Sometimes I feel like the companies who design and create the packaging for DVDs have never tried to open one their own before. What constitutes “good enough” when it comes to sealing a new DVD such as the Curious George DVD I bought for my kids tonight? How many lines of defense must I go through in order to watch the DVD and, when I finally get it open, will I have enough time to actually watch the movie? These are the questions I ask myself as I make my way through several layers of protection in order to get to a $15 DVD.

First there’s the paper wrapper that slides off quite easily. Now the more difficult jobs arise as I try to pry up an end to the very tight, probably heated on clear plastic wrapper. There’s no end to pull or small edge to grab and rip across like they put on packs of gum. I usually pry an end up with my teeth, scissors or pen, none of which work very well. Once I get the outside wrapper off I always try to open the case. Once again I’m reminded it’s not supposed to be that easy as I notice three sides of the case are sealed tight with a clear, four inch tape. If I thought the outside wrapper was tough to pry up, this clear tape is nearly impossible to remove unless you have very strong fingernails. This is when I pull out the scissors again and try to stab it open. This usually just rips holes in the DVD cover yet seldom gets rid of the tape which has taken my DVD hostage with no rescue in sight.

Eventually the fight for the movie ends and I claim victory. And if time permits, I might even have time to watch the movie.

I passed this strange sign while walking through Belltown today. It’s hard to tell from this low quality, no skill picture I took of it, but it’s quite large. It’s also in an area of town you’d not expect such a sign, as there is no school closeby.

It is quite the clever sign, but it feels like someone at the city sign division (if such a thing exists) has a sense of humor. The flying books and the sprawling guy and gal are a nice artistic touch. “Think of the Impact” just sounds a bit morbid too.

I’ve had a new Treo 650 on the Verizon network for a few days now. I’ll write up a review in a few weeks once I figure this gadget out. First impressions are that it makes a great PDA but the phone features take a backseat. There are definately some trade-offs, but it might be worth it once I figure out a few shortcuts to the basic phone features.

I called Kim from the store tonight to figure out what I needed to buy and it was nice to be able to talk on speakerphone and jot down milk and Diet Cherry Coke. I would normally arrive home with a dozen random items, none of which on the list of stuff I was sent to buy.

I’ve clicked on maybe two….ever. I know Google is minting cash with Adwords. But I’ve only clicked on a Google ad maybe once or twice. I even remember the time: when I was looking for an Exchange hosting company and found MailStreet.com.

Who are all these people who click on Google ads? Are they just not able to find what they need sifting through normal search results? I don’t get it.

Even if you don’t like Rush, it’s worth seeing Peart on the drums starting around 2:30 into the video. Simply amazing talent. I’ve liked Rush for many years and it’s still kind of shock to see all that music coming from only a three member band. Great tune!
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I enjoyed a number of these posters from at Tropichunt which will be confusing unless you’re a fan of “24”.

Think you’re good at tossing wads of paper in the trash? Let’s see.

I don’t know why I laugh each time I hear the ad for Jareds (Jewelers) on the radio but I do. It has something to do with the name which doesn’t seem to match the sophisticated merchandise they carry. I don’t doubt that Jareds has a nice selection of rings but I wonder how many people in the market for a wedding ring don’t want to purchase an expensive diamond at a store that sounds like a one person operation run out of a basement. I’m sure their stores are nice as well but Jareds sounds more like the name of a sports bar.

With companies like Zales, Tiffany & Co, and Bailey Banks and Biddle going with a more sophisticated name and target demographic, maybe Jared’s is trying the opposite approach and catering to a group who want to shop a more down-to-earth, folksy jeweler.

I wish this guy would come on the Sounder Train one morning.
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Not to be outdone by J. Allard and his wacky comments on the iPod, Microsoft VP, Peter Moore had this to say about Nintendo Wii:

“I think you’ll pull it out at parties. It’s fun for a few minutes, but I’m not sure how long that will last.”

I guess these Microsoft bigwigs have never played Mario or Zelda or many of the games available only on the Nintendo platform. The more they talk, the more clueless they appear. Any product that Microsoft VPs have dissed is certain to be a great product. It sounds like Microsoft is worried the Wii is going to trounce them this holiday season, doesn’t it? The only reason I’d consider buying an Xbox would be to hack it into a Linux media player.

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