Damage Control

broderic on August 5, 2011

I am currently two months into reading Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. It’s taken me this long not because its a particularly thick book, but because I’ve only read it off and on a few pages one night, then a chapter the next. Everytime I read it, I’m hooked. It’s a gripping account of the last good days of the Imperial Japanese Kido Butai their carrier division strike force as it meets its end at Midway. At the rate I’m reading this book, I’ll be done by September.

In reading this book, it’s made me more curious about naval ships and especially about their damage control activities. It’s kind of coupled to my work as well as I’m doing things with automated systems on board a ship. Stupid as it is working for IniTech has me very close to a few things that I am interested in. Boats, man, boats. I like ’em.

Now, all this makes me wonder if I should be building the Kido Butai instead of the IJN battleships. I should build out the Akagi or Soryu rather than the Nagato. Scratch that. Nagato is awesome.

Link of the Day [8.04.11]

broderic on August 4, 2011

I'm by no means a partial observer here. You could call me an Apple fan boy and I wouldn't deny it. They've proved to be one of the best run companies for the last 40 years and this is with the lost 90s. They were knocked flat on their backs by Microsoft and Windows95, but picked themselves off the mat, swung back hard, and eventually became the juggernaut they are today. They have spent the last decade doing everything right. When I read attacks upon Apple, I know the sour grapes that they come from: (in best whiny voice) "Apple suxs! Macs suxs! Iphones sucks! {Insert platform of choice} rulez!" Apple's kicked butt, usually of the platform the person likes. It's difficult to embrace Apple as towers over all other computer companies in hardware, software, and the public's mindshare.Yet, they aren't the only big dog on the block. Google is another 1,000 lb gorilla, and it's flexing its muscles. They leverage their search engine dominance (and online advertising dominance) into the Android operating system. They sell ads that so happen to need a platform like the web or Android OS to deliver. They're not above whining about Apple. They've got into a shouting match over the set of Nortel patents.Just because you lose out on them doesn't mean you should whine about it. Whining about "bogus" patents that Apple and Microsoft out bid Google for is sour grapes.The funny thing is patents especially the software kind suck. They're beginning to stifle software development in the mobile arena. Google could've been in the forefront of campaigning for patent reform with their "Do No Evil" slogan, but you can't be for wanting patents and against them at the same time. You're head will asplode with the hypocrisy.But for real, we need to reform our patent system. Our leading "Do No Evil" company, Google, would be the ideal candidate to advocate reform. But whining about losing out on a patent bid, doesn't help the cause for patent reform.http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-patents-attack-android.html

Fiends With Benefits

broderic on August 2, 2011

A few months back, I saw the first "friends with benefits" movie, No Strings Attached, and I liked it. Did this make me susceptible to another "friends with benefits" movie with the apt title, Friends with Benefits? Not sure. I don't remember what I liked about the first "friends with benefits" movie and why I gave it a decent review. Was it the acting? The actors? The story? The script? It seems it must've been a combination of all these as I made note of the story and the actors in my review. I guess for a "friends with benefits" movie we have to come to like the story and the actors in order to like the movie.Friends With Benefits stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. I've come to enjoy Timberlake as an actor. He's thoroughly agreeable in everything I've seen him in from The Social Network to ugh, Bad Teacher. Mila Kunis is Mila Kunis all growns up, easy on the eyes. Adequate for the role she plays.The two are brought together after they have been dumped by their exes because she headhunts for an executive placement agency and she brings him to New York. It'll remind you of the classic line in When Harry Met Sally — "That's too bad. You were the only person I knew in New York." In fact, the movie goes out of its way to disproving the adage from the same movie that men and women can't be friends because of the sex. For the two, the sex doesn't get in the way, it's the friendship.Right from the meet cute you feel the chemistry between both characters. Flirting even though one is basically employed by the other. They quickly become friends and do things as friends because his only friend in New York is she. Then they show how compatible they are and comfortable with each other. Then comes the benefits naturally arising from being together often. He likes her. She likes him. They're friends why not? The friendship will get in the way, but our protagonists triumph as you know they would in a good little romantic comedy.As I left the theatre, I kept wondering which I "friends with benefits" movie I liked more. To be honest, I can't decide. Perhaps a back-to-back screening would suffice, but I think that would be too much. I already like them both.3 of 5 stars.

I can’t watch this team

broderic on July 31, 2011

Los Angeles v Baltimore July 22, 2011: I can't watch this team

My brother can not watch the Orioles. I can’t either now that they are terrible. This team, this organization can not do anything correct. No pitching. No hitting. No defense. This is hell.

The worse part about being an Orioles fan is that you know that we haven’t hit rock bottom yet. There is worse to come. Truly the Angelos need to be impeached.

Captain America: The First Avenger

broderic on July 30, 2011

When I think of Captain America, I think of an earnest hero. Chris Evans does come across as an earnest Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger. His head is too big for the scrawny body. Even when he becomes, Captain America his head is too big for his body, but that’s alright, for Cap, his ideas and thoughts that stand for America are too big for his body. He embodies America of the World War: earnest in trying to defeat the Axis powers. He is an avenger for justice!

Weird that the US creates its own super soldier to do battle with the übermensch of the Teutonic Germans. Weird that as created in the 40s that that’s what takes to beat the Nazis.

I like girls that look like Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter. Brown eyes, red lips, slim fitting skirts, trim jackets, brunette. I’m a sucker for that look.

I keep wondering about the CG that created a scrawny Chris Evans. He’s like the mini Brad Pitt in Benjamin Buttons. Then he’s like a Chris Evans in Scott Pilgrim. Just plain funny guy. I guess it was good that Johnny Storm died as it would be confusing for an audience that will be watching the FFxAvengers cross-over.

Speaking of Avengers: Avengers Assemble! I’m psyched for it! Was Nick Fury supposed to be one of the army soldiers? Wasn’t the Captain fighting alongside Nick Fury and his howling commandoes in WW2? Was that black guy supposed to be Nick Fury? At least I thought so. When you caught a look at the Howling Commandos, did they remind you of Nick Rivers’ crew in Top Secret!?

The movie is not bad for a comic book movie. Could’ve used better writing but don’t all comic book movies need that? It’s on par with the Green Lantern but a step below Thor for this years comic book movies. Yet they all got the same rating.

3 of 5 stars

Link of the Day [7.29.11]

broderic on July 29, 2011

I would've loved to have worked at NFL Films.They had a unique way of telling the story of a football game. Be it a regular season grinder in week 8, the pressure cooker of a playoff game, or the grand dame, the Super Bowl, NFL Films would build a great narrative making the game legendary. They had the knack of crafting the ebb and flow of the game into a great story. I could imagine working there and turning sport into art.Unfortunately, it seems their days are numbered. With the advent of the NFL Network, the powers that be want to destroy the best that they got. NFL Network is slowly suffocating NFL Films with its ESPN style format converting the beautiful into the hyperactive. They're wrong to do this.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20110729_A_MARRIAGE_GONE_WRONG.html?viewAll=ys