Thoughts: 12-June-2010

It has been awhile, I hoped to write a blog sooner than this, but lots of stuff got in the way. Too busy.

Rant of the week.

I just saw a news item that record companies are crying about a drop in CD sales. You know, before the CD, we had vinyl records which you could buy 3 for 10 bucks, giving you a chance to support new groups. Then CDs came out with the marketing con about only the best is coming out on CDs which cost 15 bucks. Eventually everything came out on CD with prices not dropping at all. CDs were always way overpriced and now with downloads and IPods, we don't need to pay for the over priced CD, if record companies had been less greedy, the CD would still be selling well.

Movie Review.

Splice, directed by Vincenzo Natali and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. This film is a cross between Species and Croneberg's the Fly. These scientists are creating hybrid life forms to synthesize new proteins to be used to cure diseases. They created a male and female blob creature for this drug company, who then wants to shut down the lab and focus on creating products from the proteins. They want to go further, and create a human animal hybrid then becomes unexpectedly viable and grows into a pretty creature named Dren. Pretty enough to entice Brody into having sex with her. Then at the stockholders meeting where the blobs are to be shown, we find out the female has changed into a male and the two creatures start to fight casting blood and guts over all the shareholders. Working for a major pharmaceutical company, I liked this scene the best. Dren follows suit and turns into a male, kills Brody and rapes Polley impregnating her in the process. She ends up killing Dren and cuts a deal with the company for a zillion bucks for the fetus growing in her, as that has these valuable proteins. Okay film and was worth watching, not that original but entertaining enough. B (Mostly because I really liked that stockholder scene.)

Sports Update.

Boston Red Sox: Last weekend they took 2 out of three from the Orioles, split a four game series with the Cleveland Indians, and beat the Phillies 12-2 last night to start their weekend series. Now the Yankees and Rays need to start losing.

Boston Celtics: Very frustrating series with the Lakers. They split the first two games in LA giving them the home advantage, then lose game 3 in Boston. They came back in game 4 to tie the series 2-2. Now they have to win at least one game in LA, provided they win game 5, the last in Boston.

NHL: The Chicago Blackhawks have won their fourth Stanley Cup by beating the Flyers in OT in game 6 in Philadelphia. This was a series where the Flyers won the first two games in Philadelphia but could not get the job down in their last home game. Chicago must be very excited to have this win, I know my dad would have been happy.

NCAA: Conference changes are a happening. Colorado leaves the Big 12 to join the PAC 10 and Nebraska leaves the Big 12 to join the Big 10 as the 12th team. Big 10 will have a conference championship game and now will they court any other teams? Texas (PAC 10 and Big 10) and Texas A&M (SEC) are rumoured to be evaluating their options. And can the Big 10 get the Big 12 name? And will Notre Dame finally join a conference or risk being left out in the cold? I wonder if Pittsburgh has a chance for the Big 10 or is that now dashed?

World Cup: For the first time in the 25 years I have been at Pfizer, they are showing World Cup games during the week on the big screen in the 220 atrium. This is do to all the British folk joining this company over the last few years, I think that the World Cup is boring and would rather do work than watch that. You know why that guy screams out the word GOAL, it is to wake up the audience.

Oh well.