apple juice

stepping carefully
old shoes on tentative feet
yard filled with dog poo

Well the online Christmas is coming together nicely. I’ve yet to enter a mall in search of gifts, and I think I’m down to one or two more gifts to purchase, so it’s looking good.

Some people are all up in arms about the proliferation of “registering” for Christmas gifts. I can see the point, but I also like the idea of having someone able to see what I’m interested at least. But in the case of my Amazon wishlist, it’s as much for me than anyone else.

You don’t know how many times I’ve gone to the record store and had a complete brain fart. Which CD was I going to buy? Now when I find a CD I want to get, I add it to the list. I either print it out when I go to the record store or just order from Amazon.

The “evolution” of digital “lifeforms” is another fascinating subject that I wish I had more time to learn about. One scientist decided to recreate some of the machines he had evolved in his computer programs in real life. They’re actually quite beautiful if you ask me.

Wired, in my opinion, has gone downhill since I first started reading the magazine. However, they still write some cool articles from time to time. This article, discussing some of the battle scenes for The Two Towers is amazing.

When an animator places agents into a simulation, they’re released to do what they will. It’s not crowd control but anarchy. That’s because each agent makes decisions from its point of view. Still, when properly genetically engineered, the right character will always win the fight. “It’s possible to rig fights, but it hasn’t been done,” Regelous said. “In the first test fight we had 1,000 silver guys and 1,000 golden guys. We set off the simulation, and in the distance you could see several guys running for the hills.”

It’s scary to take two leaps ahead and think about the possibilities of some sort of “intelligent” program wired up to a robot. that has more advanced motor movements than the newest Asimo robot.

Where does this term come from, ‘White Elephant’? This is my first experience with a party of this type. It should be an interesting experience.

It is being organized and sponsored by the managers and supervisors at my place of employment. My boss is unable to attend, but he gave me a few tips in picking out the gift. Inexpensive is one quality I went for, also the weirdness factor. Something that will get a laugh. I’m pretty sure I’m considered to be a little quirky, so we’ll see if anyone has the same sort of sense of humor that I have.

With that, the present.

Well, what do you think?

Amazon.com bought CDNow today…

I’ll take a shot in the dark, but I’d have to say that they just snapped up their largest competitor in the online music sales area.

Is Amazon turning into an online megastore or what? Besides the main Amazon stuff, they are offering Target, Marshall Fields, Gap, Toys ‘R’ Us, Babies ‘R’ Us, J and R Computer World, and others I’m sure, all under the Amazon.com brand. Pretty amazing…

Not to mention, they’re also selling the Segway exclusively.

I’m going to miss one of my goals for the holiday shopping season. But just barely. And with good reason.

I was hoping to not step foot inside of a mall, major retail store, etc. in search of Christmas presents this year. All the people, clamoring for the latest and greatest, storming Wal-Mart when the doors open, knocking pregnant women over with shopping carts. It’s too much for me.

Granted, these incidents did happen at Wal-Mart. The armpit of America. Regardless, is that what shopping for your loved ones is coming to? Knocking people over to get in the door at 6am? Taking TVs from another shopper’s cart while waiting to check out?

One Wal-Mart shopper described the mob (and subsequently himself) as a “herd of cows”. I don’t really want to be a cow, personally.

That’s why I’m doing (just about) all my shopping online this year. Basically through amazon.com, but you could do it anywhere. J.Crew, The Gap, Apple, CompUSA, Target, Dayton’s (sorry, Marshall Fields)

Hey, you can even shop online at Wal-Mart.

So save yourself the hassle, the lines, the craziness, the possibility of bodily harm, and just stay away from the malls!