Greg Chaffins – Page 319

A Cylon in the Mirror

In the most recent episodes of the Battlestar Galactica re-imagining, we have four rather major characters who discover, or at least have a strong reason to believe, that they are Cylons. That is, they are indeed their own worse enemy.

The beauty of this is that there is no active betrayal, no sudden change, or no sure way of knowing for certain that it is the case. You simply are.

I find this intriguing, this instant conversion of everything you are and you believe in. Suddenly you are a spy on your own psyche, watching and noting anything that could be considered out of the ordinary, at least as you define it. You become the stranger, desperately seeking a measure of proof to know who you truly are one way or the other.

What a powerful psychological weapon this becomes at the disposal of the Cylons. All you need to place the weapon into action is to plant the seed of doubt. In this case, all it took was music that no one else could hear, simple music that did not fit into the normal realm of accepted perception. This could be extended to practically anything that could be weighed by our mind's judgment, such as visions, smells, even subtle shifts in attitude. A bad day could truly turn into self-inflicted disaster.

This is probably one of the better mechanisms of attack found in Science Fiction, and while it has been explored before this is a fine example of playing it out on a grand scale. What better than to turn the enemy on themselves, and in this case the turmoil is carried down to the individual as they begin to doubt their own purpose.

Imagine the feeling the characters would have when looking in the mirror, wondering whose eyes are looking back at them. Then again, given all that we know that the human race is capable of, seeing a Cylon looking back at you might not be one of the worse things. That is, if you don't mind religion seeking murderous robotic races as a general rule of thumb.

Aloha from the Beach,
greg

Will the real Doctor Who please stand up?

Greg Chaffins

Doctor Who, the low budget Science Fiction masterpiece that has captured the imagination for a generation, has a fan in me. A person can say a lot about what is wrong with the enduring series, but there is definitely more to say about what is right, especially considering how well it hits its target.

Along its impressively long run there were several fine thespians that played the Doctor, but for me the perennial Doctor Who has always been Tom Baker. No doubt being the current Doctor when I was introduced to the series (which I am pretty sure was on a PBS fund drive) has a lot to do with it, but I have found others who agree as well.

Now, though, we have not one, but two relatively brand new Doctors. I was delighted to find out that the new series was coming, especially considering how the mid 90s attempt did not lead to fruition. Chris Eccleston was to me a surprisingly good doctor, portraying it off the cuff and seemed to be having a good time. But no sooner than I had become accustomed to the new big eared (no offense) with all the answers Doctor he leaves and a new Doctor (number 10 if you are keeping count) comes into the picture.

At first the newest new Doctor (played by David Tennant) seemed weak and lost compared to the strong presence Eccleston presented. However, by the time half of the second season had passed I found myself warming up to the seemingly persnickety title character. Now, I am quite pleased with the Time Lord, and the character seems to hold true for the most part. I credit that to the writing, but David Tennant is delivering the goods.

With that stated, let me be honest about things. I still liked Chris Eccleston, and felt he was not in the part long enough to make a run of it (I liked him on Heroes too, but others definitely do not share my viewpoint of him as the Doctor). If he came back to the series in the case that David Tennant left I would not miss a beat watching it. If we had Tom Baker back as an older Doctor Who, now that would be sweet. No doubt that would be a limited series, but would that not be a delight? (Is he going to play the Master at some point? Inquiring minds want to know.)

A Doctor Who fan would probably be pleased with about any kind of offering, but what we have now is more than enough to please. If the current series makes it for another year I might find myself admitting that this is a favorite Doctor Who incarnation. I do like the way David Tennant comes across with the “You’ve had it now – I am going to do this” attitude. For a Doctor Who fan, having a current series with a pissed off Time Lord taking on the universe, well, it is a good thing.

Aloha from the Beach,
greg

Review: Flip Video Ultra Video Camera

Greg Chaffins

Digital video has evolved greatly over the past several years, and the price for reasonable quality video equipment has dropped to reflect this. I am especially drawn to the more economic memory based models, since they last longer with batteries and do not hurt so much if you lose or damage it while out, for example while hiking or riding.

Over time I have bought several such gadgets to record video, and I have always found them to have serious shortcomings. One of the biggest shortcomings was light sensitivity – a simple room with a single incandescent light would be enough to defeat any hint of picture quality. But that has changed now with the Flip Video Ultra Video Camera.

The Flip is named as such because it has a small USB equipped arm that flips up when you press the side button. That is all you need to connect to a computer and download, no cables required. This makes the device very convenient to dump and start recording again. Overall the device is 1.2 x 2.2 x 4.2 inches, easily tucked away in a pocket or other means of transport. The device has a decent microphone and a non-glare screen on the back to show you what you are recording. The 60 minute version has 2 GB of built-in memory. There is also a TV out for quick viewing with a larger display. The unit also features a built-in speaker, avoiding the need of ear buds if you want to view on the device itself. The video is 640 x 480 MPEG4 AVI, so finding a video package on your computer to do any editing should not be a problem.

The controls on this device are very simple to use. You have a big red button to record, a play button to play back the videos, and a trash button to, well, trash the videos you do not want to keep. There is also a button on the side that makes the usb arm flip out (it truly does flip out…). The controls work well, and anybody should be comfortable using the flip with a few minutes of practice. The record button is slightly inset to avoid accidental recording, but you should not have a problem with it.

Almost all units in this price range feature fixed lenses, and the flip is no exception. It does offer a digital zoom, but items tend to have an out of focus look when using it. This device should probably be considered a "point and shoot" video camera, so if you keep that in mind the lack of optical zoom is not a showstopper.

The camera comes in different memory sizes, but I would suggest not getting anything under the 60 minute version. The reason is simple – videos are so quick and easy to record you will find that you run out of room quickly. One major gripe I have with the flip video is that there is not a battery life meter. The battery life is good on this device, but you may forget exactly how long the batteries have been in and find yourself out with dead batteries. For that reason I would suggest carrying spares or loading fresh batteries before you go on a trip.

Earlier I mentioned the light sensitivity, and here is where the Flip Video Ultra shines. The specs rate as >2.0V/lux-sec with large (5.6 µm) pixels for greater light sensitivity. I have not found a reasonable place yet that the camera does not perform well under low light situations, sometimes looking brighter in the viewfinder than it does to my own eyes. I do not think the standard Flip video has this sensitivity, so by all means do get the ultra version.

I am impressed with the Flip Ultra video camera, as long as I remember it fits in the "point and shoot" category. For this use it excels, with a couple little complaints (no battery meter). I have taken the camera on several trips under varying light conditions and have always been impressed with the video. I have had this unit for about 8 months now, and it still works great. For more information on this camera as well as some interesting accessories you can check here: Flip Video Ultra Camera. One thing I would suggest is that if you have an older unit check online (www.flipvideo.com) for a rom update, since some early units had some problems, which apparently are now a thing of the past. And finally, if you are recording someone that is having a bad moment, put down the camera and give them a hand…

A Nerkle and a Nerd

Greg Chaffins

Okay, what does a Nerkle, a Nerd and a Seersucker have in common? Anyone?

These creatures, along with a Preep and a Proo, mark the first recorded use of the word "Nerd". The date was 1950, and the author was none other than the venerable Dr. Suess. The book was If I Ran the Zoo, and the line reads, "And then, just to show them, I'll sail to Ka-Troo And Bring Back an It-Kutch a Preep and a Proo A Nerkle a Nerd and a Seersucker, too!" . Now, can you possibly think of any more honorable lineage for a nerd than straight from the pen of Dr. Suess? I feel like royalty.

This title certainly tops other terms used to describe the nerd type. A geek, for example, can trace its roots to a circus performer that bit the heads off of chickens. Definitely not a choice model. There are others, but I won't repeat them here for fear of mixed company…

Of course, things could have just as easily gone another way. Could you imagine reading NerkleBeach?