the-shrike.net

I’m sure all of you remember well the last video production of the swedish metal band Hammerfall. I blogged about it some times ago, pointing out how fun was the idea (even if clearly sponsorized by a contact lense brand… but hey, I use them almost every day too :p) of making a metal music video with sport stars of your own country. Last time was with the Swedish Women Curling Team (supporting them just before the Olympic Game), this time is with four athletes.
I must confess I recognized only the adorabole Kajsa Bergqvist, probably the greatest woman high-jumper actually in activity.
Any advice helpful in identifying the other three (I suppose swedish) athletes will be gladly accepted: when speaking about the Swedish Athletics Team I am able only to identify Kajsa and Carolina Kluft, both for obvious reasons :p

Anyway, thank to Pelle who wrote me an email about the new video, and enjoy it:

• Hammerfall - The Fire Burns [.mov/11 MB]
• Hammerfall - The Fire Burns [.wmv/11.5 MB]

The host where both the files are is quite fast this time, so I’m not going to host them on my domain for now, if needed, I will.

And now, let’s convert the video for Asriel the iPod ;)

Strictly speaking I’ve not got any extra money yet, but my bank account is going to receive some extra gift very soon and this is leading my geeky mind to play tricks on me. Tricks in the form of things to buy and different ways to throw all that extra-income very quickly: not that I’m going to not let this happen.

The story so far.
My actual notebook (Haldir), a Compaq Presario 2510 (just put 348MB of RAM in that configuration instead of 256MB and you changed the 2500 to a 2510), is behaving pretty well, and in the last 5 years didn’t show any problems if we try to forget the burning of the motherboard in 2003 (quickly replaced while still under warranty by HP).
So if it’s working fine, why changing it?
Because it’s getting old and I can feel it: the LCD monitor is quite ruined by now, it’s getting noiser any day that passes (not to mention the fact that it needs a fan pointed at it during summer not to burn up :p) and in the end: I’m really starting to feel the need to play with some new hardware and more RAM+HD space.

Here comes the idea: why not investing some of the almost-incoming-extra-money in a new very portable laptop?

I do not want to stop using Haldir as my main workstation here at home, but having a substitute new & easy to be carried around it’s something that I have to plan. I’m speaking about taking it on journey with me during my flights rotations around the world and things like these. My geekself doesn’t want to be left alone at home anymore!
That’s why I’m looking into the 12.1″-sized laptops.

The first choices so fare are restricted to three different machines (I’ve to exclude any IBook due to them being too expensive and plus I don’t want to change my Linux lifestyle :p):

• IBM ThinkPad X60,
• Dell Latitude™ D420,
• Dell Latitude™ X1.

As far as I checked, the sexy ThinkPad X41 is now mostly available only in the Tablet configuration, something I am really not going to need at all. I’m really fascinated by the ThinkPad X series, and in Italy both the D420 & X60 cost almost the same price differing only 200-300€ which is not too much, while the X1 is a little cheaper due to the fact that it doesn’t have a Core Duo processor but only a Mobile Pentium.

I still haven’t decided, but as far as I looked around, the X60 support for Linux (and Debian in particular, the distro I would like to switch on the new baby) seems a little better than the X1, while I haven’t found any how-to strictly related to the D420 (but the D410 seems similar enough and there is something about it around).
So, by now, in this weird race the X60 is leading the race over both the Latitude™… it’s going to be quite a hard choice but after all not an unpleasant one! ;)

Stepping out of the shower, dripping wet, to answer the phone that’s ringing with the custom sound you set for Livingston Crew Control Department is not a good way to spend you afternoon. That’s something that must be a firm-point in the life of a well trained flight attendant :)

Anyway, they called me to cancel my tomorrow trip to Mombasa. I had it planned to last until Saturday and in its place I now have 3 boring stand-by days (a 07 to 17 shift). That’s not too bad after all, I’ve flown a lot this month and I’m going to earn enough money, but still I’m already missing being on a plane since I stepped out of it 2 days and half ago.
I suppose I’ll take this as a good sign of the fact I like this job a lot, and that’s all I need to know!

But you know, when you’re sitting in front of your computer with an outside temperature of +35°C (I bet near my laptop is at least some degrees higher) in a boring Wednesday afternoon, we all know what’s going to happen…

Dispatch estimate for these items: 8 Aug 2006 - 13 Aug 2006
Delivery estimate: 10 Aug 2006 - 18 Aug 2006

1 “The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials S.)”
Philip Pullman; Paperback; £5.09
(approx. EUR 7,45)

1 “Olympos (Gollancz SF S.)”
Dan Simmons; Paperback; £7.54
(approx. EUR 11,04)

1 “Ilium (Gollancz S.F.)”
Dan Simmons; Paperback; £6.65
(approx. EUR 9,74)

1 “The Subtle Knife”
Philip Pullman; Paperback; £5.09
(approx. EUR 7,45)

…my credit card is going to suffer!
Last time I bought a book was too far away in time, and that was causing me pain, a pain Amazon.co.uk helped me to get rid off. I love internet shopping. My bank doesn’t agree too much on that, but who cares ;)

I’ll read them around the world next month.
*yuk yuk*

*yay* a new version of Opera.
That’s something quite amusing in this hot melting day in Milan.
Right now I can’t see all the improvements from the last beta release, but I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
First note that comes in my mind is that it seems to be quite faster than Firefox in loading webpages, but that could be just me being excited for the new version!

Anyway, go and download it now for the real browse experience :D

bye

A new painting of François Baranger appeared recently on Dan Simmons’ website. It’s another portrait of the mighty Shrike from the Hyperion saga written by Simmons himself.
That’s not only one of the most amazing thing I’ve ever read, but as you can clearly understand by the name of this domain the Shrike is my favourite character from the books.

While I’m still waiting to hear the big news about the making of a movie on that story, it’s really nice to see in pictures things that I’m so used to imagine in my mind (after reading all the four books saga about three times by now, I’ve a clear imagination about everything that’s inside it - I must say I’ve only read Lord of The Ring more: seven times in total…) pictured in such an amazing way.

© of François Baranger

There are another two different versions of the Shrike on Baranger’s webpage, in the paintings 2002-2004 section. Take a look at them (and at all his other workings… they’re worth it) and follow my advice: read the Hyperion saga. NOW!

I think I just fell in love. Just look at this…

She’s the main character from Ergo Proxy an anime I just discovered today, and that for sure it’s going to be put on my DVD buy list as soon as possible! I really think I just found something that can get closer to reach the level of the Ghost In The Shell saga and its many spin-offs. Maybe I’ve found something worth being addicted to… Major Kusanagi is not enough anymore ;)

If you’re interested in knowing more about this product, take a look at these two reviews from Anime on My Mind and Sea Slugs! Anime Blog. They’re very well done, and full of screenshots too.
For something written in italian, here you’ll find perfect_black’s first impressions.

ITALY won the world cup! I was to young to enjoy the 1982 victory, but I’m not going to forget this one easily. What a night in Milan… I still can’t believe it!

Thank you Italy :)
*yay*

It’s black, it’s shiny, it’s new, and it’s already here & playing! :D
All it’s missing by now, it’s a name. But I’ll come out with one as soon as possible.

GTKPod seems to be doing its job pretty fine by now, and in a while I’ll see what’s coming out from the uploading of a video file. Eheh, my geeky self is giggling. A lot to discover with this new blinking gadget.

Hello here, I’m back from my second flight (that went smooth and nice. I already love this job)!
I am quite sure some of you were hoping not to see me for longer, but what can I say: world is a very unfair place. I’m back from Maldives where I spent 8 days hanging around white sand beaches and beach-volley matches (which we won against the locals, *yay* for Livingston crew!!! ^_^)
Wonderful places and a very nice island but trust me: what a boredom!
I mean, it’s good to stay there when someone (…the airline in my case) is paying it for you, but either you’re going there with your “special one” to have some time for you two alone, or you’re really going to be bored and spending a lot for nothing exciting. Being stuck on a 1km long island you can see totally in less than 5 minutes, and walk around in 10, is not something so incredible.

Anyway, I took some pictures, and here they comes… enjoy them all. Continue reading…