Geoff's Random Thoughts

OK, I love Sony Equipment. My Stereo I bought back in 1994 that I've only just loaned to my Mum and Dad because theirs is in for repair, and I hardly use it. I've always chosen Sony in car stereo's because of the pure quality and simplicity. Sony to me says Quality, like Panasonic or Pioneer or any other established brand you care to mention. But from this point on I am boycotting Sony's equipment. I've mentioned it before but the rootkit debacle has shown how little respect Sony have for their customers. If you normally buy Sony equipment, I urge you to boycott them too and urge others also to do so. We have to get a message to manufacturers, Music distributors and anyone else who thinks that they should: 1) Treat their customers as criminals 2) Install software onto your PC without your express permission to do so. And by that I mean telling you that is what they want to do, rather than Burying it in a EULA (End User Licensing Agreement) among the le...

Sony have Class action filed against them for Rootkit. http://www.aunty-spam.com/lawsuit-filed-against-sony-bmg-over-sony-rootkit/ I've got to say that much as I love Sony's Electrical Equipment, the idea of someone installing software on your PC without your permission or even your knowledge, especially one that allows other people to exploit the 'Characteristics' of your software and the way it works and create backdoors into your PC, dumbfounds me.

When Adele and I were packing to go away for the weekend, I knew that I'd have time to read, and casting about for something to read, I noticed 'There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale - A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Lord of the Rings' by Sean Astin. I bought it on an earlier holiday in Wales and ploughed through the first half, but I noticed it sat there with a bookmark showing my last point of reference halfway through the pages, so I threw it in the bag to push on and complete it. Last night I got a chance to read while Adele was watching X Factor, so I opened the book and within two pages, I remember why I'd put it down. I hated the writing, I hated the way that the actor Sean Astin portrayed himself, made assumptions about what other people were thinking and generally portrayed himself as the holder of a wealth of experience. Now I've always enjoyed Sean Astin's acting, he's excellent in LOTR and I've seen him in a couple of other things, bu...

NT tried to deliver the Airport Extreme today, but Adele was out, so I had to go and pick it up from the Depot which is about 10 miles away. Of course it was packaged exquisitely, Apple had taken the usual amount of time and care to design the packaging, quality all over. So I whacked it together and plugged it in, I could tell from the LED that it wasn't happy, it should be solid Green and it was flashing Amber. I threw the CD into the Powerbook, and proceeded to install the software, at least I would have installed the software if the installer had worked, it didn't, it said that both iTunes and the Airport software were disabled. Right, I said, I'll just do it in Windows. I put the CD in, installed the software, fired up the Airport Setup Assistant, and set about installing the Airport, except that even though the PC was connected to a wireless router, it wanted the PC to be wireless. My next step was to search the Apple website for help, support showed that th...

Now I've gotta admit that I was really besotted with "The Hand that Feeds" which was the first single released from this album. I'm now a couple of weeks into some pretty solid listening (and I don't think I've listened to a enw album this much since the times when i could only afford to buy and album at a time.) I rate this as highly as any of the other albums NIN have released before. I think that it compares with Pretty Hate Machine. Of course, that's just my opinion I'm currently really enjoying: All the love in the world the hand that feeds (Which iTunes says I've listened to 20 times, and I know I've listened to in the car both the single when that came out, and now the album. Love is not enough

I got With Teeth last week and I think it's good When I got into work today, sat there and waiting (and they have been for the best part of a week) were: The Fragile The Downward Spiral Fixed I'm in NIN heaven, can't wait to really get into these. I have a little bit of trepidation about The Downward Spiral because I know and Love Further down the spiral and I'm expecting The Downward Spiral to be a little plain compared to Further, but we'll see.

OK Things I loved about the Film: The whole Trillian rescue thing The Heart of Gold (although I don't think that the name was mentioned) The graphics for the guide The radio theme tune being used Stephen Fry as the book Simon Jones... Things I liked about the Film: Arthur Zooey Deschanel (Beautiful, excellent character) Zaphod Marvin The Vogons Eddie Deep Thought TV Series Marvin Cameo Things I disliked about the Film: Alan Rickman's mockney accent for marvin The whole Musical opening sequence (although I have to say that the song is catchy, the visuals irritated the hell out of me) Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast (I was looking forward to him, but he was just Bill nighy, he was meant to be forgetful not dippy) Ford was meant to lead Arthur, but he virtually ignored him after they got on the heart of gold Deep thought watching TV In the end credits the wording is changed from "I seem to be having tremendous difficulties with my lifestyle." bu...

I am now an iPod convert, I've only been playing with this mini for 15 minutes, and I now know what the fuss is about, I do still think that it's expensive, but I can see where the extra money has gone. The clickwheel is amazing, I spent 5 minutes trying to turn the volume down, until I read the instructions and found the clickwheel touchy thingy. The quality is just Apple all over. So now I have it, I want to buy some extras for it. Starting with a power lead as the USB cable is restrictive for being away I fancy a dock What other items would people recommend?