Great Mac vs. Vista banner ad

I've been a Mac user as well as fan (and snob, according to my girlfriend) since the days of the first Macintosh computer which sported an 8 MHz processor, 3.5" floppy drive, 512 KB of memory and 10 MB hard drive.

Not only has technology come a long way, so has advertising. Apple has bolstered their fun "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" campaign with this brilliant little banner ad for their new Leopard operating system, placed cleverly on CNET's Vista page.

Click here to view the ad.

Religion of Peace update: 2 beheaded, 1 crucified in Thailand

Crucifying their own believers and beheading Buddhists? More barbarism from the jihadists of Islam.

NARATHIWAT, Thailand (AFP) - A Muslim military informant was shot and crucified, while two Buddhist men were beheaded Wednesday by suspected Islamic separatists in Thailand’s restive south, police said.

The Muslim man, a 58-year-old who belonged to a government-backed militia, was shot and then stabbed so badly that he was nearly decapitated, police Lieutenant Khanchitthol Kreunor told AFP.

Suspected rebels then drove six-inch nails through his head, arms and legs to attach him to two pieces of wood, which were laid out like a cross in the middle of a road in Rueso district of Narathiwat province, near the southern border with Malaysia, he said. Khanchitthol said police found a note written in Thai and left near the cross, reading: “This is what the infidels deserve. The soldier dogs must meet this end.”

“The victim was attacked and killed in such a grisly way because they knew he was a military informant. This is to terrify the people,” Khanchitthol said.

About two hours later, two Buddhist fishmongers aged 20 and 61 were shot and then beheaded in another district of Narathiwat, police said.

The killings came after a month of spiralling violence in the region, which has seen more than 2,700 killed since separatist unrest erupted four years ago.

Midweek Peek 11.28.07

Lucretia Stone

Florida defeats FSU again!

2007 might not have been the greatest season for the Florida Gators, but it'd be hard to imagine a greater end to the season: defeating in-state rivals Florida State 45-12.

Gainesville, FL – Sophomore Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) was responsible for five touchdowns, three passing and two rushing, as the Gator football team celebrated Senior Day with a 45-12 victory over Florida State in front of 90,664 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday. UF has now defeated the Seminoles four straight times for the first time since 1983-86.

Gotta love it! Go Gators!

Military Asks Wounded Soldiers To Return Bonuses

This is an outrage.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.

To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases.

Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.

One of them is Jordan Fox, a young soldier from the South Hills.

He finds solace in the hundreds of boxes he loads onto a truck in Carnegie. In each box is a care package that will be sent to a man or woman serving in Iraq. It was in his name Operation Pittsburgh Pride was started.

Fox was seriously injured when a roadside bomb blew up his vehicle. He was knocked unconscious. His back was injured and lost all vision in his right eye.

A few months later Fox was sent home. His injuries prohibited him from fulfilling three months of his commitment. A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

"I tried to do my best and serve my country. I was unfortunately hurt in the process. Now they're telling me they want their money back," he explained.
[...]
While he's unsure of his future, Fox says he's unwavering in his commitment to his country.

"I'd do it all over again... because I'm proud of the discipline that I learned. I'm proud to have done something for my country," he said.

But Fox feels like he's already given enough. He'll never be able to pursue his dream of being a police officer because of his wounds and he can't believe he's being asked to return part of his $10,000 signing bonus.

Contrary to Hillary Clinton's and John Edwards's shameless use of this story to further their anti-Bush partisanship, this isn't a political issue. This should be an AMERICAN issue. It's something that politicians (and voters) of all stripes should be able to agree upon: We MUST respect and honor our soldiers service and commitment. And asking them to return money that was given to them as an enlistment BONUS is reprehensible. When professional athletes are sidelined with injuries, they might not receive future paychecks due to their inability to fulfill their contract, but their signing bonuses are paid regardless. We should do no less for the men and women who volunteer to protect this great nation. These men & women have been injured in the line of duty. If anything, they deserve to be paid MORE for their sacrifices, not less.

I urge you to join me in contacting your elected representatives to remedy this affront to our soldiers.

Happy Thanksgiving, 2007 edition

2007 has been a pretty rough one for yours truly. Between being laid off and some life-threatening health issues, there are many things about which I'm not too fond. But this Thanksgiving, I find that I still have tons for which to be grateful.

• I live in a (mostly) free country
• No terrorist attacks on American soil this year
• All the men and women who serve in America's military
• This blog, and those who still read here and comment
• Freelance work
• Health insurance (ridiculously expensive to pay on my own, but at least I still have it)
• Networking with dozens of new people
• Interviews
• A roof over my head
• Parents who love me
• Occasional additions to my tattoos
• Another belt rank in Kenjutsu
• My ability to draw & paint
• New music on my iPod
• New friends
• Old friends
• Being healthy
• Freedom to express, and be, myself
• A gorgeous woman whose heart matches mine
• Three lovely, intelligent daughters who continue to exceed my hopes for them

Sure, there are many things that haven't been quite optimal this year, but I'm betting that in retrospect this year will be a good one for my personal growth.

Thanksgiving

Every year, I put together a list of things for which I'm thankful. This year is no different. However, since I'm about to head out for a big feast with friends and family, I'll have to compile and post the list when I get back.

In the meantime, I wish you all a wonderful day today. Please pray for our soldiers and their families.

Upgrading to Leopard

The last few days have been... um, interesting.

Last week, I bought the new Mac OSX, code named Leopard. I am usually a first-adopter of technology, especially as it relates to the Mac. But financial considerations forced me to forgo the standing-in-line event surrounding the release of Steve Jobs' newest offering to the Mac faithful. After having received one of the paychecks for which I've been hounding my clients for the past 60 days, I was finally in a position to bump up the RAM in my 3-year-old iMac to 1.5 GB and began making preparations to install the new operating system. And by preparations, I mean backing up every file on my hard drive.

Good thing I'm so paranoid.

Not that the new OS isn't awesome, 'cause it is. It's everything I had hoped. Except for one small item. Something Apple buried deep in the Read Me file but overlooked in the installation process. Namely, if your home directory is protected with FileVault (which mine was), you have to manually turn it off before upgrading or else all your data becomes corrupted.

Three guesses as to whether I read every last word of the ReadMe file or simply read through the highlights and the installation booklet?

Yep, all my files became corrupt. Something about how the keychain password isn't compatible with the new OS. And it causes the user profile to become completely inaccessible. I was able to sign in at first, but upon my next sign-in, I was greeted with a dandy little error message informing me that my FileVault-protected home folder did not open and needs to be repaired. After following the prompts, the folder refused to be repaired or open. So I was locked out of my own computer.

Luckily, I was able to sign in to one of my kids' accounts, enable Admin privileges and create a new profile for myself. From there, I Googled "Mac OS X Leopard FileVault" and found that this has happened to several other users. I managed to get around it by using a combination of solutions. First, I restored most of my settings and files from my backup. It took about 10 hours, but that got the majority of the important things (photos, music, settings) back on my hard drive. Then I had to reboot the computer in safe mode, log into my new account and navigate to the corrupted archive in my other account. When I double-clicked it to open, I was greeted with a message that opening the corrupted archive could damage my system (WTF!?) but I opened it anyway. There were all my files! I copied everything over to my new external drive as a redundant backup just in case. And now, everything seems to be running fine.

I'm still plenty pissed that Apple didn't make it a part of the installer to check for FileVault protection and warn against installation in its current state. But luckily, between having a decent working knowledge of the Mac (and some help from Google), I was able to get everything running again. Note to self: don't use FileVault ever again. And read EVERY FREAKIN' THING in the ReadMe before running an upgrade. Never assume that software engineers have thought of everything.

Thursday blogroll roundup

Since I'm busy today cranking out yet another website design (damn, I do love this crosstraining), I don't have time to blog. But there are plenty of good ones out there today. Click the linkies, show the love.

• Pam Meister: War on Terror or War on Jihad? Defining the Problem
  
  
• Amy Alkon: When Involuntary Fathers Are Forced to Foot The Bill
  
  
• Michelle Malkin: Antiwar protesters block trucks, pour concrete on train tracks to stop military shipments
  
  
• Captain's Quarters: Dems try timetables again for Iraq



• Six Meat Buffet: Why Tom Tancredo is his choice



• Jenn of the Jungle: The war on Thanksgiving



• Texas Rainmaker: No driver's licenses for illegals...in Mexico



• Wyatt Earp: Best game ever?

Attack of the Mimobots!

I've recently become a fan of Mimobots, cute little USB jump drives that come in a variety of character designs (Halo, Star Wars, Domo, Gloomy Bear, Happy Tree Friends, and several cool artist series).
Julia Roy began Twittering about them right before Halloween, and now I've got a new gadget to lust after.

Curse you, Mimoco!

Holding steady

Still no real news on the job front. The interactive shop with which I had such a favorable interview a few weeks ago hasn't called yet (but that may be because the guy I met went on a 2-week vacation the day after I met him). So there may still be something promising there.
The other place I interviewed with recently has asked for me to do some freelance for them, but I think I'm gonna turn that one down. It would be a test-run, so to speak, before they extend a permanent offer. Thing is, the Executive Creative Director made it abundantly clear that he expects a minimum of 50-60 hours out of his creatives. And I already know I wouldn't fit in at a place where that's the policy. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind working hard. Long hours are par for the course in the advertising biz. In fact, I worked over 16 hours on Monday in order to get a campaign ready for a 10am Tuesday meeting. But situations like that should be infrequent, driven by the occasional pitch or emergency deadline, not the de facto standard. If the creative team is being wrung out that regularly, there's a problem with management. One can't do one's best work when one is exhausted. And if one isn't allowed time to refresh and recharge one's mind, the work will suffer. Beyond what should be obvious reasons why I don't wanna work like that, there are two other things.

For one, I've already put in my dues and busted my ass for several shops over the past 18 years. I'm no rookie anymore nor should I be expected to act like one. I've got nothing to prove anymore; my work speaks for itself.

Another thing, I've got 3 daughters and a girlfriend that I refuse to ignore for the sake of a job. My layoff this past April after nearly 8 years of loyalty just go to prove that dedication to one's job doesn't insure anything. So I'm not about to infringe on my most important commitments just for a steady paycheck.

No thanks. I'm becoming a known commodity in the Dallas ad market and seem to be getting enough freelance to keep my head above water. I'll just keep treading water until something better comes along.

Send a facehugger

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is coming for Christmas. And they've developed some interesting ways to spread the word, like this facehugger widget, or an e-card that allows you to put a facehugger onto your friend's face and send 'em a postcard of it. Definitely a different kind of publicity campaign, eh?

Midweek Peek 11.14.07

Bea Flora

Feel it coming in the air tonight?

Wonderbra spoofs the Cadbury "Gorilla" commerical.

Happy Veterans Day!

A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to all our veterans!

3rd Blogiversary!

It's 11:11 on 11/11 and that means one thing (aside from an overdose of my weird affinity for the alignment of numbers); it's my 3rd Blogiversary.

I have to give credit to Tony Pierce for originally inspiring me with his "How To Blog" article which gave me impetus to give blogging a try. Although the past few months I haven't been quite as prolific as previous years, I have no intention of giving this up. It's too fun, too cathartic, and too enlightening to abandon. It's great to be able to read up on current events, gather information from both sides of an issue and then put forth my own two pence about them. And most of all, I love the whole process of debating topics with those who agree and disagree. When I land a full-time job again and I don't have to spend so much time looking for (and working) freelance gigs, the blogging will even back out.

Thanks for reading here the past 3 years, y'all. Hope you're enjoying the ride.

Happy 232rd Birthday, USMC!

November 10, 2007 marks the 232nd birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Click here for a video tribute to the brave men and women who continue to protect and serve our country.

My first Moleskine Project post

Ok, it took longer than I thought to get my sketch scanned and uploaded for The Moleskine Project, but here it is.

"The Force Unleashed" trailer

Slap on some Depends.
The Force Unleashed is coming in 2008.

Moleskine project

I just discovered a cool site called The Moleskine Project. (h/t: HorsePigCow)

One of two founders of the Boonika Art Project, Marko ZETS Prpic, single-handedly created this artist oriented website to help both good and ”not so good” artists to promote their work and ideas. The main idea for the project is that everyone has an equal right to participate. No one is more equal than the other. Being an artist himself Marko knows how hard it was to promote his art and that’s the reason why he decided to help others. It’s all about sharing & supporting each other!

Ironically enough, I bought my first Moleskine notebook about two months ago and have been making occasional sketches in it. Now I'll have to scan and upload something!

Trailer for cool new sci-fi: Jumper

There's a new sci-fi movie coming in Feb called Jumper.

The good news: it has Samuel L. Jackson and some sweet special effects.

The bad news: it stars Hayden Christensen.

Midweek Peek 11.07.07

We can rebuild him, we have the technology

I've been contemplating a redesign of my professional website, and I think I've finally decided to go ahead and take the plunge.

About 5 years ago, I built my own website to house my online portfolio of advertising work. It was an intensive process, as I had to educate myself as I went along. The results were pretty good; I managed to figure out inline frames to include in the basic HTML code, allowing my portfolio section to work as I wanted. But I couldn't do anything fancy with Java or Flash, as I have no idea how to code for either one. I've heard numerous compliments on my site design, but still I think it's time to update it.

I need it to be more impressive, as I am interviewing with several digital agencies who will judge my creative ability by my online representation, as I don't have years of exclusively digital experience represented in my portfolio. For the past several months, I've limped along with my site as it was, since I lost my access to Dreamweaver when I was laid off from my last job. This week, however, I've discovered a new web design application called RapidWeaver, which looks to be the answer to my dilemma. From what I've read and seen so far, it should allow me to craft a XHTML & CSS-savvy site and make myself a more credible interactive commodity in the advertising biz. I've also read about another app called Flux that is also Mac-based and feature-rich. Anybody have experience with either app?

Religion of Peace update: Busy jihadis

The followers of Allah have been extremely busy. Here are some of the latest casualties from TheReligionOfPeace.com (h/t: Screw Liberals)

11/1/2007 (Nad Ali, Afghanistan) - Religious extremists attack a police checkpoint, killing five officers.
11/1/2007 (Sargodha, Pakistan) - A suicide bomber rams a bus, killing eight local security personnel.
10/31/2007 (Mogadishu, Somalia) - Islamic militias are thought responsible for the brazen murder of a gentle businessman.
10/31/2007 (Mosul, Iraq) - Sectarian terrorist kidnap and murder nine people, burning the bodies afterwards.
10/31/2007 (Yala, Thailand) - Islamic radicals bomb a karaoke bar, killing one patron, then shoot a 37-year-old man in a separate attack.
10/31/2007 (Togliatti, Russia) - A bomb set on the floor of a commuter bus by suspected Islamic militants kills eight.

10/27/2007 (Pattani, Thailand) - A 50-year-old plantation worker is beheaded by Islamic militants.
10/27/2007 (Narathiwat, Thailand) - Muslim radical bomb a restaurant, killing at least one female patron.
10/27/2007 (Mogadishu, Somalia) - Islamic militias kill three civilians in an RPG attack.
10/27/2007 (Paktika, Afghanistan) - A civilian and four local soldiers are killed by a Fedayeen suicide bomber.
10/26/2007 (Baramulla, India) - A 25-year-old man is shot to death by Islamic terrorists.
10/26/2007 (Mingora, Pakistan) - Religious extremists publicly cut the heads off of four security personnel taken hostage.

Weekly Jihad Report
Oct. 20 - Oct. 26
Jihad Attacks: 45
Dead Bodies: 187
Critically Injured: 251

During the holy month of Ramadan, zealous Islamists racked up 1,327 dead bodies in 282 terror attacks in 20 countries.

Are the peace and blessings of Allah upon them?

More hypocrisy from Ted Kennedy, this time about AG nominee

Ted Kennedy and other Dem are opposing AG nominee Michael Mukasey because he won’t make a public statement declaring "waterboarding" illegal, yet they failed to outlaw it themselves.

President Bush, seeking Thursday to salvage the embattled nomination of Michael Mukasey as attorney general, defended the former judge's refusal to say whether he considers waterboarding as illegal torture. But the nomination suffered another setback in the Senate.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said that Mukasey's unwillingness to answer definitively on the legality of the interrogation method that simulates drowning increases chances that it could be used against U.S. troops.

"I therefore intend to oppose this nomination," Kennedy said in remarks prepared for the Senate floor. "Judge Mukasey appears to be a careful, conscientious and intelligent lawyer, and he has served our country honorably for many years. But those qualities are not enough for this critical position at this critical time."

Being careful, conscientious and intelligent is not enough to warrant the Attorney General position, apparently one must also shill for the Democrats.

Are Dems working for "Big Oil"?

Are Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid now part of the conspiracy to drive obscene profits for their "country club buddies" in the oil industry? They are, if one were to judge from the current high oil prices under the Democrat-controlled congress the way Nancy Pelosi squawked back in April 25, 2006. (h/t: Gateway Pundit)

"All you have to do is drive down the street in your car, see the price at the pump, and you know that Americans can no longer afford George W. Bush as President and his Rubber Stamp Republican Congress."

Worst. Congress. Ever.

Ninja parade!

Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again
Modesto, CA residents turned out for the city's annual Ninja Parade, where no ninjas were seen for the 30th year in a row.