The Case for Physical Media

Samsung has announced that they will stop selling Blu-ray Disc players in the US. Samsung to Stop Selling BD Players in US

While this news probably means little to most, I'm sad to see this happening. Is this the first step in the demise of owning your own copy of your favorite movie? Perhaps.

While I enjoy streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime and love that I can access more content than I would every watch, I still prefer to own a physical copy of the movie.

Physical media has a permanence you do not get with these services. Without fail near the end of each month there are many articles posted about what's leaving Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu. Some shows create such an uproar that the service even has to reconsider letting it's license expire. This is such the case with Friends on Netflix. Friends Uproar on Netflix

There are many advantages to physical media.

• No compression in sound or picture - streaming needs compressed in order to deliver content
• No license agreement with the streaming services - you own it for the life of the physical medium
• You can lend to friends
• You are not dependent upon an Internet Service Provider
• Privacy - your viewing habits are not monetized for the streaming services's gain

The same argument applies to video games. I collect the physical copies of games I have purchased going back to my beloved Atari. The importance of physical media was driven home by two events late last year:

Activision shuts down Guitar Hero Live servers, spawning lawsuit

Nintendo Wii Shop shuts down

And don't forget music albums! We used to buy the entire album to get that one single. Online definitely has lower price, but at what cost? What about songs that aren't singles? Today they'd be simply lost rarities. Back in the day the entire album contained a complete cohesive package - including incredible artwork. Some had hidden gems that could have been singles. For example Boston's first album gets radio play today. Guns 'N Roses' Appetite for Destruction album is another example. Those albums had a few singles, but over the years most of the songs on those albums have become classic rock staples.

Nothing lasts forever, but with physical media and working hardware you can be the master of your content.

Improving the NES Classic or SNES Classic

I had a difficult time deciding whether to get the NES Classic (Nintendo Entertainment System Classic) or the SNES Classic (Super NES Classic.)  I ended up with both and I'm glad I did.

There is one major short-coming with these mini-consoles.  The controller cords are just too short!

Today (February 2019) I picked up two twin packs of SNES Classic extension cords from Best Buy. These are Insignia brand and work perfectly. They are being clearanced out at $4.99 each! Each extension cord is six foot long.

I bought two sets. I then daisy-chained the two together. Bingo! I can now sit an additional twelve feet away from the console.  Hello couch!

FAQ:
Can I use SNES Classic extension cords for the NES Classic?  Yes.

Can I use an SNES Classic controller on the NES Classic? Yes.

Do they work on an original '80s NES or '90s SNES? No.

If you haven't picked up one of these mini-consoles, hurry!  They are no longer manufactured. Nintendo must have been tired of printing money. I have found that the SNES Classic is much harder to find than the NES Classic. Beware online, though. I've seen some weird overseas versions of it that may not be legit - even on Amazon!

Both consoles allow you to save games in progress - up to four per games. The SNES Classic even has a rewind feature. This makes games like Earthbound so much more enjoyable. When you die, rewind and continue.

Game on!

Cleaning a cast iron skillet

What is the serving size of bacon? It could be 12 ounces. Or it could be 16 ounces! It's whatever the size of the package is!

Last year I got a Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet as a gift. I'm pretty much convinced that no swine is safe now that I have this tool in my possession.

Beware if this is your first cast iron skillet.....

The handle will be hot.  With great power comes great responsibility. After decades of using pots and pans with insulated handles, its very easy to grab it without thinking.  Bad idea! When you have such cookware, prepare to have a towel or oven mitt handy.  Just don't put it too close to the burner!

Rust is cast iron's mortal enemy. The only way to fight rust is to keep it clean and coated. And like a Mogwai, keep it away from water! (Well, except when cleaning it.)

Here is my cleaning procedure. It should be done immediately after removing the food before the skillet cools down.

1. Clear the sink - preferably the side without a garbage disposal
2. Turn on the hot water until it is piping hot
3. Pick up that towel for the handle
4. Put the skillet in the water at an angle which will create steam and send some of the gunk down the drain
5. Use a wooden spatula to knock the crunchy bits out of the skillet and pour the remaining grease down the drain 
6. Remove from the water and place on a safe, non-meltable surface
7. Dab it dry (or beware of gremlins)
8. Let the water run for a minute to make sure your plumbing stays clean
9. Put a dab of shortening in the skillet and spread it around while it melts - cover the whole surface area including the inner sides

The shortening will protect the skillet from rust. Notice I didn't use soap to clean it out. The steam should be sufficient.

In the unlikely event of leftover, uncooked bacon, return to the fridge for another day.

And remember: NEVER FEED AFTER MIDNIGHT!