37 Minute Unshow # 55

Featuring JR Murdock!

codrum. . . .codrum. . . codrum. . .

37 Minute Unshow # 55

A personal message from our founder

A conversation with J.R. Murdock (www.ofgnomesanddwarves.com)

Nine Inch Smurf coming soon.

Don’t forget to vote for the next Palooza (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/G2X897Q)

Send in content: 206-350-Tomi (8664) or e-mail: sphericaljackmatgmaildotcom

430 thoughts on “37 Minute Unshow # 55

  1. Ah a Norse mythology quip on Jack’s S.O name…yah!

    I realise in these days of fantasy books the size that could choke a whale that ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ looks a bit thin..but it was a novel.

  2. Happy Thanksgiving to the United States-ians and Happy Thursday to everyone else!

    Up early to finish cooking our feast then we are taking our dinner over to the hospital to have Thanksgiving with our surrogate family at the treatment center.

    Hope you are all doing well
    Please take care of each other
    dre and hugh

  3. This morning, so far, I’m a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts, bananas, and cinnamon.

    I’m thankful for all my Deadpanite friends, too. Happy Thanksgiving/Happy Thursday to all! :happy:

  4. I’m thankful to be home. The family and I most definitely enjoyed our first trip to Disney, but after eight days, we were all ready to be back.

    Now I’ve only got about 1000 pictures to sort through.

    It appears a new Palooza is on the horizon. Caught up, I must get.

  5. Good morning deadpan.

    Van: That’s just silly, Mr. Creasote didn’t eat nearly enough for it to be a Thanksgiving dinner. And everyone knows it’s pumpkin pie at the end.

  6. New country pop group “The Turkeyroasters”

    Son list:

    Don’t Touch My Stuffing
    This Drumstick’s for You
    Diet is a Foreign Word
    Thank God for Sweet Potatos
    My Oven is Hot, Your Fridge is Cold

  7. I had Thanksgiving dinner part 2: the leftovers. oh my! I will be having part 3 tonight…thanksgiving dinner the day after at a friend”s house. more NOM. will my stomach EVER forgive me?

  8. jackmangan said:
    I think tonight is pizza.
    With cranberry sauce and stuffing toppings.

    If you used the cranberry sauce in place of tomato sauce, that actually sounds really good. :happy:

    Ed: Glad to hear you liked Tangled. I look forward to seeing it.

    11,673 words written today. I set out to break my old 1-day record of 10,275, and I succeeded. I love NaNoWriMo, and I love being a writer. And yes, my fingers are tired and sore.

  9. Tell me how one writes a classic like Sister Havana.

    Tell me how one writes a classic like This is Nowhere

    Tell me how one writes a classic like The Kids are Insane

  10. I find unresolved endings to be annoying, it’s like a symphony without a proper coda. I think a more interesting ending can be created by showing either a complete resolution, or showing that there is still danger. (Sorry for the vagueness I’m trying to avoid spoilers.)

    I haven’t watched that many John Carpenter movies, right now the only one that comes to mind is Vampires.

  11. IMHO Inception’s ending wasnt unresolved at all as there were enough clues during the film to have a good understanding of if it “did or didnt” (yeah Ralph, its hard to talk in vagaries so as not to avoid spoilers)

  12. EssBee, please let me know what you think of the DirecTv service and DVR. I have been having a lot of trouble and want to see if it’s something strange with my particular system or if DirecTv just has a crappy DVR.

  13. Will do, UH. It can’t be worse that the junk DVR we had from Dish that froze and skipped and sometimes just the video froze, but the audio kept going. So far we’re impressed with the HD.

    CW: Return of the Jedi

  14. Brand new Urge Overkill song- “Effigy” is amazing. Like they never stopped making music 15 years ago. Just wish Blackie was still in the group.

  15. Just FYI – I’ve been pretty happy with Direct TV for at least eight years or so. We switched to them from DISH back when they offered actual TIVO powered DVR’s.

    About two years ago, we upgraded to HD and got one of the HD DVRs. Overall, we’ve been quite happy with it. The response is not lightning fast, but not unbearable. Certainly has been worth it for the HD broadcasts. Much better that what I’ve seen out of Uverse or Cable’s claimed HD signals.

  16. I ditched DirecTv. We’ve been living off Netflix and the interwebs and free TV for 6 months now. We fucking love it. It saves 80$ a month and we dont miss shit. Wonderful. Fuck cable and fuck the satellite companies.

  17. Maybe it’s that I’m not on HD yet. My DVR is ASTOUNDINGLY slow with commands at times. I will start fast forwarding through the first set of commercials in a show, and by the time it registers that I want it to stop fast forwarding, the show had ended. Just argued them into sending me a new DVR and it has the exact same problem.

  18. CD: Blue Moon’s Imperial Belgian Wit, Nice and tasty, although I think the president for my local brewclub could teach them something about getting a good aroma in a belgian wit beer. And a bit of hidden punch at 8% abv.

    Jack: cool links, I didn’t know why green bottles were still used, although I did know about the skunking effect. Also the major breweries that use green, or clear, bottles treat the alpha acids from the hops to reduce the skunking effect.

  19. Searching my name just gets my professional world and Twitter, which I don’t really do, so should change in case work people look for me there. I have a unique last name . . .

    The Masked Marvel is nice, Van!

  20. I was dreading cheesy xmas music in the building today, but I think we’ve got a reprieve until Dec 1. I was never so overjoyed to hear bland smooth jazz.

    Good timing on the Mason Rocket, JR. There will be root beer floats one night this week.

  21. I think that I will partake of a root beer float as well. April 2007 seems like a million years ago. I wonder how different things would be if Joe was still around. Cheers to you Mr. Rocket.

  22. Also got to partake of some government redtape at Maricopa County today. If you were going to move your television from the living room to your bedroom, do you think it would be necessary to supply the county with a drawing of the outline of your house relative to your property lines prior to doing so? *shakes head*

  23. Basically,

    We are adding an interior changing room to an existing drugstore, no exterior work, new utilties etc. and the county is requiring a siteplan with property lines. It’s a blanket requirement for new or existing buildings. =P

  24. ringtone ring tone
    ringtone ring tone
    ringtone ring tone
    ringtone ring tone
    ringtone ring tone
    ringtone ring tone

    :ftb: can effin bite my big white butt!

    and it can shove its own damn RINGTONE where the sun don’t shine

    I don’t care.

    FFFFFFF

  25. Jack never releases my locked up posts.

    He hates me.
    it’s personal
    I know it.

    Everything is personal today

    Meh to the power of NTH.

    Flarbingargleblattermoss!

  26. I would like all the drunk men and women to gather around and hug me more.

    What could be better than being drunken-group hugged by deadpanites… Nothing I say.. NOTHING!

  27. Scry’s theme song: A Walk by Bad Religion

    I’m going for a walk
    not the after dinner kind
    I’m gonna use my hands
    and I’m gonna use my mind

    and who the hell are you to tell me what to do?
    you can’t even tie your own haggard shoes
    your closet is a mess, and your backyard’s falling down
    and I have no grand ideas or intentions of sticking around

    I’m gonna build a world
    independant and exempt
    all alone I’ll be an empire
    with no mortgage and no rent

    and I don’t need to live in your stinking zoo
    you can’t even feed the animals donated to you
    your storage sheds are ramshackled, flies decorate the walls
    and you expect me to die here in this shit-filled tiny stall?

    and I know you’re watching! everything I do
    call me threat to your children call me socially unglued
    call me master of insanity, unable to relate
    call me lazy, bane, and filthy
    call me monstrous reprobate

    I’m going for a walk and there’s nothing you can do
    ‘cuz I don’t have to live like you
    so I’m going for a walk

  28. Got to love this country and the way it grinds to a halt when we get some snow.

    Can’t get an appointment with the doc as there is nobody in till midday.

  29. I can only shudder to think what a mess Empire would have been if Lucas had directed that one, too.

    Many thanks, Mr. Kershner, for saving Star Wars…at least for a while 🙂

  30. I can’t help feeling, that if you want to start a religion, as leader you should have your genitalia removed. That should stop you fucking young men/women.

  31. Jack, we should talk. Catch up. Miss you, bro. Proud of you in weathering the storm.

    And just in case you missed my tweets…

    1. The hot Thundercat was Cheetarah,
    2. I voted for the Winterpalouza.
    3. Tom Cruise’s first movie was Endless Love (small part). He then went on to appear in TAPS (where he goes completely postal at the end) and The Outsiders. but his first BIG movie was Losin’ It. That movie is painful. Thankfully, his next film after that was Risky Business.

    I had a rather long commute. Gives me time to think and get all factual and shit.

    Deadpan is the mutha fuckin’ way. I’ve missed you guys.

  32. Morning. The holidaze always seems to be mind numbingly busy for some reason. =P

    Watched “Shutter Island” last night. Started off good, interesting middle and then over explained and overstayed its welcome at the end. Would have been better without Leo.

  33. A Tee Morris sighting! How could an 80s movie called “Losin’ It”, starring Shelley Long and Tom Cruise, be bad?

    Bunny, CCH means Conference Call Hell.
    Or Can’t Chew Hanson.
    Or Crinkly Colon Hurts.

  34. I’m not talkin’

    I meant to say this morning (but my new DirecTV has rendered my internet SLOW, SLOW, SLOW – waiting on a new router/upgrade), Nomad, ADORABLE!!

  35. TEE!!! Holy Carp! OMFG! You ARE still around 🙂 I’d love to hear you get on the deadpan. I miss you in my ears Sarge!

    Ok, enough gusihing. What’s the status of Books and Braun?

    Cheshire Cat Hemorrhoids?

  36. Found out today that it’s Patman’s and Scott Sigler’s birthday today. If I had known this earlier I would have sent Patman some chicken scissors as a gift.

  37. You know, the Chicken Scissors is a meme that could really stand to go full viral.

    Though, I know not how such infections are created….

  38. Cool! The latest update for my ipod touch added remote control for my bluetootth headset. And it seems to have increased the range. /endtechgeek

  39. MEH: Month end Hell
    I don’t have any more of that with my new job. at my old job i had to babysit the backup jobs to make sure I only got 3 tapes rather than the 6 the software would have chosen on it’s own.

  40. when I left my house this morning there was no snow on the ground or on my car but when I got out of the gym there was an 1/8 inch of snow on my car and in the parking lot. Glad i’m in side all day

  41. Our Year (x-posted from my LJ)

    In February, my company failed, leaving me without 3 weeks of pay, and ineligible for immediate unemployment benefits because I had been working for a theoretical paycheck I might still receive (ha, still waiting.)

    Also in February, Darcy lost some daycare clients. This occurred a few other times over the course of the year, and at least at present she is near capacity.

    In April, I started a new job, which was good except I’m working nights, sleeping days. More on this later.

    In July, I got in my car, started it and burning coolant billowed from the exhaust. We worked out how to pay for a new (to us) car that was pretty decent.

    In early August, I spent a week working days covering for a vacationing cow-orker, then went back to nights. This was a rough switch, as was evidenced by the slow-speed crash of the car into a median when I dozed literally a few seconds behind the wheel. I was alone and uninjured, the airbags did not even deploy.

    But the insurance company still totalled out the car. We were out part of our down payment, but managed to figure out a down payment for another not as neat new (to us) car.

    In October, we went to Boston for my sister-in-law’s wedding. Fox was ill and wound up in Boston Children’s Hospital’s ER for a good 5-6 hours. Insurance paid about half that $1400 bill.

    In November the Dr. let us know Fox’s already-slow growth was dropping further off the charts, and we needed to investigate his poor eating habits and possible endocrine disorders. Not jumping to conclusions, but if he needs human growth hormone injections it will cost us at least a couple K a month to maintain those.

    So with that year so far, it was entirely anomolous that our neighbor’s 18 year old daughter we have known about a year would nominate us for KDWB’s Christmas Wish program, and that we would be granted clothes, toys, games, and other things to make our planned meager Christmas into what may be the best we’ve ever given the kids. Katelynn went out of her way to write a nomination letter and go into the studios to tell of our year. We are so very thankful for this.

  42. I think the AC system in my office is in a fight with the weather to see who can make it colder. the weather is winning… for now

    oh and Go Amy! good job!

  43. Wow JB,

    It has been a rough year for our family as well, but it seems that you had an even tougher time. I’m glad that you received some releaf from your community.

  44. There’ve been times when I needed the common sense bludgeon.

    Not fully caught up.

    I’d love to send out the greasy comments for someone to read for tonight’s episode. Any volunteers? Any mode of recording is cool, Voicemail, .wav, .mp3, etc.

    I’ll just go with the first responder. Thx 🙂

  45. JB: It’s great to hear about your neighbor helping you out like that, I’m sorry that you year has sucked so much.

    JR: Kids grow up so that you have an excuse to kick them out of the house. And teenage behavior gives you the motivation to do it.

  46. It’s a bit freaky where some authors obviously do searches on twitter for mentions of their stories.

    After mentioning how I liked this story on twitter, got a message from the author thanking me for liking the story..weird.

  47. I agree that vanity searches are strange, Van, but I benefited from it twice when David Anthony Durham commented on my blog when I reviewed his novels.

    I also got similar comments from Sigler and an ego podcaster I can’t remember the name of now. I like Sigler, btw – didn’t mean to put those two together in THAT way.

  48. At lease that’s better than some of the advertizing followers you can get. I mentioned on twitter that I started doing tai-chi, then some tai-chi teacher started following me. Then I mentioned I was reading via e-reader, now I’m being followed by some e-reader company. I haven’t decided if I’m annoyed or not at this.

  49. I’ve gotten a comment on a blog post from Sigler, too. I thought it was awesome. 🙂 But yeah, I’ve been a little freaked out/annoyed by some of the companies/people I’ve gotten following me on Twitter after I mentioned something or other there.

  50. I’m not arbitrarily sticking up for Sigler because we were once peers and because I’ve hung out with him:
    I think in his case, there is a career motive behind his action, but his interest in his fans as individuals is still genuine, and there’s no used-car slime to it.

  51. Absolutely, Jack. He’s definitely unique in being really interested and deliberate. I guess I don’t have anything against the whole concept of vanity searches. If you produce something and want to know how people feel about it, that’s the way to find out.

    Also, beef could be hung in my office and kept fresh. I am freezing.

    T.I.A.

  52. EssBee: That could be great for them since it would allow them to share the costs of maintaining a brewery. That’s usually a move for startup breweries though, it makes me wonder if they’re using it to help build larger facilities or something similar that could require alot of capital.

  53. CD: sample of my Gaffer’s Homebrew barleywine

    I might not have hit a homerun with this batch but I think I can at least get to 3rd base. ABV is a little low for style at 7.7%, but that is fine since I was aiming for barleywine that was low and wouldn’t need as much aging.

    I’m catching some fusel alcohols on the nose and maybe a little on the back of the palate. Also a little more bitter than I intended, but otherwise flavor, aroma and mouthfeel all seem to be close to target. now I just need to bottle and wait for it to carb up to really give it a try. 😀

  54. I wonder also, Ralph. I don’t know much about Breckenridge, but Wynkoop is my favorite place. Not especially because I like their beer better than others, but because of where it is and their menu and the atmosphere of the entire building. They have THE BEST hot soft pretzels on earth.

  55. Sooo many things too comment on today … so little time.

    CD: going to grab a bite as I take a break from smurfing.

    Man, you sit down to do a little audio work and *POOF* – 3 hours are gone!

  56. EssBee many of the flavored K-Cups suck. but from what I have tastes the regular coffees taste fresher than most other pre-ground coffee.

  57. Oh, they do. Here’s my K-cup story:

    We merged with a Dallas company in January, which you’ve all heard. The Dallas office is WONDERFUL. Every fancy thing you could want in a modern office. The Longmont office is, well,industrial.

    Here’s an example: my light fixtures in my office (I do have an office with a door) are littered with little fly corpses. The Dallas office is dusted nightly – desks and cases.

    So recently our facilities guy emailed and said “anyone need anything for the kitchens?” I said, “AN ICE MACHINE.” He said, “No way.”

    So I complained to HR about the inequity.

    Now Longmont has an ice machine and a K-coffee maker. Now if they’d only do something about the flies.

    Yay, me!

  58. Finished as much as I’m going to do today. Now sharing some ice cream with my kitty, then I think I become a lump on the couch with a book.

    CR: I Am Number Four – Pittacus Lore

  59. Genre avoidance madness from the latest Ansible:

    As Others See Us III. Fears that the upcoming HBO tv series A Game of Thrones (based on George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels) might be a bit genre-ish have been dispelled: ‘Michelle Fairley, who plays Catelyn Stark, says of the epic series, “It’s not so much fantasy. It’s really gutsy and glorious. We just happen to be wearing costumes and armor.”‘ (Entertainment Weekly, 18 November)

  60. Van: I have no problem with that. It’s been shown time and again that nowadays a geek audience is not enough to support a show. To succeed, a show needs to appeal to a wider audience.

  61. Coffee from Circle K would be better than French Vanilla K-cups.

    Van, my relationship isn’t so much homosexual, it’s just gloriously gutsy. We just don’t happen to have any penises.

  62. I totally agree! I’m particularly sensitive about this project. I love, love, love those books.

    I like your term “genre avoidance.” Perfect.

  63. Sheesh!

    Comment from Topless Robot Whedon discussion here:

    http://www.toplessrobot.com/2010/12/warner_bros_graciously_offered_whedon_the_buffy_re.php#comments

    ZeroCorpse replied to Lily412:
    You won’t get a straight answer, anyway. The first stance of a Whedonite is knee-jerk, obsessiveness. They don’t know WHY they liked his shows… They just DO. And you would too, if only you watched it through the first terrible season and become indoctrinated by Joss’s silly banter and two-dimensional characters.

    Merely announcing on the Internet that you don’t understand the love for Joss Whedon is like a trumpet call for every Browncoat and Scooby to show up and shout “TROLL!!!” until you walk away in disgust and have no interest in even trying to watch his shows, lest you become like the horde.

    Truthfully, I don’t even hate his shows (although I am bothered by his dialogue). I just have an adverse reaction to rabid fans who jump down your throat if you don’t LOVE LOVE LOVE Joss Whedon… His fans are what drove me away from his stuff.

    Still, I have hope that he’s a good enough director and team player to bring together an awesome AVENGERS movie. It helps that he’s not working with B-list actors this time.
    Posted 12/01/2010 at 07:01:51 PM

  64. Essbee – Re: office equality
    What have you done! Do you know what it is going to cost Evil Inc. to supply Dallas with fly corpses? They’ll probably have to leave the evil setting turned to “11” all through December.

    BTW – Re: taking a stab at the failed joke.
    There are probably some unused penises laying around here at the Deadpan that you could borrow, should you decide to turn down the gutsy.

  65. It appears Joss Whedon and Christ have some things in common….rabid fans (though, probably not the same ones) who drive others away by their behavior.

  66. CD: DFH Midas Touch

    A guy in the local homebrew club was kind enough to pick u pa 4pack for me, so I finally got chance to try it. I’m actually surprised how close I got with my clone attempt, If I’d pitched the right amount of yeast I think I would have been almost spot on.

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