Geek Strand Bits & Bytes: Kindle for Mac, News from Myrtle Beach’s Cyberwar Front
Kindle for Mac released
I fell in love with my Kindle as soon as I got it for Christmas. It is to the point where I have to resist buying Kindle versions of real books sitting on my nightstand, waiting to be read.
My girlfriend has also fallen in love with my Kindle, despite her initial resistance to the idea of virtual books. She has absconded with it to the furthest reaches of the world. She reads even more than I do, and it is much easier to pack a Kindle for a trip to Denver than five or six paper- and hardbacks in a carry-on.
Kindle for Mac screenshoot
This has created a little bit of an organizational rift between us. We have to negotiate custody times and be sure to have alternate reading material available for when the other has the Kindle.
This is not as bad as it sounds. I have had my Kindle software on my iPod Touch for longer than I have had the actual Kindle. And I do have those books on my nightstand.
So, I was able to make due, until my iPod decided to drowned itself one day, cutting off my access to our growing Kindle library. Since I haven’t been able to replace the iPod yet, or get another Kindle for that matter (We are both convinced that we need to be a two-Kindle household, but have yet to convince or bank accounts of the extra expense), I have had to wait patiently for my turn.
Fortunately, Amazon.com, which has released Kindle software for the PC and the iPhone/iPod, has recently released a Mac version.
The Mac version, much like the other Kindle version, lets me access all my Kindle books, keep the page count synced so if I read some chapters on the Kindle while my girlfriend is at work, I can continue from where I left off on my MacBook Pro or iMac, and vice-versa.
Of course, as everyone knows, reading on the computer screen is the optimum situation, but it does quite well in a pinch.
You can learn more at www.amazon.com/kindle
News from the Cyber-Front
In the last Geek Strand, I reported about all the flagging and attempts to censor the Myrtle Beach Craigslist. Since that report, there have been some new developments. Shortly after releasing my column, the folks at www.blackbikeweeks.com contacted me and informed me of their experiences in this Grand Strand cyberwar.
According to blackbikeweek.com, they have had people sign up under false names and send out false messages that the Memorial Day Bike Rally has been canceled, give out false dates and generally spread misinformation about the event. They claim that this is also happening on FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites.
So, check your sources and make sure who you are getting your info from is the real deal.
Meanwhile, over on Craigslist, things have changed since my expose of the attempts to censor the free list. Growing frustrated with the flaggers who have been taking down any posts about bike week or that disagree with the powers-that-be in Myrtle Beach, someone has started the web site www.neverflagged.com.
Similar to Craigslist, neverflagged.com offers free, paid and featured ads, but promises that ads will never be flagged indiscriminately. Complaints about ads will be handled fairly and judged according to the terms of use (obscenity, libel, criminal stuff), meaning just because you don’t like what someone is saying isn’t enough to get it deleted—You know, that whole First Amendment thing?
Check out www.neverflagged.com for the uncensored rants and raves for the Myrtle Beach area.
Christopher Huff is a self-confessed and unrepentant geek who as been living, writing and playing on the Grand Strand for several years. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.piratejournalism.com. Comments can be sent to chris@alternatives.sc
Sinister Shadows Come to America’s Favorite Family Beach
Conspiracy theories can be very seductive. 
Given a few strange clues and some seemingly random bits of information, it is easy to raise the suspicion of something sinister going on just beyond eyesight of normal men and women.
Star Chamber, Free Masons, Rosicrucians, Skull and Bones, the Catholic Church, CIA, Military-Industrial Complex, SMERSH, Environmentalists, and Communists; They all have plots to dominate the world.
At best, these are the villains in a spellbinding tale of mystery and intrigue. Taken another way, it can lead one down a rabbit hole of paranoia and insanity. At worst, however, they can provide terrible insight into how the world really works.
Way back when, the survivalist bug bit me. With the Clinton administration burning down churches, enacting massive domestic spying programs, trying to steal the Second Amendment and annihilating the American steel industry, it was easy for a steel-town boy to buy some guns and make plans to head for the hills when everything went U.S.S.A.
However, I learned that you couldn’t live with that level of alertness for very long without going crazy. Every mysterious phone call is an attempt by the government to tap your phones. Your power goes out, and you wonder if the ATF is about to bust down your door. You either pack up and head to a cabin in the woods or go crazy and shoot somebody. Or, like I did, you find a different way to fight back. I got into journalism to fight the lies—and there are plenty of out-right lies in the news—of the mainstream media. I might not have been very successful in saving the world, but I didn’t try and blow up a federal building, either.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t see the conspiracies that are still out there. I learned long ago to look past the Republican/Democrat puppet show to suss out what the Powers-That-Be are really trying to do.
Interestingly, the Games-They-Play are not just on the national level. They can be seen happening right here on the Grand Strand.
Consider this: Myrtle Beach has been America’s beach for decades. People of all walks of live came here to play on the beach, shop in the stores, golf at the clubs and cruise the streets.
However, someone has decided they don’t like that.
They destroy the Pavilion. They raise taxes and pass laws to drive off millions of tourists and billions of tourist dollars. They drive off conventions and work at making Myrtle Beach the laughing stock of the vacation industry.
Consider the latest fiasco to hit Myrtle Beach—the cancelation of the marathon.
A few flurries at 10 p.m., and city officials can the race, spitting in the face of logic and common sense. They claim it was because of the weather and safety concerns, but that makes little sense. Even at 10 p.m., there was no snow sticking to the roads. At 4 a.m., when I walked to the beach to take pictures of the snow, the roads were wet, but still black. By morning, the idea of snowy, icy roads was a wet dream.
Come the morning, the thousands of runners that came into town proved it by running anyway and dominating the local headlines for the weekend. It seems that the city forgot that people come to the Myrtle Beach Marathon to practice for New York, Boston and other runs often held under worse conditions.
Or, did they?
By sabotaging the annual run, this could be just another step in the systematic destruction of America’s #1 Family Beach. Just like with the bike rallies, admittedly on a smaller scale, thousands of unhappy visitors are going home and telling all their friends about their disappointment and how stupid people in Myrtle Beach are. A 25-year-old tradition is probably as good as dead.
Now, I haven’t quite figured out the whys or whos yet. However, when there are PACs and mysterious corporations making questionable, if not illegal, machinations in favor of the elected puppets who enacted these attacks on our beach, our residents, our visitors and our livelihoods, its not hard to believe that something sinister is lurking in the shadows of Myrtle Beach.
Michael Franti ready to ‘Say Hey’ to Myrtle Beach Aug. 20 at HOB
Michael Franti & Spearhead join Counting Crows at House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach on Aug. 10
Michael Franti, creator and lead singer of Michael Franti and Spearhead, said he is looking forward to visiting Myrtle Beach for the first time when his band joins Counting Crows and Augustana at the House of Blues on Aug. 20.
“I am looking forward to getting in the water,” Franti said. “I had a ruptured appendix and had to have emergency surgery. I am just now getting back out on the road. It feels good to be playing for an audience again. This trip will be my first time in Myrtle Beach, so I hope I will get a chance to hit the water after the show.”
Franti’s recent song “Say Hey (I Love You)” has recently hit the charts, bringing his unique style of music into the limelight.
“There are so many influences to my music — rock, reggae, punk rock — it is hard to pick a single genre,” Franti said. “So now that I have a song on in the top 40, I just tell people I play Top 40 music.”
Songwriters and the guitar provide Franti with the inspiration for his music.
“It all comes back to the acoustic guitar,” Franti said. “I start with that first, and it is the songwriters who worked with the guitar — John Lennon, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash. Take John Lennon for example. He did his songs in so many different styles and ranges.”
Many of his songs have a political side to them, but Franti isn’t just about protesting what he sees as wrong, but making a positive change.
“I believe all of us have an opportunity to make the planet a better place,” Franti said. “Yes, I have my political beliefs, but they are not necessarily right. Other people have their beliefs, and they might be right.”
Not just singing about his beliefs, Franti puts them to the test.
“When the Iraqi war started, I went there,” he said. “I didn’t go with the USO or anything. I got a plane ticket and went there on my own. I was singing on street corners to Iraqis and American troops at the same time.”
Franti continued: “It is better to get involved. I play prisons a lot. I play for the warden, the guards and the inmates — all sides of the problem.”
Franti grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, an African American adopted by second-generation Finnish Americans.
The unique upbringing has taught him the importance of solidarity.
“I have always felt like an outsider,” Franti said. “I try to use music to bring solidarity among all those outsiders, to create unity. I play in New Orleans a lot, and I see how music brings people together. This is a place that has been hit hard with problems of all kinds — weather disasters, political corruption — and then I see how all these different people come together for music.”
Places to Be: Spencer’z South
It’s not just the owners who can get me to come visit their favorite place to be. Anyone can e-mail me and ask me to come on down. For example, last week Phil from the Inlyn Gruve band e-mailed me to come down to Spencer’z South to see them play. This gave me the perfect excuse to head down to Murrells Inlet and check out Spencer’z South.
At the intersection of Pendergrass Ave. and Highway 17, Spencer’z South is a huge place with great character from the moment you walk up the steps to the front door. Inside, the place is virtually split into two separate areas. Immediately upon entering, there is a comfy bright barroom with several tables, a digital jukebox, dart games and TVs. If you keep going, you come to the short flight of stairs leading down to a huge room with high ceilings and plenty of space for tables. On a raised platform, there is more seating on the “backside” of the bar from the other room. What a great design effect. I fell in love with the place immediately.
On the lower level, there was a second bar against one wall, and on the opposite end of the room was a stage and a spot for a couple of pool tables. The back of the room had an extension that looked like it could be partitioned off as a private banquet room if needed.
Inlyn Gruve is in the House!
The stage was big enough to fit all of the members of Inlyn Gruve and their guest members. They played a great mix of classic rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll. There was enough room in front of the stage for some couples to dance. Read more »
Places to Be: Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar and Grille
Dirty Don's Oyster Bar on 21st Avenue N in Myrtle Beach
It seems like people are starting to catch on to what I have been saying since I started writing Places to Be.
Since the beginning, I have told people there are two ways to get me to write about their restaurant or club. I can discover it through the course of my random wanderings along the Grand Strand, or they can invite me to come check it out.
After Doug Kelly asked me to come see Elvis at Studebaker’s last week, I was invited to Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar and Grill to have lunch with the owner. Well, dang. There I was, not even into the next week, and I already had plans. I wasn’t used to this kind of popularity, but I think I can handle it. Especially if it fast tracks me to some great food.
And man-o-man, does Dirty Don’s have some great food.
Sitting just a block from the ocean on 21st Avenue North, Dirty Don’s is a cozy little place with a tropical “island” feel. I have seen the place at night during the summer and it is always packed. There is seating outside on the deck as well as plenty of booths inside.
I met Don and his girlfriend, Kelli, on Tuesday afternoon. It was a quiet time at the place, just after the lunch rush but well before the dinner crowd. And one of the benefits of eating with the owner is that you definitely get the inside track on what is good to eat.
The first thing I learned is that many of the sauces served are made from scratch, which includes the pleasantly spiced cocktail sauce set out on the table, and the wild “Dirty Don’s sauce” that came with the appetizers like Shrimp Fritters and Salt-n-Pepper Catfish fingers, which Kelli and Don ordered respectively. I got to try them both, and they were good, great even, but what came next was even better.
It was tough to choose as each appetizer sounded better than the last, but I finally decided on the Oysters Salsa. Somewhat like Oysters Rockerfeller, these giant oysters were topped with salsa and provolone cheese.
Billed as the chef’s secret creation, I have never come across anything like them. They were so good they were gone before I realized I had eaten them all.
The rest of the menu was just as tempting and hard to choose from. Doug had told me that I had to try the Dunking Pot, a pot of steamed shellfish topped with corn on the cob, hot sausages and garlic bread. I was told it easily serves two or more, and that was a bit more than I could handle for lunch.
Instead, I went with the ribeye sandwich. Both Don and Doug had talked up this sandwich. Don said he had recently upgraded the choice cut of steak for the sandwich, so I agreed to give it a try.
Now, I was putting a lot of faith in what they were telling me, because I never seem to have any luck with “steak sandwiches.” They are usually all right, but more often than not, I find myself having to discard the bun and eat it with a fork and knife. Most steak sandwiches don’t bite off that easily.
This sandwich was amazing. Cooked perfectly to my taste (on the rare side of medium rare), the meat was juicy and perfect. In addition, each bite came with little resistance.
I have had ice cream sandwiches that offered more resistance. This is definitely one of the best sandwiches I have had, if not one of the best steaks on the beach. Oh, and the fries were fresh cut and a perfect golden brown.
I also tried some of the Carolina crab cake sandwich, and was just as surprised and impressed. I am more than likely to pass on crab cakes, but this one had a spicy tang to it that really caught my interest.
Don assured me that crab cakes were made fresh at the restaurant, as was just about everything. Nothing was frozen or prepackaged.
I don’t think I have tasted this much amazingly good food in one place. Well, if it is fresh food you want, prepared perfectly with amazingly unique twists to the recipes, then Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar and Grill is the place to be.
Places to Be: Studebaker’s
Elvis is in the house @ Studebaker's in Myrtle Beach
One of the first places I went to as an adult — i.e. 21 years old — was a little theme place just outside Pittsburgh. It has a ‘50s rock theme and the waitresses and staff would jump up on the tables and dance.
The girl I was seeing at the time absolutely fell in love with Studebaker’s and took me there for dinner on my birthday.
Later that year, while on vacation with my family, I discovered another Studebaker’s in Myrtle Beach. Turns out that it was a franchise. As the years passed, the Pittsburgh Studebaker’s disappeared, and family vacations became rare as I worked my way through college.
Since I have moved down here permanently, I have been in Studebaker’s a few times, but the place wasn’t my regular scene. I have always been more of a Beatles man, and Studebaker’s was decidedly more Elvis.
That’s not to say I have anything against Elvis. I love Elvis. My mom raised me on Elvis 45s and movies. I even liked that Western one in which he doesn’t sing.
Studebaker’s is very Elvis. The long bar in the front is straight out of a ‘50s diner. The waitresses are in cheerleader style uniforms and still do their dance routines, although the music is not limited to oldies.
There are old cars, old gas station signs and memorabilia from the bebopping days of yore. In addition, Studebaker’s is probably one of the best-lit dance clubs I have ever visited. It also sports one of the largest dance floors on the beach.
Speaking of Elvis, he was the reason I went to Studebaker’s last Friday. I was invited to check out Studebaker’s and their Elvis show by Doug Kelly. (See how easy it is to get me to review your favorite place to be? Just e-mail me, and a Wham-Bam-Boom, there I am).
Michael Sokolik, the “beach’s only young Elvis” tribute artist was performing a double set of Elvis songs, and brought in quite a crowd for the early start time. His show was fun and full of humor and good singing. Sokolik covered all the bests from Elvis’ young years to his Vegas days (still as young Elvis).
I ordered a personal pizza and some cheese sticks to munch on while I watched the show. Doug and I split a pitcher of Studebaker’s Tropical Punch. The mix of rum, Midori melon liqueur, peach schnapps and tropical juices made for a very good sipping drink.
Studebaker’s has plenty of tables, a balcony, a second bar in the back and a couple of game rooms, but dancing is the name of the game at Studebaker’s, and locals and tourists of all ages regularly pack the place.
Studebaker’s is also one of the prime Shagging spots on the beach, and will be hosting the Shagging Nationals on March 12-14.
For some good old shagging good time, Studebaker’s is the place to be. To check out more.
Visit www.studebakersclub.com.
The Futures Uncertain as the Cyborg forces lay waste to the human resistance during Skynet Part I at Adventure Beach.
Adventure Beach played host to what might one day be a future historic battle to save mankind from the termination.
On Feb 7 the first chapter in a three-part battle between the Cyborg Armies and the human resistance played out on the 80 acre Adventure Beach Scenario Paintball facility near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Sponsored by Tippmann, ProCaps Direct and Kee Action Sports, 225 people participated in the first act of the trilogy of scenario events based on “The Terminator” storyline. In addition to slinging paint, players, volunteers and staff raised $850 for the Buck Creek Church’s Ben Lay Charity Drive.
On the field, Wesley Jacobs commanded of the human resistance in the role of Gen. John Conner. Jacobs led dozens of individual players and regional paintball teams, such as the Charlotte Dogs of War, Myrtle Beach Team MBmisfits, Charlotte Chaos Parade and the Roanoke SSK from Virginia.
However, despite the valiant efforts of the human warriors, the Cyborg Commander Larry “Ironman” Rivenbark of the Topsail Beach’s Team Rogue Cell and the forces of SKYNET terrorized the humans on every front. When not on the run from “Terminator” units that repeatedly infiltrated the human command structure, cyborg forces, such as Wilmington Port City Militia, Laurinburg Carolina Sabers, Charleston Section 8, Jacksonville Team Rats and others, pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.
The final score for the event was Cyborgs 2900; Humans 900. Myrtle Beach’s Shadow Group hosted event, volunteering as referees and staff for the game. The event was also featured as the lead story in the Sun News’s Sunday local section with an extended photo gallery on their web site.
However, this is not the end of humanity’s last stand. On April 25-26, part two of the SKYNET story will take place.
“This isn’t a stand-alone scenario,” Kevin Shimwell, Adventure Beach owner said. “The events that happened in part one will have a direct effect on where the forces will start and what resources they will have.”
SKYNET Part II will test the paintball teams on several levels. Not only will their tactical and shooting skills be tested.
“Part II will be a true 24-hour event,” Shimwell said. “There will be no time for sleep. We will be running missions for 24 hours straight.”
For more information, contact Adventure Beach at 843-222-9081 or at www.abpaintball.com.
Places to Be: Original Mr. Fish
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Places to Be to bring you this special issue.
I know that in the last issue I told you about my plans to present you with some tourist oriented places that you might want to check out before the summer crowds arrive. However, two things happened over the last week: First, I had a terrible cold that put me out of the mood for visiting tourist spots, and second, I enjoyed a spectacular lunch from The Original Mr. Fish.
Fish is a trick food for me. I love it, but my desire to order it rarely comes up. I don’t know what it is exactly, but sometimes I will see a restaurant that specializes in fish and, blam, that is what I want. That is how I came across Mr. Fish.
I was heading toward the office after a morning meeting and I came across The Original Mr. Fish, located at 3401 N. Kings Highway. Right then, I knew it was lunchtime.
Mr. Fish is an intimate place. It is brightly colored and a friendly environment. There were maybe a half-dozen tables for seating, with a few tables outside on the sidewalk. It was lunchtime and the place was full. I was happy that I was getting take out and didn’t have to wait for a seat.
On the other hand, I was kind of jealous of the people eating in. While I waited, I watched some truly excellent customer service going on in the midst of the crazy lunchtime rush. The waiter was on the ball, and Ted Hammerman, the owner, seemed to make time to stop and talk to everyone.
It seems that Ted really knows his fish. Apparently, Ted is a well-respected consultant to the international fishing industry and has an impressive resume. He also offers catering in addition to the restaurant, consulting, seafood supply, bait and … well, just about every service you can think of that involves fish.
I ordered a fish sandwich and she-crab soup from the menu, which I almost regretted. The specials board listed a lot of tasty sounding meals, including seafood lasagna.
However, I had made my choice, and would have to live with it.
When I got to the office and finally got to dig into my meal, I had no regrets.
The sandwich had a perfectly cooked piece of fish.
There was a generous side of fries, and more importantly, a very generous supply of tartar sauce.
The she crab soup was something different. To be honest, I wasn’t impressed with my first taste of it, but with every spoonful, it got better and better. By the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, I found myself wanting more.
The Original Mr. Fish is a great place to be for lunch, but I suggest you plan ahead. It gets crowded, and even with the great customer service, it may take awhile. If you can, call ahead for take out orders (843.839.FISH), Mr. Fish is well worth the extra effort.
(Originally Published in the Myrtle Beach Herald)
Are you Ready for some Paintball?
The War for Humanity’s Future comes to Myrtle Beach.
The battle of man verses machine continues this weekend at Myrtle Beach’s premier paintball venue.
In the continuing story line based on events predicted in the Terminator movies and TV show, paintball players of all levels of experience will be taking sides in the largest outdoor paintball event in the South East.
SKYNET: The Last Stand is attracting hundreds of players from as far away as Ohio and Vermont to Adventure Beach Paintball on Feb. 7 and 8 to reenact the battle between the Cyborg tyrants from the future and the last remnants of the human resistance.
Teams are already forming, with Wesley Jacobs, 16 of Charlotte, taking on the role of Gen. John Connors, leader of the human resistance. He will be leading dozens of individual players and regional paintball teams, such as the Charlotte Dogs of War, Myrtle Beach Team MBmisfits, Charlotte Chaos Parade and the Roanoke SSK from Virginia.
Cyborg Commander Larry “Ironman” Rivenbark of the Topsail Beach’s Team Rogue Cell will lead SKYNET forces. Riverbank will spearhead an unstoppable horde of cyborg hunters, including the Wilmington Port City Militia, Laurinburg Carolina Sabers, Charleston Section 8, Jacksonville Team Rats and others.
Members of Myrtle Beach’s own team, Shadow Group, will be staffing the event and volunteering as referees for the game.
Recruitment is still open and players can register on-line by going to www.abpaintball.com. Discounted Preregistration is available until Thursday. On-site registration will be available until game start at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Equipment will be available for rent at check-in or for purchase at Adventure Beach’s Pro Shop.
On Sunday, Adventure Beach will be hosting the “Battle For the Beach,” a 4.5-hour open event with prizes and raffle drawings being awarded at 1 p.m.
Adventure Beach is a short drive from Myrtle Beach, located on Hwy 905, just a few miles north of Hwy. 9.
For more information, go to www.abpaintball.com or call 843-222-9081.
About
“Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and start slitting throats.”
– H.L. Mencken
Direct Email: Christopher@PirateJournalism.com
Christopher Huff | Create Your Badge
Follow me on twitter as the blueninja.
