Keeping Score

Pixar buys Disney

Years ago some friends and I began speculating how long it was going to take before Disney bought out Pixar. Everyone thought it was inevitable. I was the lone standout who thought that someday, somehow, Pixar would buy Disney. I didn't really know how it would go down. I couldn't really picture an animation house somehow out profiting the monster corporation who would later own multiple international theme parks, several film distribution channels, and a major television network. I just had a gut feeling that it would happen. That Pixar would continue to get things done right, and Disney would continue to flounder and screw up their original claim to fame (animated films).

Flash forward to this week, where Disney was rumored to buy Pixar on Wednesday to the tune of 7.4 billion dollars, with Steve Jobs as the largest shareholder and newest board member, then went through with the purchase on Thursday, and by Friday, John Lasseter (Pixar co-founder and ex Disney guy) is the new CCO, and Toy Story 3 is cancelled (a project Pixar never wanted to work on in the first place but were contractually obligated to work on according to their publishing deal with Disney).

So who bought who, exactly?

THANK THE GODS

The iPod has decided to wake back up. After much gnashing of teeth and being VERY nice to technical support asshats from both Apple and HP who both wanted to charge me $47 and $45 respectively to "help" me diagnose my iPod's issues, I decided to start checking the web for everyone's combined FAQs and otherwise sage advice.

It turns out the battery just decided that it needed to completely drain itself before taking another charge. I guess if you wait for 24 hours, it will finally allow another charge.

You have no idea how much my little heart sang when I saw a new battery charging logo pop up when I plugged it back in.

iPod, I forgive you. Apple, you're still on notice.

Rotten

My iPod died on Monday, when I tried to plug it in to my PC and upload one song onto it that I wanted to listen to on the way to work that morning.

It was fine when I plugged it in. Everything was going fine for a few seconds and then poof, nothing. Grey screen. No "do not disconnect" message, no charging battery icon, no Mac logo, no nothing.

So tonight on the way home I finally tried calling the Apple Store in Oak Brook Mall. The direct number I was given put me into the phone maze, and I pressed "2" for tech support, which evidently put me in a 15 minute line for Apple's main 1-800 Apple Care program.

I followed the prompts. Press 2 for tech support. None of the options allowed fit my problem, so I just held (presumably for an operator). I got the "voice recognition bitch" as I like to call her, and said "iPod" when she asked what device I was calling about. Then she asked if it primarily interfaces with a Mac or a "Windows Computer." I said "windows computer" and she said "okay, here you go!" in an overly cheery synthesized automated response.

Fast forward 15 minutes to "Billy" finally picking up. First, I have to give my email. They find my records through iTunes. Wonderful. Then he asks for the serial number. I have to roll off the iCondom first, while driving, and then try and read the 4 point font serial number on the back. I had to pull over to read it to him, all the while he's telling me if I don't have an Apple Care account this phone call's going to cost me $47. "Look, it won't turn on. All I want to know is if I need to take it into the Apple Store or not and can they help me there?" Suddenly, after reading the serial number to him for the FOURTH time, something clicks and he asks:

"Is there an HP logo on the back of your iPod?" Yes, I tell him, there is. "Oh, well, then you're going to have to call HP for support, this is Apple Support. Would you like the number?"

That's right, folks. Apple no longer services their own fucking products. Save yourselves the trouble and just buy the Rio.

Lesson learned, Apple. Lesson learned.

Return of the Sketchbook

Well, not entirely. I've been trying to sketch more, and started attempting (weakly at first here) to contribute to the jams at DrawingBoard.org (previously SketchbookSessions). (Jack, you really need to lurk there).

So, in the interest of content, here's an unfinished Green Arrow re-concept. It's unfinished as my trial version of Open Canvas expired and I didn't realize it (couldn't save; had to take a screenshot). I might finish it later this week.

You Like Me!

Okay, so it appears that there are a few people (okay at least one) out there who read this thing other than my close personal friends, which I find on the side of exciting, so I promise to endeavor to actually write more than once every quarter.

I'd like to blame it on a work-related political issue (let's just say there's shady 1st Amendment issues at stake), but I'm not going to put any fuel out for the FIRE (if you get my drift) here in order to get me Dooced.

If you want to know what I've been up to recently, I've been finishing this while trying to get this into shape (I'm finally allowed to talk about it a bit). And if you know me, you know that the latter is like a dream come true.

Dual pistols...ghllaaaaghhalaaghh(drool)

Oh yeah, and there's another project I'm toying with that I can't say much about right now. Maybe in a few months. <-- That's for you, Jack.

Finally

100mph in the Civic this morning.

GO SPEED RACER, GO!!!

On Film Festivals

Stop calling your festivals or your films "Independant" if they have people like Jennifer Anniston in them. If I were going to make a film next week, based off of a small art grant or what I could afford to charge to my plastic in my wallet, I would not get Jennifer Anniston.

Just because it's not funded by a giant conglomerate doesn't mean it's "Independant." Independant means it stands outside of the Hollywood circles. By inviting A LIST TALENT to be in your film, you are proving that:

A). You yourself are in the A List circle.
B). You know the A Listers or know their agents.

If either of the previous two tenants are true, YOU ARE NOT INDEPENDANT. You do not operate outside of the influence of Hollywood. So fuck you for trying to pretend otherwise.

Oh for Fuck's Sake Part 3

Tonight's events, in order:

1). Bears start to lose and never come back.
2). Furnace (pilot light) dies and never comes back.
3). Bears lose.
4). Furnace still dead. House slowly getting colder (by 1 degree per hour).
5). Missed most of first hour of 24 due to Bears game running long and fucking over Tivo.

So for the record, this year, it's been:

A). The hot water heater dying and requiring a 1am replacement (water wouldn't shut off)
B). Air conditioner dying.
C). Furnace dying. I'm pretty sure it's just the pilot control unit (already replaced the thermal coupler; didn't help), but they're going to recommend getting a new furnace because this one's so old.

Hooray!

Wanker.edu

And here I thought this school was going to be all about uh...hard...knocks?

The Store of Bowler

Okay, now that I have TWO T-Shirt ideas, I'm going to finally open up a useless Cafe Press store (just need to make the cheap-assed graphics for it at home)

T-Shirt Ideas:

1). Hi, I'm Buzz
2). [NSFW]

If you don't know what the second one means, chances are you're not Buzz.

It's a New Record

96 mph on I294 Northbound this morning on the way into work. I thought, what the hell, traffic's really hauling this morning (everyone else was doing almost 90), why not push it to 100? And then I realized I didn't want a ticket for 100mph.

I'm too cute for jail.

Oh Dear Lord

Filed under "shit I didn't need to see at work":

A pair of (previously worn) silk purple boxers in the bottom drawer of my desk in my new office. Presumably left by the previous occupant or the occupant before him (as this was a temporary office for him).

Yeeesh.

Things I Don't Believe in

(Or "why advertising isn't as effective as idiots in PR would like to think it is").

1). Queen Latifa shops at Wal-Mart, or worse, buys her friends and relatives Wal-Mart gift cards.

2). Jenna Elfman is really worth 24/7 advertising. Jesus fuck, I'm going to patently avoid her new show now, because I've already watched the equivalent of your first episode (20 minutes) in advertising alone. Yes, 40x30 seconds = 20 minutes folks.