Tennessee Pics
June 17th, 2009 / Comments / by Brian
Starring: Kelton (my nephew), Nanette (my niece), Jodie (my sister), & Grammy (my mom)
7/11: I’ve removed the slide show to speed up page loading -it was really slowing things down.
Just a Workin’ in the Yard
June 7th, 2009 / Comments / by Brian
What have I been up to? Working my ass off, that’s what! ;-)
After mowing & edging Saturday I planted one of the back flower beds:
Yup, pretty much the same as last year.
Today I knocked out the following:
Installed 2 new bracket for hanging backets — the old ones weren’t big enough. The screws holding them in were rusted and it took quite a bit of muscle and WD40 to get them out!
Last year I planted some basil, but decided this year to put it in a pot so I can take it in when it gets cold next winter. A coworker had given me some oregano, and I bought some more basil and some flat leaf parsley. So I put them all in one pot just outside the back door, next to one of our rosemary bushes:
I also replanted our other back flower bed — purple shamrocks (which are perennials) and white caladiums (which I learned this year are NOT):
I also planted a tomato plant in a Home Depot bucket that I drilled some holes in – I didn’t have a pot big enough, and wasn’t ready to dig up a spot for a mini garden just yet. I think where I had it last year (where the herbs are now) didn’t get enough sun, so I’ve got it on the back (west) side of the house where it’ll get plenty of sun.
Hope
June 3rd, 2009 / Comments / by Brian
After yet another depressing dose of morning news, I had my faith in the human race renewed this morning with the following story:
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) — A rifle-toting convenience store owner said he decided to show mercy on a would-be robber after seeing the man collapse into tears and claim he was only committing the crime to support his starving family.
The Long Island store owner provided the bat-wielding man with $40 and a loaf of bread and made him promise never to rob again.
SOURCE (and additional details)
Kelton Allan Boutz
May 22nd, 2009 / Comments / by Brian
I’m a little behind on posting this here… but while we were attending Keith’s grandmother’s funeral Tuesday (5/19/09), Jodie was busy having my new nephew, Kelton Allan Boutz. He arrived around 3:45pm, weighing in at 6# 11oz. About 17 days early – but healthy and beautiful just the same!
Here are a couple pics:
I already had a flight booked on 6/13 — I can’t wait to get over for a visit!! :)
You Know You’re a Geek… (updated! again!)
May 3rd, 2009 / Comments / by Brian
5/20 update – apparently Cinemark is now calling it “XD” instead of “XD3″.
… when you spend half an hour trying to research the difference between Cinemark’s new XD3 (link, link) and IMAX formats so you can get the absolute best moviegoing experience for the new Star Trek movie coming out this week. :) (and then blog about it!)
Though I haven’t been able to find technical specs to do a side-by-side comparison, I did learn that the XD3 screen is 70 feet wide, while IMAX is about 72 – so in that respect they are pretty comparable. (I emailed the box office at the IMAX and Cinemark Plano West where the XD3 is — we’ll see if I get a response)
I did a quick search on Twitter and with the exception of one negative item, everybody had good things to say. (I had a good laugh over several tweets (link, link) RE: Hugh Jackman’s “mutant ass” on a floor to ceiling screen [Wolverine]!)
Price-wise they are the same ($12/ticket).
So I guess at this point I’m leaning towards giving the XD3 experience a shot, mainly because we really like this Cinemark theater in West Plano…
UPDATE 1:
A few minutes ago I received the following email from the manager of the Cinemark IMAX in Dallas:
Basically the difference between the two formats is XD3 is digital, IMAX is not. XD3 is a form of presenting feature films in a digital arena on a larger screen. The XD3 screen is a little bigger than the standard 75 ft.
Our IMAX theatre is the largest theatre in the city. Our sound system is unsurpassed, boasting forty speakers and over 10,000 watts of sound, however both presentations have perfect picture quality.
Thank you for your inquiry into our theatre, and I am sure both systems will meet your expectations. Whichever one you decide, Cinemark Theatres will appreciate your business.
Thank You!
IMAX House Manager
UPDATE 2 (2pm 5/4):
I just received the following from somebody Cinemark’s corporate office:
Visually, you can’t lose in either format. Personally, I LOVE the JBL
Sound system they installed in the XD3 auditorium. Plus, they have all
new oversized seats and wider rows…so that adds to the comfort level.
I believe the IMAX screen is taller…but I think XD3 is wider. The
IMAX auditorium holds maybe 200 people…XD3 holds around 500. So,
that’s kind of exciting to be a part of a large group.Having seen the movie a couple of weeks ago, I have been counting the
minutes waiting for the chance to see it again in a large screen format.
You will be amazed!My vote is for XD3. Visually it’s a tie. Comfort and sound win.
HAVE FUN!!!
UPDATE 3 (5/9):
And finally, a couple days ago I got this response from the Plano West Cinemark:
I am not sure if anyone responded to you on this…if not…sorry for the delay. Both formats are a superb way to enjoy the movie and neither will leave you disappointed. That being said, the major technical difference is that IMAX is on film and XD is digital. Both deliver a superb image. The auditorium in an IMAX has a steeper rise so you will feel closer to the screen even if you are sitting a ways back. The screens are close to the same size but the IMAX auditorium is much smaller, so the screen may seem even bigger since it is in a relatively smaller room.
I’m impressed I got responses at all!!
We have tickets for the 12:30 show Saturday 5/9 at te Plano West XD3 theater.
