Here is what's coming out today ... Movies 20 Million Miles To Earth: 50th Anniversary Edition 300: SE (#1 in the DVDPS Top 40) Aoi & Mutsuki: A Pair of Queens: Complete Series Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (#8 in the DVDPS Top 40) Dallas: Season #7 Degrassi High: The Complete Series Epic Legends Collection Film Noir Classics Collection #4 (#13 in the DVDPS Top 40) Firehouse Dog (Widescreen) Hawaii Five-O: Season #2 Hot Fuzz (Widescreen) (#9 in the DVDPS Top 40) Kung Fu Hustle: Deluxe Edition List, The (2006) Pathfinder (Unrated) Popeye The Sailor: 1933-1938: Volume One (#10 in the DVDPS Top 40) Sabrina, The Teenage Witch: Season #2 Sons Of Hollywood: Season #1 Trapstar: Season #1 Music Paul Potts [United Kingdom]: One Chance ~ Paul Potts Coco ~ Colbie Caillat Kidz Bop, Vol. 12 ~ Kidz Bop Kids Finding Forever ~ Common The Simpsons Movie: Limited Edition Donut Packaging ~ Hans Zimmer The Archie Show: The Complete Series ~ Archie Show Untitled (Bonus Dvd) (Dlx) ~ Kor

This is the first time I have heard of anything like this: In a first, the University of Chicago will begin requiring prospective students to submit four pages of PowerPoint-like slides with their applications this fall. The new requirement is partly an acknowledgment that Microsoft Corp.’s PowerPoint, along with similar but lesser-known programs, have become a ubiquitous tool in the business world. But Chicago says so-called “slideware,” if used correctly, also can let students show off a creative side that might not reveal itself in test scores, recommendations and even essays. By adding PowerPoint to its application, Chicago thinks it might attract more students who have the kind of cleverness that can really pay off in business, and fewer of the technocrat types who sometimes give the program a bad name. “We wanted to have a freeform space for students to be able to say what they think is important, not always having the school run that dialogue,” s

There Are: 1 day until Babylon 5: Lost Tales - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5:_The_Lost_Tales 1 day until 300 on HD-DVD / Blueray - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_(film) 1 day until Shaun of the Dead on HD-DVD - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_of_the_Dead 1 day until Hot Fuzz on DVD - http://hotfuzz.com/ 3 days until Quakecon 2007 - http://www.quakecon.org/ 4 days until The Bourne Ultimatum - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bourne_Ultimatum_(film) 5 days until SIGGRAPH - http://www.siggraph.org/s2007/ 11 days until Survivor Man Season 2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorman 15 days until Lair for the PS3 - http://www.us.playstation.com/Lair/ 20 days until Brain Age 2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_Age_2:_More_Training_in_Minutes_a_Day 22 days until BioShock - http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/ 23 days until Games Convention - http://www.gc-germany.com/gcinfo_e.shtml 25 days until PAX - http://www.pennyarcadeexpo.com/ 28 days until Metroid Prime 3:

Mike Portnoy annouced the latest round of Ytsejam Records releases ... otherwise known as the Dream Theater Official Bootlegs: We have gotten a limited amount of copies of some of the new Ytsejam Records titles and they will be available at the shows on the current tour. The 4 latest Ytsejam Records titles are: New York City 3/4/93 (2 CD's) --- including Eve and the original version of A Change Of Seasons Falling Into Infinity Demos (2 CD's) --- including the never before heard original rehearsal version of Metropolis Pt.2! Made In Japan (1 CD) --- DT's version of the classic Deep Purple album --- Mixed by Roger Glover Bucharest, Romania 7/4/02 (2 DVD's) --- the entire Bucharest Concert TV Broadcast and a Bonus Disc with: --- 8 Songs filmed in Mexico City - March 2002 --- Bulgarian TV Documentary - July 2002 --- Nine Degrees Of Backstage Turbulence Fan Club Video - November 2002 Some titles will be available at the shows - and ALL titles w

Here is what's coming out today ... Movies Benson: Season #1 Bit Of Fry & Laurie, A: Season 3 Bit Of Fry & Laurie, A: Season 4 Bourne Identity Collection Clase 406: Season #2 Doris Day and Rock Hudson Comedy Collection (Widescreen) Elvis: MGM Movie Legends Collection Frank Sinatra: MGM Movie Legends Collection Henrik Ibsen Collection, The Hard Boiled: Ultimate Edition (#12 in the DVDPS Top 40) Host, The: Collector's Edition (#11 in the DVDPS Top 40) Ivan's Childhood: Criterion Collection John Wayne Giftset Land Of The Giants: Giant Collection (#14 in the DVDPS Top 40) Les Enfants Terribles: Criterion Collection Monster Squad, The: 20th Anniversary Edition (#4 in the DVDPS Top 40) Number 23, The (Unrated) Philip Marlow: Private Eye: Season #1 Phillips, Simon: Complete Pink Panther: Inspector Classic Cartoons 6 Rainmaker, The: SE Raise The Red Lantern Real McCoys, The: Season #1 Secrets Of Isis, The: The Complete Series Star Trek: Captain's Log Fan Collective Star Trek: Fan C

This one is for Chris Blatnik ... Great video for the single "Bleed Me Dry" from their new album. CD is spinning in my car as I prepare to see them MULTIPLE times next month! p.s. Ray Alder looks a lot older with short hair

As much as I am a progressive metal head, I do enjoy country music here and there. Part of it comes from Sarah's love of country rubbing off on me .. but anyway, I am really a fan of Carrie Underwood. She has a great voice and seems to have a good head on her shoulders. And yes, she is a hottie as well. But imagine my surprise when I got a link to this on YouTube ... Carrie covering Skid Row's "I Remember You" Man ... Carrie hits the notes and does the hair metal anthem justice. Nice.

Today was a day of contrasts ... I started the day with a meeting for the young executives group of the Field Museum, called the Field Associates. I will detail more why I joined, but this was a programming meeting to plan future events. It was neat to plan a scavenger hunt while sitting under Sue. I ended the day by seeing Symphony X play live. One of the premier power metal progressive metal bands, they play sold out shows in Europe all the time. I do not think they expected a sold out show here in Chicago. These guys are great in concert, but everything I do not like about the band just stands out like a sore thumb. Except for my favorite song of theirs, Paradise Lost, all of their songs could be one long song. They just all sound the same. Ending on the Odyssey was great ... but they only played 90 minutes! WTH! One list ... things that bother me about concerts: 1. Long hair was cool for the 80's hair metal bands. But do we really want to see a guy with reseeding hair and a b

Man, I must have grown up and become a yuppie. Yes, I admit it. Yesterday, I went to see a Chicago Cubs game. It is no secret that I am a Chicago White Sox fan. I do not have anything against the Cubs players, but the management has just destroyed the team. So I root for White Sox .. a team that has won a championship in my lifetime. And my parents! :D Wrigley Field is a national landmark, but it has turned into a place for people to go shirtless (the women wear bikinis) and get drunk and throw up on the streets after. So, when I go to a Cubs game. I prefer to go to one of the rooftop establishments. Those that have been to Wrigley Field have seen them. The buildings on Sheffield and Waveland, with throngs of folks sitting on raised bleachers. It is outside the park ... and expensive. $100+ but it is all you can eat and drink. I try to do at least one game a year this way ... and a couple games at U.S. Cellular field to see the White Sox. Yes, the White Sox are falling apart this y

Last night, I went with Sarah to Oak Park, IL for the official Mugglenet.com party for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. These parties have been going on since book 3, but I was not prepared for this. THOUSANDS of people were there. Shops downtown became shops in the story. The park was filled with Wizard's Chess, Quiditch, and magic lessons. I would say most of the folks under 21 were dressed up, with about half of the folks over 21 dressed up as well. I thought the women, who looked about 25, who thought leather and stilettos was wizard appropriate, probably scared the younger kids :) As the clock ticketed towards midnight ... every bookstore in downtown Oak Park got ready for the lines. And lines like I have never seen. Part of me was like 'this is a bit freaky' but the other part was 'its so exciting to see people so turned up over a book ... and reading!' We got home about 1 AM with the book. I look forward to the wrap up of the story as I read it over the weeke

As I read thru my feeds this morning, I cam across this on the Trillian blog (while looking for a notice about a new alpha release of Astra) ... In response to the URI security vulnerability released this week, we have updated Trillian 3 to 3.1.7.0. Auto-update should be firing for existing users, and you can use our download page to grab a full installer if you are so inclined. We recommend that all existing Trillian 3.x customers download this latest upgrade. As a result, there will be no Astra build this week. You can thank the three geniuses behind the vulnerability report for their professionalism (read: none) in reporting this vulnerability to the vendor before public disclosure. To the rest of #hack: we’re happy to responsibly fix vulnerabilities as they’re found, but would appreciate some advance notice. This is just another example of people finding security issues with software and using it for their own gains. If someone publishes a security risk in softwa

Here is what's coming out today ... Movies Ace In The Hole (1951): Criterion Collection Bad Boys Of Comedy, The: Season #2 Birdman and the Galaxy Trio: The Complete Series Business, The: Season #1 Comedy Zen: Season #1 Grindhouse Trash Collection (#27 in the DVDPS Top 40) Grafters: Season #1 Gunsmoke: Season #1 Happy Hooker Trilogy, The Hills Have Eyes 2, The (Unrated) Incredible Hulk, The: Season #2 Masters of Horror: Stuart Gordon: The Black Cat Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman: Season #1 Number 23, The (Unrated) (#30 in the DVDPS Top 40) Overhaulin: Season #3 Payback: Season #1 Perfect Creature (2006) Premonition (Widescreen) Raymond Bernard: Criterion Collection Red Dawn: Collector's Edition Rookies, The: Season #1 Showgirls: Fully Exposed Edition Slayers: Season #1 Space Ghost & Dino Boy: The Complete Series Voyagers!: The Complete Series Words Worth: The Complete Series Music Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast) ~ Laurence O'Keefe, Nell Benjamin, et al.

So Nathan Freeman wants us all to blog our Top 5 song list, but it has to be Track 1 on Side 1 of the LP (or first song on the CD). Here is my list: 1. Change of Seasons - Dream Theater's Change of Seasons, 1995 - best DT song ever, and I would only let myself select one DT song for this ... and that is hard with Pull Me Under and 6:00 being Track 1 Side 1 songs 2. Demanufacture - Fear Factory's Demanufacture, 1995 - the band that invented NuMetal and was always the best mix of metal and mixing 3. Acid Rain - Liquid Tension Experiment's 2, 1999 - my favorite instrumental of all time 4. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due - Megadeth's Rust in Piece, 1990 - The best Megadeth song of all time ... and the introduction of Marty Friedman to the general public 5. Daylight Dies - Killswitch Engage's As Daylight Dies, 2007 - I wanted something current, and this song just kicks my ass 6. Cowboys from Hell - Pantera's Cowboys from Hell, 1990 - I know many will say Mouth for War might be their

As I enjoy the relaunch and success of one of my favorite childhood properties, Transformers, I feel like a robot changing. I feel like I am in a transformation stage these days. Let me explain. When I am at Lotusphere, people know me at the guy who speaks about Office integration. As a business partner who has spoken for years. As a gamer. As a consultant at PSC. A Beacon Award and Lotus Award Winner. A guy who enjoys food a bit too much :-) But how many of you would recognize me at a client? The guy who is more 'suit' than 'programmer'? An active rainmaker and networker. Someone who is rarely seen without his french cuffs and cufflinks? Jamie McGee barely noticed me when we almost ran into each other on Madison Ave in New York City. Does anyone who reads this blog notice the brand that I want to have vs. the brand that I have? Everyone in our community is known for different things. We all have our own brand. Let's take a look at our community: Ed Brill : Mr all things travel,

So what are you folks listening to these days? Right now, I have the following six CDs in my car changer ... 1. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos What can I say ... I really like this album. No surprise there to most of you. But being honest about a DT CD, I think this is their best "band" cd since Awake. Everyone is on fire. The songs are great ... I have a hard time picking my least favorite on the CD and do not hit skip on any songs. I can not wait to hear some of this stuff live! If I have to pick out favorites, "Forsaken" and "Prophets of War" are my two favorite tracks. http://www.myspace.com/dreamtheater http://www.dreamtheater.net 2. Symphony X - Paradise Lost There seems to be this war between Dream Theater and Symphony X fans ... that one band is better than the other. I happen to like both quite a bit. One issue I have with Symphony X is that all of their songs tend to sound the same ... Power metal with speed. Luckily, SX has one of the best singers in the hard rock

Here it is .. the first Dream Theater video in many years. For the song "Constant Motion", it is the band and some animation. I like it. A good focus on the song and the band.

Today I read something that made me react so strongly I had to write here about. I read a comment that Volker Weber wrote on Ed Brill 's blog. And I found something I completely agree with. With email, c&s, contacts I also see other reasons, to name only one: ubiquitous support for Outlook/Exchange in mobile devices or CRM applications Volker is 1000% correct. IBM has had their heads buried in the sand with this issue for years. Sales says its an ISV issue. The IBM ISV team is so focused on Anti-virus and Backup that they forget the other stuff. There are so many companies out there that have products and software and have no or horrible support for Notes. Cardscan, Plaxo, LinkedIn, OpenTable, and the list goes on. They have Outlook importing and/or synching right on their pages. These products even build Outlook integration points that bring the two close together. None of that for Notes. This is hurting and causing IBM to lose Notes customers. I have personally witnessed this.

At this time, 33 years ago, I was born. In Livonia, Michigan. To John Vernon and Cynthia Mary. And since then, all is downhill from there :-)

Here is what's coming out today ... Movies Astronaut Farmer, The Beauty And The Beast: Season #2 (#36 in the DVDPS Top 40) Bewitched: Season #5 Brutal (2006) Bullet For Joey, A Comedy Collection, The Contractor, The Desert Punk: The Complete Series Epic Legends Collection Extras: Season #2 Frankie & Annette Collection, The Hustle: Season #3 Joan Collins: Superstar Collection Kansas City Confidential Last Mimzy, The (Widescreen) Last Stand, The (Russ Parr Film) My Super Sweet 16: The Movie Three Films By Hiroshi Teshigahara: Criterion Collection UFC: Ultimate Fighter, The: Season #3 Music Zeitgeist ~ Smashing Pumpkins Our Love to Admire ~ Interpol Time on Earth ~ Crowded House Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Limited Edition Bonus Disc) ~ Spoon Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture) ~ Marc Shaiman, John Travolta, et al. The Else ~ They Might Be Giants Zeitgeist (W/Book) (Spec) ~ The Smashing Pumpkins Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~ Nicholas Hooper New Maps of Hell ~

Microsoft has created a page dedicated to Office Business Applications, or OBAs. There is also a starter kit with the following resources: OBA/VSTO Starter Kit v. 1.0 Whitepaper: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb498190.aspx OBA/VSTO Starter Kit v. 1.0 Installation Document: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb498189.aspx OBA/VSTO Starter Kit v. 1.0 Source Code: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=120AAAA8-0A0C-4A0B-B605-4E08FFE7A786&displaylang=en Good stuff if you are an ISV and want to build Office applications.

Here is what's coming out today ... Movies Baa Baa Black Sheep #2 Batfink: The Complete Series Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary SE / Blue Collar Comedy Tour (2 Pack) Degrassi: Season #5 Eureka: Season #1 Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society NOPI Tunervison: Season #1 Part 1 Neverwas Our Very Own (2005) Room with a View, A: SE Slings & Arrows: Season #3 White Boyz In The Hood: Season #1 Music Libertad ~ Velvet Revolver T.I. vs T.I.P. ~ T.I. The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast) ~ Alain Boublil, Claude Michel Schonberg, et al. Tarantula ~ Smashing Pumpkins Ms Kelly ~ Kelly Rowland Transformers: The Movie ~ Various Artists Face the Music (2007 Encores! Cast Recording) ~ Irving Berlin, Judy Kaye, et al. Little Voice ~ Sara Bareilles Mindcrime at the Moore ~ Queensryche Arrivals and Departures ~ Silverstein More... my pic(s) of the week: It is a light release week with the 4th of July holiday in the states this week ... I am still trying to decide if I ge