Dusty Chalk

No argument there.

Or maybe you just don't like bright cans. I won't argue that they're bright, but I don't think they're inherently sibilant.

Saying that the iPad is different from an iPod Touch in the same way that a shovel is different from a spoon is disingenuous -- they run the exact same software -- albeit with minor branching -- they have more or less the same internals, what varies the most in its physiognomy is largely cosmetic. Yes, the larger real estate and whatnot (is there an "and whatnot" besides speakers?) leads to slightly different usage, but other than "not putting it in one's pocket", I'm pretty sure I don't "get" the difference. Actually, one thing you showed me probably illustrated the difference best -- I would never play Samurai Sudoku on an iPod Touch.

Agreed that it's 80's/glammish/power-metally -- it's still better than growling/screaming/emo/rapping. Sorry, I'm getting completely jaded about horrid metal "vocals". Consider this -- there's no analogy to what one can do on acoustic/organic instruments. It's not even "playing outside the expected range of the instrument", which has been done. This is at least melodic, which has become increasingly important to me. And not just because of metal, but because a lot of contemporary poprock is loop-based, it tends toward monotonic. Which, although technically one note can be considered "a melody", it is not. It is to melody what grey is to color. Grey is not the complete absence of color -- that's black. But it sure looks colorless. Sorry, While Heaven Wept are all over the place stylistically. Mostly goth/doom metal. It's only their most recent release that got fairly proggy, although admittedly not as proggy as Myrath. I'll see what else I can dredge up. I tend to listen to a lot of that stuff. I do listen stuff like Meshuggah and Mnemic, but not as much. I tend to drive like Grand Theft Auto when I do, and I don't always feel like restraining myself, so I just choose to listen to music that makes me laid back and happy instead. Most of the time. On a completely unrelated note, WHERE THE HELL IS Requiem - Pianissimo (Virgin Black)?!?!?

Latest episode of Castle just popped up in Hulu queue -- a good one.

Holy crap! That's fochin' awesome -- congratulations!

That girl in the middle was amazingly cute. She even had a face like a manga character, with the strawberry shape, and the small mouth and everything. Also, probably illegal.

I love Mnemic. But jesus, you prefer that "singing" to this?!?!? EDIT: Now playing, While Heaven Wept, Lovesongs of the Forsaken http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghohQb7zlUE

Or maybe that's what happened in Iceland.

Snarky comment #1: And what programmer isn't going to program a back door? Snarky comment #2: How would you test it?

I got to play with one a little bit today. I can definitely see the appeal of the increased real estate, but it's basically an iPod Touch DX. I'd be in the market for one of these things if I was in the market for an iPod Touch with more real estate.

'zackly. And then there's this.

Just to offer a bit of counterpoint, I have zero problem with Gizmodo. Sure, they're talking out of both sides of their mouth to an extent. "We'll be happy to return the iPhone ..." (...now that we're done with it, but if you had asked us when we first got it, you might have gotten a tad more reticence than you're getting now). But jeez, c'mon, they're journalists, in a world where "first unboxings" -- especially of something like the Next Big Thing From Apple -- is like the holy grail of journalism. And I didn't read their reply to Apple as "flippant" -- just "couched". They even went so far as to throw a good word in for their unintended victim. Which is about all they can do, short of returning it to him. I think that's why they phrase it the way they do -- they want them to know that they want to return it to the person from whom it was taken. And I don't see this as career-ruining -- it was a mistake, a big one, and the dude needed to be called on it. I'm betting Apple keeps him, or he finds another job. Jeez, he can program microcode, cocky enough to test it himself in the field. He can't be too bad. I'd hire him. But it's all moot. The Princess of Kansas has declared that the issue be resolved by cockfight (titter), anyway, so wait for the carnage.

I don't remember any bagpipes, but I've only heard one album, need to track down the other two. Check out While Heaven Wept's most recent album -- progressive metal.

Oh, I would even go so far as to say that it's at least 10K cool...it's just too bad I don't have 10k.

Well, they have three different sizes; the one I saw was not imposing at all.

AudioCubes2

People leave their phones at bars all the time. Especially if they had it out and showing it off. Hey look, I have a phone that no-one else has -- documentably.

The Shure is a good "beater" headphone, you'll want to keep it as a backup.

Okay, coolest thing ever. It even has a date. See the little "V" thingy? That's the Vestal watch logo. It's also the date. They had the movement modified so that all it shows is black. Okay, no, not really. Oh, and Dinny, I forgot to mention -- I saw your blue-on-black Bell & Ross "instrument" at Torneau in person.

I suspect the cat thinks that that day was very productive.

I'd recommend an external phono box, myself, but grawk's suggestion is just as valid. Probably something the friend should decide.

Myrath -- progressive metal (cleanly sung, albeit with quarter tones) at its finest

And on an unrelated note, I think I saw Stephen's beer at Total Wine the other day:

Damnit, I was just in Wegman's, and they had Left Hand. Speaking of "reviews" -- anyone have any favorite blogs or websites? Beer Advocate seems to pop up in my searches for information often, and Total Wine tends to quote them when they do well there.