Blog.LaddBosworth.com

Swedish Hero

I think I'm more popular in Sweden than in the US!

You know you have too much money when...

From the Idiots with Money department:

BusinessWeek is reporting on a company called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets  will house your pet with an atheist family after the rapture. The service has attracted more than 100 clients, who pay $110 for a 10-year contract ($15 for each additional pet.) If the Rapture happens in that time, the pets left behind will have homes—with atheists.

It's not a joke. And it gets better:

Todd Strandberg, who founded a biblical prophecy Web site called raptureready.com that draws 250,000 unique visitors a month, agrees that Fido and Mittens are doomed. "Pets don't have souls, so they'll remain on Earth. I don't see how they can be taken with you," he says. "A lot of persons are concerned about their pets, but I don't know if they should necessarily trust atheists to take care of them."

Send me $100 and I'll promise to take care of your pets.

Susan Boyle - "Memory"

Mature? Crap.

Ugh. Reason number 5,383 that I hate Facebook. It thinks that I'm Mature, and looking for a Mature Singles dating site.

First Look: Hulu.com

Like uncle Steve, I was really miffed when NBC removed their content from the iTunes store. I loved being able to keep up with my favorite shows like Heroes even when I was traveling or when our less-than-reliable Comcast DVR failed to record an episode. As part of the change NBC joined forces with Fox to create Hulu.com. It was touted as a little bit YouTube a little bit iTunes.

My trial invitation came via email a few days ago and I've enjoyed clicking around the site. The library of TV shows is limited to the current seasons for most shows, though there are older episodes of shows like "Arrested Development". I was thrilled to see episodes from this season of "The Simpsons", "Family Guy" and have the chance to watch shows like "Chuck" that I just didn't have time for when the season debuted.

One of the biggest bonuses over iTunes is that the episodes are free (at least for now), but include "limited commercial interruptions". This basically translates to each episode's sponsor running ads during the normal commercial breaks in the show. But it's only one ad, usually a 30 second spot. The major downside here is that it's always the same ad for the same company, so if you're watching an hour long episode of "Chuck" you have to watch the EXACT SAME 30 second Saturn ad (or whoever the sponsor might be) 6-8 times. It gets really annoying.

On the downside, episodes aren't downloaded, you have to be connected to the internet to watch them, you can't watch them on your TV, and you can't transfer them to an iPod, iPhone, or other video device. Also, the episodes are not in HD like they were on iTunes. When viewing full screen video is pixelated but runs smoothly, where as on iTunes they still retain their stunning quality.

The major plus over other services like the Amazon download service is that Hulu is completely flash-based and cross platform (and Mac) compatible. The Amazon service doesn't work on a mac (what the hell were they thinking???).

Overall, Hulu is an awesome addition to the online distribution of video content, but I don't think it will ever replace iTunes simply because of the limitations on use. One of the biggest selling points for iTunes is the ability to watch the shows on my laptop or iPhone while I'm on a plane and Hulu doesn't satisfy that craving.

As more and more video content from the internet gets integrated into portable devices and home theater, Hulu will be left tethered to the internet. But for now, sign up for an invitation to the Beta version of their service and check it out. And here's a Simpsons episode to watch while you wait:

Kim Jong Il: Web Expert

Wow. I must be really slipping in my career. Yesterday Kim Jong Il proclaimed himself an "Internet Expert". But then again, in a country that monitors all internet traffic and blocks most sites, there can't be a whole lot to master.

Or maybe he was just lonely and got online to make some friends. He wouldn't be the first person to, uhm, learn the internet that way...

 

It came from the sky...

Mystery illness strikes after meteorite hits Peruvian village

Residents complained of headaches and vomiting brought on by a "strange odor," local health department official Jorge Lopez told Peruvian radio RPP.

"Boiling water started coming out of the crater and particles of rock and cinders were found nearby. Residents are very concerned," he said.

Could it be the precursor to an alien invasion?

[source]

Mozy.

How many times has your computer geek friend said "did you backup your data?" For most people backing up is a pain in the @$$ and never gets done. I have been backing up my photos and music occasionally on an external hard drive, but this blog and my other sites seem to be forgotten.

Enter Mozy.com to solve all of our backup woes. Mozy is a secure, automatic remote backup service for any Mac or PC in any home. No external hard drive (which I use now), expensive subscription services, or 100s of DVDs to burn.

The best part? backup space is unlimited. Yes, I really mean it. Backup space is unlimited.

What You Get

• Unlimited storage
• Open/locked file support
• Block-level differential backup
• 128-bit SSL support (to secure your data during transport)
• 448-bit Blowfish encryption (to secure your data on our server)
• Continuous or scheduled backup options

But that has to be expensive right? That's the best part. Mozy is only $4.95 per month. (If by some miracle you have less than 2GB to back-up, then Mozy is free, but even my mom has more than 2GB!

So all of you out there that I help with computer problems: you've been warned. Sign up for Mozy now or I'll smack you and scream "I TOLD YOU TO BACKUP!"

Mozy Online Backup: Automatic. Secure.

Top ten things you would never know if it weren't for the movies

My Favorites:

1. Large, loft apartments In New York City are plentiful and affordable, even if the tenants are unemployed.
2. It doesn’t matter if you are greatly outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts. Your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one… dancing around in a threatening manner until you have dispatched their predecessors.
3. It is easy to land a plane, provided that there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.
4. You’re very likely to survive any battle in a war unless you make the mistake of showing someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.

Read the Full List

Even CEO Can't Figure Out How RadioShack Still In Business

Via The Onion:

Despite having been on the job for nine months, RadioShack CEO Julian Day said Monday that he still has "no idea" how the home electronics store manages to stay open.

"I know one thing," Day continued. "If Sony and JVC start including gold-tipped cable cords with their products, we're screwed."

Read the Full Article Here