Agreeing with Hitler
I never thought I would ever agree with Hitler:
ModBook or iPad?
Well, the new iPad has been revealed. I'm not all that excited. For $500-$830 you get, well, a big-ass iPod touch with 3G.
I could do better by just taking my existing white polycarb MacBook and have it converted into a ModBook for $630.
Here's a quick comparison:
| Feature | ModBook | iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Internal RAM | 2 gigs | Unknown, iPod touch has 128 meg |
| Storage Space | 160 gigs | up to 64 gigs |
| Screen Resolution | 1280x800 | 1024x768 |
| Multi-Touch | No | Yes |
| Operating System | Real OS X | Enhanced version of stripped-down version of OS X |
| Multitasking | Yes | No |
| Run Any App | Yes | No |
| Run iPod touch apps | I have an iPod touch for that | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| 3G | No | Yes |
| Price | $630 | $500-$830 |
The ModBook looks pretty damn good. If anyone thinks of additional points of comparison, stick 'em in the comments and I'll add 'em to the table.
Music Survey (4 of however many more until I get bored)
I'm renaming this a Music Survey,
rather than a poll because it's unlikely that anything would get more than a single vote. I'm just more interested in people's favorites.
So, here's the question:
What's your favorite cover version of a song?
Since this is a survey and not a poll, feel free to list multiple songs.
Music Poll Results (3 of ?)
Well, there weren't a load of votes, once again. But, hey, ten is better than six.
First place goes to the Ramones with 3 votes.
Second place goes to Black Flag with 2 votes.
Everyone else received a vote each: Crass, Fear, Fuckboyz, NoFX, and the Sex Pistols.
No one voted for the Clash.
Music Poll (3 of 50)
I think last week's poll was a little too difficult, hopefully a factor in the dreadful number of votes cast.
So this week's is an exercise in simplicity:
What was the best punk band ever?
There are loads of possibilities: Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash, Black Flag, X, Dead Kennedys, and a whole shit-load more.
Have at it. Vote this time, dammit!
Music Poll Results (2 of 50)
Well, the second weekly music poll garnered even fewer votes than the first week. (6 versus 17) At this rate, next week's poll will only have two votes. And note that this all includes my vote as well as my wife's.
The winning release, with a full 2 votes, is the New York Dolls' One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This. This is a great album. It wasn't my choice but only because, while it's great, it's not as great as the Dolls in their prime. I voted for the Dictators because I thought their come-back
actually exceeded their releases in their prime. But I'm happy to see the Dolls come out on top. They also have a new release, which I haven't listened to enough on which to form an opinion.
In second place is the Dictators' D.F.F.D. (Dictators Forever, Forever Dictators). I think it's a wonderful synthesis of everything that made the 'Tators great, all combined into a single album. Adrian split his vote, so they get a combined total of 1.5 votes.
Tied for third with a vote each was Love Tractor with The Sky At Night and Metallica with Death Magnetic. I've no clue about Love Tractor, but I'll have to take a listen sometime soon. I'm not a big Metallica fan. I really like their covers. There's something cool about their jack-hammer approach applied to other folks' tunes. The same holds true for the Dickies. Yes, I just compared Metallica to the Dickies. However, unlike the Dickies, I really don't like their original songs. For me, there just isn't any song there. It's sludge sludge sludge, followed by technical guitar wankery, repeat. But that's just me. And it's based primarily on watching my wife play Guitar Hero: Metallica.
On the other hand, I've listened all the way through Metal Machine Music, on headphones, so it's not as if I can't take the loud abrasive stuff.
Bringing up the rear is the Stooges with The Weirdness. It got the other half of Adrian's vote. I haven't really been able to get into it. I love some of Iggy's recent solo work. But the Stooges release doesn't really do it for me.
Here are the full results, such that they are:
New poll tomorrow morning, providing I stop wallowing in self-pity and actually run a third poll! Right now, I have no clue what the question will be.
Still Evil
So, is Amazon still evil?
Music Poll (2 0f 50)
What's your favorite come-back
album from a mid-70s through the 80s era band?
The idea here is that basically every band from the mid-70s through the 80s, from Bon Jovi to Flipper, has reformed and issued new releases in the new millenium. Most of these suck. But not all. What's your favorite come-back
album from one of these bands?
I've chosen this era to encompass punk, new wave, and hair metal, plus anything else that fits in the timeframe.
Here's my vote: The Dictators' D.F.F.D.
And here's why: The Dictators had three albums back in the day. The first showed off their goofy proto-punk charm. The second showcased their pop hook chops. The third simply rocked your balls off.
D.F.F.D. is a synthesis of all three aspects of the band. It takes everything that was great about the Dictators and rams it together into one glorious album. It's goofy. It's has great hooks. And it rocks.
I'll also give an honorable mention to the Go-Go's for God Bless The Go-Go's.
Music Poll Results (1 of 50)
Well, my first weekly music poll was interesting, if sparcely voted upon.
There were a grand total of 17 votes. Moe Tucker won handily. (Well, winning by 2 votes counts as handily when there are only 17 cast.) Moe was the drummer for the Velvet Underground, of course. She has also played with other bands and has released a few albums of her own. Moe gets an extra leg up in this poll, as both my wife and I are big fans. But, hey, nothing was keeping your significant other from voting!
Second place went to Sheila E. And, I must say, those who voted for her were very adamant in their votes. Sheila worked with Prince, of course, but it would be a grave mistake to limit her to that association.
Third place went to Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney.
Everyone else was tied for fourth: Carla Azar (Autolux), Lori Barbero (Babes in Toyland), Belinda Carlisle (The Germs, yes really), Torry Castellano (The Donnas), Debbi Peterson (The Bangles), Gina Schock (The Go-Go's), and Meg White (The White Stripes).
Oh, and I can't forget Little Miss Sunshine, Anne's little girl, who got in based on her Beatles RockBand performance. And her mother's vote.
And, sadly, nobody voted for Karen Carpenter.
Here are the full results:
New poll tomorrow morning! Right now, I have no clue what the question will be.
The Best Possible News Possible!
Yes, that's right: There will be Venture Bros. action figures!
Bobbleheads, too. But who wants bobbleheads?
Initial figures? How about:
- Dr. Venture
- The Monarch
- Brock Samson
- Hank & Dean Venture
- and more
And what do they mean by and more?
They damn well better mean Dr. Girlfriend! I want a Dr. Mrs. The Monarch version, too!
