The PePe Show

While I can’t remember life before cassette/video tapes, I can still remember life before CD’s/DVD’s. What is it now? Life before what? Nothing?

That’s right, I believe this may be the end of media. With MP3 players as popular as they are, it won’t be long before CD’s will be a thing of the past.

CD’s just don’t seem to make much sense anymore.

Perhaps to an audiophile, however, the story may be different. The audiophile may get all wrapped up with lossless compressions, or that 192kbps makes all the difference than a 128kbps mp3. However, to most folks, the music sounds no different than a CD. Then again, a true audiophile may still argue that there is nothing like the sound of a vinyl record. So while an audiophile may have a hard time embracing new technology, most of us will just move on.

Yet, perhaps another factor in holding back the pace of CD extinction could be the record companies themselves. At the turn of the century they were not prepared at all for the electronic revolution. They had to change their business plan practically from the ground up. I am glad to see that we are in the right path to the next thing, even if it is “nothing.”

No media is next thing.

Soon, DVD’s will follow suite. Currently, there is already two avenues (that I know of) to avoid DVD’s. Cable’s great new service: On Demand and the Internet. Now when I talk about the Internet, I am not referring to the dark side of the internet, but rather legit sites such as Movielink and CinemaNow. I myself am a subscriber of Starz Ticket on Real Networks. So I have little reason to watch a DVD. TV? You ask? I have my computer(s) connected to the TV and can watch all the movies on the TV at a quality that looks just like a DVD. Now I hear of a new upcoming service named Vongo. I may have to switch to since they are working on being the exclusive provider of Starz movies.

Still not convinced? You are right, most people may not embrace the media PC as I have. So for those who would like to have an inexpensive box hooked up to the TV and the Internet, it’s coming. For now, only Adults can take advantage of the technology. For $100 (I believe) you can buy a box to connect it directly to the TV and a high-speed internet connection. Then, you have many “channels” plus you can directly order movies on demand. It will not be long before this technology is embraced by more “mainstream” media.

Yes, it may not be until 2010 that CD’s/DVD’s may be extinct. But, I firmly believe it will happen sooner than you think.

This entry was originally posted on MSN Spaces.

What seems to be a lifetime ago, I was at a friends house amazed about the knowledge he had on Bass equipment and recording gear. The year was 1994 and the internet, at it’s infancy, was not nearly close to being mainstream. I asked him how he knew so much about the latest and greatest. “Magazines, they keep you informed of what’s out there.” He replied.

Two years later when I decided to make a 180 degree turn in my career, I subscribed to PC Magazine. For the next eight years I was a faithful subscriber. In those years, I sure was able to learn what about the latest, greatest, and upcoming stuff as it related to computers, and personal electronic devices.

And so why did I break my loyalty? One simple answer: The Internet.

I found that I could keep up much faster with the latest and greatest through the internet. Most of the articles published in the magazine are available to read on the internet free of charge. Why subscribe?

Still, while I have found that I can get my latest on technology of the internet, I subscribed to Time magazine. Next, I subscribed to Entertainment Weekly. The reason is quite simple as well: portability.

Yes, I can read most of the news from my Internet-Connected Blackberry. Or I can take my laptop into the bathroom to read wired-dot-com. Yet, nothing beats having a mag in your hand. Transfering information and knowledge from a very low-tech device: print and paper. No batteries required; no downloading; no recharging; no bad connection; no “please wait while your page loads”; no hassle. Plain and simple text on paper. I still love it.

I can take it with me anywhere, and read it anywhere. Plus, I feel much safer taking out a magazine in public (such as when I take the Metro train) than taking out my laptop. Sure, most of the stories may not be late-breaking. But, who cares? I can get late-breaking next time I am on the ‘net.

So, will magazines ever go extinct? Perhaps they may. But probably not in my lifetime.

This entry was originally posted on MSN Spaces.

Well, here is to a new year! Happy new year, everyone.

For all you who know me, I have decided to shave my mustache and my sideburns. 2005 was the year I sported them, and I am done. No more. Gone.

On other notes, I missed the Rose Parade for the first time in six years. My family and I had been going to the Rose Parade since 2000 and had not missed one yet. However, due to the wind and rain, we decided it would be best not to go. My kids have been getting sicks these last months of 2005 and we didn’t want to risk it anymore.

Oddly enough, I didn’t even feel like watching the Rose Parade. I guess I thought if I didn’t see it, I would not miss it. Still, I caught the last float, band, and equestrian team. I felt really sorry for the bands. They had to march in the pouring rain. Also, it didn’t look as full. I bet you would’ve been able to find a good spot along the parade route.

Last, I’ve got a project I am working on. I am going to start a podcast with my friend Eloy. I am really excited about it. I hope I get a bigger audience than my blog. I have yet to find out if anyone is even reading my blog. But, I think I should be able to get a good audience for the podcast. So, if you are interested look for it soon. More details to come.

This entry was originally posted on MSN Spaces.

Trust me. I have been wanting to publish something for quite some time now. However, I have not had the chance. It’s the typical story that I don’t seem to find the time in my busy life to publish something. Still, my original idea of publishing my thoughts is still there. I still think about subjects to write about when I am driving, or while I am taking a shower.

I hope that from now on I do find time to write something. Even if they are thoughts that I have not completely worked out. I will make the effort to write.

The good thing is that I am able to write much faster now. This allows me to get my thoughts from my head on to the blog with less interruption. However, the problem will be that it may not give me enough time to completely work out what I am trying to say. Still, it should flow like a conversation.

For the time being, I have published a story I sent to my friend Eloy. I thought it would be worth it to publish it. It is the first story about something that has happened to me that I publish. I hope you enjoy (or that you enjoyed it, if you read it already.)

Until next time . . .

Justo.

This entry was originally posted on MSN Spaces.

While I was living in Vegas, I once borrowed a machine. I’ve got a story to tell you on borrowing that machine.

After I was done using it, it was time to load it in my van and take it back. I always parked the van inside the garage in reverse. As I tried to load the machine, I noticed I didn’t have enough space to load the machine. There was enough space to open the back door, still I couldn’t quite fit it in.

I decided to pull the van out to make it easier and give me more room. I started to pull the van out, but didn’t even think on closing the rear door. Well, as you may know, van doors usually open up. As I pulled the van out, it made sense that I just pull it all the way out and leave it in the driveway. As I was almost out of the garage, I heard a loud crash sound. “Oh, shit! I hit the machine!” was my first thought. But, I quickly remembered that the machine was not near the van. I checked my mirrors and didn’t see anything. I looked at my rear view mirror, and didn’t see anything either. The only thing I saw was my back door opened, which looked a bit weird since I wasn’t used to driving with the door opened.

Baffled, I turned my head towards the back to see if I could tell what it was. “Fuck!” There was glass all over the place. The back door window hit the top of the garage and broke the glass. “Damn it! I wonder how much that is going to cost me!” Well, I would’ve been better off buying a new lawn mower, than buying a new window.

However, the story doesn’t end there. The next day, I took the van to get a new glass. I found a place that installed it for under $300. After waiting a couple of hours at the windows place, the van was finally ready. “Cool! As if nothing had happened.” I went inside the office and paid for the glass and installation and was happy on my way with all the paperwork they give you. As I pulled out of the driveway from the place, I don’t even think my front wheels ever got to the street when I heard a loud crash! “What the . . .” Sure enough, the glass had broke again. “What!?” I parked the van and went inside the office again. “Excuse me, but the glass you installed just broke.” I told the lady who had handled my payment.

“What?” She asked puzzled. “Hold, on” she said as she got the manager.

“I’ll send the mechanic out to take a look at it.” The manager said.

The mechanic came out scratching his head, “What happened?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even make it to the street when the glass just broke.” I said.

“By itself? That can’t be.” he said in disbelief.

“Maybe you installed it wrong, or the glass was defective.” I told him trying to explain what happened.

“I don’t think so. The glass just goes on without any pressure. It couldn’t have been installed wrong. And, in all my years of installing windshields and windows, I never had this happened.” The mechanic explained that it wasn’t his fault at all.

Whatever the case, he took it in for any thirty minutes to install a new window. They didn’t charge me anything else for the second installation. I went on my way with a third glass in my van.

For months, I was terrified that any vibration, or soft to medium impact was going to shatter the glass again. Thank goodness that to this day, it has not broke again. Still, all for just borrowing a lawn mower.

This entry was originally posted on MSN Spaces.