Third Generation.



Third Generation., originally uploaded by iMachias.

And today the third generation of Macs in our house begins. My PowerBook G4 (3 1/2 years old) is being relegated to exclusive DJ duties. Earl’s original Mac Mini G4 is up for sale, as is his iBook G4.

The two new guys in the Macinhouse include a MacBook Pro 2.5gHz for me and a 2.4gHz for Earl. Mine is faster because of the video editing I do (it also comes with more video RAM). They are both 15-inch glossy screens. After living in G4 land for the past 3+ years I think we are going to notice a considerable speed increase.

28 March 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 2

So Where Have You Been?

Life has been interesting this week. Midterm grades came out on Wednesday and I am not happy with my progress; more specifically that damned MA122 Calculus class featuring Professor Frightful and his cast of voices in the chalkboard. I don’t know if it’s approaching middle age, an inherited genetic disposition or what but I can not retain what I learn in that class. Let me look at the book and I can calculate a problem six ways from Sunday. Throw an exam in front of me and I can’t remember one of the six thousand “rules” and “formulas” that we have been given. Hell, I barely remember my name.

In today’s business climate one hears about “corporate speak”. One phrase that pops up is “give me the low hanging fruit”. I absolutely dislike this approach to most things but when it comes to calculus, I want to know what formula to use, how to use it and how to derive my answer. I don’t really care about the theory behind it. My goal is to score well on the test. I know this is a poor way to approach learning but I figure that if I have the basics then I’ll be fine because when I return to the “real world” I’ll have a computer at my desk that’s attached to the internet and anything I need to know will be just an expertly worded Google inquiry away.

My other courses are aces and I’m really happy about that. The information taught in my engineering classes comes naturally to me. Even physics, which I never had in high school, is coming relatively easy to me because the professor provides a list of every equation that’s been discussed in the class for each exam and quiz. He doesn’t tell WHAT the equations are for, he just lists the equations and it’s up to you to figure out which one is applicable to a problem. I like this approach and if Professor Frightful would listen to my voice instead of the ones in the chalkboard and do the same I think I would be able to score at least a “B” in the course.

Today we moved onto another subject and he spent 15 minutes proving some complicated formula involving limits approaching infinity, exponents, greek letters and division. After he rattles all this information around and half the class falls asleep, I raise my hand and say, “So when the exponents fall to the denominator, you can drop the variable completely?” His reply was “Yes”. I resisted the urge to say “Why didn’t you just say so?”

Low hanging fruit. Just tell me when to drop what and I’m good to go.

28 March 2008 by College Kid. 0

Spinoff.

It was bound to happen. My DJ SuperCub alter-ego has the beginnings of his own website now. All DJ stuff will now appear at djsupercub.com.

Now, back to the blog.

26 March 2008 by DJ 0

Waiting.

I’m sitting here on the couch in the “great room”. Tom is curled up next to me, he has two paws resting on my leg for comfort. Otherwise he’s sound asleep and having quite the dreams because he’s twitching and thrashing about. He’s like his dad when it comes to restless dreaming.

Our new computers have been shipped and should be here by the end of the week. Thank goodness. I will have three Macs for sale, let me know if you’re interested in a first generation Mac Mini, a last generation iBook or a G3 blueberry iMac. I’d rather sell them to a reader before I throw them up on ebay and I’ll deliver to within 300 miles if it means I get to meet a reader. I’m not getting rid of my PowerBook G4 that I’ve loved for the past 42 months; he is getting reassigned to exclusive DJ duty. I think it’s better to have a separate computer for my DJ gigs.

Our midterm grades are announced tomorrow and I have to admit that I’m a little nervous about my calculus class with Professor Frightful and his cast of voices. The adjoining classroom has been populated by a professor with a LOUD computer this week and Professor Frightful keeps thinking it’s someone asking him a question so he stops the class to talk to the computer in the other room. It’s a little weird.

Other than that, it’s a typical week in the life of iMachias. This weekend I’m off to Connecticut to be the “sound designer” for the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus. I’m looking forward to the experience.

25 March 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 0

American Idol: Top 10.

After taking a week off from live blogging American Idol last week (who wants to watch that when we can watch power outages in Las Vegas?) I’m back watching American Idol on time delay and giving my raw impressions as I watch the performances. I welcome comments and feedback.

There may be spoilers if you haven’t watched the show. I’m just warning you per internet etiquette.

Tonight’s theme is the year they were born. Mostly 80s music? This is making me feel old already.

1. (1987) Ramiele Malubay: “Alone” by Heart. The audience is annoying with their waving arms. That first run she sang was off key. She’s off key quite a bit. Did Carrie Underwood sing this back during her season? I believe she did and it was much, much better than this horrible performance. The audience needs to stop the boos. I completely agree with Randy: “pitchy”.

I still think the “American Idol” logo looks naked without the oval around it. It lacks punch.

2. (1987) Jason Castro: “Fragile” by Sting. Typical Jason: stool, dreads, guitar, breathy vocals. He has one way of singing and he does it well but it doesn’t grab me and I wouldn’t enjoy an entire album of this. “Gee whiz Jason, shave the peach fuzz above your lip until you can grow a real mustache”. What is Paula Abdul wearing for gloves? Zsa Zsa cast offs? Jason seems like a nice kid but he has the personality of a wet dish rag.

3. (1987) Siesha Mercado: “If I Were Your Woman” by Stephanie Mills. Surprise! I totally expected “So Emotional” by Whitney Houston. I’m not familiar with the track but I thought she sang it well. She’s no Jennifer Hudson but I thought she did a very good job and she was on pitch the entire performance. I enjoyed it.

I’m happy that they’re including the Cathy Dennis “Oh whoa whoa whoa whoa” on the music beds this year.

4. (1985) Chikezie: “If Only For One Night” by Patti LaBelle and Luther Vandross. First couple of notes were a little shaky. Not a bad performance, the end was impressive, but unfortunately it’s not suited for mainstream radio. I agree with Randy’s comments in that it sounded very dated.

You would think that the top rated show on the American networks would be able to make the judge’s mikes sound good. What’s up with the hum and the hiss? They need a better sound designer.

5. (1983) Brooke White: “Every Breath You Take” by The Police. Whoops, false starts are always disconcerting but she recovered well. I don’t know how she plays piano with rings on, I always have trouble with my wedding band when I play piano. Maybe the rings are interfering, I heard a few clinkers in the instrumentation. I want to like this but I’m starting to think she’s a one trick pony like Jason and that’s unfortunate because I really want to like her.

The lack of consistency in the American Idol on the bumpers is not good for brand recognition. Can you tell this lack of oval bothers me?

6. (1978) Michael Johns: “We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions ” by Queen. He does Freddy Mercury fairly well. Perhaps he should try the ‘stache, but that’s my spin on it (big fan of the ‘stache). I’m happy that he knows his vocal limits and didn’t try to sing above his natural register. I enjoyed both his vocal performance and his presentation. Good job.

7. (1983) Carly Smithson: (she gets MAJOR points for mentioning Kylie Minogue in her pre-game interview) “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. I’m always a fan of Carly but this performance isn’t really doing much for me. I almost think she’s trying too hard. I agreed with Randy and Simon, she didn’t seem entirely comfortable while performing.

8. (1990) David Archuleta: “You’re The Voice”. I don’t know this song. It was a typical David Archuleta performance. He nailed the pitch, the performance was good. O.k., it was written by John Farnham. Google says David Foster and Jeff Pescetto did something with it in 1990. I agree with Simon to an extent in that it sounded like a Theme Park Performance, but I think it would be a high-end theme park like DisneyWorld.

9. (1984) Kristy Lee Cook: “God Bless The U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood. At least she’s staying within her genre without going hoedown on us. I still say she’s Carmen Rasmusen without the yodel. She still has some pitch issues that are not characteristic of country music. I think she played it safe this week. Her arm movements looked rehearsed and unnatural.

10. (1982) David Cook: “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson but as performed by Chris Cornell. I hate his hair, it reminds me of a bad beauty parlor cut on an older Italian woman. Vocally he’s on target but he’s a bit of a one trick pony. He’s a cheap version of Daughtry. Predictable.

Who do I think should go home? Chikezie.

25 March 2008 by Celebrity Self Destruction. Everyone's A Critic. 1

Almost Spring.

As I went back to school today, Mother Nature made it look very warm and inviting. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a brilliant blue and the birds were singing a joyous song.

But that could have been their beaks chattering.

In reality it never got above 35 today, but my college has graciously cranked up the air conditioning to an uncomfortable level. Rumours of slabs of beef hanging in the hall were unsubstantiated.

Perhaps I’m still in desert mode.

Here’s a picture to remind me of the warmth of Vegas. Even in this night shot last Tuesday night it was still in the low 60s.

Sigh.

24 March 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Not Quite Saturday Night.

Back in 1993 I had my “big break” in radio when I was asked to host a remix show on our local Top 40 radio station. I had been hanging around the studios for a couple of months, had secured my FCC license (which you needed to be on the radio in those days) and was ready to show the world what radio personality J.P. Marks was all about. The regular remix DJ, a very nice guy by the name of Ron The Sugarbear, was taking the weekend off and I was asked to fill in. The Program Director was nervous as all get out and laid out a game plan for me to follow for three of the five hours I was to be on the air, the other two hours I was allowed to do my own thing. One thing I distinctly remember is that after a few mixes I did my first talk break in which my mother called immediately afterwards in tears because she was so excited to hear me on the air.

Saturday Night Dance Tracks was skewed towards the mainstream dance music of the time (remember it was the early 1990s) and the emerging hip hop scene. One of the highest rated time slots on the station (which was consistently in the top three in the market), I was determined to fill some pretty big shoes for my debut while keeping my own spin to make my trademark.

I decided to play a record I had picked up a couple of months prior. It wasn’t on any of the industry dance charts at the time and was only being heard in gay clubs in major cities, it was however very successful when I played it during my gigs. I was absolutely certain that this record would be a HUGE hit if the general public had the chance to hear it, even though it was a remake of a HUGE hit from the 1980s. The song was released by an unknown artist on a small indy label from the UK.

When I spun into this record and the first verse started, the phone board started lighting up. As we progressed into the chorus of the very familiar tune, the board reached capacity. “Who is this?” “Where did you get this?” “Oh my God, I love this!” All the callers were loving the record. The hotline (a special line into the studio that station personnel have access to) called, it was the music director. “Great track, who is it?”

Grinning from ear to ear, I replied with, “It’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart'”. The music director thanked me for the obvious. I filled in the blanks with “she’s Nicki French and it’s on a small indy label called ‘Energise Records’ or something like that”. He replied with “can I borrow it?” “Absolutely.” Success. J.P. Marks had made his mark.

Nicki French’s version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” hit U.S. mainstream radio about a year later. I had the opportunity to meet Nicki a couple of times: the first time was backstage at a Kix 106 concert in Providence, Rhode Island and the second time at John Garabedian’s house during his syndicated “Open House Party” show. Ms. French is clearly the NICEST artist and one of the NICEST people I have ever met.

For your enjoyment, here’s her video for the U.S. radio mix of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”.

23 March 2008 by DJ 1

Cleveland Hopkins Int’l Airport.

And now Earl and I are on a 90 minute layover in the glorious city of Cleveland, Ohio. It’s 29 degrees but sunny. The snow still appears to be melting despite the temperatures lower than freezing.

Some random thoughts that have crossed my mind while flying and sitting here in the airport terminal.

1. The ovens wouldn’t work properly on the flight from Las Vegas to Cleveland delaying our cheeseburger by 60 minutes. I don’t know why it made me nervous but if the ovens aren’t working what’s going on with general maintenance of the aircraft? It’s a good thing I’m not a nervous flyer. On the other hand, a passenger in the row in front of us lodged a complaint due to the lack of nuts. The flight attendant offered a spare, cold cheeseburger. She declined.

2. Cleveland Airport charges for internet access. Both Syracuse and McCarran had free wifi internet access. I believe it should be free. “Free the bits”, that’s always my motto. It’s applicable to many situations.

3. If the flight attendant is not going to trust me with a whole can of pop then they should go all the way with the mothering and say “Don’t Spill It”, despite the fact that I’m 39 years old.

4. Do long flights like the 19 hours it takes to get to Australia employ the same 3-3 or 2-3-2 configuration that I’ve encountered? It seems like it would be wicked cramped to be squished between two people for 19 hours. I’m not sure I can hold my breath that long.

5. As soon as the flight staff announced that it was o.k. to use our cell phones, things started ringing from every direction imaginable. I joined in the fun and sent an e-mail from my iPhone.

6. The guy across from me in the terminal has his MacBook Pro decked out with various stickers, including one for “In and Out Burger”. MacBook Pro points aside, he totally rocks with that sticker.

7. Earl and I have had more computer conversations than Earl would like to admit during our flight home. I’ve promised to sell two computers (both Macs) currently in the stable, see local listings for further details. I might sell a third as well.

22 March 2008 by Fun and Games Dept Ponderings and Musings 1

McCarran Int’l Airport.

So the trip to Las Vegas is coming to an end and Earl and I are sitting at McCarran airport waiting for our flight. We take off at 9:35 a.m.; it is currently 8:03 which is 11:03 Eastern Time. My body is already back on EDT.

The trip has been enjoyable. I got some much needed sun and I have a slight sunburn to prove it. While we don’t have more money than when we arrived, we aren’t going home broke. That’s always a good thing.

Last night I walked the entire strip while Earl played in a poker tournament. I walked from the Luxor to Circus Circus and back, stopping at various casinos along the way. I mentioned on my tweets last night that I found Circus Circus sort of disconcerting. It was my first time there and for some reason I felt like I was watching trained monkeys as people did circus type things while folks gambled below them. It seemed like an odd disconnect to me. I’ve always thought of Las Vegas as an “adult playground” (in many senses of the phrase) and for me it seems odd and somewhat wrong to bring children into the mix. Walking by the Bellagio I heard a woman remark that she shouldn’t have to navigate around baby buggies on the Las Vegas Strip, especially at 10:00 at night. I agree with her completely.

All in all it’s been a good trip and I feel relaxed and ready to tackle school and whatnot in the weeks that lie ahead. As we started the trip I remarked to Earl that with this spring break I am exactly halfway to my degree. That thought makes me feel relaxed as well.

22 March 2008 by Fun and Games Dept Ponderings and Musings 0

Vanna.

So a popular (and I believe relatively new) game here for slot machines fans is the “Wheel of Fortune” game. Eight players are seated around a big wheel just like Pat Sajek spins on television. Everyone has a video slot machine at their station and they feed money into the thing, play 45 lines six ways from Sunday and win an assortment of cash and prizes. If you hit three “bonuses”, you get to spin the big wheel.

There’s a lot of fanfare when it’s your turn for the big wheel. Vanna comes on and gives a very dignified speech about being a good player and other cheerleader-like statements without the rah rah. She’s looking slightly away from you as she reads her cues, but her heart seems to be in it.

Last night at The Mirage I hit the big wheel three spins in a row. On the first spin I landed on the big money, “1000” which of course means 1000 coins. Since I have a hard time keeping track of how many coins equals how much (especially after three martinis), I ended up walking away with a little over $300. I had fed the machine $50. I guess that’s good.

When a bonus comes up, the video screen instructions you to stand up and yell like you were on the real “Wheel of Fortune” game show. I had three drunk women to my right at their terminal. They were sharing $10 and playing one line. On the other hand, I always hit Max Bet, because Earl taught me long ago, you either lose big but hopefully you win big, so always max the machine. It’s a fairly credible theory.

The three drunk women shrieked when they saw that I got to spin and started yelling like they had just been given a White-Westinghouse Washing Machine from behind door number three. None of them were dressed as a carrot. Oops, wrong game show.

It was good to have a cheering squad, including Vanna’s dignified soliloquy. And the winnings went into the geek bank for future gadget purchases.

21 March 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 0

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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