Okinawa Beach Vacation

I’ve finally posted photos from my trip to Okinawa last June. I spent five days on the main island, enjoying a tropical vacation with Yuriko, Tarn (in the photo above) and Kevin at the end of my stay in Japan. Sorry for the delay in posting these, guys. It was such a fun trip, and looking through these photos again makes me miss that time and all of you.

You Ug-lay!

What happened to Nokia phones? When did the company start churning out butt-ugly mobiles like the batch above? This is a collection of recent or soon-to-be-released phones from the company that only a few short years ago was making simple, well-designed, sophisticated phones. No more, apparently.

Aside from a few annoying issues (the easily-breakable internal antenna and the dust that collected inside the screen) the 8200 series was a joy to carry and use. It was clean, simple and small. It wasn’t fancy, just well-designed. The 8800 series, though ridiculously expensive, added some extra flash and style without looking silly or ostentatious.

I even liked the original (at least I think it was original) 6100 series, which was my first mobile phone. It was solid and well-designed.

Phones like these are what helped lead Nokia to success in the late 1990s. If the new phones above are any indication, the company has lost its way design-wise. Need proof beyond just the visual? Look here then here.

Bush: Not Responsible For 'Mission Accomplished'

President Bush yesterday tried to pass blame to the Navy for the boastful Mission Accomplished banner that trumpeted what Bush then called the end of major combat in Iraq.

This is a load of crap, and yet another in a long line of untruths to come from Bush and his administration.

Back when things were looking a bit rosier for the Bush Administration, White House officials weren’t so shy in taking credit for the Hollywood stagecraft that provides a cover for the emperor with no clothes.

In an article last May, the New York Times covered the efforts of the Bush White House to put a positive visual spin on presidential events.

Keepers of Bush Image Lift Stagecraft to New Heights

The most elaborate — and criticized — White House event so far was Mr. Bush’s speech aboard the Abraham Lincoln announcing the end of major combat in Iraq. White House officials say that a variety of people, including the president, came up with the idea, and that Mr. Sforza embedded himself on the carrier to make preparations days before Mr. Bush’s landing in a flight suit and his early evening speech.

What I find tragic is that it takes a disaster in Iraq to begin prying people’s eyes open to the fast and loose manner with which Bush and his administration play with the truth. This administration has been misleading the American people from the very start on a wide range of issues. But it takes a mistake that’s costing American lives, hundreds of billions of dollars and attention that should be focused elsewhere to shock people out of their stupor. Maybe.

Clouds Catching Fire

It threatened to rain all day today, but never did. During my walk home at dusk, a section of clouds parted for about two minutes, catching the setting sun and bursting into color.

My digicam can’t capture this kind of image on its own, but Photoshop allowed me to tweak the photo to match what I saw.

Seattle Skyline

So far, the fall weather in Seattle has been great. That is to say, it hasn’t been the typical gray, gloomy, dreary weather we generally have this time of year. Rather than the claustrophobic descent of a damp, gray ceiling of clouds, the weather has been interesting — stormy, windy, warm, hard rains and periods of sun breaks with beautiful cloud formations that tumble across the sky or which provide a canvas for evening light, as in the photo above.

Enjoying The Classics

I played Ms. Pac Man last night, and had a blast. This morning I came across the following article, wherein a gaming magazine subjected a group of kids to classic video games.

In the following exchange, Tim and John tackle Pong.

Kids Play
Electronic Gaming Monthly

TIM: My line is so beating the heck out of your stupid line. Fear my pink line. You have no chance. I am the undisputed lord of virtual tennis. [Misses ball] Whoops.

JOHN: Tim, how could you miss that? It was going like 1 m.p.h.

Three Eyes On Every Fish

Local Seattle supermarket chain Metropolitan Market used to be known in these parts as Thriftway. A makeover or a takeover in the past few years brought a new name… and a new logo.

Is that a mutant ‘m’ there? Might not be the best symbol for a grocer in these days of genetically-modified foods. When I look at the logo I see Blinky, the three-eyed fish of Simpsons fame.

Time To Sign Up On The Do-Not-Call List

I just got a call from a telemarketer:

ME: Would you please remove my name from your call list?

HIM: Sure, if I can just save you some money, though…

ME: Please just remove my name.

HIM: Sure, but have you ever been open-minded?

ME: surprised laugh

HIM: See, it’s funny, huh? Let me just…

ME: click

And then I had a disturbing thought. I’ve been getting a lot more unsolicited sales calls recently. And I didn’t sign up for the national “do-not-call” list. If all those millions of people who did sign up are off limits, who are the telemarketers going to call? I’m guessing those of us who didn’t sign up are going to be getting a lot more calls.

Ignorance Is Bliss (for him, at least)

Bush ‘not paying attention’ to Democratic race
Associated Press

Bush said he insulates himself from the “opinions” that seep into news coverage by getting his news from his own aides. He said he scans headlines, but rarely reads news stories. “I appreciate people’s opinions, but I’m more interested in news,” the president said. “And the best way to get the news is from objective sources, and the most objective sources I have are people on my staff who tell me what’s happening in the world.”

Found on Kottke