Javabeans!

Two privacy-related news items of note. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

eweek.com article article: if you are carrying a cell phone, the government is tracking you.

reuters.com article about how Viacom (they own Paramount and MTV) is suing YouTube, wanting to know the user names and IP addresses of everybody who has watched YouTube, and what they watched.

Have a nice weekend.

So you've seen Wall-E. What's next for Pixar?

Apparently, 5/29/2009 will bring us a movie called "Up":

UP is directed by Pete Doctor (MONSTERS, INC) and Bob Peterson and follows the most likely adventurer… Carl… a 78 year old man. He’ll be voiced by Ed Asner and is a grumpy ol’ bastard who walks on a cane that ends in four little legs, each one has a tennis ball on the end, like you’ll see at nursing homes.

Pete Doctor called it a “coming of old age story.”


(from this website)

The same website indicates other Pixar soon-to-bes, including Newt (Summer 2011), The Bear and the Bow (Christmas 2011), and Toy Story 3 (June 2010)

The article also indicates that Up and all future Pixar movies will be produced in 3-D, and the theatrical re-releases of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 will also be in 3-D. Get your goggles ready!

This has been a good season for fun movies, with Prince Caspian, Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Hulk, Kung-Fu Panda, Get Smart. This weekend brings two more to the mix: "Wall-E" and an Angelina Jolie action flick called "Wanted." Wall-E is Pixar's newest animated film, and critics are already praising it. Wanted, based on this Washington Post review sounds like an absolute roller coaster ride, no matter how the reviewer tries to dissuade potential viewers.

Also coming in the next few weeks, Hancock, Hellboy II, Dark Knight, Mummy, Clone Wars. And don't forget Space chimps!

Who is Dody Goodman? OK, I have to admit I didn't know. But when I noticed the headline "Comedian Dody Goodman dies at 93" I figured maybe I should find out. According to this MSN writeup, she appeared in Broadway musicals, appeared on the Jack Parr show, and was the mother in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Still no idea? She was the daffy assistant, Blanche, in the movie, "Grease."

So RIP, Dody. Maybe you weren't as famous as so many others, but you cheered our lives a little bit, and that's not so bad.

You've all seen the offers: use your stimulus package check at blah-blah department store, and get a 10% bonus! Some of these offers are in the form of converting the stimulus to gift cards.

According to this MSNBC article, if you convert your check to a Wal-Mart Visa debit card (which can be used anywhere), you'll be paying lots and lots of fees. About $5 per month maintenance fee, plus fees for using it at an ATM, checking your balance, and calling customer service.

The article also points out that 10% of money put into such gift/debit cards goes unspent every year.

I'm still reading through the new core rulebooks, but wow, this really isn't D&D anymore. It's not just the lack of the gnome race, or the druid character class. I have no doubt they'll be along in six months or a year in an expansion.

A major change is in the magic-user class. Spell lists are extremely limited. Instead of having to "memorize" a few spells at the beginning of a game day, you now have a couple of spells you can cast at-will, others that can be cast once per encounter, and others once per day.

Other character classes also have abilities that can be used at-will, per encounter, or per day.

Healing surges are points that can be used to recover from damage. If someone heals you, that could use one of your healing surges, or if you get a "second wind" that could use a healing surge. In most of these cases, you get back about 25% of you hit points.

Another change is the lack of dice for hit points. It seems you get a nice amount for the first level, then add a fixed amount per level. No fear of rolling a 1! But also no ability to get an high amount either.

When you get to level 21, you begin your epic adventures. The purpose of these adventures is for your character to achieve his/her destiny -- maybe tragic/glorious death, maybe ascending to godhood, who knows? But the idea is that by level 30, the character is maxed out, retires from the game, and you start anew.

What's the result of these (and other) changes? It's like D&D is becoming a table-top MMORPG. It used to be a game of planning, of conservation of resources. Use your spells wisely, pick your encounters with care. Now, with limited choices, and comparatively unlimited power/health, it's all about the action. With a specified goal (the epic adventure), there is a race to achieve that goal, to "level." With the increased power and health, this leveling will go even faster.

Don't get me wrong, this seems like a very playable game. But the focus, the flavor, has changed, not just the mechanics. It has become power and action oriented. It's just not D&D.

I'm not a fan of the "let's just divvy it up" at lunch. Most of the time, everyone's meal is about the same price, so no big deal. But invariably, there is someone who orders the full rack of ribs, or the two glasses of wine, when everybody else is having a sandwich and tea. They're usually the first to say, "let's just split the bill." In today's case, he also wanted to short the tip.

I haven't really played D&D in years. But I'm planning to get the new rule set to read about the changes. I understand it's moving towards a more computer-assisted playstyle, or some such.

Right now, if you have a Barnes-and-Nobel membership, you can get the three-book core set of 4th edition rules for $60, including shipping/tax.

Regular price is $105 (for the three books) + tax. Currently on sale for 30% off (online only), then members get 10% off, and members just received an e-mail coupon for another 15% off. Free three-day shipping. Total (including tax) is just under $60.

clicky for B&N

Normally, our gas bill comes before the end of the month. We haven't received it yet, so I called Washington Gas. It took more than two minutes to wade through their "touch one, touch two" menu system (my phone has a timer), then I got to talk to somebody with a difficult accent and a script. If I asked a question, they simply repeated the last line of the script and continued.

argh.

Finaaly learned that our bill was mailed on May 30, so it simply hasn't arrived yet. And would I like to take a survey?

Today's xkcd is very disconcerting...

Still, Penny Arcade had me guffawling.