The Michael Canfield Channel

Pogue's faq

Link: Pogue’s Posts - Technology - New York Times Blog.

Q: Are you a Macintosh fanboy?

A: Not exactly; what I really am is an elegance fanboy. I love products whose designers have obviously lain awake nights worrying about elegance, simplicity, and beauty. That group tends to include Palm, Sonos, TiVo, Research in Motion (of BlackBerry fame), Google usually, and, yes, often enough, Apple.

Believe it or not, even Microsoft seems to have been bit by the beauty bug, if the pre-release versions of Windows Vista are any indication.

Everybody should watch "The Wire"

I'll be covering The Wire season 4, which starts September 10th for TV Squad which I am quite happy about. It's the best show on television  (beating out all the other best shows on television such as BSG, Deadwood, and even the previous bestest best shows on television like Six Feet Under and The Sopranos.) Good news for those without HBO. Seasons 1 and 2 have been out on DVD for awhile, and season 3 (which is even better than season 1) should be out soon is also out now.

You should watch this. I am not kidding. And give it a couple episodes, because the pace is different than a lot of TV.  What looks like just another cop show, is really a sweeping tragedy, an epic story of our times. If you like rich, profound portrayals of the human condition, you will be moved by it. If not ... fuck it.

A workaround

Link: Guardian Unlimited: Scientists make human stem cells without destroying the embryo.

Big

CNN.com - Scientists: Cosmic blob biggest thing in universe:

An enormous amoeba-like structure 200 million light-years wide and made up of galaxies and large bubbles of gas is the largest known object in the universe, scientists say.

Deputy PM criticises US handling of Middle East, condemning 'cowboy' President at private meeting

Link: Independent Online Edition > UK Politics.

"He was talking in the context of the 'road map' in the Middle East. He said he only gave support to the war on Iraq because they were promised the road map. But he said the Bush administration had been crap on that. We all laughed and he said to an official, 'Don't minute that'." Mr Cohen added: "We also had a laugh when he said old Bush is just a cowboy with his Stetson on. But then he said, 'I can hardly talk about that can I?'

The carrot

Rainn Wilson answers questions (in character as "Dwight" from TV's "The Office") for Forbes:

Getting ahead at 'The Office' - Aug. 14, 2006.

[snip]

And moving in the other direction, do you have any tips on managing from below?

Keep the subordinates in line, use the carrot and the stick, but use the carrot like, the same way you would the stick.

So beat them with it.

Exactly.

Checking in ...

Will be at Worldcon next weekend, from the 24th thru the 27th, until then, and being behind on things at home, I be blogging intermittently if at all! Hope to see you there!

How to pack w/ airport security in mind

Useful info for air travellers here:

Link: The Seattle Times: Travel Outdoors: How to pack — and cope — with new airport security.

All gels, liquids and lotions are banned from carry-on luggage under new U.S. government rules. That means no water bottles, cosmetics, shampoo, contact lens solution, toothpaste, perfume, etc. Pack such items in checked bags or you'll have to throw them out at security checkpoints. To guard against liquids spilling in checked luggage, avoid breakable bottles and pack anything liquid in a sealed plastic bag .

• Anything you buy to drink in the terminal can't be taken on the plane. Airlines are stocking up with extra drinks.

• Take as small a carry-on bag as possible; the less clutter, the easier it is for security personnel to screen bags. If in doubt about an item, put it in your checked luggage.

So where do you rank on the David Brooks credibility scale?

via OBSCURESTORE.COM:

On last weekend's Chris Matthews Show, New York Times columnist David Brooks made the following loose-lipped declaration: "One of the things I've found in life is that politicians are a lot more sincere than us journalists and we are more sincere than the people that read and watch us."

Take the poll:

Web Polls by Vizu

Chicks dig gadgets, not bling

I don't know if that's true, but I just wanted to use that line as a post header after reading that sparkly jewelry sales are down; Is Shine Losing Its Luster? - New York Times ...

and a survey says growing numbers of women would rather have a plasma TV than a diamond.

Cool!