December 2007 - Chris Ullrich dot net
Monthly Archives:

December 2007

RIP: Netscape Navigator (1994 – 2008)

Starting in February 2008, current owner AOL will no longer support what was once one of the most popular web browsers of them all: Netscape Navigator. The browser will now be relegated to the anals of web history. Although, surely at some future date, Netscape Navigator will be inducted into the as-yet unrealized “Web Hall of Fame” located, one might assume, somewhere in Silicon Valley.

Does 1994 really seem that long ago? I guess it was — especially in technology years. Things do change rather quickly, don’t they?

Powerful Photographs

These were taken by New York Times photographer John Moore before and during the assignation of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. All I can say about them is “wow.”

FOIA Reform: Bloggers Are Journalists Too (Part 2)

More on bloggers getting rights and being considered “real” journalists. Now, according to this article, bloggers could have better rights under the Freedom of Information Act. Things are getting even more interesting these days — especially if you happen to be a blogger.

And no, I don’t think this will or should apply to everyone with a WordPress or Blogger page but more to people who actually get paid to write for blogs. Yes, they actually exist. In fact, if you didn’t already know, I happen to be one of those people. So yes, perhaps I’m biased, but still . . .

If you happen to be new here, I have written and/or currently write for several online publications. Among them are LAist, Cinematical, Comic Book Resources and The Unofficial Apple Weblog. You can check out the links to my actual articles by going to my main website at chris ullrich dot net and checking out the “Writing” section.

So yeah, as a person who gets paid to blog I wouldn’t mind being treated more like an actual journalist with the same rights and privileges as someone who works for a more “traditional” news organization.

Yes, that would be nice indeed.

Last Minute X-Mas Gift Thoughts

I like to take pictures. It’s really fun and sometimes even results in a great photo or two that I can be proud of. So, owning several digital cameras (and a few film ones still as well) was not a hard decision for me. That’s my new digital SLR in the photo there. The Nikon D300. A great camera.

So, if you’re still wondering what to get that special someone on your list why not be like thousands of others these days and get him/her a digital camera too? They’re fun and mostly easy to use and let you have a camera ready when you really need one. But now that you’ve decided to get some sort of digital camera, which one do you get? Its a tough decision and one with a lot of variables.

Fortunately, some people have taken most of the guesswork out of it and put together a few ideas on how to select the right digital camera. Interested? Well then, head on over here for the help you need on digital camera selection. Or, if you’re like me and want more from your cameras and don’t mind spending extra to get it, check out this guide to picking the right digital SLR camera.

Happy Shooting!

Fantastic Four HQ

This is cool. A cutaway of the fabled HQ of the Fantastic Four – The Baxter Building. This guy really has some time on his hands and I’m glad he does.

What really happened to that X-Wing Fighter

Apparently, the previous video is not the complete story because there’s this. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Are we really alone?[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgF9hBL-CuA&rel=1]

Do you have your own X-Wing Fighter?

Build and launch your own X-Wing Fighter? Sounds impossible? Not for these guys. Although, it doesn’t end so well.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK-LKLxaieo&rel=1]