* Check out the Apple Quicktime movie trailer website. It’s recently updated, and now includes tons of high definition trailers for download. They hadn’t updated any new trailers in high def in a long time. In fact, since they started it earlier this year, it hasn’t been a big thing — only one or two at a time, with months before refreshes. Now, it seems Apple has decided to go with it in a serious way. Maybe it’s the video iPod stuff getting the bug into them to get it done. I don’t care; I just enjoy watching trailers at 1080p. The picture quality is spectacular.

* BMWFilms.com is offering all their shorts on DVD for less than for dollars in shipping charges. You can also still view them on the main website, but only for another week or so.

* Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show is now open for business. It’s a website dedicated to new science fiction stories and art. With his name behind it, it should garner a large following. And, yes, they are accepting submissions.

* I downloaded an episode of LOST via iTunes but can’t get it to play on my computer. Anyone else having that problem? I’ve authorized the computer to play the video titles. I’ve downloaded the latest and greatest version of QuickTime. What am I missing?

This might be veering slightly into political territory. Sorry about that. But the topic of hybrid cars is one that this blog has been following for a couple of years now. I can’t just ignore this one.

In 2006, a new tax credit will go into effect to encourage people to buy hybrid cars. This is cash back on your next tax return, not just a deduction. Some are complaining, though, that the credit favors SUVs and American car companies. You’d think they’d be happy that American companies that are just getting into hybrid cars will be getting a big boost off of increased interest and attention on their cars. You’d think they’d be happy that the worst “offenders” would consider cleaning up their cars to a hybrid system. No, they’re whining that it doesn’t reward super-high performance hybrids and those that initially revolutionized the field. Ironically, they’re asking for more money for those who would be saving the most money through greater fuel economy. Sounds a lot like “the rich get richer,” doesn’t it?

Also, the best-selling Prius is still the second-highest credit receiver. You’re getting more than $3000 cash back for buying that car. That’s nearly $1000 more than the 4WD Highlander and Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD.

Actually, the more I study the tax credit table, the less sense the arguments against it make. I think we have a definite case of “lies, damned lies, and statistics” going on here. . .

On the bright side, Toyota says they expect to sell 60,000 hybrids in the first six months of 2006. (Let’s see how many of those won’t have to be recalled.)

More hybrids is a good thing, and I’m all for encouraging it..

* Inevitably, I catch an episode of MTV’s “Super Sweet Sixteen” each weekend. It’s great car crash theater, showing us what happens when parents let their children rule the roost. These are stories of 16 year old girls who not only think they’re the center of the known universe, but have their pushover parents prove it on national television. Thankfully, I’m not alone in thinking this:

The reason why this MTV show belongs in obstetrician gift packs is that it is the ultimate barometer of parental failure. If your baby grows up to behave even one-tenth as obnoxious and self-entitled as the eternally spoiled brats in this series, it’s time to see the monks in Tibet.

* LOST Spoilers, maybe. It’s a pic comparing images from the first season finale to images from the third episode of season two. Same people? Sure look it. (Via)

* What about season two of FRAGGLE ROCK on DVD?

* I’ll start with the best news of the day: FX has ordered up 21 episodes of THE SHIELD for the new season. They’re currently scheduled to start in January. 21 friggin’ episodes of Vic Mackey punishing punks and evading IAD.

* Did you think I was done linking to sites about the classic Nintendo game DUCK HUNT? Think again.

* Comedy Central announces its 2006 development slate, including new shows from Lewis Black and Morgan Spurlock (still looking for cable network that might renew him someday.) Lots of political comedy, it seems, with all of it tilted in the same direction. (Shocking.) One possible exception: Nick DiPaolo is working up a show, putting stereotypes to the test.

There’s also an anime spoof and a teen angst drama spoof in the works. An animated show about bad superheroes promises more painfully cheap animation and shots at people whose politics don’t agree with all of Comedy Central’s shows.

* The new rules for Daylight Saving Time don’t go into affect until 2007. Our extra hour of sleep here in America is on October 30th this year.

* Does the thought of NaNoWriMo make you twitch? Want to try something a bit simpler? Try Club 100 For Writers. It’s a challenge to write at least 100 words a day for 100 days. I do that on this blog alone, but the idea is to funnel all that writing into one task, such as a novel.

* THE PRINCESS BRIDE is coming to Broadway. I know the purists will complain that they’re pandering to the Lowest Common Denominator, but I’ve never cared about Broadway before the recent spate of interesting shows — “Movin’ Out” and “Spamalot” at the top of the list. Not that I’m traveling into the city to see any of them, but it is interesting. . .

* It’s official: BIG BROTHER 7 is coming next summer to a CBS affiliate near you.

* You Flash Game of the Day, Reflections. Guide the lasers to light up the bulbs. It’s pure puzzle. Easy to learn, tough to master. I’m stuck on the sixth level.

* “The Ghost Whisperer” is picked up for a full season. That sound you hear is Tom screaming.

Here’s a full rundown on Apple’s announcements yesterday. A few thoughts:

1. I think the resolution and size of the video images for the downloadable TV shows is done at the behest of Hollywood. Making these shows smaller is a good way to limit piracy.

2. People buy movies in the UMD format for their PSP, so they don’t seem to mind watching videos at increasingly smaller sizes. And they surely don’t want larger iPods. The Nano is selling like hotcakes. The Shuffle is doing very well. Shrinking the main iPod is a bigger priority than increasing screen size at the moment.

3. Apple needs to buy TiVo now. Imagine copying a TV show off your TiVo down to your iPod to go. . . On the other hand, I like that the TiVo is a Linux product. Switching it up to a Mac OS in the background makes it a little less sexy to the geek inside of me.

4.When I buy my next iPod, I’m sticking with the white. Black is fine, but I like the classic look more. I’m surprised, though, that Apple isn’t doing more than just black and white for these puppies. The Minis sold bunches with extra colors.

5. I don’t need a remote for my iPod. Of course, I use it primarily in the car and at my desk at work. Distance isn’t an issue. When I’m at home and want to listen to music, I play it off my computer and through iTunes. What I want is universal integration of the iPod into any new car. Apple keeps making deals, but they’re not there yet. Why can’t car stereos just have a jack in the front to plug any audio device in? Seems so simple, but so few do it.

6. A larger hard drive would be nice. The 30 GB in the new base model would work for me, though. My 20 GB is filled. I’ve started to take albums off it when I add new ones. Those extra 10 GB would be great.

7. But I’m not buying a new one just yet. I want to wait for the NEXT generation of iPods, which will (rumor has it) include a widescreen display.

8. They’ll need to significantly bump up battery life and hard drive size before turning the iPod into a significant video player. Screen size would also be nice, but nobody wants a huge iPod.

9. $1.99 is a nice price point for the TV shows, I think. I doubt anyone will replace their TiVo with this thing. I think it’ll be most popular amongst those who miss an episode for some reason and want to catch it at any resolution before next week’s. Neither LOST nor DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES are repeated on cable over the weekend the way other shows increasingly are today. (THE OFFICE and THE APPRENTICEs, for two.) If a song is a five minute audio file for a buck, two bucks doesn’t seem like a bad idea for 44 minutes of audio WITH video.

10. Don’t know that I’d pay that for a music video, though, or even a PIXAR short. But as the writer at the links says, ring tones are dumb ideas and people buy those by the bushel, too. What do I know?

It’s quite spiffy looking. They’ve put to good use the things they learned in building the Nano, by the looks of it.

Of course, now my 10 month old iPod looks completely ancient. ::sigh::

Perhaps bigger news for its future implications:

The announcements came in conjunction with the news that the new version of the iTunes Music store in iTunes 6, Apple’s popular music-playing software, will sell both music videos and television shows from ABC Disney which can be loaded and viewed on the new video iPods. Apple states that both will begin shipping next week.

* The Video iPod to be announced today. Sort of. This is a half step on the road to a full widescreen iPod with movie downloadability next year.

* The Ig Nobel Prizes are awarded. Winners include a guy who takes pictures of all his meals and a scientist who measures the pressure inside a penguin that’s about to relieve itself. There’s even a link to the document in which the scientist presents his findings. It’s a PDF and everything. I love these awards.

* Yahoo has a podcast search site now. Like all major new websites today, it’s clearly labeled “Beta.”

* Leslie Nielsen starring in a new reality TV series? Count me in.

* SCRUBS’ creator is ticked that NBC isn’t giving them a timeslot. Can’t say as I blame him. . .

There’s a guy who sits diagonally away from my cube. He’s snoring right now.

I’m so jealous. But, then, I’m also facing a stairwell. I can’t get away with sleeping. People actually pass by my cube all day.

Ah, well. . .

Full list of the week’s DVD releases at DVDJournal.com.

2005 Tour De France (6-disc set)

Grown men wearing spandex and pedalling for six DVDs? Uhm, no thanks.

Arrested Development: Season Two (3-disc set)

Get it while it lasts.

Hondo: Collector’s Edition (1953)

If it were the 3-D version, I’d consider it. It does have a Leonard Maltin commentary track on it, though.

Kingdom of Heaven (widescreen) (2-disc set) (2005)

From the reviews of the movie I’ve read, you’re better off going back to watching your DVD of GLADIATOR, instead.

Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)

Ebert loves the movie, but every clip of it I’ve ever seen looks tremendously boring. Yes, this is a completely unfair review, but I’m not trying to be an expert here. I can only watch so much, and care about even less. ;-)

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

How did I miss this when I was putting together the podcast this week? That’s just a title ripe for the riffing. . . Oddly enough, it got decent reviews for what it is.

South Park: Season Six (3-disc set)

It’s the animated series that just wouldn’t die.

Veronica Mars: Season One (6-disc set)

I’m hoping to watch it over Christmas break this year. But we’ll see how those plans go.

Next week is even more colorful, including Batman movie re-releases, THE CARE BEARS movie, WORLD POKER TOUR Season 3, MAD HOT BALLROOM, and more.

The Yankees may very well lose the game tonight. In fact, given their complete ineffectiveness to put a ball anywhere but in the “pop fly” category whenever runners get on base, they’d deserve it.

But the umpire’s call on Robinson Cano at first base in this game has to go down as one of the worst in post-season history. It’s baseball’s equivalent of judicial activism — calling a runner out for touching first base on the left side of the bag instead of the right. The runner was running in a way so as NOT to interfere with the play. The runner ran down the same line that every other runner who runs to first in an effort to get a single runs. And the home plate umpire called him out for it.

I call B.S. on you, Mr. Home Plate Umpire.

Update: And the Yankees lost. The only question now is, who looked more pitiful and pathetic? A-Rod, or Hideki Matsui? Neither of them could get anything done when it counted. Take the ninth inning, for example: A-Rod hit into a double play. Matsui grounded out, stranding his 27th and 28th baserunners of the evening.

On the bright side, this means plenty of TV time in the next couple of weeks can be spent catching up on the new fall season instead of watching baseball. Yay.

* Seasons 1 - 3 of THE X-FILES are being repackaged and re-released on DVD at a lower price point of only $50.

* Help Katy re-cast LOST with Muppets.

* INXS fires its manager. He’s the one who got them the TV gig this summer. He must have royally screwed something else up, because the TV deal was a real winner for them.

* Phil Koeghan’s Top Ten AMAZING RACE moments. (Last two links via TVTattle.com.)

* CSI: MIAMI has three year arcs. Go fig.

Saw this at a dollar store, on sale for a quarter.

The thing that scares me is how many people don’t see anything wrong with it. ::sigh::

This is the thirty-ninth DVD podcast:
Listen directly to the MP3 file (6 minutes, ~2.8 MB)

Vote for this podcast at PodcastAlley.com.

Read about this podcast in PODCASTING HACKS.

Where to find release lists:
DVDJournal’s release list
TVShowsonDVD.com - monthly release list

Where to find more information on these movies:
Internet Movie Database

You can also subscribe to the podcast

E-mail me or send voice comments to AUGIEDB *at* GMAIL *dot* COM. Or leave your comments in the comments section of this message.

I’m sorry — I never put up the show notes for last week’s show. Here ya go.

This is the thirty-eighth DVD podcast:
Listen directly to the MP3 file (~6 minutes, ~2.8 MB)

Vote for this podcast at PodcastAlley.com.

Read about this podcast in PODCASTING HACKS.

Where to find release lists:
DVDJournal’s release list
TVShowsonDVD.com - monthly release list

Where to find more information on these movies:
Internet Movie Database

You can also subscribe to the podcast

E-mail me or send voice comments to AUGIEDB *at* GMAIL *dot* COM. Or leave your comments in the comments section of this message.