on the iPhone

Door #1:

iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.

Door #2:

Mobile phones in the United States are more power-hungry and complicated than ever. But one of the latest phones from Motorola, aimed primarily at other markets and due out by the end of the year, is just the opposite. Looking for more customers, the company did extensive market research in poor countries. The result: the company's slimmest phone yet, boasting cutting-edge technology that--rather than adding complexity--extends battery life and makes the phone simpler to use.

Based on the reactions I've seen from people so far, half of the Internet community would battle it out in the Thunderdome for the chance to buy one of those Apple phones--for the low, low price of $599. Am I the only person in America who would rather go for the latter option?

Because why not put them up

My NFL playoff predictions. You'll just have to trust me about yesterday's.

Wild Card
Indianapolis 38, Kansas City 24
Larry Johnson rushes for 300 yards and 3 TDs. KC still loses.
Seattle 17, Dallas 13
Dallas is the trendy pick here, but as a Carolina fan I know not to discount the home-field advantage in Seattle.
New England 17, NY Jets 10
Welcome back to the playoffs, New England. Here's your complimentary divisional ticket.
NY Giants 21, Philadelphia 17
I have no good reason whatsoever to pick the limping Giants over the steamrolling Eagles. That's why I'm doing it, of course.

Divisional
Chicago 19, NY Giants 6
Inconsistent quarterback + #1 defense > quarterback who threw a hissy fit to get traded away from the current AFC conference leader
New Orleans 27, Seattle 17
Accidentally picked this as NO-NYG before, but I don't really think Seattle would fare much better.
San Diego 35, New England 24
This is going to be a fantastic game. San Diego will be down like 14-27 in the third quarter and somehow come back.
Indianapolis 14, Baltimore 10
Baltimore has even less of a passing game than Kansas City does. Hopefully the Colts will be able to contain Jamal and friends a bit better.

NFC Championship
Chicago 19, New Orleans 10
I flipped a coin: heads, Chi 19 NO 10; tails, NO 10 Chi 3. I see those outcomes as equally probable. Heads it was.

AFC Championship
San Diego 31, Indianapolis 17
If my championship match somehow put the Jets against the Colts, I would be pencilling Chad Pennington in for the Super Bowl right now.

AFC-NFC World Championship Title Game XLI
San Diego 28, Chicago 6
Grossman chokes. That's about it.

All you need to know about Children of Men

This movie is not pretty. But if you are a functioning member of modern society, you are obligated to go see it. I mean now.

**** (of 4)

I don't have a specific reason for putting this up

Selected quotes from In The Year 2889, by Jules and Michel Verne:

On podcasting:

Every one is familiar with Fritz Napoleon Smith's system—a system made possible by the enormous development of telephony during the last hundred years. Instead of being printed, the Earth Chronicle is every morning spoken to subscribers, who, in interesting conversations with reporters, statesmen, and scientists, learn the news of the day. Furthermore, each subscriber owns a phonograph, and to this instrument he leaves the task of gathering the news whenever he happens not to be in a mood to listen directly himself.

On wealth:

Fritz Napoleon Smith's innovation galvanized the old newspaper. In the course of a few years the number of subscribers grew to be 80,000,000, and Smith's wealth went on growing, till now it reaches the almost unimaginable figure of $10,000,000,000.

On the Internet:

For like all wealthy folk in our day, Mr. Smith has done away with the domestic kitchen and is a subscriber to the Grand Alimentation Company, which sends through a great network of tubes (emphasis mine) to subscribers' residences all sorts of dishes, as a varied assortment is always in readiness.

On medical research:

Very fortunately for him, thanks to the progress of hygiene, which, abating all the old sources of unhealthfulness, has lifted the mean of human life from 37 up to 52 years...

And, finally, on superstring theory:

Nay, so early as ten centuries ago it was known that the differences between the several chemical and physical forces depend on the mode of vibration of the etheric particles, which is for each specifically different. When at last the kinship of all these forces was discovered, it is simply astounding that 500 years should still have to elapse before men could analyze and describe the several modes of vibration that constitute these differences. Above all, it is singular that the mode of reproducing these forces directly from one another, and of reproducing one without the others, should have remained undiscovered till less than a hundred years ago. Nevertheless, such was the course of events, for it was not till the year 2792 that the famous Oswald Nier made this great discovery.

Oh, Jules: how close, but yet how far.