I Cheated on Google

Dearest Google, I’ve been unfaithful to you. I’m sorry to be so blunt, Google, but the truth had to come out, especially now, since the time of repentance is upon us.

My transgression occurred a few weeks ago. I was googling something obscure – I had heard something about heavy metals being present in calcium carbonate, the very calcium supplement I take.

But Google, my beloved, you couldn’t find any relevant results, at least not in the first pages of search results, and, Google, you know I don’t look beyond the first few pages generally.

So I tried Bing. Yes, Bing. Like you, Google, it has a cute and amusing name. I once searched Bing before, when I saw their commercial on the TV, purely out of curiosity. At that time, it appeared as though Bing’s results were very similar to yours, Google. So using Bing seemed pointless, for why stray from my beloved Google when there appears to be no additional benefit to Bing.

But on that fateful (and unfaithful) day, Google, when you couldn’t satisfy my web searching needs, I did the very same search at Bing that I had tried at you, Google (I don’t remember what I specifically searched for). And Bing found exactly what I was looking for, right there in the first web result.

There was an article from 2000 talking about a JAMA study that had found lead in a few brands of calcium carbonate, though the amounts were less than one would ingest from food and are (or at least were in 2000) acceptable by FDA standards. It stated that Caltrate (the brand I used to use until it became increasingly more difficult to find the kind I like that contains no Vitamin D since I take that separately; my stopping of Caltrate came long before I discovered its lead content) contained these detectable though safe amounts of lead, but Walgreen’s brand (the one I switched to) contained no detectable lead at all. Tums also contained no lead, which is nice. This is the thing Bing found.

But don’t worry Google, this doesn’t mean I’m leaving you. I still love you dearly, and you remain superior to Bing in other ways. I tried the Bing toolbar -- again, purely out of curiosity, and it was useless. Its only purpose is the search box, which sits in an obtrusive and unattractive blemish in my Internet Explorer (perhaps the Bing toolbar blends more nicely in Vista or Windows 7). The Google Toolbar, on the other hand, blends beautifully and modestly, and contains all those other useful thingies like Autofill, Pop-up Blocker, and other nice features. Also, Google, you have all those other products that I love so dearly, and that I surely could not be happy without.

Rest assured, My Dearest Google, that I will only use Bing on those very rare occasions when you can’t find something. This likely won’t happen often, since this was the first time it did, since that glorious day 8 or 10 years ago when I first googled, after someone on The Late Show with David Letterman website mentioned you, Google. I had never been happy with any search engine before you, Google; you almost always find exactly what I’m looking for.

Are you still upset about my unfaithfulness, Google? Doesn’t it help that my transgression was with Microsoft? You’ve known I’ve had a relationship with Microsoft since Windows 95, Google. But I understand, web searching is your territory, Google, and I’m sorry. I hope you will forgive me Google.

I love you, Google. But I also love Microsoft (most of the time).

ABC/Disney is Discriminating against DVD Users!

I make this outlandish claim because I have discovered (well, they make it blatantly obvious) that Lost University will be exclusive to the Blu-ray version of the fifth season.

I was so ridiculously excited about Lost University when I saw Lost’s Myface (Facebook) fan page post something about it back in July. I couldn’t wait to enroll – it seems so incredibly interesting. I even felt that they had stolen and then morphed my idea, since I had thought it would be a great idea to have books like The Philosophy of Lost, The Psychology of Lost, and The Gospel According to Lost, like they do for The Simpsons, and it seemed that’s what Lost University was all about, sort of.

UPDATE April 29, 2010
I suddenly felt compelled to see whether the Lost books I envisioned might, in fact, already exist, and they do!  Well, 2 out of 3 -- The Psychology of Lost doesn't appear to exist at this time, but Lost and Philosophy and The Gospel According to Lost do exist!  Woohoo!

I had hoped at the time that they were only suggesting the purchase of Lost Season 5 on Blu-ray. But after I excitedly enrolled today, I discovered that not only is that a requirement, but almost the whole University exists solely on the Blu-ray. It’s not even on the DVD!

I vowed never to buy Blu-ray discs, largely because I do not own anything that will play such a format. I also vowed never to buy Windows Vista, and thanks to Windows 7, I will never have to, so it worked. (It seems my Blu-ray avoidance might have to come to an end at some point in the future, according to Wikipedia.)

I wasn’t even sure I would be willing to buy the DVD of Season 5, but if Lost University would be on it, I probably would have. But now I won’t. I won’t buy any Lost DVD now, in protest of their exclusionary behaviors.

Hey, ABC/Disney, why don’t you put Lost University on a separate DVD if you don’t want to put it on the Season 5 DVD? I would definitely buy that, even if it’s just the non-interactive portions. Or better yet, why not put the whole thing online, you know, like at the Lost University website that already exists (see link below)? You could throw some ads on there and make money that way, or you could even charge “students” to enroll. Despite my proclivity towards cheapness, I would probably pay for such a fun, exciting, and interesting online university. But I won’t buy a Blu-ray player just for the joys of said university.

If you own a Blu-ray player and want to enroll, or if you want to enroll and see what you can get out of it without the stupid Blu-ray like I’m doing, go here:

http://www.lostuniversity.org/

UPDATE January 24, 2010
Well, so much for that – I caved. Amazon has (or had – I don’t know how long the sale will last, if it’s not over already) the DVDs of all the past seasons (1-5) for really low prices, so I bought them – all of them. It was a difficult decision – I was filled with guilt for betraying my own (pointless) cause. My sister was kind enough to allow me to “pretend” I bought it for her (which works out nicely if they end up releasing a fabulous box set of the complete series that I would obviously need to buy), but alas, it is still a betrayal of my non-worthy cause. What can I say, I’m weak.

Of course, the Blu-ray versions of all 5 seasons are (or were ) also on sale at Amazon, but their sale prices are still high, of course, because it’s Blu-ray, and Blu-ray is expensive.

I really hope they put the Lost U things on a DVD, even if it is just the non-interactive potions, because (assuming it would be cheap enough) I would buy that.

The Magical Brilliance of Ben Moody

(Originally posted as a Myspace blog, Sunday, April 29, 2007, 2:10 PM)

If you don't know who Ben Moody is, he's the former Evanescence guy who's been spreading his brilliance throughout the world of pop music. When he left Evanescence, I was heart-broken, but Amy Lee (and the rest of Evanescence) and Ben Moody have clearly influenced each other such that they have each continued to create some of the best music I've ever heard. But it seems that most of the public doesn't get to hear what I feel are among the best Ben Moody has contributed to....and that is the purpose of this blog...

Ben Moody (along with David Hodges) co-wrote "What About Now," which is by far the best song on the otherwise amazing Daughtry (self-titled) CD. Despite the utter perfection and beauty of this song (incredible music, incredible lyrics, and Chris Daughtry's incredible voice and talent), I get the sense that it will never see the light of radio play, perhaps destined to suffer the same fate as Kelly Clarkson's Addicted (also co-written by Ben Moody (with David Hodges and Kelly Clarkson)), also the best song on her otherwise amazing CD (Breakaway).

Both songs reach directly into your soul, into the deepest sulci of your brain, touching you emotionally like few things can; they're both the kind of songs that you stop what you're doing because you're just so mesmerized by the intensely beautiful sounds and you just listen and feel it...Yet you never hear about these songs; they don't appear to be given the chance to shine in the public's eye as singles.

It seems that it's too late for "Addicted" (Kelly Clarkson) since she seems to have a new CD on the way, but it's not too late for "What About Now" (Daughtry)...I hope I'm shown to be wrong, I hope it does find its way onto the playlists...

Interesting side note: As of the time of this blog posting, both Evanescence and Ben Moody have yet to accept me as Myspace friends...I've only been requesting their myspacely friendship for 6 or 7 months...

P.S. I realized I used a jargon-y word, so here's a definition:
"Sulci" is the plural form of Sulcus (because it's Latin). A sulcus is a fissure on your brain. Gyri (singular = gyrus) are the protrusions that sort of bubble out between the sulci.

I hope you've enjoyed this very brief lesson in neuroscience :-)

Updates (via comments I posted on the Myspace version of this blog)

June 23, 2007
Woohoo! Ben Moody accepted my offer of myspacely friendship! But alas, I continue to wait for Evanescence...

July 7, 2007 (07/07/07, a numerically exciting day!)
And the day has come, that I shall wait no more, for Evanescence has, at long last, accepted my myspacely friendship :-)

February 23, 2008
I was elated to see this week on American Idol, the Moody-Daughtry brilliance shining beautifully as "What About Now" played over some sort of montage of contestants. As far as I know, it's not a single (yet), but at least it's getting some public exposure :-)

July 3, 2008
Woohoo! I heard "What About Now" on the radio today! And they called it a new song!

My work here is done :-) This clearly happened because of me and my little blog! You're welcome, world!

Now, what shall I cause the world to do next...

Update:
Now, I mean September 7, 2009
Obviously "What About Now" has become rather popular, and appears to be loved by all humans. I'm so awesome for discovering it, and for causing it's success :-) hehehe

Ben Moody finally released his own CD called All for This (actually, I believe it's a CD-R), which you can download at Amazon (like I did). Obviously, Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson also have new CDs (Leave This Town and All I Ever Wanted respectively) which are also quite good :-)

I Can be all Poetical-like! (Hehehe)

UPDATE February 15, 2011

OMG!  I just discovered that Eminem coincidentally plagiarized my title!  On his 2010 CD, Recovery, the first track is called...wait for it..."Cold Wind Blows"!  I wrote and published my poem with the same title in 2007.  Eminem obviously read my blog and stole my title!  Please note, I'm obviously just kidding, though it is a strange coincidence. that demonstrates my talent hahaha.

(Originally posted as a Myspace blog, Sunday, February 4, 2007, 8:35 PM)


Cold Wind BlowsAs I walk through the bitter cold
The icy wind stings mine eyelids
And the phalanges that doth lie
Directly betwixt their brethren upon each glov'd upper appendage
Doth feel as though frost perchance hath bitten them
As the sanguineous humor enveloping my phalanges
Shrinks back in fear
Of its nemesis, the cold wind
That doth penetrate mine Old Navy fleece

(I know, I am hilarious!)

Introduction to My Blog

Hello, and welcome to my blog!

I never thought I would be a blogger, beyond the little Myspace blog that I almost never use, but alas, here I am!

I decided to start blogging because I occasionally have thoughts about things, and I then feel compelled to write those thoughts. I’ve previously shared those thoughts with a handful of friends, via fun and interesting emails (well, I find them fun and interesting anyway). So I’ve decided to share them with the world! Yay! :-)

To begin, I thought it might be fun to post a bunch of out-dated things – things that were not out-dated when I wrote them. Don’t worry, after that, things won’t be quite as out-dated as I post them (assuming I continue with the blogging). These first out-dated postings will come from my Myspace blog and from emails that I’ve written. I will try to post them chronologically, but try not to be sad if that doesn’t happen.

I realize I’m a bit late joining this blogging bandwagon, but I guess that’s my style :-) Next, maybe I’ll join Twitter!

I hope you enjoy my blog! Do you think I said “blog” enough? Blog!!!

UPDATE January 27, 2010
I finally joined Twitter! I probably won't tweet anything, but Conan O'Brien is now on Twitter, so obviously I had to join just so I could follow him!