Digital vs Physical Delivery of Content

Is anyone else really confused why in God's name it is cheaper to purchase a physical copy of multiple types of digital content than to download it through the standard mechanisms?

The best example was this past week, where Titanfall 2 and Battefields 1 were both on sale from Amazon.

Buy digital : $ 59 99 Download now!
Buy new : $ 35 00

So the options were to buy a physical copy, which involved producing the disc and assorted material, shipping it to a distribution center, then shipping it yet again to my house, for $24.99 less than buying a digital copy (which the content producer has a higher control on and I cannot re-sell or lend out to another person)!? Yes, there are some costs to the digital distribution (bandwidth and (hah) storage), but those have to marginal compared to the entire supply chain to provide the digital copy. If they were comparable in cost I would definitely do the digital, even though I as the consumer come away less well off (because I cannot share nor can I sell it) because in the end I don't want more little plastic cases taking up space in my bookcases. I will take the hit because it seems the logical, and environmental, way to go.

This problem has also been observed in some cases in music (for example it has been cheaper to buy the CD and get the digital copy for free than to buy the digital copy) and for books.With DRM getting relatively hard to remove and people being relatively lazy, piracy isn't really a concern anymore either.

I just don't get it. We are in the 21st Century, why are we stuck doing this stuff the old way!?

May Shows

Still keeping up with

• The Flash
• Arrow
• Supergirl - Catching up on
• Babylon 5 - On Season 5 (of 5) - I feel like I may have not seen most of this. It was around here that I first started my post-college jobs
• Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt - Finally some quite time to watch with my wife
• Amazing Race - Though we just aren't digging this year (YouTube stars, of which I was aware of one and my wife zero..... way to make us feel old)
• iZombie
• Jane the Virgin
• Fear the Walking Dead
• Chelsea Handlers new Netflix show! Yeah, just a bit excited about it. Though the wife and I cannot watch it in the mornings anymore like we did when we just had our daughter, Sydney, at almost 3 she has a remarkable ability to soak up words.

Movies (yep, I see so few now, even on DVD. I used to see 1-2 movies in the theater every week!):

• The Martian - A nice adaption of the book. It was interesting to see where they cut out from the book. I am glad I "read" the book first.

What my Daughter is obsessed with:

• Octonauts - Cannot complain too much, at least there is some bit of learning/science involved.
• Team Umizoomi - Which I really like since it focuses a lot on shapes and colors.

What my Son is obsessed with:

• Anything his sister has
• Anything he can eat
• Trying to walk (and he may still make this benchmark this month)

What I am obsessing about (Early Feb)

Games

• Mass Effect 2 - When I leave this game? I feel the urge to turn it on again and ignore real life. Really, games are getting so good nowadays they create borderline addiction (I guess there are far worse things to have an mild addiction to.... Drugs, alcohol, etc)
• Borderlands - Same as ME2 above... I addicted my roommate to it.. He has lost several afternoons to someone who I have only seen pick up the controller 4 times in the past 1.5 years.

TV

• Life Unexpected - I knew I would like this. And damn if I didn't.... I am afraid that my like will doom it like so many other cool shows...
• Lost - So addicted. Can't wait until the next episode!
• Chuck - They say it is an all new Chuck. But I think it is only slightly different (and that is a good thing)
• Amazing Race (yes, one more week..... can't wait. Best reality show ever!)

Movies

• Up - It's cute. Bittersweet but an uplifting story.
• Angels & Demons - Meh... it was ok.

Oh, and I am also obsessing on my Final for my graduate class, which after a bit of peer editing (Thanks Mom and Hannah) is now done and ready to turn in!

Avatar

Spoiler, don't read any further if you haven't seen the film.

Overall? Very pretty movie. I saw it in 3D (really no other option) and was really impressed with the effects and the animation. The 3D leant to the realism and helped immerse you in the movie.

If it wasn't so damn ham-handed in the politics I might have even given it 5 stars (out of 5). But...

Let's start with the Na'vi. I will leave out some of the complaints from the SF realm about our inability to create truly alien aliens, that's just hard to do. But overall it's like they rolled up all the "noble savage" bits and pieces put together from Indian and African belief systems and made them blue. Couldn't be more contrived to draw the sympathy's of the audience if they tried...

But my true ire? The one character that is supposed to be portraid as the noble warrior who rose above his class? The one that I left the movie with an intense desire to kill or see die in the movie? Jake Sully (the other human race traitors as well, but he is the main orchestrator). Oh, words cannot describe the ire I feel at this character who betrays humanity (in the end basically telling them to leave, go home and die). The whole thing left me with a bad taste in my mouth, too see a human choose to side with aliens to kill other humans. Were the humans the best people in the world? No. But it appears from the commentary at the end that the Unobtainium was necessary for the continuation of the human race (they never it clear what Unobtainium provides, but the ending implies that humanity is being kicked off the planet to the death of Earth... They just imply that it is corporate greed (forgetting that often these corporations are providing key and important services)). Would I bulldoze over a tree to protect humanity (even if it was full of these idealized creatures)? In a heartbeat....

Whip It!

So I gotta say I am pre-biased in favor of this movie.... Beyond the whole Drew Barrymore affinity that I freely admit to, I have been to Austin TX a number of times (love the town and the culture) and have even attended a Roller Derby event in Austin.

I loved this movie. Very entertaining, lots of LOL moments and was even engaged for the action scenes. There even was a surreal moment as they show the characters watching a movie in the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin (the same place I was watching the movie). The story, the development of the main character from a meek girl to an empowered young woman is good and believable, the characters are likeable and relatable, and you leave the movie with a good feeling.

Really, if you have a chance? Check it out.

Zombieland

For someone with my fascination with Zombies, it is kind of surprising that I haven't seen it until now (though in my defense the past weekend was hectic, with the ATM, family in town(including me) and a DC United game to see.

Loved it! Classic zombies (though maybe a bit smarter... one zombie actually turned the doorknob in one scene), stereotypical characters (but with some fun twists).... In some ways it almost feels like a movie adaptation of Left 4 Dead.

Love the surprise guest (Bill Murray) and overall it was an enjoyable 1:20 (are movies trending shorter again? Haven't seen a film this short in a bit.

4/5 Stars! Not Zombie perfection but lots of fun.

Star Trek.

Really, really good. Go see it.
This is one of the most approachable of the Star Trek series. You could go in with no knowledge of Star Trek and enjoy it (CupcakeGirl is a good example.. she said she liked it). Very action oriented, much more of a "realistic" feel (some things I liked, there was actually things like military discipline on the ships, the tech level felt more believable (engine room, bridge), fights seemed realer (bodies, vacuum)) and was quite a fun night.

I watched this on IMAX, but the theater was so full by the time we got there so we were way up front. I really hate how we Americans fill in a theater, even when it was packed. So much lying (I am saving that seat = my fat ass doesn't want anyone sitting next to me.... I did look back at least once or twice and saw that a number of those "saved" seats were empty... why was I not surprised).

PS, J.J. Abrams, you are officially banned from the lens flare effect... are you kidding me? You just used up a lifetime pass, something like 200+ uses...

Media Notes

Movies

• I Love You Man - saw this while I had freetime at drill (shocking). Pretty entertaining.

TV

• Dollhouse - Still loving it, all the way to the end. Me and CG gasped when we saw the reveal (I called it a little before it was stated). Next week looks... fantastic!!
• Chuck - OMG. I know Kung-fu!!! God, I love this show and really hope that all this bubble talk is just that. I really want to see how this plays out.
• Amazing Race - Really, the editors of this show are great. While there are no teams that I really love, there are a few I don't like (yes, I am looking at you deaf boy.... your mom sooo carried your whining ass)
• 24 - really, I think this may have been the most twisty season yet... Go Jack! Go Chloe (kick Janeane Garafalo's characters ass.. that woman pisses me off so much)
• Big Bang/How I Met Your Mother - This must be just about the best comedy block on TV right now. The season enders/near enders have just been entertaining..
  

I think my external drive for my Tivo is about to die. Already moving some shows off and have a replacement ordered....

Video Games

• I got nothing... a few games of Halo 3 and that is about it..... Rare for me..
  

Who buys DVD's anymore?

I recently wracked my brain and tried to remember the last time I bought a DVD (or BluRay or HD-DVD... pretty much any physical disc). As you can see above, I used to buy them... A lot.... (I probably have around 1500 disc's.... mainly Anime). I don't count games (since you pretty much have to buy them in disc form) but I think it came out to be the middle of last year (where I bought a collection of my of my favorite TV shows). I also can understand people with little children (who have the ability to watch the same show something like a billion times) or special excemptions for shows that you just love (like women and "Pretty Woman", "Sex and the City", etc).

But with all the options out there (Netflix, Tivo, etc) who really needs those physical discs cluttering up their environment? I know that I (and a couple of people I know that used to buy a lot of stuff) have seen our activity slow to a trickle....

Watchmen and other Recent Pop Culture stuff.

The GF (who now bears the name of CG, Cupcake Girl) and I went to see Watchmen on Friday.
All I can say is whoah! That is a whole lot of blue penis.... (there may have been blue balls (hehe...) but in the standard hetero manner all I saw is penis and I then had to reframe what I saw of the scene). They may as well call it the blue penis movie....

After that it was off to drill (oh yeah, I am in a good mood this week... nothing like 2 workweeks sandwiching a weekend where I am under even more stress than while at work.). I didn't even get back until around 10 PM since for some reason we decided that it was a good idea to run a land navigation course from 1300-1700 on a Sunday afternoon, so of course it ran long.

Some of the shows on my hot watch (shows that do not sit on my Tivo for any period of time)

• 24 - The wait was long but OMG.... this season has been awesome! Is it wrong that I want to see bad things happen to the Senator (Red from That 70's Show) and Janeane Garofalo(who joined the show because she hated Jack Bauer!)? Nope, not really..
• Lost - It really has picked up this season. I watch it every week with CG and the twists and turns are a lot of fun!
• Life on Mars - Poor show. I liked it. At least it gets a chance for a graceful exit.
• Chuck - Please do not cancel it. This show is great TV!
• Gossip Girl - Another fun series. I am so not in the target demo, but it is still entertaining to watch.
• Dollhouse - Love it! Like all Whedon shows, it takes a bit to "burn in" and establish itself.

Geeky week

First I discover "The Middleman" TV show. I know, at first I discarded it... after all, it is on the ABC Family channel. But then I watch it. And its GOOD! Very much in the off sense of humor, much along with things like "The, Tick", Mystery Men and others of its ilk.

This week also premiered "Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog". Joss Whedon is the man. I just finished it and it was awesome.

The "The Dark Night" came out and I watched it today. Also awesome.

Just such a good week for geekdom.

Fun weekend or "Why I should check the weather before heading to the Amusement Park"

A nice relaxing weekend. Took it easy on Friday night, had a few beers, some pizza and went to see Wall-E. Cure little movie, I can see why it, like almost every Pixar movie, did so well, it plays at a lot of levels.

Saturday morning I did something I hate, waking up early, to be with some of my classmates for a 6K Cross Country run. It was a lot of fun, a very challenging course, all dirt and all up or down it seemed, and I finished in 38 flat. Killed some time, bought some beer for a party (Leinenkugel... love that beer. I got both the regular and the Berry Weiss (probably like the original more but it was still really good and popular) and joined a bunch of my classmates for a cookout. Lots of fun was to be had that afternoon and that evening.

A later start than I planned on Sunday, but it was all for the best. Driving west to Atlanta I ran into some dreadful downpours that made me glad that I wasn't heading there as early as I planned. After pulling over and confirming that the front had passed I went on Six Flags Over Georgia. Everything was reopening when I got there and I had the pleasure of just being able to walk onto most of the rides. I rode most of the coasters (skipped the wooden ones, I just don't find them as entertaining anymore) and really enjoyed 2 of them, Superman (anything where you are hanging like that is cool) and Goliath (TONS of fun, the negative g's were so cool, it was like you were floating off before plunging again). Another front did come through and shut things down for a bit (I just found a dry spot and sat and read this new John Ringo novel, Yellow Eyes (a Posleen/Aldentia war novel) and waited it out). I had a funel cake before leaving and was quite satisfied with the day.

Movie Roundup

Since I had a nice slack weekend and of course I was bored (though here at BOLC III I have way more toys available) I hit the movies (and watched a few from Netflix).

• Get Smart - I actually really enjoyed this movie. The casting seemed right and it had just the right level of campiness.
• Wanted - Pretty pictures. Yeah, thats the best compliment that I will give it. Plot could have been better and it was fairly entertaining as long as you completely shut off your brain and just rolled with it.
• There Will be Blood - Bleh. Long. Boring. Not really sure what people saw in this movie.
• No Country for Old Men - Long. Good. Definitely reminds you of the extremes that people will go through for money.

I have also been downloading Doctor Who (god, I really enjoy this show... still can't believe that I am saying that (I always thought that the fans of Doctor Who were the way too dorky, and this is coming from me so that says a lot)) and have started rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.... It's finally been long enough that I can watch the show and not have perfect memory of how the episode went.

Hot enough?

All I can think is thank god this training is indoors, since its been awfully hot (Cat V days in military terminology, the worst and most dangerous category). My "Flow" (yep, that's how they broke us up, into "flows" (basically 27 per flow, an A-Flow and B-Flow). Not platoons, not squads, not something military sounding, but flows.......) is working on basic electronic foundation stuff. Resistors, capacitors, inductors, AC/DC. I am having flashbacks to end of high school/first year of college, the last time I really thought about this stuff. Luckily its coming back, but you can see that a lot of people struggle with it.



Friday was an "Organization Day". Basically a picnic. In almost 100 degree weather. Lucky us. Though it did allow me to sleep in late (didn't have to show up until 930... a nice switch from the 0530 during a normal day). And we did get out early.



Friday night was definitely interesting. I went to an indoor football game (hey, the tickets were free) then headed a couple of blocks over for the downtown "First Friday." Basically its an event where the businesses downtown stay open, there is street food, different vendors set up and there is music. Very fun (and a very different set of food in my stomach, teriyaki with payaia).

I sampled some more of the local food over the weekend. I hit this place called "Sconyers" and was quite pleased with the BBQ there. They had a big master plate (1/4 chicken, 2 ribs and a healthy scoop of pork and beef BBQ plus sides) that pretty much sent me into a food coma. Good thing I went for a 6 mile run in the morning (wow did that wipe me out as well! 1 liter of water right before and completely drained my camel-back on the run) along the canal here in Augusta. Not as nice as the C&O canal but it is also a more functional canal than that one.

Movies

3 new ones over the weekend and another one on Monday (gotta love getting free from work so early)

• Smart People - I really liked this one. Dark. Smart. Anything that has a book called "You don't know how to read." 4/5
• Leatherheads - Actually more entertaining than I thought it would be. 2.5/5
• 21 - LOTS of fun. I really enjoyed this movie. Though lets not forget that I love Vegas and gambling. And have friends who are gamblers who make a good living.
• Harold and Kumar: Escape from Gitanimo Bay - Entertaining as well. Watched the movie all by myself (no one else in the theater). I love when that happens. I think I enjoyed this more than the first one actually.

A rest weekend

After all the excitement of the past week and in anticipation of our packed week coming up I did nothing this weekend.
Of course some of that was due to Friday night. We decided to have a cook-out to celebrate the birthday of one of Platoon at one of the Infantry guy's places here on base (they had to secure their own housing in anticipation of not having anything available during their OBC (Officer Basic Course) as well as their mandatory Ranger and Airborne schools). Much beer was consumed and we also had plans to make sure that we could safely go downtown (thanks to generous DD's). There was much discussion of the Land Nav test earlier as well as some gossip that I cannot mention out of deference to those involved (there are people reading this who know my last name and that's where discretion and decency comes into play).
All I will say abut the evening is that shots are not my friend.
So after the mandatory rest period I woke up and all of a sudden the power goes off in the barracks. This doesn't bother me too much given how I feel so I go back to sleep. Later, still no power. Even later you can see the workers desperately trying to fix it (basically a wire burned out.... one of the big feeder ones). So I went bowling with a buddy (one lousy game and then a great 160 game... consistency is not my thing in bowling). Then off to the movies.

• What Happens in Vegas - Pretty fun actually. Naturally pretty predictable (its a RomCom after all) but it had its moments. Cameron Diaz still looks good. 3/5
• Vantage Point - I actually liked this movie. It unfolded like an onion, each presentation showing parts of the previous story and incorporating them and also showing hidden meaning to those events that were shown previously. I got the feeling the audience, not so much... they seemed frustrated, since each retelling ended very dramatically. Great cast and over all very entertaining. 4.5/5

After that I puttered around the completely dark barracks, then chatted with my girl for a while late at night. Just as I was getting into so good sleep of course the power returns.... at 043o in the morning.... that would have been fine, except it tripped the fire alarm. Sigh... I can't wait to get out of this hellacious too early in the morning place....

Another late start, a very light lunch then off to the gym. Lifted then did some laps. Its been a long time since I did laps and I was very rusty (and I forgot how good of a workout it is). Obviously I called my Mom (who I also had remembered to send a card too... gotta stay in the good graces). Went out for a fantastic dinner of BBQ at Country's. Then I went for a 4 mile ruck march to break in some new boots (and also learned that a certain pair of socks should not be used for rucking) as well as prep for the 10 mile ruck march on Thursday. Now I am packing and getting ready for a way too exciting day tomorrow.

A passel of movies

One of the side effects of my time down here in Georgia is that I see a lot of movies (and get to eat out at some different places).

This weekend was a break weekend after the whirlwind of last weekend. Lots of sleep on Friday (10 hours), woke up, hit the gym, putter around my room for a while, then off to get some dinner and watch some movies.

• Baby Momma - Love Tina Fey. This movie was pretty funny. I enjoyed it a lot
• Hidden Kingdom - Jackie Chan. That's really all I needed, everything else was bonus. Fun movie. Not too deep and pretty predictable but good. 4/5
• Iron Man - LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! this movie! Lets lay aside that I am a massive Iron Man comic book fan for a moment (as any of my family can testify to given the number of his comics I own). This movie represents a quintessential superhero movie. Action, comedy, Action. A little character development and a lot of happiness for the fans. (loved the SHIELD reference) 5/5
• Fools Gold - eh. okay romantic/adventure. Very linear and predictable. Glad I only paid a dollar for it. 2.5/5

Then I hurt my foot while outside the theater. ow! But it looks to keep me from running with my IBA (body armor) tomorrow so that's okay, though its gross and frustrating.

Relaxing weekend

Apparently yesterday was Rachel Bilson day... I went and saw Forgetting Sarah Marshal and then later in the day went and saw Jumper at the cheapie movie theater. I felt that I had seen most of the really funny scenes for Forgetting in the previews, sometimes a distinct danger of this sort of comedy. Overall it was pretty entertaining. But of course I am a bit predisposed to both the leading ladies so its not surprising.

Friday night was a late start, as we didn't get release until 6. A couple of the guys went over to a Mexican restaurant right outside the gate and we got margaritas. One was all it took for a good night. $14 for this ginormious 60oz, top shelf beast. We had our DD drive us back to the base and then "watched" a movie (as I fell asleep pretty much as it started.... 4am wakeup and a nice drink predisposed me to falling asleep). I also hit the gym yesterday and then went to a local Chinese place, Chef Lee's, which was recommended by a classmate and was listed by USA Today as one of the best Chinese places in the country. It was pretty good and I can see myself returning there.

Sunday was a late morning. Went for a 40 minute jog around the base, showered, popped over to the commissary for some necessities (detergent, water, stuff to put in water (big fan of the crystal light hydrate packages... for someone who has been IV'd 3 times last year I know the importance of replenishing electrolyte's)). Then off to catch a movie, The Bucket List. As yesterday seemed to be about youth and beauty (very defining for both the movies I saw on Saturday) today countered that with Jack Nicolson and Morgan Freeman. It was fun, somewhat predictable but a fun little romp.

Ah, now the fun part of the day. I got up too late for breakfast so I decided to take advantage of a big lunch (luckily I get per diem for food on the weekends) at Country's BBQ. Sooo good. I had a combo plate, some ribs, some pork, some beef with sides of french fries and fried apples along with cornbread. Very good though next time I will stick with the pork, I liked that a lot more than the other 2. Then I rolled back to base..

When I got back I also worked on homework (this place feels even more like a dorm as I work on homework....) and took a long walk while talking to people on the phone (was going to hit the gym but it closes at 1700 on the weekends). Off to bed for an exciting day at the ranges by 2300!

In Bruges

I went and saw this on Monday when we had some downtime in the evening. I went and saw it at the Carmike Peachtree. Apparently they have one theater that is aimed at a higher set, more expensive than the others, better configured (little tables by your side so the seating level is lower).
Loved this movie (but I like character, indie/foriegn films so I am a little predisposed. I like the fact that I can appreciate this and also a popcorn film like National Treasure). A little dark but it had such a pretty background (Bruges is an amazing looking town, so have to visit it). Overall the story was a little surreal and unrealistic but the characters were engaging and realistic, and the originating situation definitely was a good setup for getting the character in motion. 4 stars.

Weekend of Movies

Ah, a glorious free weekend. Other than getting up early on Saturday for my CQ shift (and having to shave, something that I generally avoid on the weekends (to give the poor face a break)) it was a nice weekend. I hit the gym on Saturday and Sunday (we have a really nice gym, brand new)

Yep, that's a climbing wall in the background. Off to the left there is 2 full sized basketball courts down the hall.

There is also a pool at the gym. Note the hottub. I will so be using that in the coming weeks.

So basically I used this time to recharge (read that as, being away from everyone I had to be with during the week. I like them a lot but I do need my "me" time to recharge.). I did do dinner and a movie with some classmates but mostly it was focused on getting things lined up for next week and getting mentally prepared.

There actually is a movie theater here on post. Carmike Cinema's seems to have this area locked up and while the theaters aren't the biggest (and for the discount one somewhat rundown) they do use some pretty good technology (primarily DTS, allowing them to digitally distribute the film and also makes sure that nothing happens to the quality of the presentation since there is no degradation of the picture due to repeated use).

I saw the following movies (in order of attendance)

• The Ruins - weak movie. Further confirms why I hate plants. definitely was cheering for the people who worked to confine that evil plant.


• The Superhero Movie - moderately amusing. Very juvenile humor but fun overall. About what I was expecting.


• Drillbit Taylor - Saw this with a few other BOLC II Students. eh. Standard teen film schlock. definitely not on par with some of the recent shows like Superbad or whatnot.


• National Treasure: Book of Secrets - This movie was plain old fun. I loved the first one and really enjoyed this sequal.

I figure that I will be seeing a lot of movies over the next 20 weeks. There are a couple that I am really excited about, in particular Iron Man and the new Indiana Jones movie

Overall I am ready to face the coming week. We have a couple of events coming up, primarily Combatives (basically a hybred martial arts class) on Tuesday-Thursday, a 5 mile Ruck March on Friday (that means no PT. I will ruck any day over doing PT (in particular running)), start BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship) training this week and also have to attend a mandatory reception on Tuesday evening (could be interesting, probably not.).