I’ve seen since Juno. Do not go see it if you are offended by nudity or innuendo of any kind. Do not take your mother. Four and a half stars.

Update: Jennifer wanted me to add that you shouldn’t go if you are offended by excessive cursing.

iPhone headphone adapter roundup

We’ve owned a couple of these. We liked the Monster adapter better than the Belkin. I haven’t seen the FastMac cable that Dan recommends.

Last year, soon after the iPhone was released, we took a look at iPhone headphone adapters—short cables that let you use any headphones with the iPhone’s recessed headphone jack—from Belkin and RadTech. Since then, a number of vendors have released similar products. Because these cables are essentially minor variations on theme, we aren’t going to do extended reviews; instead, here’s a quick look at some of the other models we’ve seen. All work as advertised, so you’re really choosing based on appearance, construction, and price.

[From iPhone Central: Review: iPhone headphone adapter roundup]

China to control weather with rocket launchers at Olympics

That’s right. Rocket Launchers.

An IBM p575 supercomputer is being used to provide hourly weather forecasts for 17,000 square miles around the city.

If rain clouds are expected the Weather Modification Office can call on 1,500 staff with 30 aircraft to drop chemicals into the clouds to force them to drop their water early.

A further 37,000 part-time staff can fire additional materials into the clouds using 7,113 anti-aircraft guns and 4,991 rocket launchers.

[From China to use weather control at Olympics - Slice of SciFi]

Bill Keightly in “One Shining Moment”

In case you cared, but missed One Shining Moment at the end of the Final Four. It was a very nice touch for UK to request that their spot be used for Bill Keightly.

Bill Buckner throws out the first pitch in Boston

I’m cleaning up old clippings and found this one from last week. The Red Sox let Bill Buckner throw out the first pitch on opening day. Great move for the BoSox.

Crap seat for the Final Four

Old Wal-Mart Man Attacks Older Wal-Mart Man With Pricegun

A 70-year old Wal-Mart worker beat a 81-year-old fellow employee with a pricegun inside a Florida Wal-Mart.

[From Crime: Old Wal-Mart Man Attacks Older Wal-Mart Man With Pricegun]