Author: chuck goolsbee

Movie Review: “Cloverfield”

My family decided that we’d all go to the movies this weekend, so we rolled into Stanwood and hit the first show of the day on Saturday. Nick, being 14, wanted to see Meet The Spartans. Sue, being a chick, wanted to see the chickflick 27 Dresses. Chris & I, being men, wanted nothing to do with either, so we chose Cloverfield. I bought four tickets for three movies and we split up after walking in. Not being a TV watcher, I knew nothing about Cloverfield before I entered beyond two things:

  • It was a monster movie
  • It was filmed in that massively annoying “shaky cam” style

I love monster movies. I saw John Carpenter’s The Thing and the original Alien when I was a teenager and they primed my brain for the whole monster movie genre.

However, I hate the whole shaky cam style of filming. It is distracting beyond belief. I have tried to watch a few things done this way, and it has completely turned me off. The new version of Battlestar Galactica is a great example – the camera wobbles and wanders to the point of distraction. I watched one or two episodes and never went back. I figured if Cloverfield drove me similarly nuts that I’d walk over and join Nick at his movie.

It was fun to sit down in front of a movie I knew nothing about, and just let it happen with no expectations. I could not have picked a better movie for this situation.

If you haven’t seen it, and don’t wish to be spoiled, do NOT click “more”…. otherwise click to continue.
Continue reading “Movie Review: “Cloverfield””

Car Photo of the Day: Wet Cats

Two E-types at the New England 2000

This photo was taken on the rain soaked “New England 2000 Rally” in the spring of 2000. I traded emails last night with the gentleman on the right, whose E-type is at the front of the shot; Frank Filangeri. (he was pleasantly surprised to see the 65E in Winding Road) That prompted me to dig up this photo, which is my favorite from a series of them I shot when we ran together for a while on the Rally, up a wet and windy “mountain” road in New England. I honestly don’t recall where it was, but we pulled over for a break (must have been a transit stage!) and I shot photos in a big loop around the cars while Frank, his navigator Clark Nicholls, and my dad had a chat.

Ah… I found my notes from that trip… it was the “Kangcamagus Highway”. IIRC we also ran that route, in the opposite direction on another New England 1000 rally another year, but in sunshine and we passed a Ferrari NART Spyder. Nice road… reminds me of SR20 in the foothills here before it heads up and through the North Cascades.

“He’s powered by ram induction but it’s understood, I’ve a fuel injected engine sittin’ under my hood…”

Fuelie

As seen at a local car show here in Arlington put on by Stilly Auto Parts, our local NAPA shop.

I can’t recall the year of Corvette it was, but I do recall the owner being very proud of the condition of the car. “Vette guys are an odd breed of OCD sorts. 😉

We have them to blame for the whole “matching numbers” lunacy. I guess if you are collecting something that was built in HUGE numbers value comes down to hair-splitting. Seems odd to me.

Published!

David E Davis' Corvette: For Sale

I am now an honest to gawd professional photographer. I’ve been published before but this time somebody has written a check… well, in theory at least. Go download this month’s issue of Winding Road. You can find it here. It is a great magazine with excellent writing and fantastic photography. I’m honored to be chosen and included.

They have two of my images in their current issue. The first is found on page 18, in David E. Davis’ editorial column “American Driver.” It is of his Corvette, taken on the second day of the 2006 Going To The Sun Rally.

The next image is on the “IBC”…

Winding Road

This shot of course is becoming famous… having appeared in the XKEData calendar this past year. I’d love it even more if I hadn’t gotten a ticket from an Idaho State Trooper 40-some miles past that sign the last time I drove that stretch. =\

The images are so washed out because the summer of 2006 was a really bad one for forest fires in the west and the air was basically a blanket of smoke. Makes for grainy and flat photos. Oh well.

“The Future may look something like the 20th century in reverse.”

“The future may look something like the 20th century in reverse. The unfree nations will grow so quickly that they will overwhelm free nations with their economic might.”

That quote is from Kevin Hassett, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Just one of the many very interesting tidbits found in this article.

Well worth the read. The article (by Rowan Callick) raises many questions about how Free-Market Capitalism is coexisting with repressive government in China, in direct opposition to western enlightenment and the Hume/Smith governmental philosophy and economic theory.It should not work, but somehow it is. Is this due to cultural differences? It also explores the extension of “soft power” over the globe and the influence it has (far GREATER than “hard power” … a lesson our current leaders have somehow either forgotten or never learned!) Probably the most interesting thing I have read in a while.

I have my own thoughts about this subject, but I’m interested in hearing yours… if you have them.

The Award for the Best Use for Dead Networking Technology goes to…

heh
Photo by Dave Provine

During last week’s Macworld Expo I ran into Dave Provine in the Speaker’s Lounge and he and I sat there amidst a whirlwind of high technology, talking about old cars. It was an enjoyable retreat from the hectic week of emerging technology. Dave drives an old Triumph Spitfire, and we traded stories about roadside repairs and driving adventures. Afterwards he sent me some photos via email, including the one above, which melded the two themes of automobile repair and networking technology quite well. 😉

Dave says that is a Lucent switch acting as a jackstand. Best use for a Lucent switch I’ve seen to date!

Anyone have four Cisco 6509s handy? I’ve got to do some work on my exhaust.

Out of the Office

I will be out of the office for the next week, out of town, and LIKELY to be not doing much writing or posting here for the next seven days or so.

I’m heading down to San Francisco to Macworld Conference & Expo. I’m teaching a 2-day session called “Total Network Awareness” in the Conference along with my colleagues John, Julian, & Shaun. It should be a GREAT session, as these guys really know their stuff, (except me of course… I’m only there for comic relief) When I last chatted online with Shaun & Julian they were a tad nervous, but John & I are the sort that can stand in front of people and ramble on for days about stuff, so I know we’ll be fine. Shaun & I especially work well together, having presented together now for several years. I know that if I so much as pause, he can finish my thought for me, and vice versa. The only difference this time is that instead of cramming everything into 90 minutes (the four of us did this session last year as a 90 minute one) we have TWO FULL days to lay it all out. I’m really glad about this because last year we literally FLEW through the material and barely made it… and the audience was gasping with questions at the end on *particulars*… That is good because that means they understood the big stuff and wanted details as to HOW to implement. This year we can actually walk them through doing it.

I’m also speaking again on Thursday at the MacIT Conference along with Dave Pooser The Puking Presenter, and (again) John Welch on a panel I’ve created for the purposes of talking about IT Disasters. Should be fun.

Apple could release something earth-shattering, and I may be tempted to comment on it here… otherwise, just talk amongst yourselves for a while because I’ll be busy.