The Black Hole
A movie I've been meaning to get for a while is the The Black Hole. When I went to f.y.e. in the mall today to purchase it I was totally expecting to order this movie because it is ALWAYS out of stock.
However fortune smiled and they had it - but I almost didn't buy it. Why? Because Disney decided to change the cover.
The original movie poster looks different than the VHS release.
I remembered the VHS cover art and assumed the DVD release would look the same.
Nope. The DVD looks totally different.
So if you were looking to buy this movie, yes, this is the 1979 release with changed cover art.
The Big Question: Why did I want to own this movie?
Answer: Because I remember the Maximilian robot scaring the absolute CRAP out of me. I first saw this movie at age 6 or 7 (don't remember exactly), and that robot SERIOUSLY freaked me out. I remember closing my eyes several times watching this movie - on a tv! I never saw it in the theater.
Side note before continuing: GET THIS - one of the Maximilian robots is actually on display in Orlando at MGM studios. If there were one reason to get another girlfriend, having someone to go see Max with would be it. Well, there are other reasons too but darn it, seeing the Maximilian is high on the list. (heh)
The other memorable robot in the film is V.I.N.CENT. And yes that is the way it's spelled. It stands for Vital Information Necessary, CENTralized.
Okay, on to the flick.
I mentioned a moment ago that I saw this flick at age 6 or 7. I literally haven't seen it since before today. Back when I first saw it I had absolutely NO IDEA what the movie was about. All I knew is that it had robots and laser guns that looked cool.
When I watched the movie today, here are the things I noticed:
1. You can see wires EVERYWHERE.
I swear, when Disney was filming this they didn't even TRY to hide the wires. You can see them almost as plain as day for anything in the film that's supposed to be floating in air. Very, very distracting.
2. The score is actually an overture.
The score of this movie is top notch symphonic stuff. No question.
3. The lighting is near-perfect.
Where The Black Hole kicks the ever-lovin' crap out of Star Wars is the fact all the shots were colored and lit just right. The film has a total elegance to it that really, really works.
4. Very few people would enjoy this film.
This is out of those "out there" films where you either love it or hate it. Most people would find it excruciatingly boring; I don't. I like it for what it is.
And what is it?
It's a work of art, much like the The Dark Crystal is. Weak storyline; killer imagery.
You gotta remember that this movie was made in 1979 that tried (and failed) to cash in on the sci-fi magic Star Wars did. Even though the visuals are spectacular, the storyline just sucks. There are several holes in the plot that just leave questions unanswered.
If you appreciate "old school" cinematography and the way special effects used to be done, you will really dig this film. But if you were looking for a good story, this is not it.
Being that I'm very much into the tech behind cinematography, it is absolutely mind boggling that Disney was able to pull this off when released in '79. Remember, this is pre-TRON era. It's one of the last (if not the last) film done by in-house crews with no outsourcing. It took a big team to put this flick together and it shows.
I dig it and am glad I own it now.
a roll of quarters
I honestly think if all USA-based vending machines accepted 50¢ and $1 coins, the world would be a better place. Alas, the highest value accepted is 25¢.
The most convenient way to get quarters is in a 10-dollar roll. It's getting that roll that's annoying.
Here's my short tale on that:
The best place to usually get a roll a quarters is at the supermarket. You go with cash in hand, march straight to the customer service desk and get your roll. Simple, right?
Not today.
I went to not one but two Publix supermarkets in search of a roll of quarters. Both times I was lied to. At the first one I was told "Sorry, we don't have any quarters to spare." The second one told me "We don't have any quarters." I'm not kidding. She actually said that.
I can understand it if a convenience store doesn't have quarters because of the store's small size. But at a Publix, there are at least 8 cash registers - including two more at the customer service desk. And they don't have quarters. Yeah, sure. Right.
If you're asking "Why didn't you go to a bank?", the banks are closed today because it's Sunday.
Out of desperation I headed into a Walgreen's. And they had my roll. I was happy. Walgreen's once again kicks butt in all the right places.
I use quarters for two things; laundry and road tolls. It's mostly laundry because my GPS routes me around toll roads. I've always loved that feature, but I digress.
I said all vending machines should be made to accept 50¢ and $1 coins and I stand by that.
As far as the $1 coins go, the ones we should be using are the Presidential Dollar Coin, introduced in 2007 (yes, this year.) They're just the right size, will have good circulation and vending machines could be easily made to accept them.
Per the 50¢ a.k.a. half-dollar coins, unfortunately we don't have anything ready for vending machines because those coins are just way too frickin' big. No one carries them around because of their size. Something needs to be done to create a smaller half-dollar coin.
And I've got the perfect solution for that. We've got presidential dollar coins, why not vice president coins in a 50¢ flavor that are smaller and usable in vending machines? Makes perfect sense to me.
I am also one of the people who think pennies shouldn't be used anymore.
the mighty mighty dueling streetpilots
I'm writing a new book covering a whole bunch of stuff concerning the Garmin StreetPilot "c" series units. Once done it should cover almost the models, i.e. the c310, c330, c340, c510, c550 and c580.
I have two StreetPilots, the c580 and c340.
Thus far there's been scattered information on how to wield a StreetPilot correctly. There really aren't any definitive how-to's on POI creation and usage, how to access all the functions, easy-to-understand help tips and tricks, how to update maps, system software and voices the easy way - and so on.
My intent is to solve that by writing the end-all/be-all book on the subject. :D
So far I'm about half done because there's a lot of ground to cover.
Don't get me wrong, the manuals for the StreetPilot c3xx and c5xx series are okay, but don't really get into the nitty-gritty details that well. This is probably by design, and hey, that's okay - because guys like me can write up the super-duper manuals. ;)
I'll announce it here once I have it completed.
garmin streetpilot c580 cheers and jeers
Now that I've used the Garmin StreetPilot c580 for a bit, here are my cheers and jeers about it. I'll list all the jeers first.
Jeer: Must be plugged in to use MSN Direct.
The antenna is built-in to the power adapter, which is great, but in order to use the MSN Direct stuff, it must be attached. Normal GPS use doesn't require this (it can run on battery alone).
This is a step backwards because it essentially makes the battery worthless if you have to have it plugged in all the time to access all the MSN content.
Jeer: MSN content reception spotty at times.
In the Tampa Bay area you will get spotty MSN reception at times. Compared to the GPS reception (which is outstanding) it falls short - particularly on interstates. It's much "happier" in-town.
Jeer: When unplugged, it "forgets" MSN content.
The c580 will "remember" MSN related content for a period of time (usually a few hours), but if unplugged from the power adapter, it forgets all the gas prices, weather and other MSN-related stuff. When you plug it back in, it takes 10 to 30 minutes for it to update its info again.
Important note: This is only for MSN related content. Normal GPS use is always lightning fast on startup and usage and doesn't "forget" anything.
Jeer: (Still) can't do custom routes.
What is a custom route?
It's a route that you design specifically. Rather than just accept what the StreetPilot gives you for directions, you instruct it to take very specific turns to whatever destination.
Premium units like the larger 2720 will do this, but none of the "c" series will.
While you can set avoidances (and they work very well), making a 100% custom route is not an option, nor will it accept custom routes from MapSource.
This has been a long-time gripe of many StreetPilot owners. If you want custom routing ability, the c580 won't do it.
To those who would ask why custom routing would be desirable, it's because guys and gals who like to do road trips like to go places using specific roads - and most of the time the GPS will not "agree" that it's the best route to take, hence the want for a custom route.
Jeer: (Still) can't do custom coordinates.
Another long-time gripe about the "c" series is that it will not directly accept input of longitude/latitude coordinates. Granted, this is a super-geeky GPS option to want, but the desire for this feature to exist on the "c" series is there. Once again, premium units have this option. The "c" series does not.
Jeer: (Still) doesn't display coordinates.
Nowhere in the c580 will it show you the longitude/latitude coordinates for locations. Once again, this is a super-geeky GPS option to want. Only GPS geeks like myself would want this.
Jeer: Can't categorize favorites.
On models like the 2720 you can put favorites into categories. Can't do that on the c580. Would be nice to have.
Cheer: Configurable vehicle icons
The use of the icons is slick. It's also cool you have several to choose from, including but not limited to a tank, spaceship, station wagon, dune buggies, race cars/trucks, etc.
Cheer: Super-easy saving of favorites
One of my biggest gripes about the c340 is that saving a favorite was, to be blunt, a pain in the ass. On the c580, you just tap your vehicle icon on the map. The c580 then asks you if you want to save, you choose "yes", name it, and you're done. VERY cool improvement.
Cheer: Super-fast signal acquisition (GPS)
The SiRF tech in the c580 really makes a difference in GPS signal acquisition. It's almost near-instantaneous.
Cheer: Routes faster
There were times when the c340 "thought" a lot before giving a route. The c580 cut that time down by a large margin.
Cheer: Screen is truly daylight readable
From day one I hated the c340's screen. It got so bad that I had to get a hoody for it, else the screen was more or less unreadable in sunlight. On the c580 - not required. The screen is truly brighter, has true anti-glare and is readble even on the brightest days.
Cheer: Better mounting system
The c340 had an awful way of mounting itself whether you chose to stick it on the glass or the plate mount. The c580's mount design is different, smaller and stays put. Furthermore, you can position it far easier because you can twist it side-to-side, up and down. The best part (particularly for the plate mount) is that it now sits "squat" on the dashboard, literally eliminating a viewing hazard.
Cheer: Louder speakers
Yet another complaint about the c340 I had is that the speakers just weren't loud enough. If you were driving on the interstate with the windows rolled down, the speakers are basically worthless. Not so with the c580. At full volume it's loud enough to cut thru the loudest of wind noises, passing cars, etc. The best part is that the sound at full volume has almost no distortion. It's loud and clear.
Cheer: Instant power-on when plugged in
If the unit is plugged in, you hit the power button and ta-da, it's powered up, signal acquired and ready to go. Very cool. If not plugged in, it takes a bit to power up, but it's still much faster than the c340 was.
Cheer: Friendlier menus
The menu system in the c5xx series is better than the c3xx - and the c3xx was pretty good to begin with. The icons used within the system are more color coordinated which makes it easier to find stuff. The previous c3xx series had a small case of that everything-looks-the-same stuff from menu to menu.
Cheer: Tap/drag interactive map
If viewing a map, you can put your finger on the screen, hold, then drag and the map moves with your finger. Very trick. It's way better than using the north/south/east/west buttons and a whole lot faster.
Overall I'm 100% satisfied with the unit. It was a good buy.
For those who can't get the MSN Direct service (usually people who live in remote non-metro areas), the c550 would be better. Same as the c580 without the MSN stuff.
Tampa rainfall
During the summer season it's typical to get rain once a day for a small while (30 minutes to an hour), then it goes away, then comes back the next day, rinse, repeat, etc.
See a video I made of what I'm talking about.
This is not hurricane-style wind and rain. If it were, I wouldn't be standing outside shooting it. :-)
The rain is almost warm enough to be like bathwater.