INTRAMATRIX

In an earlier post, I griped about the lack of HDMI ports on Macintosh computers.  It doesn’t look like it will happen anytime soon.   With Apple, you’re lucky to even get more than one USB port.  Also, the new MacBook Pro (late 2008) does not have a built-in DVI port, which was probably removed due to mechanical failures.  It is now replaced with something called a Mini Display Port.

The word is now, that a 3rd party vendor will be selling a Mini Display to HDMI adapter starting March 15th.  The big question is whether it will support audio, like HDMI normally does.  Nobody will really know until it is released and people start a) jumping for joy because it does, or b) cursing Apple for being so fascist.

If it does, then people with HDTV’s will be able to rent movies on iTunes and watch in HD on their giant flat screen.  Wouldn’t that suck without audio?  I’d say so.

Over the years I’ve spewed vitriol numerous times about Macintosh computers.  Ironically, now, I’m the owner of one.

Just what exactly happened?

It’s definitely odd, but after working in a high tech environment for so long, it’s really hard to go back to low tech.  I see nothing but low tech on a daily basis now.  It’s sad.  And granted, when I worked with Macs, it was always when they were failing due to abusive owners.  “I didn’t know that picking my up MacBook by firmly grasping the monitor would make the screen go all psychedelic like that.”  Douche bag.  Here’s $2000 in cash.  How about going over there and ripping up the bills into small pieces?

Much like Nintendo’s Wii, Apple’s products leave its users with sense of wonder.  A simplified appearance with mind-boggling science going on in the background.  “How do they do that?”  I miss being around stuff like that.  I got Kathy a Wii last Christmas, and she got me an iPod touch.  The halo was in full effect from that point on.

Having a fresh, new, untainted MacBook Pro is truly wonderful.

It hit 29 degrees in Monterey the other night. The view of Mt. Toro from my office makes it look like I’m in Denver or something.

Walked down to the wharf to try and get a better picture with my phone, but I was limited with the technology.

Continued walking and checked out some pelicans. Again, my phone camera doesn’t capture well. They all had yellow fuzzy heads, I’m guessing part of their winter attire.

To see sights like this on a lunch break. Not a bad thing at all.

I’ve never really been into Dr. Who, but I definitely remember this song by the KLF.

Interesting mix of old and new.  (I guess they re-made the series?)

And, no personal day is complete without lego’s.

Today at work we received a Fed-Ex package from Dell.

Inside was a well-packaged advertisement.  A small box that looked like it had a fancy pen inside or something.  Opened the box and it was a small flash drive with the Dell logo.  The drive was actually broken.  The usb plug was not firmly embedded into the handle, making it all wobbly and cheap-feeling.

I plugged the drive in anyway (a whopping 1GB of space) and a link took me to a web-page.

“One important area we’ve looked at very closely is maintenance. Why? Because studies show that for many companies, as much as 70% of their resources are being focused in this area. What a waste.”

…and fedex’ing a broken flash drive isn’t wasteful?

Epic fail from Dell.

The coast is clear.

I can now legally (and officially) say that I worked at Google, aka. ‘the mothership’ for 9 months.  I probably could’ve blurted that out here during that time, but when you sign so many papers, NDA’s, etc, I figure it’s best not to test how those papers work.

For 9 months, I commuted 700 miles a week.  I think I need a rest.

Not a rest from blogging.  Ha.  Yeah, right.

Note to Apple developers: please, please consider creating ‘error messages’ for when your products go on the fritz. Yes, I know OS X is designed to be a self-maintained, error-free system. With the many error messages you might get with, oh, say, Windows, you at least have something to Google. Petting and whispering motivational messages to a Mac has been the only way I’ve ever been able to cure their ailments. I’m amazed that I’m able to ’sweet talk’ them into working again, but it’s getting embarrassing doing this in front of customers. Please, make up some error messages. For me. Thanks.

Oh, and please add HDMI outputs to your machines. You’ll have an avid customer once you do this.

Zenwalk Sunflowers

Originally uploaded by intram

My first attempt to make a wallpaper using gimp. This photo was taken by my fiance when we were visiting Thailand last year. Of course, I added the logo myself.

As of July 1st, we (Californians) are required to wear hands-free devices while driving.  Not all the time, just while talking on the phone.  As you can imagine, cellular providers are marketing wireless headsets more than ever.  Not that we need one, we have to have one now.  I’ve got this one made by LG (since my phone is by LG), I forgot the model.  Verizon was selling it for 80 dollars, and I found one for 50 so I snagged it.  I’m now wondering if I should’ve spent 100 or more, because the quality of wireless headsets is apparently lame.  If I’m driving over 60mph, I just don’t bother answering or calling anyone.  I can’t hear them, they can’t hear me.  Irritable situation avoided.

Instead of making residents jam expensive plastic in their ears, the state should put money towards training drivers just how to talk on the phone while driving.  I did it just fine for years and would like to continue, but no.  It’s the handful of people who couldn’t that messed it up for the rest of us.  Train us how to talk and drive, and then hand over the beer, please.

Thank you.

"Terminus: Resurrectus IV", (c) 12/94

Bleeding works of art
Seething work so dark
Seering words from the heart

“Heartwork“, Carcass, 1993

I’ve always had a fascination with the human heart. Or any mammal’s heart. Okay, birds, too. Whatever. I’m just amazed at how there is such a strong neural impulse between the heart and brain, that when the rest of the body dies, the heart can still substantially keep going. Or not. Watch an open heart surgery video and you’ll see what I mean. It’s crazy stuff.

"Love & it's Victim", (c) 1/95

I’m a little bothered that my scanner isn’t big enough to scan the entire images; these have been chopped considerably. I know I could scan them in sections and crop them together, but I don’t think the extra effort is necessary.

I look at these now and try to relate to how I was thinking when I made these. At that time, I was ingesting heavy doses of NIN, Clive Barker, H.R. Giger. I looked to the works of M.C. Escher for views of normalcy. And Salvador Dali was too easily accessible for me to consider “cool.”

A lot of the thoughts that spurred these images aren’t with me anymore, and that’s a good thing. Nowday’s, railing against one’s self would be considered Emo, and that would be the worst. I would become the type of person I just don’t care for. I personally wish my lawn was more Emo so it would cut itself.

I’m glad that art has progressed heavily into the digital medium that it has, contrary to my former beliefs that it should always be “hand-made.” Not only am I sparse on ideas, I’m sparse on time in which to implement ideas. But of course, I’ve always got time to fart around on the computer. I should probably start considering more practical investments.

“He said, what?!”

perspective sketch. no point, really.