Net Watch: Cuil

Is Cuil a Google-killer?

On occasion, The Maelstrom will bring up noted notables of what is going on in the internet. This weeks is specifically about a new search engine by the creators of defected employee’s of Google. It is called Cuil (pronounced like “cool”) and is reworking the way search engines are operated. Side note: Cuil is an old Irish word for knowledge (which is mentioned on their website).

I checked it out and it definitely seems to have some good things going for it. But, being that it is in in the beginning stages it’s going to need some work done, not to mention they will have to get some kind of myCuil going for them sooner or later if they want to compete with juggernauts like Google and Yahoo!. We’ll have to see how far this little site goes, but for now give it a shot.

http://www.cuil.com

Zealous.

When JFK gave a rousing speech to thousands of German’s, he was president.

When Barrack Obama gave a rousing speech to thousands of German’s…he was still a senator.

When a presidential candidate goes oversea’s, especially to Europe, and starts making inspiring speech’s it sends a signal. To each person this signal is interpreted differently, but I would say for the most part this signal says, “Zeal”. He’s zealous to become president. Personally, I wonder if this is a bit much, especially since he is still a regular U.S. citizen, not the leader of a country. I also think it presumes that he thinks he is going to become president, since other countries have no say in our election. Going over to other countries in some pseudo-campaign seems rather bizarre, unless of course you have a good chance of winning.

The only question that has to be raised is, “Does he have a good chance?” With all the hype around his campaign most would say he does, but at the same time his ratings in the polls aren’t verifying this feeling.

So, is the media trying to potray him as the next best thing to PB&J while ignoring the polls? Has the hype not caught wind of the newly formed “PUMA’s” (Party Unification My A**) by the Clinton supporters? Or maybe this is a sure thing for Obama? I suppose only time will tell.

If anything this election seems to be headed in the same direction as the JFK v. Nixon election. JFK, a young fresh face with a large majority of young voting supporters behind him. Nixon, an old man with lots of experience with an appeal to more conservative voters.

If history repeats itself, McCain may be doomed.

This is What Happens when Hollywood tries to be Original

Remake. Remake. Remake. Hollywood has been a broken record lately looking to comics, old movies, and novels to save itself from collapse.

I think some studio realized this plan would only last so long until the public figured it out and stopped going to their terrible remakes (except for those exceptional few…ahem, The Dark Knight). In their desperation they dusted off their paper, pulled out a pen, and began to create an abomination. This terrible creation, which probably was created by Frankenstein himself, is none other then “Death Race”.

Let me explain the very simple premise. A Nascar racer is sent to prison (falsely accused, of course) and he wants to find out how he ended up there. Somewhere down the road he finds out the owner of the prison has an event called, yes, the “Death Race”. If he can survive five races, he can win his freedom. These races include beat up cars that have Gatling guns, missiles, and probably thousands of other weapons of mass destruction, thanks to Saddam Hussein. You have to ask the question, “Why don’t they just use these weapons to blow the walls down, kill the guards, and be home free?” I suppose logic wasn’t one of the tools these writers used for their plot line.

I’ve provided a preview of this movie, and I really want you to laugh, because it is absolutely terrible. I just want to know how the writers actually thought this was going to be good? They either really loved it and could not get enough (which is sad) or they forced themselves to continue in horror of their creation. Either way, this movie is a clear sign that Hollywood has lost touch with reality. They need to come down from the mother ship and get good writers to make good movies (like, The Dark Knight).

Life is Strange When you Become Afraid of Foam

It’s no revelation that the internet has become to my generation what the TV was to my parents.

With that said, I tend to use “Stumble Upon” to surf the internet for random websites to enjoy, because sometimes it’s hard to find a website on your own. In any case, I fell (or stumbled) upon a website that was probably the creepiest thing I’ve seen in awhile, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have its level of hilarity as well. No, I won’t tell you what the website is about because then you wouldn’t get the same surprise as I did, but I will say that it does involve foam. And, to be totally honest, I am more afraid of the guy that made this than the actual work.

http://istheday.blogspot.com/

P.S. Apparently, it is supposed to be “art”, but if we are really honest with ourselves we most definitely would not call it that.

Going Green like Kermit the Frog

Going “green” is a rich man’s game.

Right before watching a movie in the theater, I saw a project with Tommy Lee and Luda-kris promoting going “green”. They interviewed guys like Magic Johnson who states, “You know, going green isn’t hard.” The whole time I couldn’t help but think of the irony that was taking place. Here are these multi-millionaires who are making cash hand over fist, who own more cars than I will have in my life time, who own houses that pump more energy than I would in my life time, and really are probably the biggest energy wasters on the planet, and yet they are telling me (someone who barely has any money) to start going green.

Conservation is a great idea, and the things I’ve read about alternative energy sources like mindmills and hydro-electric technology it seems like the way to go, but to start hounding the middle class to essentially “shape up” seems typical. It’s typical of the rich to not understand the struggles of the poor, to look at us and wonder why we aren’t doing anything.

It’s also rather hypocritical. But you would have guessed that by now. So I won’t push the point.