Blogs, We Are A Changin'
Well, it's time for a change. When I started this Blog, my intent was to periodically post things that I found online that interested me. I also thought that, occasionally, I'd post my opinions and thoughts about current issues, news items, social commentary, and the like. Unfortunately, I never quite found my...voice; I never hit my "stride", at least on a consistent basis. So, instead of either continuing to flounder along with no real sense of direction, or abandoning it all together, I've decided to make a radical change, or "course correction", if you will.
Beginning with this post, I'm re-dedicating the purpose of this blog to things Leevis Says about the ABC Television Soap Opera All My Children. From news and rumors, story line recaps and discussions, to my thoughts and opinions, anything is fair game. From time to time, I may also expand coverage to also include ABC's One Life to Live as well.
As always, your comments and questions are welcome. Keep in mind, however, that Leevis Says is all about what I think, and I may or may not share them publicly.
On Tuesday (November 13), TiVo announced a host of new features coming soon to your TiVo dvr.
First, a new version of the TiVo Desktop Plus software - version 2.4 will be released that will allow TiVo subscribers to convert non-copy-protected videos on their PC into a format playable on their TiVo unit. After conversion, the videos can be added to the "Now Playing" list on the TiVo dvr. The software - available only for Windows XP - will be able to convert videos in QuickTime, Windows Media (.WMV), and MPEG-4 (.MP4) formats. The new software - available later this year - will cost $24.95. The updated version will be free to users of TiVo Desktop Plus version 2.3.
TiVo also announced a deal with One True Media that will let TiVo subscribers create a "private channel" of content that friends and family can access via their own TiVo units. Customers will upload video to One True Media's website and receive a special access code for their channel they can give out to other TiVo subscribers. Subscribers who use the code will get a "Season Pass" to the channel, and content will show up in their "Now Playing List". The service, which will be available later this year, will cost about $4.00/month for the channel owner but will be free to those who access the channel.
TiVo is also adding new video providers to it's TiVoCast service.
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U.S. Marshals arrested Duane 'Dog' Chapman, the 53 year-old star of the A&E TV reality show Dog the Bounty Hunter, on Thursday, September 14, 2006 at the request of the Mexican Government. He was taken into custody at his Honolulu, Hawaii home just after 6 a.m., along with his son, Leland, and associate Timothy Chapman (no relation), after a federal judge issued a warrant for his arrest on Wednesday.
The men were wanted in connection with their highly publicized 2003 capture of Andrew Luster, Max Factor cosmetics heir, in Mexico when he fled there after skipping out on a $1 million bail. At the time, they were arrested by Mexican authorities and charged with unlawful detention and deprivation of freedom. Each were released on $1500 bail pending a hearing in a Mexican court on July 15, 2003, for which they failed to appear.
Mexico is seeking extradition and the three are scheduled to appear before a U.S. magistrate on Friday, September 15, 2006 for a determination.
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Amazon announced a new service today, September 7, 2006 offering movies and TV shows that can be purchased and downloaded to personal computers for viewing. The service, called Amazon Unbox, will offer thousands of movies from six major Hollywood studios and TV networks such as Fox, CBS, and Comedy Central.
Movies will be priced between $7.99 and $14.99, with TV shows costing $1.99 per episode. Movies can also be rented for $3.99. Consumers will be allowed to purchase the content on one PC and download it to a second PC if they choose. They will also be allowed to watch the downloaded content on up to two computers at one time, but will not be allowed to copy it onto a CD or DVD.
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has contracted with IBM to build what will be the worlds fastest supercomputer. Code named Roadrunner, the machine will be housed at the DOE owned Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The machine will be used for a program that simulates nuclear weapons testing.The computer will contain 16,000 standard processors working along side 16,000 "Cell" processors and will be built from "off the shelf" components. IBM has said the new machine will be capable of speeds in the "petaflop" range. One petaflop is equal to 1,000 trillion calculations per second. At peak speed the machine will make 1,600 trillion calculations per second.
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Steve Irwin, the man known around the world as the "Crocodile Hunter" died Monday, September 4, 2006 at the age of 44 in whats being described as a rare attack by a bull stingray. He was filming a segment for an upcoming TV documentary on the Great Barrier Reef off the resort town of Port Douglas in Australia. Mr. Irwin and his cameraman were following a bull stingray in shallow water when it went into a defensive mode and swung it's barb-spiked tail. It spiked Mr. Irwin in the chest, piercing his heart. Medical officials say his death was almost instantaneous.
"If something ever happens to me, people are gonna be like: 'We knew a croc would get him'," he once joked. His overblown antics and catchcries of "Crikey" and "Look at this little beauty" raised him to a celebrity cult figure equally adored and cringed at. Bizarrely for a man who was fearless when it came to poisonous snakes and deadly crocs, Irwin was petrified of parrots after being attacked by a macaw.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced but but Queensland State Premier Peter Beattie said Mr Irwin would be given a state funeral if his family approved.
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This falls in the "I gotta have this gadget" category.
Skype announced Thursday (August 31, 2006) new cordless phones that will allow users of its internet phone service to make calls without a computer or Wi-Fi connection. Philips and Netgear will each offer phones preloaded with the Skype software that plug into an existing broadband connection (Philips VoIP841 shown here). Users will be able to make and receive calls without the need for a computer to be turned on.
The introduction of these new phones adds to growing number of Skype add-on accessories already available. Through its partners, Skype has already introduced handset phones that plug into a PC, Wi-Fi phones that connect users to the Skype service via existing wireless broadband connections, and docking stations that allow any standard telephone to be connected to a PC for use with the Skype service.
The new cordless phones are set to arrive in stores during the holiday season. Prices are expected to be around $150.
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Google announced that it is expanding its book search service to allow downloading of full text versions of out-of-copyright (i.e. public domain) books. The books will be available in PDF format and will also be printable. The service is set to go live Wednesday, August 30, 2006.Previously, public domain books were available for reading on the Google book search site but off line storage was not possible. Google has said it will not allow downloading or printing of copyrighted books, even those for which it has obtained permission from the copyright holder to display the full text.
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