The day of the iPhone...

8:10am: On my way to work. 3 People setup outside the AT&T Store in Arlington Heights. Just under 10 hours to go. (fuckin' A! this ain't PS3!)

2:40pm: After lunch at Panera with Valerie, I took the long way back to the office. 18 people in line. 3h 20m to go.

7:40pm: iPhone +1h 40m, 28 people in line (outside the store) no idea how many inside.

9:55pm: Phone call to Apple store in Woodfield (open till midnight)...

Apple: "I can't tell you how many there are in stock."

Me: "Well if I leave now it will take me 40 minutes to get there. Will there be an iPhone left for me?"

Apple: "Let me put it this way... there's NO ONE IN THE STORE right now!

Seems they have plenty in stock!

Do I want an iPhone?

After watching this, this, this, this, and these, I really can't see how ANYONE wouldn't want one!

Hopefully I can resist temptation till version 2 (3G, flash, java, 40+GB) but the UMF is strong with this one and I've been drinking deeply of the kool-aid.

Update: Saturday 4pm... Woodfield still has 'em. It's been reported that most Apple stores got well over 1,000 of them for Friday's launch and flagship stores over 5,000, with the "Cube" (5th Ave, NYC) store having between 7,000-8,000!! So much for a shortage!

iPhone line...

...so with 10 hours to go, my local (to work) AT&T store already had 3 people in line.

Before you knock them... Think Different...

Finally saw "Shooter"

While predictable, the movie was a lot of fun in spite of Marky Mark in the lead role. As a firearms instructor I still have major issues with the casting of Walhberg in this movie since he is a convicted felon. Mark can't own a gun and even him picking up a gun is a federal felony. The extras show him shooting real guns with real ammo at Front Sight Firearms Training Institute to train for this movie. Yet another case proving celebrities follow different rules than the rest of us. Back to the movie... It was nice to see the lovely Kate Mara in another flick and If this is Lane Garrison's final acting job, he won't really be missed. I would have given it 5 stars if another actor took on the lead.

The larger question is... will Netflix post this review?

A rare & interesting conversation at work....

I'm not sure how but Brandon Lee came into conversation today, as did his death. I remembered vaguely that he died during production but didn't know much about the details.

As a firearms instructor, I was fascinated to learn that it wasn't just a live ammo vs. dummy ammo mistake...

From Wiki...

...a cartridge with only a primer and a bullet was fired in a pistol; this caused a squib load, in which the primer provided enough force to push the bullet out of the cartridge and into the barrel of the revolver, where it became stuck. The malfunction went unnoticed by the crew, and the same gun was used again later to shoot the death scene, having been re-loaded with blanks. However, the squib load was still lodged in the barrel, and was propelled by the blank cartridge's explosion out of the barrel and into Lee's body. Although the bullet was traveling much slower than a normally fired bullet would be, the bullet's large size and the nearly point-blank firing distance made it powerful enough to severely wound Lee as cameras were rolling at the Carolco Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina.

A textbook case for using a blank firing gun. Prop guns like that are not able to fire real cartridges.

An interesting footnote to that story, the actor who shot and killed Brandon Lee, Michael Massee, played Ira Gaines in 24.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling

Publisher Summary:

There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?

Harry has a lot on his mind for this, his fifth year at Hogwarts: a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a big surprise on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; and the looming terror of the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. But all these things pale next to the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named - a threat that neither the magical government nor the authorities at Hogwarts can stop.

As the grasp of darkness tightens, Harry must discover the true depth and strength of his friends, the importance of boundless loyalty, and the shocking price of unbearable sacrifice.

His fate depends on them all.

I'm getting far behind on Harry Potter. At the start of book 5 on June 6th, I was 12 hours behind for making my goal of finishing before the final book is released. As it is right now, I've been able to make up 4 hours on my last two drives to Pine Tree and back. Hopefully I'll get another 2 hour boost this weekend while driving for the next reloading class. I'm on disc 10 of 23. (as of 6/14/07)

Update 7/1/07: I'm done and on to book 6. Book 5 is simply wonderful. It's a shame that the movie doesn't do it justice.

Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 26 hours 30 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)

Audiobook
Hard Cover

"Gravedancers"

A heartfelt Irish wake for an old friend accidentally awakens three ghosts -- a rapist, an ax murderer and a pint-sized pyromaniac -- who wreak havoc on the drunken revelers who danced on their graves (Dominic Purcell, Josie Maran, Marcus Thomas and Clare Kramer). Tchéky Karyo and Megahn Perry co-star in this horrific tale of cause and effect from director Mike Mendez (The Convent).


The 3rd of the 8 Films to Die For I've seen and my favorite so far. It was nice to see Clare Kramer in something other than Buffy (I didn't even recognize her at first) and of course Dominic Purcell (Prison Break) is excellent as usual. I went into this (and all 8) knowing very little. I hadn't watched previews and I didn't read the Netflix description of the movie so I had no expectations other than the general "8 to Die For" hype. While I loved the movie, I don't see why it was "too graphic" or "too scary" for a general release.

Buy it here.

"Penny Dreadful"

After surviving an automobile accident that killed both of her parents, Penny Dearborn (Rachel Miner) has an understandable fear of cars. But her therapist's (Mimi Rogers) suggestion that they confront it together head-on turns out to have deadly consequences. Horror icon Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science) co-stars in this heart-pounding psychological thriller from director Richard Brandes.


The 2nd of the 8 Films to Die For I've seen. I really liked this movie. Some are correct that this is more of a thriller type than horror but going into the "8 Films" with very little expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by its end. Rachel Miner did an excellent job and it was nice to see Mickey Jones & Michael Berryman. The premise is just another reason why you should have a firearm in the car if you're going to drive in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! But then it would have been a different movie all together!

Buy it here.

"Unrest"

Medical student Alison Blanchard (Corri English) has no choice but to confront her fear of mortality when she and her classmates are ordered to dissect cadavers for their gross anatomy class. But Alison gets the fright of her life when she begins to suspect the corpse she's working on isn't truly dead. The only way Alison can help this cadaver's restless spirit find peace is to investigate the authorities' claim that it died from natural causes.


The 1st of the "8 Films to Die For" I've seen. The concept was pretty cool but there were certainly some issues with the script. You will get a chuckle when you see the solution for breaking off a padlock. At the very least... Corri is certainly cute enough to watch for 90 minutes. I didn't know Jessica Alba had a brother or that he acted.

Buy it here.

Sopranos Finale...

FUCK YOU DAVID CHASE!! I can't believe that HBO allowed that piece of shit finale to air!

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling

Publisher Summary:

It's the pivotal fourth novel in the seven-part tale of Harry Potter's training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal — even by wizarding standards.

And in his case, different can be deadly.

Any doubts that the Harry Potter series has gone from a kids book to Adult Fiction have now been crushed. This is an excellent book! Though you'd never tell by watching the movie since SOOO much had to be cut out of it.

Dumbledore is MUCH more of a class act than portrayed in the movie, the 3rd Task was actually more difficult than it was shown, and who knew that there were house elves in the book! You can tell... I really didn't like the 4th movie. But I give high marks on the book. Do yourself a favor and READ IT!


Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 20 hours 36 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)

Audiobook
Hard Cover

Random Ramblings...

Lower back pain sucks.

Another meeting and I'm still not on the Board of Directors.

My Blazer actually made it to Rockford and back without incident. An arm and a leg in fuel cost though.

Bowling Pin Shooting Match OR Valerie's co-worker's Wedding? Decisions, Decisions.

The Shield Season finale was anti-climatic though still great.

Oddly, On Saturday, I'm going to be a student in a class that I'm already certified to teach.

I hate cars.

Praising for hard work done is good.

back pain sucks.

2 more weeks for Darren.

Netflix now has season 1 of "Airline" on demand.

I'm going to shoot this golfball on my desk after the reloading class on Saturday.

No Father's Day for Chris.

"One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"

The dog puked on the floor. (thankfully tile)

"Saw III" was much better than I expected.

I need something stronger than ibuprofen.

I have more in common with the UPS guy than I do my co-workers.

My lawn needs mowing... I'm not gonna do it.

Sleeping with an AR-10 is probably dangerous.

I could use a stog and a beer right now.

Using a marker on a couch is not smart.

"The Return" could have been better.

Netflix needs MORE on demand!

I'm on Harry Potter 5 (for the 3rd time) now... (though I haven't updated the audiobook section yet)

More money would make Craig happy.

I think I'll make the kids watch another "From the Earth to the Moon" tonight.

I need corn on the cob.

The next thing that breaks down in the house or in the cars will result in my suicide... still working on ways to do it.

I'm in the mood for Nick's and a LOT of BEER.

I need Season 6 & 7 of DS9 still... finished the season 5 finale during lunch yesterday.

Valerie got screwed by Sam Adam's & Wildfire.

Bobby didn't need to die... but A.J. DOES need to die!!

Albus Dumbledore is a class act.

End of Line.