Friday Rants! Or, My $.02

McSame and Palin fighting each other now. Check this story out on Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/12/12533/9165

I'm annoyed at Apple today. I have been a Mac user from the beginning; Mac Plus, the SE, all the way thru a Tangerine iMac to now, an intel iMac which I use as a video editing tool for my Web Video clients' videos. I now have 3 iPods (don't ask why) including the new 5G iPod classic, which is where the complaint comes in. Once upon a time, back when Apple included all the accessories you needed with the iPod purchase, it was very easy to connect my iPods to either my camera for downloading pictures for storage (works great while traveling, frees up the memory card each night) or displaying all my fascinating photography efforts (who laughed?) on a local tv set. No problemo as we like to say in Sebastopol. However....
With the new changes and the iPod classic, the old ways don't work. Now a new cable must be purchased which now connects with the multi-pin slot on the iPod as opposed to the former mini jack. Here's why I am annoyed (remember back there at the beginning of this rant?):
Apple charges $49.99 for that cable, calling it an AV Composite device. It's a freakin' cable, made in china for $.40 if that, and includes a power adaptor, which used to be free. Fifty bucks to connect to a tv/home theater. I am currently investigating similar items on eBay that sell for less than $15. Some for as little as five bucks. I'll let you know, just in case you have the same issue.

I have not made the decision yet where to move to the iPod Touch. Not as much storage, tho it is fun to play with. The new interface, touch screen, really is nice. And my friend Perry Madison is thinking of dumping his Palm pda to get one. I'll wait until I find out what kind of av cable IT requires to connect to my new Panasonic Plasma TV.... which we can't use at the moment cause we are still waiting for the TV stand to arrive from StandsandMounts.com. Someone mentioned to me that the name sounded like a porno site. Hee, hee.

Also, discovered a new singer-songwriter, thanks to KRSH radio in Santa Rosa. Name is Hayes Carll and is best known at the moment for a song titled "She Left Me For Jesus" which Don Imus called the best country song ever. Check his website for music, his entire cd plays for audition purposes. http://www.hayescarll.com. The sound you might hear in the background is me learning his song "beaumont" on my Gibson and trying to get my calouses back.