SAVE THE PAPER, SAVE THE WORLD

I just downloaded two new apps to my iPhone – eReader and Stanza.

eReader is a Barnes and Noble company and you can purchase eBooks for really cheap from their website and then read them on your iTelephone (that’s for you Jack).  This is a great way to get the new bestsellers and new self-published books onto your iPhone for that commute or air travel.

Stanza, on the other hand, has over 25,000 free books from which to choose and is a great option for reading classics like The Odyssey, Don Quijote and Pride and Prejudice.  Stanza also has a desktop version and you can sync your desktop books with your iPhone.

Both apps offer adjustable settings for changing the font size and type, the screen brightness and background color, and a whole host of other options.

Now they can’t burn my books!  What’s the temperature at which iPhone’s burn?

HOW TO CHANGE HOLLYWOOD

I’ve recently been reading a great screenwriting blog hosted by John August, writer of Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Charlie’s Angels, and Go, among others.

Recently he sent his assistant Matt to a Writers Guild Foundation event in Beverly Hills featuring Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman who wrote Star Trek.  Matt took notes and wrote a lovely little blogpost highlighting much of what he learned from the interview.

The comments on this blog post were also an entertaining read and I was motivated to respond to a commenter named Kevin who basically lambasted Orci and Kurtzman for making what he called “crap movies” that were “garbage” and “forgettable.”  Admittedly an old and tired complaint.

Kevin wondered “why just being a writer-for-hire is enough for most screenwriters” and hoped that the internet and the development of a new distribution structure would make it possible for “intelligent” films to reach the masses.

There was some debate about the “system” of Hollywood and my comment (#62) came after many others had tackled the issue.  Here are my thoughts:

LITTLE BLACK BRICK

This little black brick holds all my Time Machine backups. I keep it safe.

My new computer hasn’t shown up yet. I’m hobbling along bouncing back and forth between the 12″ Powerbook and Ryan’s 2008 17″ MacBook Pro.

My iPhone has been invaluable. But there’s nothing like working on your own desktop with your own programs and your own settings. It really does feel like I’m digitally couch-surfing.

I’ll have a new home soon.

TEST POST

My phone all but died a week ago and so Ryan and I took the plunge and finally bought iPhone’s! I’ve been downloading apps each night and just ran across the WordPress app. I’d forgotten that it existed.

I’m pretty excited about being able to blog any time, anywhere.

The photo is of the lamp that’s on right now next to my sleeping husband’s head.

INSTRUCTABLES

This website is the world’s biggest show and tell.  According to them.  On this site you can learn neat things like “How to Build A Solar-Powered Trike” and “Canning Dilly Green Bean Pickles.”  They even have neat contests to keep people motivated.  It seems like they’re really into “green” ideas – which is cool.  So many neat ideas!!  I could explore for hours!

BLOG READABILITY? NAH…

So Barb over at Church of the Masses checked her blog’s readability level with this Blog Readability Test from CriticsRant. Aparently her blog’s reading level is Junior High School. I won’t tell you what this blog’s reading level is… you can check for yourself if you’re curious. But what I thought was interesting was this:

If you can tell me what really wrong with this picture, you’ve been living with “the internets” for far too long.

FOR AFTER THE LEGOS…

I loved LEGOS as a kid…  Still do.

But here’s something to which Lego Meniac’s can graduate!

An educational toy!  Thanks to Darren.

A Mac would play the Beatles

Classical music.

Fastest Vista Machine is a Mac

Even though Apple is a megalomaniacal corporation with an overblown sense of self-importance and run by a guy who hasn’t changed clothes since 1998, ya’ gotta hand it to them on this one.

Key quote: “The MacBook’s score is far more impressive simply because Apple couldn’t care less whether you run Windows.”

BUY A LAPTOP, SAVE THE WORLD

Check this out!  One laptop per child.  This is really neat.  Starting November 1st, you can spend a measily $400 and get a cool little kiddie laptop for yourself, your puppy or your neighbour’s kid, and the company will send another laptop to a child in some developing country.  I think it’s neat.  So does my friend Darren.

SERVICE-PROFIT CHAIN

Phil Cooke posted a link to a list about why Amazon has been so successful. Apart from the door-desks, I have to agree with the statements!

Thanks Phil!

WHY VANCOUVER’S AWESOME

Almost free wirelessness.

9:41 PM OR AM?

Dave Barry posted this on his blog today. The last page tells the story of how some TechRepublic dudes were very worried that they’d voided the warranty on an $800 dollar toy! Or at the very lease, ruined their reputation.

HUH DATES DUH.

HUH does stuff.

DUH says I’m not smart.

We’re Apple Geeks

The Surface

We Apple Geeks seize every opportunity to mock microsloth. It’s fun!

WEB 3.0

This morning Ryan asked me what Web 3.0 is… My first thought was, “Surely we’re not there YET!” My instinctual fear was that Web 3.0 would be the end of my youth; but perhaps it is the beginning of my future. A changed perspective.

This thick wiki article outlines lots of proposed definitions for what Web 3.0 might end up being. End up being – that’s the key phrase. Thankfully, it seems that although Web 3.0 may be just around the corner, it’s not quite here yet. Which is good, because I’m still trying to get those I love to join me in Web 2.0 land. And while Ryan is reluctant, yesterday I was successful in getting my momma to join one of the ultimate Web 2.0 networks, Facebook.

AS PROMISED…!

A living legend sputtering for words about Paris Hilton’s debacle ends up telling us about the UFOs he saw on the way to the moon. Now that’s news.

DON’T GET LOST!

…in here.

TREK PAD

While I was trottin’ around YouTube.com I found this little diddy. Enjoy!