I'm doing some updates and maintenance to my network systems, so I'm going to be offline for a bit.
Oh stop your whining, it won't be long. An hour or so. Or two. Or three.
Maybe.
Well, OK. There is the remote possibility that I will suffer a catastrophic meltdown, since some of the installations I’m doing are Microsoft betas.
Yes, I know.
No, I haven’t gone soft in the head.
I’m interested in a number of their “Live” series products and I want to take a look at them – especially the upgraded Live Writer Beta which will allow a Twitter plug-in that automatically tweets blog entries (and if you don’t know what that means, don’t feel bad, neither do I). This is in addition to a couple of other updates and some maintenance that I’ve been putting off (you really, really, need to shut down every once in a while and blow the cat hair and dust bunnies out of the cooling system. Really).
I'm also having some equipment problems in the shop that I have to deal with while network systems update. I'll blog about those later - just in case there's anybody out there who needs to know how to fix a jammed Shopsmith MKIV idler/control sheave assembly (hint, penetrating oil, wooden wedges, and a mallet).
However, in the meantime, have some Bones.
Most TV I can take or leave, but Tuesday nights are shaping up, intelligent entertainment wise. I’m a fan of the new TNT series, Leverage. Intelligent and funny – it reminds me in spirit of the old Mission Impossible series (not those horrendously bad Tom Cruise movies). If you haven’t seen it, and you like intelligent, funny, and thoughtful entertainment from a terrific ensemble cast headed by Timothy Hutton, then you should check it out. The writing is terrific and John Rogers has done a great job with this show, which sort of makes up for Cat Women. (Sorry, John, you rock and Kung Fu Monkey is on my daily must read list – but, seriously man, Cat Woman. Ack.) John talks about the writing of last night’s episode here.
Following Leverage, comes one of my favorite shows ever, Bones. I love nearly everything about this show – but especially the interplay between Bones and Booth. Then, last night during an extended scene the soundtrack was Keep on Trying by Poco. Now, I’m not a big Poco fan – especially the current version – but, hey, you can’t argue with the talent in the band’s original line-up: Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield), Jim Messina (Buffalo Springfield, Loggins and Messina), Randy Meisner (The Eagles), Tim Schmit (The Eagles), and George Grantham. The harmony in Keep on Trying is terrific – late 60’s Rock and Country fusion, which is, of course, what Poco was known for. The video is a montage of clips from Bones, and if you haven’t seen the the show, you probably ought to:
Following Bones is Without A Trace. Which I also like, though I sometimes think it takes itself way too seriously, but still it’s pretty damned good.
Well, anyway. So far the upgrades are installing fine. Things are looking pretty good for a Microsoft installation – and in fact I’m writing this under Live Writer (haven’t installed the new plug-ins yet). Two of the computers are cleaned out, and I’m about to head out to the shop to blow the goo out of the keyboards with the air compressor. This machine is pestering me for a reboot, so that’s next.
Back in a bit.
You live danerously...
ReplyDeleteHas it occurred to you that the cat hair and dust bunnies may be all that's keeping the network together??
I thought not. You have been warned.
WendyB_09
I like to live on the edge, Wendy.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but the Microsoft edge??
ReplyDeleteBut, we'll have Bones come do the forensics when the dust bunnies have their way with you...
and you can send Booth to me.
WendyB_09
Jim,
ReplyDeleteIf you don't read Defective Yeti, you may want to check out this post:
http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/002658.html
That's friggin' brilliant, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteUpgrades complete. I'll be playing with the twitter feed later tonight.
I would have been back earlier - but the Shopsmith repairs took way longer than I'd planned on. However, I was able to repair the machine without having to buy any new parts. And in fact was able to reburb the jammed sheave so that it works far better than it ever has. Cool.
Then, since the machine was, you know, working again - I finished a couple of projects. Also had a few visitors.
Now, I need to go assemble a meatloaf for dinner. Whoohoo, meatloaf.
Tuesday nights for me is NCIS, The Mentalist, Leverage, and Bones. Best night on TV in my book.
ReplyDeleteNCIS?
ReplyDeleteReally?
Um. Really?
You do realize, Vince, that NCIS bears about as much resemblance to the real Navy NCIS as JAG did to the real Navy JAG corp, right? I.e. not at all. Real NCIS agents? Hell, I wish they were like the TV version. Most are pretty much wannabes who weren't good enough to make the FBI, or Secret Service, or any other actual legitimate police force (including the Mall Police) - and have a big fucking chip on their shoulder as a result. Never met one yet who didn't start every interview with "I could have been in the FBI, but I find [working in some Navy shithole for a quarter of the pay] more rewarding."
They spend their time mostly 'investigating' who keeps leaving gum in the Admiral's parking spot and who took the last box of shitty government pens from the admin supply locker without ordering new ones.
Fuckers aren't in the Navy. They regard every Sailor and Marine as a criminal and take special care to lord over them. While we're out getting shot at, they're going through our lockers looking to see if maybe we've got an illegal copy of Barry Manalow's greatest hits.
Real cops don't give these bastards the time of day.
And don't even get me started on the abomination that is JAG or that pile of stewing dog vomit, Pensacola, Wings of Gold. I can't even type that without retching.
Ever see the AMC/British show Hustle? It lasted a season or two. Though I haven't seen but a few minutes of it, Leverage looks similar in some ways, except the guys and girl in Hustle were officially con men. Robert Vaughn was the old man in the group.
ReplyDeleteDr. Phil
The only problem I have with Bones is that they occasionally make Brennan so socially clueless as to defy any reason. An accomplished scientist and bestselling author cannot be that unaware.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great show, though, one of my favorites.
I like NCIS, by the way. I doubt that it's any less realistic in respect to its setting than Bones is in respect to its own (come on, Brennan participates in arrests and interrogations - a forensic expert, really?). The interplay of characters, though, is just as excellent, IMHO.
I liked Bones in the first couple of seasons, interesting plots, innovative detecting and Brennan was a real-seeming character that focused on the work rather than the personal romantic tensions Booth sent her way.
ReplyDeleteThen it dissolved into typical hollywood, everyone in the cast is in romantic entanglements and spends all their time in angst, even Brennen has 2 boyfriends and her or Booth falls in/out with someone every episode, meanwhile the mysteries have devolved into whatever unique-microscopic-particle-that-only-exists-in-one-spot-in-the-world they discover this week, so they can get back to the interpersonal angst..sigh