David: Friday

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After yesterday's post frenzy, I decided that it was time to quit dragging my feet and set up my website. Having a physical domain should hopefully spur me onward to completing this project that's been in my head for well over a year now.

So, to that end, I direct you to my new home; Rhetoric@Random. It's small, ugly, and worthless at the moment, but will be the new repository for my digital life.

This way, I can get back to posting sporadic updates here on Vent. (I mean, good gravy, look at the list of recent posts over there -->. Only one of them is written by a "non-meister") If you need a more frequent account of what I'm up to, then you can visit me over at R@R.

See you around,
David

David: Thursday

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I'm finding that lately I'm compelled to make several entries to my Vent journal in the course of a week. This is the third such compulsion I've had today.

So, in an effort not to hog up the "User Journals" module with my posts which have been referred to before as "mindless drivel", I will make the best effort to concatenate at least each day's entries. Hopefully, this current state of post frenzy will subside soon.

P.T. Barnum Says I Should Sell

I mentioned the cryptex replica I received for completing Google's Da Vinci Code Quest in my last entry. Since then, I've discovered that these things are selling for around $50 a pop on eBay.

Seeing as how the book has been a ridiculous hit, I expect the movie will do gangbusters as well (despite the poor receiving that it got at Cannes...(why was this movie at Cannes?)), especially with the help that the Catholic church has been giving it.

So, when do you think the market on these little suckers will reach it's peak?

Stormtroopers and Mind Tricks

Before I start, I just want to make clear that I have never read a Star Wars novel. I am told that these are, for the most part, cannon, so the answer may lie in one of them.

As established in Episode IV, Imperial Stormtroopers are quite susceptible to the ol' Jedi mind trick (as used by Obi-Wan at Mos Eisley and again when shutting down the tractor beam (or did he actually create a noise by moving something?)). Obi-Wan explains to Luke that the Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded, which strongly implies that the Stormtrooper is weak-minded.

Now, if Stormtroopers are all clones of Jango Fett that have been through the same training program on Camino, wouldn't they all be similarly minded?

If that's the case, couldn't the Jedi have just simply mind-tricked the clone soldiers that killed them when directive *whatever* was issued? Or, was Palpatine's force power so great that he was able to out mind trick every single Jedi across the galaxy?

If Palpatine was that powerful, he should have made short work of Anakin's "pick him up and casually walk over and throw him over the edge" finishing move.

"House of Leaves" - Hardcover Remastered Full-Color Edition?

I can't pin down weather this actually exists or not. I remember the book itself stating that such an edition existed, but when I went looking for it soon found out that the book's own backstory was fiction. However, today I read this Wikipedia entry (which is a good read for any HoL fan, stay away if you haven't read the book and want to). The entry mentions that the fabled edition may become reality, as stated by publisher Random House. After a quick search, I haven't found any evidence that Random House has made such a claim, but many people seem to believe that they have.

Amazon is selling this. This looked to be it, but a quick check of the ISBN number reveals that it is the same as the 2 color "blue house" edition. I'm confused. I don't want to order this thing if it isn't the real deal. If it is, I'm wondering if the Braille passage is raised.

David: New Black Macbook = Sexy

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When my desire for another portable returns, I think this is where I'll go. 'Til then, there's always my wife's iBook.

Edit: I take that back. A quick look at the specs for the new Macbook reveals integrated graphics. No thanks.

I'm hoping to pick up a copy of New Super Mario Bros. over lunch today. I'll be sure to let you all know how awesome it is.

Also, I found out last night that I am one of 10,000 finalists for Google's DaVinci Code Quest. This weekend I have to complete a 5-part timed puzzle challenge. Fastest time wins 3 European vacations (Paris, Rome, London) and 1 New York vacation, as well as all sorts of Sony swag. In the meantime, I've received a cryptex replica, which is sorta neat. However, it's not an actual cryptex, and the first 3 letter dials are useless, as only the last two effect the locking mechanism. Still, it's neat looking and a decent prize to place with my movie/TV toys.

Oh, and lastly, I'm looking for a new art print to hang over the living room couch. Currently the area is occupied by five B&W photographs I took a few years ago and have gotten tired of looking at. I'm thinking of Kandinsky, Miro, or Mondrian. Any suggestions?

David: Funny Quotes From Karl Rove!

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http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/15/rove.ap/index.html

David: Not a Fan of Depeche Mode

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Or the numerous copycats that are all over "alternative" radio lately.

That's why I get a laugh out of this.