About six years ago, my dad's projection TV shorted out for the last time. My brother (DVD enthusiast long before I) said the TV room actually wasn't good for TV, so we never got around to replacing it.
I'm hanging a 32-inch Toshiba HD TV in my bedroom/home office in the near future, which means I'll be watching most DVDs in said room. Today I've begun switching books from the case in my bedroom for DVDs in what used to be the TV room.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Your Mileage May Vary
Yesterday on First Offenders, Alison Gaylin asked for e-mail pet peeves. I commented:
I'm peeved when people treat e-mail and blogging more casually than "real writing". Any writing is more formal than talking because we all have the chance to polish our writing. Each of us chooses to take that chance or not. If you don't polish your writing, you shouldn't be surprised if people think you lazy or ignorant. Rosie O'Donnell's blog entry on the failure of her variety special comes to mind:
"There will b no more[...]still a thrill 4 me"
I start e-mail conversations with a salutation. With a friend, I might just use her name. This reminds me of the chance I have to craft my language. For a continuing conversation, I quote what I want to reply to, skip a line, and reply. As an e-list moderator, I've seen how many people simply quote entire (and sometimes several) messages with no regard for a recipient's download speed.
I do distinguish texting from blogging and e-mail. Texting is faster, so more errors are made, and abbreviating can make for fewer total messages, saving money.
I admit I've corrected two typos from my original comment. I mention them in follow-up comments on First Offenders.
I'm peeved when people treat e-mail and blogging more casually than "real writing". Any writing is more formal than talking because we all have the chance to polish our writing. Each of us chooses to take that chance or not. If you don't polish your writing, you shouldn't be surprised if people think you lazy or ignorant. Rosie O'Donnell's blog entry on the failure of her variety special comes to mind:
"There will b no more[...]still a thrill 4 me"
I start e-mail conversations with a salutation. With a friend, I might just use her name. This reminds me of the chance I have to craft my language. For a continuing conversation, I quote what I want to reply to, skip a line, and reply. As an e-list moderator, I've seen how many people simply quote entire (and sometimes several) messages with no regard for a recipient's download speed.
I do distinguish texting from blogging and e-mail. Texting is faster, so more errors are made, and abbreviating can make for fewer total messages, saving money.
I admit I've corrected two typos from my original comment. I mention them in follow-up comments on First Offenders.
Monday, December 01, 2008
I've Finally Seen: QUANTUM OF SOLACE
The highest compliment I can pay Quantum of Solace is I believed the conceit that it picks up twenty minutes after Casino Royale. Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and the other returning actors are on their game. The overarching mission to uncover the organization behind Mr. White drives the action at the same breathless pace. I wouldn't mind if all Craig's Bond movies kept this continuity.
That said, Quantum of Solace doesn't make much of a mark on its own. Bond is so driven it's difficult not to see the new characters Camille and Agent Fields as plot devices. Mathieu Amalric as villain Dominic Greene unfortunately reminded me of a cross between Ioan Gruffudd and Paul Reubens. Director Marc Forster makes some odd stylistic choices (Intercutting Bond chasing down a traitor with a horse race? Intrusive location titles a la Fringe?), but these stick out because the rest of the tone is maintained between the two movies.
Quantum of Solace won't disappoint those who enjoyed Casino Royale, neither will it convert those who didn't.
That said, Quantum of Solace doesn't make much of a mark on its own. Bond is so driven it's difficult not to see the new characters Camille and Agent Fields as plot devices. Mathieu Amalric as villain Dominic Greene unfortunately reminded me of a cross between Ioan Gruffudd and Paul Reubens. Director Marc Forster makes some odd stylistic choices (Intercutting Bond chasing down a traitor with a horse race? Intrusive location titles a la Fringe?), but these stick out because the rest of the tone is maintained between the two movies.
Quantum of Solace won't disappoint those who enjoyed Casino Royale, neither will it convert those who didn't.
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