Tech and Textbooks

Battlefield is the title track from Jordin Sparks’ second album.  At first listen, you definately know this song will be a top seller.  To me it has that same pop hook that many other songs of the same calibre have, but still has that kind of power that a singer like Jordin Sparks can pull off.  The chorus where Jordin chants “like a battlefield” just brings it home for me, the harmonies sound amazing.  The sonic narrative (the relation of the words to the music and how the lyrics are interpreted) feels genuine, you can hear the emotion that Jordin is trying to portray in a song like this.  Hinging off the success of Jordin’s previous tracks like “No Air” and “Tattoo”, “Battlefield” is a song in my opinion that will become one of 2009’s top selling pop songs.

The results from the past week in NRL from Lloydo.

Download Random Review Podcast Episode 2

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Today’s Shownotes:

TOPIC 1: The Eurovision Song Contest

TOPIC 2: Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell dies.

TOPIC 3: Kevin Rudd and an early election.

TOPIC 4: What’s happening in technology.

TOPIC 5: This week’s upcoming games in NRL and our tips:

St George Illawarra vs Bulldogs.
Lloyd: St George.  Mark: Bulldogs.

Roosters vs Knights.
Lloyd: Knights.  Mark: Knights.

Panthers vs Sharks.
Lloyd: Panthers.  Mark: Panthers.

Warriors vs Cowboys.
Lloyd: Warriors.  Mark: Cowboys.

Sea Eagles vs Parramatta.
Lloyd: Parramatta.  Mark: Sea Eagles.

Rabbitohs vs Tigers.
Lloyd: Rabbitohs.  Mark: Rabbitohs.

Storm vs Raiders.
Lloyd: Raiders.  Mark: Storm.

ENDING: Close with Jonathan Coulton song, “Blue Sunny Day”. Visit his website at http://www.jonathancoulton.com

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Today’s show can be viewed at http://cnettv.cnet.com/ep-962-listen-dutch-boy-sit-down/9742-1_53-50070781.html

Watch live at 3:30am Australian EST/10:30am US Pacific on WatchBOL.com.

Scenario: You’re on a bus that’s quite empty, plenty of seats for everyone. Usually, you’d think everyone will fill the seats next to the window first before filling the seats next to the aisle.

But there are a select few who think it’s great to sit next to you…when there’s plenty of empty seats they could’ve sit on as well. Just a curiosity, that’s all…

Today’s is not really nitpicking on etiquette on public transport, but an observation I had on the bus today. I’m talking about the people who like to sleep on the bus.

I’m on the the type who can sleep when an object is moving, even on an airplane I can’t get to sleep…but it amazes me seeing all these people who are able to sleep on the bus! I’m paranoid if I miss my stop as well. It doesn’t even look that comfortable too, I get a small giggle everytime I see people on the bus sleeping in the most awkward positions!

You’re getting back to back editions of the Public Transport Nuisance, and it’s another one that’s dear to my heart. Yes that’s right folks, it’s the passengers who press the bell on the last stop of the route.

For crying out loud, it’s going to stop there regardless! It’s not like the bus driver will miss the stop and then no-one can get off. Where will he go next? Back to depot with a bus full of passengers? This happens some of the time on the bus routes that I’ve been on, and it’s just a bit annoying…alright a bit might be undermining how I’m feeling. But yeah, it’s ending it’s route there and hence you really don’t need to press the stop button to get off there!

DISCLAIMER: Please take this light hearted, don’t in anyway take it 100% seriously.

Welcome to a first in a series of rantings about the wonderful thing known as public transport, or public transit to our American readers.  Today we’ll start on something I’ve experienced on the bus that some bus drivers in this great city tend to do.  You heard it folks, it’s follow the leader.

So here’s the scenario…your bus is 10 minutes late and you need to get somewhere very quickly.  If you were a bus driver, you would try any means to get your bus back on time without resorting to not picking up passengers. That’s illegal anyway, and I’d admire bus drivers who will go out of their way to pick up passengers regardless if they’re running on time or not.

But there are just the minority of them, yes just a small minority who think it’s a great idea that we’ll follow the lead bus on the road and stop at every stop it stops, without even picking up passengers.  Now come on, I’m trying to get somewhere here.  Using the bus infront as a ploy to not pick up passengers on the stops after is just really poor…really really poor.  What’s wrong with picking up some passengers? Isn’t that the purpose of public transport, to carry everyone efficiently to their destination? This folks is not efficient, it’s just plain stupid.

Are you guys looking for something different in the tech podcast medium? Well look no further, The 404 on CNET is a podcast that takes a significantly different take of the events in the tech world.  Hosted by Wilson Tang, Justin Yu and Jeff Bakalar, this podcast is not your typical everyday technology podcast.  But be warned, this podcast is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended!

What first strikes me about this podcast is the chemistry between the hosts.  Wilson, Justin and Jeff just have this chemistry that in my opinion is unmatched.  There is no episode of The 404 where it felt awkward, boring or empty.  The conversations between the hosts is what keeps this podcast interesting.

Second is the content of the show.  As I said, this show doesn’t just talk about the tech news of the day.  They discuss them in-depth, but not in some kind of professional analysis.  Just in straight talk in everyday conversation that you have with your mates if you were talking to them about technology.  In addition, they discuss non-tech topics which in my opinion gives a great contrast of topics, and thus appeals to a broader audience than the typical technology podcast.

So if you dare to listen to it (put up with Justin Yu’s numerous adult-themed jokes), head on over to http://the404.cnet.com and listen to their latest episode.  Or even better, suscribe to them on iTunes. You won’t regret it. You could listen live to the show at 11am EST on http://www.watchbol.com and join in to the live chat that comes with it.  I’ll be in the room as your helpful chatroom op, you just have to guess which one is me!