Caturday post

I've heard that Manx, and part Manx kitties don't have the balance of a normal cat. Try telling that to Josie!

Can you stand it? >^..^<

My cat Rerun, feeling fuzzy! :) I think I may have to revisit the concept of Caturday...........

OK Zune owners, don't get cocky!

As the owner of a 80gb Zune, I've been very excited about the news of a touchscreen Zune coming, the rumored Zune HD. The idea of Microsoft taking a serious step forward with the Zune and taking on one of Apple's top products is really exciting! Zune has already caught the iPod by surprise with the 16gb Flash Zune, so much so that Apple copied the screen ratio and storage size for the Nano. One thing that concerns me however, is the attitude I'm seeing from Zune owners who think that our beloved player is going to somehow take out, or at least take a significant share of the PMP market from the iPod. We need to face facts here people, this is *NOT* going to happen! Not with this next software and hardware revision, and not within the next year.

The reasons are simple, two-fold, and tied together: Apple marketing and the Cult of iPod. Apple made the iPod both chic and trendy, and no other PMP has been able to touch it. Apple made damn near everyone want an iPod! That's marketing at its best, people! They screw over their client base with each new generation and people eat it up and come back for more. They force their fans to buy their overpriced iPod accessories or those made by third party manufacturers, and people complain but hand over their wallets anyway. This has never been so obvious as now with the new Shuffle.

And its only going to get worse.

What Microsoft and Zune really need to do is both ignore the iPod, and point out why the Zune *is* better! Critics has clearly stated that the Zune software is superior to iTunes. The Zune player can do more than the iPod when compared directly to it. These are the things that Microsoft needs to point out to those consumers who haven't sipped from iPod's Kool-Aid. Trying to convert iPod owners to Zune, especially when its still cool and trendy to trash Microsoft, is going to be a waste of time. They need to focus on becoming a strong number two in the PMP marketplace. Once there's no doubt who is number two, THEN go after iPod, but not until.

Microsoft also needs to do the one thing they have yet to do with the Zune: market it cleanly and efficiently. No more avant-garde, dreamy BS. The Zune commercials from the last ad campaign were embarassing! No more people dancing around in silly rabbit costumes, or floating through scene after scene that doesn't show what your player can actually do. Instead, follow the current PC ad campaign and show real people using the Zune and showing what it can actually do. Show someone watching their favorite shows while on the morning commute that they recorded on their Media Center PC the night before. Show a group of friends trading songs with each other over wi-fi, directly Zune to Zune. Show someone going from their favorite playlist to FM radio. More importantly, get the player into the hands of musicians and celebrities! Apple had U2. Zune needs to counter that! Maybe Metallica?

In the end, regardless of just how good the Zune is, or how much better it is over the iPod (and yes Apple fanboys, it *is* better!), until Microsoft can properly market the Zune against the competition, its always going to be a distant second to the iPod. No amount of wishful thinking is going to change that. Instead Zunefans, focus on showing the undecided PMP shopper and the disappointed iPod owner just what the Zune has to offer and can really do. THAT will go a lot farther to help the Zune than wishful thinking and outlandish " '09 is the year of the Zune!" statements!

Transformer fans are funny

Seems they don't know what they want. They bitch and whine about Sari being in way too many episodes during the first two seasons of Transformers: Animated, and now they complain about her not being in them! Wow! Its no wonder we're compared to Trekkies so much!

Can I talk to the guys for a second?

This blog entry has been sitting in the back of my mind for well over a year now. I had considered putting it up on my Myspace page, but I figured I wanted people to take this seriously, and Myspace doesn't exactly inspire confidence these days, does it? This also won't be the most politically correct blog I do, but the subject matter is very important to me.

The subject at hand is breast cancer.

No, I haven't had any friends or family members striken with this disease, and I pray to God I never will. However, millions of women every year are diagnosed with it, and I think we, as men, can easily help the fight against it and show our support for women everywhere, even if its not in the most PC fashion.

Straight guys, do you love breasts? Lesbian women, do you like breats? (I mean, besides your own?) Hell, gay guys, straight women, trans-whatevers? Same question. Do. You. Love. Breasts? Boobs? Ta-tas? Well, do you? If the answer is "yes", then that's all the reason you need to support breast cancer research! Imagine your favorite porn star, stripper, prostitute, sexy centerfold with that crap inside their beautiful (and quite possibly silicone enhanced) chests! Not a pleasent idea, is it. Now imagine how much money could be generated for breast cancer research if every guy who goes to a strip club, buys a porno off of pay per view or their local adult book store (and yes, these guys do exist), buys a subscription to Penthouse or Hustler, or rents out their favorite street walker instead gave some of that money to fight breast cancer? If the porn industry is a billion dollar industry, why can't some of that money get redirected to fight a plague killing women everywhere?

Its could be as simple as giving a night's worth of fun to your local BCA drive or organization. Here is Columbus, we have the Race for the Cure, and local TV station WBNS 10tv is organizing a team of runners called Heather's Team. The Heather in question is Heather Pick, a former news anchor who died not to long ago of breast cancer. The station is working to sign people up for the race and the team by giving away pink wigs with every $45 registration. Just think of how many registrations could be sold and wigs given away if guys who love boobs would pony up the $45? How much money could be generated to fight breast cancer?

I honestly think we could wipeout breast cancer in my lifetime if every guy out there who loved/whorshipped breasts would give up just a small portion of his fun money to fight the disease. Imagine what money could be made if a strip club set aside a night where the money generated by selling booze and the tips given to the girls where given to charity. Or, in states where prostitution is legal, if a day's profits were given. Guys get to enjoy themselves, give to a charity that directly impacts their fun time, and it could very well be tax deductable! (Just think of explaining THAT during an audit! What would be the limit in giving to the fight while in a strip club getting a lap dance?)

So guys, gals, if you need a reason to give to this fight, and you love boobs, here's your reason! Help you favorite girl stay healthy. Stare at them, fondle them, lick them, motor boat them, shoot your wad on them, and give to them so you can SAVE them!

'Nuff said! :)