Andy's Mind

OK, I already knew Americans can sell strangest things and make business out of practically any conceivable activity. But these two sites are beyond anything I imagined.

The first is a company apparently selling plastic replicas of man’s balls to be hanged at the back of the cars. Or bikes, they have a smaller version.

The second are fecalgrams, or sh*t in a (fancy) box. Be sure to read the about – it contains the company’s history, which is even more astonishing. It turns out fancy packaged turd is a kind of family tradition. And, read the small print before you call the postal services to denounce them for sending bio-hazardous materials.

I continue to be amazed by the ingenuity with which (some) Americans earn their living. Before you laugh out of the heights of your respectable jobs notice that it’s exactly the same attitude (go ahead with the idea, turn it into a business) that helped build most of the IT industry for example.

With the recent rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by France and all the discussions about it that followed I can’t resist the temptation to add my opinion.

I think it’s good that this treaty is now done with. The French have at last done something that makes sense, saving other nations the trouble of shooting it down. Now we only have to see what would come next.
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I’ve come across two cool things today.

First one is something that I wanted to have for years: an all-black keyboard without any markings. It’s called “Das Keyboard” and was featured in today’s dose of Slashdot. Apparently it’s simply a Keytronic, just all black. The only other cool feature it has is that key resistance (or in other words force required to depress a key) varies according to function and region as shown on this picture.

Despite a rather hefty price tag ($80 is quite a lot for a keyboard) I think I’ll buy one as soon as I’ll have some free money floating around. I always loved black equipment, and I’ve had some black keyboards already (the best of which came as a gift from a friend who knew about my little passion for black plastic) but this is what I’ve always wanted having dispensed with the need for markings long time ago.

Now, if only Apple would make a black Power Book, also with unmarked keyboard… Just imagine that beauty: oxidized black metal with cool red or – even better – deep blue illumination… Eh….

Enough daydreaming! On to another cool thing I’ve came across while looking for… incense on zensupplies.com (or whatever). It’s a special alarm clock called Zen Alarm Clock, which is of course digital but uses a physical device (small tubular bell) as the sound source. Not very innovative, since old mechanical wall or standing clocks used all kinds of chimes – but still great. And very elegant in its wooden, carved case (two colors available).

I especially like the “E” sound the larger version produces. It can be used for conventional waking up in the morning, but it can also be used to time meditation. While I’m not entirely convinced that something this gentle and non-intrusive could wake me up I like the idea of timing meditation with it. It is definitely something I would love to have since when I’m sitting at home I don’t know how much time has passed. And harsh sound of alarm in my cellphone is certainly not suitable for signaling the end of meditation.

But, since I’m not the richest of guys at the moment I think I’ll settle for short incense sticks. The only problem seems to be getting a reputable source of good incense, since some of the cheap incense made in China and India these days contain chemical additives that can be toxic or addictive (or both). One of the (many) problems of living in a small country at the edge of the European Union is that anything off the beaten track is harder to get.

Tomorrow I’ll write the first of my essays on books. I came up with the idea that – unless I’d be on the move or somethin’ – I’ll post a book review or essay every Friday. Stay tuned.

So I have seen “The Revenge of the Sith“, like millions everywhere. I didn’t expect much so the disappointment was not severe. The special effects and CG are superb, it’s nice to see the same old heroes again but the characters are underdeveloped, not convincing and the plot is thin, at times so thin it hurts. This whole Sidious’ intrigue, his behaviour around Anakin and later his tricks and false promises – all this is so obvious I’m sure even 5 year olds would be screaming “he’s the bad Sith lord” within ten minutes. Anakin’s internal conflict is at times pathetic, despite Hayden Christensen’s mimic effort. It all doesn’t add up – Anakin is supposed to be a brilliant commander, with great tactical and strategic insights capable of commanding the fleet and winning battles for whole planets yet he fails to see through a plot this simple. Sorry, I can’t buy this.

Of course, part of the fact that I remember seeing the original Star Wars for the first time so well is that I was then seven or eight years old and when I saw the second (Episode V) part I was ten. So, I think I like to see it sometimes mainly because it brings back distant memories of my mind as a kid.

Also, it was still a fresh idea then, fresh script, fresh project. Now there is no freshness left, it’s just the relentless machine of movie industry squeezing last drops out of the idea almost thirty years old. When I read enthusiastic news like this one boasting the amounts earned by the movie during the first days I realize this not art, it’s not about telling a story, conveying a meaning, expressing something – it’s about revenue streams. Nothing more. And it shows. It’s a great business – not much more beside it.