Posted on Shows

39

A show of Un.

(Show Notes by The Energizer Bunny)

Kitty purring!!! All bow down to its demands!

One more week of Palooza voting! Go to the Jack Mangan website to find the link to vote.

Future Duel of the Fates coming soon. Based on past Paloozas

The Deadpan Gathering is picking up steam. Lots of confirmations. Come to Arizona on the September long weekend and meet your fellow Panites.

In good news bad news: Jack has got a new job. Jack still dealing with other issues.

This week’s Greasy Spoon Nipples:
Vanamonde
Ed from Texas
imag1narynumber
Nomad Scry
Cj
Vanamonde
Justa J0e

Kitty says: purrrrrrrrrrr.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

540 thoughts on “39”

  5. Morning, Pan. I’m back after a very busy weekend of editing a video that should, in theory, be up on YouTube within the next couple of days. (Someone else is responsible for posting it there.)

    Off to another day at my school. 5 more days of teaching there…

  9. Listening to Unshow now.

    Pulling for FLASH ah AHHH!

    And, after listening to the latest LLAP, I nominate The Muppet Movie for future Palooza consideration. I can’t believe with this age group we haven’t considered it already.

  10. Holding out hope for a happy ending to the ordeal with the children, Jack.

    After this much time, I’d have probably done something irrational.

  14. I would like to mirror Ed’s comments. Though I don’t know all of the details, and I have yet to listen to this show, I cannot imagine what it’s like.

  15. As a side note, I hope I can listen soon, but I found myself with 100 unread podcasts. A milestone. I suppose the half-dozen or so I recently subscribed to didn’t help.

  18. Ed: I agree, The Muppet Movie would be a really fun Palooza subject.

    ?#: I usually hover between 75 and 105 unread podcasts. If only I had more hours in the week when I’m doing mindless things.

  21. It’s occurred to me.

    The system isn’t actually the problem, it’s the broken, lazy, overworked, desensitized tools that keep the machine moving. Or not moving, in this case.

  25. Podcast-wise I go chronologically and I’ve often been getting down to zero. My job is usually mind-numbing, so that helps.

  26. Everybody’s lover, everybody’s brother
    I wanna be your lifetime friend.
    Crazy as a rocket, nothin in my pocket
    I keep it at the rainbow’s end.
    I never think of money, I think of milk ‘n honey
    grinnin like a cheshire cat.
    I focus on the pleasure, somethin’ I can treasure
    Can you picture that?
    Can you picture that?

  39. Went to Trader Joe’s.
    I love Trader Joe’s.
    The trip was to purchase supplies to make dinner for a family who just had a new baby – Meal Support, we call it.
    While there I was taunted by this delicious looking chocolate bar.
    Oh beloved chocolate bar and your milky goodness.
    I bought it, broke off a piece and gave it to my husband. “mmmm, that’s some good chocolate” he says.
    My turn.
    “mmmmmm… it’s melty and nummy… mmmmm!”

    Yay. I made the right choice.
    When taunted by delicious looking Swiss Milk Chocolate bars at Trader Joe’s… Just say “Ohhhh yesssss!”

  57. Morning Pan!

    Supposed to reach thirty degrees today for the first time this year. Yah!

    Mine is 17″ It’s also longer than it is wide 😉

  64. I’m thinking baking today will be something that doesn’t require the oven, since it’s going to be so warm.

    …Let’s see if hubby’s ok with chocolate fudge.

  68. “Warning: Hazardous Moving Parts! Keep Fingers and Other Body Parts Away!”

    “Other Body Parts?”

    Really?

    I wonder what precisely they think I might do to the disc printet tray…

  71. So back from a visit to Borders, public transport having a mini meltdown due to flooding, waterproof coat wasn’t waterproof, sopping wet.

    Wrapping your phone in a plastic bag is the way to go in stormy weather.

  75. Lejon: Seems like an appropriate choice.

    I just listened to the official D&D podcast (Who knew they had one?) yesterday. They were discussing the difference between a Cleric and a Paladin.

    After that, I realize how far behind I am in my D&D knowledge. Including the fact that it’s still D&D, and that all the new stuff is not by default AD&D.

  77. √-1: Yeah, my buddy was itching to do a 4th ed campaign, because “they fixed a lot of stuff that didn’t work in 3.5”.

    I must say, it did feel a bit gratifying to roll a 20 on that ogre and deal 33 damage. Didn’t kill him, but it did hurt him a lot… I feel like I did my job.

  78. I have chocolate all over my fingers from stirring fudge.

    LJ we play D & D almost every weekend. I’m a 10th level Halfling Rogue named Harone

    My husband listens to a number of D & D podcasts including Fear the Boot and the official D & D one.

  91. My dice are green and lovely.

    I haven’t played in a while, but generally opt for half-eld druid when I do.

    Good job on the 20, Lejon.

    I’m tired and I need to go do my hair. Too many people with cameras will be around me shortly.

  96. I have a pouch somewhere, which I believe even has one or 2 of the pale blue, crayoned-in dice from my original Basic D&D box, acquired somewhere around age 9 or 10.

    Dammit, now I’m all nostalgic again.

  97. If you’ve discovered the offical D&D podcasts, do yourself a favor and go back and listen to the Penny-Arcade PVP campaign. I haven’t laughed so hard in years.

  98. When it comes to connecting the dots, I had an epic fail today. LOL A while back I was on the east side of town with my son, we had spied a local comic shop and decided to drop in. We browsed around and bought a few comics. I noticed there was a sign at the comic shop that talked about their impeding move to a new space in a couple weeks. I chatted up the goth girl clerk about it and she explained where they were moving to etc. All in all a good time. So fast forward a month later and I’m giving a short term job to do some plans for the merger of a Party City space into an abandon tenant space. So I looked at the map and though, huh this seems close to the old comic store space. And when I got there I discovered it was in fact the old comic book store space I was redesigning. LOL

  106. Van: I’m a bit more old-school and prefer the ELO Remix of Hall of the Mountain King. A better sounding version of it is at:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rePyxmiLCXo
    but only seems to exist over footage of figure skating (WTF?)

    A better video version is at:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV52YAhdJOk&feature=related
    but I don’t like the music in this one as much.

    In either case, the first minute and a quarter or so of the song can easily be skipped.

  107. That chart is pretty accurate, Jack. I’m always in favour of starting at the beginning (The Colour of Magic) but if you want one more recent I’d go with eiither Going Postal or Soul Music(just because of it’s story of the beginning of rock music). Death shows up in most of them but I always like the ones that focus on him, in which cas Hogfather is pretty good. Van might have some recomendatins, too.

    For a non Disc World book I would also suggest Good Omens, which he wrote with Niel Gaimon (the GOH of World Con this year)

  108. In regards to TP, he was really learning his craft with the early books (starting with The Colour of Magic). DEATH is a a bit different to what he becomes in the later books and he’s taking the piss out of the fantasy genre.

    For me TP’s humour and plots of his novels start to get more sophisticated from Mort onwards. Although I’m a fan of the Discworld books concentrating on the DEATH character my personal fav is Small Gods. It deals with the excesses of organised religion and the nature of belief and stands above all other DW novels for me. SG is the one to try if you want to dip into the Discworld series.

  109. I haven’t found TP’s latest DW novels very funny to be honest..very clever but not laugh out loud funny as his earlier work.

  111. So I’m watching Deadliest Catch with my folks, and an ad for Chia Obama came on. First of all, NO. Seriously. No. Second of all, if McCain had won, would there be a Chia McCain that grew him a big afro?

  112. Apparently latent toxoplasmosis may actually run the world. Heard it this week on the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast…

  117. And, we’re all packed for an early morning departure. I’m looking at two weeks sans children and one week sans wife.

    I’m not quite sure what to do with myself. Though, I imagine I should try to bank some sleep since I’ll probably be getting very little of it the next week when the wife and I are in Vegas.

    And with that, good night, Pan.

  122. I got “Colossal Cave” for my G1 phone.

    When my dad would go into work on a Saturday, I used to play it on the State Planning Agency mainframe.

    I wonder about the computing power of that early 80’s mainframe vs this phone…

  123. I don’t know if this link will work for non-Facebook users, but here you go:

    http://tinyurl.com/kjupyq

    In the video, my friends Nicole and Lauren climb a free-swinging ladder at a ropes challenge course. Meanwhile, in the background, Stephanie and I use the inclined-logs portion of the course (I go first). I whine too much and don’t stick out my arms like I’m supposed to, but I do reach our goal.

  125. Nice job, Amy! I tried rock climbing once at a local rock gym and learned that, yes, I really am scared of heights in a not good way! You have MUCH respect from me! 🙂

  126. Wow, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do – on YouTube as well now. I love In the Hall of the Mountain King.

    On the DW front, I was reading them back when they were first hitting the market. I gave up around Mort, since the humor was very much a rinse, repeat kinda thing. I found them growing dull.

    I think that’s about it for now.

  127. Well thought Moon was good, worth checking out if you get the chance.

    A plot that seems silly at first and then gets intrigueing.

  129. Hot… Sweaty…..

    Silly MA doesn’t have air conditioning. Your work up quite a sweat at the best of times, extra tough when it’s 30 degrees.

  130. So my silly husband just gave me three degrees of separation between the band Motor Head and Michael Moorcock. It was very strange.

  134. Baby, here I am,
    Come rub it on my belly
    Like Guava Jelly
    Baby, here I am,
    Come rub it on my belly
    Like Guava Jelly

    – Barbra Streisand

  135. Yup Van, that’s the first degree.

    I guess they hired a guitarist who wrote the song Motorhead,

    They dropped him. He then later formed the band Motorhead.

    Like I said, very strange.

  137. He said “You’re quite a lady and I know a place that’s shady
    Would you like to come and lie with me awhile?”
    And deep in my soul I could feel a quiver
    Then he went down and found that sweet old river
    And he showed me the way to find love in the afternoon.

    – Barbra Streisand

    Really, who knew Babs was so dirty 😉

  141. Looked at my Aug/Sept schedule and I’m already tired:

    Aug 5 – 10: World Con
    Aug 14 – 16: Local SF Convention
    Aug 19 – 23: Hubby in Halifax
    Weekend of Aug 29 – wow an actual free weekend
    Sept 3 – 7: Arizona

    I think I need a holiday 🙂

  143. The only thing is that nobody does my work when I’m away. So I have to put in a lot of overtime and catch up between times.

    I’ll be putting in a lot of hours when hubby’s out of time, I think.

  145. We went to Sherburne County Fair today. Fox saw lots of animals and rode some rides, and had a pony ride. We ate some food (none all that good, alas) and now Fox is napping. If Iris naps we might even make it napping all around…

  149. It’s a funny old world, my mother just rang to tell me she’s been in Arizona (she’s on holiday with my ex brotherinlaws family and is traveling across the USA in a caravan).

  154. Just watched Fanboys. Excellent movie. I think my favorite reference is that Lucas security is not dressed like storm troopers, but rather like the police in THX 1138. Classic.

    A close second is the Empire Strikes Back sheets, that I had as a kid, hung in the windows of a van as curtains.

  156. … if it can cross water, we might call it a hovercraft.
    If it can carry a lot of animals we’d call it an “Arc”.
    If it wore bad suites with really wide, mis-matched ties we’d probably call it “Bob”.

  158. In this region it’s a “camper.” Built on a van body, sometimes a “camper van.” Built on David Lowery, it’s a “Camper Van Beethoven,” though those are exceptionally rare.

  160. OK … Like I could pass THIS story up !!!!

    Oscar Mayer Wienermobile crashes into Wis. home

    Seems the 22 year old driver took the name of the town (Mount Pleasent) too litterally as she inserted the giant Wienermobile into a southern Wisconsin homeowner’s garage … an orifice much to small to comfortably handle the icon!

    The driver, a young woman was apparently just not used to handling this sort of equipment and in the heat of maneuvering, she mistook forward thrust for pulling out.

    Responding officers were not initially told the detials of the coupling and as you might imagine, were a bit surprise when the arrived!

    http://tinyurl.com/kr384b

  173. Morning Pan!

    Beautiful day here in Canadaland.

    Had a frustrating day trading e-mails with people yesterday, but followed it up with a nice meal with some friends. We went to a Brazilian BBQ I’d never been to before.

  174. Jack – ignore everything I sent you, I think I’ve got it all sorted out but will let you know – hopefully later today.

  178. Pingback: BrainWyrms » Blog Archive » Ready Set Go

  182. Let’s see …

    -Tonight I have a green cheesy date.
    – I’m getting a new, green cheesy car today.
    – Man! That is one green cheesy band!
    – That is the cutest green cheesy kitten EVAH!
    – After my annual exam, my Doctor gave me a green cheesy bill of health.

    I think JB has nailed it.

  187. I see it’s been a weekend of alcohol fueled and inspired commenting while I’ve been away. And, of course it would end up with nekkid people at the deadpan bar 🙂

  193. You wouldn’t want to see this Deadpanite drunk & naked. Nor could you ever, ever, ev-

    Well, there was the one night at the hotspring, but other than-

    Oh yeah and the time in Toronto when the drag queen kept giving me shots of butterscotch schnapps…

  194. Alright, I’m going to be doing a fair bit of traveling, so I’m looking for any good podiobook recommendations. These are the ones I’ve gone through so far:

    Spherical Tomi
    Billabub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword
    Morevi (Remastered)
    Chasing the Bard
    Metamor City
    Murder at Avadon Hill
    The 7th Son Trilogy
    Singularity
    Shadowmagic
    Infected
    Contagious
    Earthcore
    Nocturnal (about 70% through this one now)
    Second Strike
    Codename: Starkeeper
    Crescent
    Brave Men Run

    I’ve tried listening to Nina Kimberly the Merciless, but couldn’t stomach more than about seven episodes. Christiana Ellis has done a lot of good voice work, but I just couldn’t handle the constant whiny quality for Nina and the boy that styled himself her perfect mate.

    I see Podiobooks.com has added quite a bit to their library, so I’d appreciate some Deadpan input on some titles worth checking out. I know this place it crawling with podcast/podiobook junkies.

  198. There will be no naked JB filling my slots. No offense, Paul.

    Ed, I’m told that the “Share” books are slow-paced, but excellent. “Quartershare” is the first, I think. . . ?

    Not to dissuade you from Podiobooks, but I’d also recommend checking out Librivox for free downloadable public domain audiobooks.

  199. A game?

    + means I’ve started listening but haven’t reached the end yet.
    * means I’ve not started listening, but I’ve heard good things about it.
    No symbol means it was yummy and I want more.

  226. The links with In the Hall of the Mountain King reminded me of my favorite classical CD: Gustav Holst’s The Planets. I must get this on LP. Simply wonderful.

  227. My suggestion when listening to Crescent — Skip the last episode and make up your own ending. I thought it was tragically shitty. The entire thing is just so damned good, loved it. Then the last episode was just phoned-in filler and left me feeling used and dirty. And not in the good way.

  228. Zombie Chronicles: Escape was fantastic. Great pulpy zombie fun. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment.

  229. LOL! I guess my “Questors from Effpiem” is one of the only two Podiobooks with a “Q” title! 😀 (Nathan Lowell’s “Quarter Share” is the other one.)

    *checks Podiobooks.com*

    Nope. Make that one of the only three Podiobooks with a “Q” title. The third one is called “Quilt, Book and Bard,” and it’s by Bryna Chalmer. I don’t know anything about it.

    Ed: Another Podiobook that I personally loved was “Letter from China,” by Peter James Froning.

  259. Nomad Scry: Thanks so much for the links! Now I’ve got even MORE to listen to! I’m starting with Fractured Horizon and I’ve subscribed to Tumbler.

  264. WNDRWolf: Yeah, I’m listening to Ep. 3 right now. I’m really enjoying it thus far.

    As far as Spherical Tomi goes, I listened to that about a year ago. I was really impressed and actually was inclined to write a blog entry about it. I still intend on buying a copy of it. I thought at some point it would be cool as a graphic novel, but I’m unsure if that would translate well.

  289. Some of you youngsters may not know that –

    A) They were out of fuel (or had just a few seconds left) when they landed. They had to spend much more time then they thought they would, trying to locate a spot that didn’t seem strewn with crash inducing boulders. I believe that is what those alarms were about.

    B) Even as they landed, one of them had a hand poised on the “blast off” button because science had not progressed to a point where they could be assured they would not go crashing through a brittle and thin crust that might be the Luner surface. No promises or auto escape programs. Just keep your finger on the button and use your best judgment.

    Those astronaut guys were REALLY cool.

  291. Quick hop in:

    For the most part I enjoyed Overlord 2. There was one area (which ZP refers to) that was overly frustrating and took several dozen tries and a hint from the internet before I could get past it. If you liked the first one, this is pretty much more of the same. The story line was written by Terry Pratchett’s daughter so is amusing (but not outright funny, though).

  294. jj’s comment reminds of an aeroplance crash. Mig 29 and the pilot ejected at the very last minute. Once he landed, pulled out a fag and lit up and calmly walked away.

    Cool as f…

  298. Jack: You’re quite welcome. So I guess it would translate. Very interesting. I was going to offer my service but, as with all things, there’s a catch or two.

  299. LOL, Van.

    Hi, panfriends. I am completely emotionally exhausted. I need to catch up on comments and get back into the community. I’ve had a helluva 2 weeks!

  304. I was just a bit too young to remember the landing, though I do remember some of the later missions. I’m really enjoying listening to this in real time.

  316. I think Fractured Horizon is one of the best audio stories I’ve heard with none of the typical noise noise. It is definitely one that I would purchase in print if that ever came about.

    And of course I want a sequel.

  317. I think I am afraid to start Spherical Tomi. I don’t want to be influenced either for or against the story or the author until I’ve finished at least one story. That means none of you are allowed to start stories now… I’ve already tainted myself with knowing you.

  318. Audio book is simply someone reading the text of the story.

    Audio drama has dialogue, music and sound effects, like a radio play.

    Nothing to worry about on Jupiter, that’s just the Monolith replicationg.

    Morning Pan, work today, ugh and ugh.

    But at least rain is predicted.

  320. Rain sounds nice.

    Is the book/drama divide a hard line right after single voice reading? Like… Hmm. The example that comes to mind now is Weather Child. Author does almost all of the reading with minimal sound effects/music and a few lines read by others. Is this over the line into the drama side of things?

    Or what about Down the Road? One voice reading with almost nothing else, but she sings and there are a few cues over the course of the tale.

  323. Heh. I’m just brainwyrming over the line where one slides over into the other. And if there is no single answer, no deliberate defined division (ha!) that is okay too.

    (I’ll check both when ever I get the toobs hooked up at home again. Stupid me didn’t pay the internet bill.)

  325. I feel like the distinction lies in the medium it was written for.

    HHGTTG radio drama was written to be performed (by many actors, and minimal narration) and heard (with sound effects, etc).

    HHGTTG the books, were written to be read (by one individual and with more narration) and seen. This is why many audio books have some “odd sounding” segments, they weren’t written to be heard.

    Of course, podiobooks are slightly different, because many of them have been written with an audio format in mind, but I think the distinction holds in general.

  327. Usedhair sounds like a good definition as any.

    Although there are many levels between the 2… Variant Frequencies does a great job of blurring that distinction.

  330. Morning Pan!

    I-tunes downloading an update – oh joy.

    Waiting for my five spreadsheets to open – more joy.

    Eating a grilled cheese sandwich and sucking down a coffee.

    Pretty typical morning.

  333. Van: There are instructions at the top of Ed’s note for how to do one in return. (Ed tagged me, too. I’ll get to it sometime soon.)

    I agree, many of us here in the podcasting space are blurring the line between audiobook and audio drama. I like living in that blurry place in between, though. I think the works that fall there are exciting and wonderful.

    I’m enjoying a Starbucks Caffe Mocha and a free pastry this morning. Get your invitation here:

    http://tinyurl.com/ox6326

    You have until 10:30 A.M. your local time to get yours.

  334. Good morning. Huge monsoon here last night was pretty amazing and loud. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep. It’s still drizzling out there.

    Heading out to my first official gym workout this morning after I get the kids up and dressed. That is, if the weather doesn’t freak out again. Looks like it’s letting up, but I’m a big chicken with the thunder and lightning so I’d just as soon not drive anywhere with the kids in the storm.

  340. Well, I’m off to the dump – cleaning out the shed. Then I’m going to spend some money – I love paydays 🙂

  344. TEB: The argument was he was trying to prescribe a medicine that I didn’t want to take, that I have a reaction to, and only suppresses a symptom instead of trying to fix the problem. I’m hoping the new meds help. It also means no alcohol for me for a while. 🙁

  348. Eclipses are an amazing sight, one to put on that ‘things to do before you die’ list if you haven’t already seen one.

  351. I ended up being a little late for work ’cause Brian Brown tagged me with that “Firsts” note.

    I didn’t tag every Deadpanner I know on Facebook, since I figured those I did tag would need some other to tag as well.

  353. Nice.

    Just reading that in 2003 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a study that determined motorists who were talking on cell phones were 4 times as likely to be involved in a crash as others and were as likely to cause a crash as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content! On top of that, “hands-free” devices made no difference. It is the act of having the phone conversation itself that can lead to catastrophic distraction.

    However, the Head of the transportation department told they couldn’t publish (or even mention) their results because their study was not comprehensive enough. So the research team proposed to do a broader study that would collect more long term data … and then the whole Transportation Department was warned it might lose billions of dollars in funding if they did that study.

    The cell phone/telecomunications issue did not want that data released to the public and the members of the Senate appropriations committee were more then happy to make sure that those corporations were appeased.

    This has only come to light because a watchdog group sued (under the freedom of information act) to get the original report … and the new administration seems interested in complying with established U.S. Laws.

  356. When the news of that report hit the U.S., it was met with yawns and blank stares.

    And I’ve yet to hear about our cell-centric laws being enforced. I was shocked. I thought they’d at least make a mock effort for the first week or two. It is apparently very much an after-the-fact law.

  357. There’s a group dedicated to traveling the world to watch eclipses – that would be kinda cool.

    A cellphone is not the only distraction a driver can have. The studies should also compare in-car conversations between driver-and-passenger(s), radio, eating, etc. (and maybe they did)

  358. Ok Van, what’s your question

    Keeping in mind 2 things…

    I’ve never met this girl
    I’ve never played Resistance 2

  360. There was an eclipse that could be seen in Calgary a few years back. The planetarium had set out specially filtered telescopes so you could watch. They also showed it “live” on their dome. It was pretty cool.

  362. Good Morning, Pan!

    After a shaky start to the morning (a la Deep Booming Noises via the local thunderstorm conglomerate), it’s turning out to be the same-old same-old.

    Although, the eclipse news looks very cool.

    I remember seeing a partial eclipse when I lived in Minnesota in the 70s. Got to do the pin-hole camera version of watching it.

  364. Re: Jupiter collision

    I keep hoping that the sudden introduction of large amounts of foreign substances to Jupiter’s atmospheric cocktail, combined with the enormous heat involved in those impacts, would cause a spectacular chain reaction that would form a new and more human hospitable atmosphere … or at least a new alien life form!

    So far though …

  366. imag1narynumber: Good follow-up, plus a scary thought:
    “Unlike Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, the object responsible for Jupiter’s new black spot was not detected prior to its impact.”

    To quote a fun, bad movie:

    President: We didn’t see this thing coming?

    Dan Truman: Well, our object collison budget’s a million dollars. That allows us to track about 3% of the sky, and beg’n your pardon sir, but it’s a big-ass sky

  371. Beat ya on the 2010 reference TEB..look UP!

    ..and the dumb question was ‘Have you met her?’

    Which you answered proactively.

  372. I have a dumb ass memory about the 1999 eclipse that I will have to get round to recording.

    But No.1 tip when going to a foreign country..don’t go in a car made by British Leyland.

  374. RE: New Barbie

    Once again the toy makers have produced a doll that forces society to hold as ideal completely unrealistic measurements that only further serve to ruin a girl’s self image. How can our daughters ever hope to attain FOUR chain cannon arms like that !!!

    /parody

  376. justa J0e: That was poetic brilliance!

    ditto: Yeah, I thought that a tad of a wake-up call as well. We do track so very little and really don’t have much in the way of planning in the event of an . . . event.

  377. On another note: I went to the gym for the first time today. (not in my life, just this round of gym membership) I joined yesterday. It was good. One thing I didn’t have during my last gym membership was an iPod loaded with podcasts. Wow. 40 minutes certainly goes by faster now. Complete WIN!

  378. So Thursday is D day for that fooking screw.

    Friends coming round with a drill.

    So place your bets on whether the laptop survives the experience.

  379. Re: Thunderstoms – Just because I’m a chicken, doesn’t mean I don’t love them. I just don’t like when they shake my house or make it sound like the windows are about to crash in around me.

    And most of all – when they interrupt the very little sleep I’m already getting by either waking me up or waking up the children.

    It’s hot and muggy outside.

  384. Van, you should call into the deadpan line with running commentary on the descrewing operation.

    The women get all swoony over Van’s voice, and the guys get a running mix of geekery and foul language. A classic win-win.

  406. On a lighter note, iPhone/iPod Touch users check out Drawrace on the app store.

    From the screenshots it looks like an arcade game but it isn’t. You use your finger to draw out your cars route..

  407. I have to leave for a “function” in 15 minutes and am double checking the directions.
    One of the roads I have to turn onto is named “Misty Glen”.

    Okay, I know I am hyper-sensitive to innuendo …. but does this name scream “exotic dancer” to anyone else here?

  412. Evening, DP!

    I’m grilling chicken (marinated in lemon juice and fresh-cut herbs and olive oil) and just-picked zuchinni (SP??) tonight.

    How are you guys and girls?

  413. I had a mushroom swiss burger and I could use a nap. Otherwise, I’m good. Gotta do something tonight and hope to be asleep early! Taking the kids to see Hotel for Dogs tomorrow morning!

  416. SP2 installation has been postponed until tomorrow. An hour or more? Not tonight. I can’t have the computer on in my room while I’m trying to sleep; it’s too bright.

  420. I did not have access to the Internet or video games when I did my stupid teenager, Extra-vehicular Activities (STEVA) … Perhaps it was TV related. More likely, it was just that the vehicle was at hand when I was overcome by hormonal need to test my “teenage indestructibility”

    I can’t really say I recall more then 1 or 2 STEVA events so I don’t really think I can claim that as a phase.
    Now, building climbing? Yeah, THAT was definitely an early 20’s “phase” for me.

  422. Vista SP2 won’t install on my new laptop. It claims it’s complete, then needs to restart to finish installation. Then I go do things for about another hour as it gets to 94% complete, waits, waits, waits, then says it can’t complete and will try again after it restarts. Then the cycle starts again on restart and it claims it can’t complete and shuts down again. Damn you Bill Gates!

  424. I’m finally going to set up my new box here at work today. So I may be “dark” much of the day. Thankfully I was able to get XP instead of Vista. I may set up a dual-boot or just go with the wimpy Wubi route.

  425. Amy Bowen: Thanks very much for the link and crazy bonus points for reading (and disseminating) the amazing Dr. Plait.

  431. I only had three contracts to go over this morning. Which means, I’m done my work for the day. I love it when my boss goes on holidays 🙂

  436. In the “Why the Hell Did They Never Change That Placename” category, our local history center is on the shores of beautiful Clitty Lake.

  443. The just released the Wold Con Schedule. I’m not a happy camper. Neil Gaiman autographing is at 4:00 Friday, Aurora Awards are at 5:00 Friday. Doesn’t leave a lot of leeway.

  451. I long for the day when our robot overlords take over and replace all of the doctors (and politicians and lawyers and judges, etc). No more inconvenient hours, greedy insurance meddling, greedy pharmaceutical meddling – – and no more arguments.

    Bunny and ditto: I hope you both won your arguments.

  457. The Sonic Screwdriver will open any lock… Or is it a number of Sonic Screwdrivers with vodka and OJ?

    (Lejon: I was expecting the “If it’s not ultrasonic, it’s crap” joke from you — although, I confess I don’t get the reference. )

  469. Now, I have a question… Were the robots in The Black Hole based on the robots from Silent Running, or was it the other way around… (OK it’s a dumb question, because I have a perfectly working internet, and IMDB is still a going concern, but who has enough idle time to look up that stuff)

    *whistles*

  470. justa J0e: I was joshin’ with ya. (man, how IS that spelled?)

    The sonic screwdriver is just another reason why I prefer the original Dr. Who run. This thing is now overpowered, even by old standards!

    Vanamonde: I missed the reference.

    I actually rather like The Black Hole. It’s an example of something decent and not brain-dead cutesy-pie animation put out by Disney back when they were able to do so. And the guns didn’t look as dumb as the ones in Stargate.

  471. The robots were pretty cool and original, plus it had a cool creepy atmosphere in a space/starship that wasn’t really attempted (with any success that I can recall) until the crappy Event Horizon.

  478. I skipped Event Horizon based on the gushing recommendation from the friend who loved Night Breed and Mystery Men.

    I do have fond recollections of The Black Hole, but I probably haven’t seen it since the spandex era.

  481. Back from the doctor’s and lunch with a friend.

    No sonic screwdriver involved with either 🙁

    But I did win the conversation with the doctor. Actually, before I even got a chance to complain he said that something must have been wrong with my last dosage of medicine, otherwise I wouldn’t have been in at all – I love winning an argument before it even starts.

    Oh yeah, I liked Black Hole too.

  483. It’s 32 frikken degrees out right now. No air conditioning in the house. I think It’s time for a peach/mango Popsicle.

  484. Lejon: I can only assume those guns are from Stargate. I couldn’t tell you since I couldn’t make it through one episode of that dreadful, dreadful show.

  485. Dang, I liked Event Horizon. Mystery Men was okay, but could have been a lot better. I liked The Black Hole a lot, but it is rather dated.

  489. I remember seeing The Black Hole in the theater with my brother and being shocked that a person actually died. I think that was my first movie where I saw a person die. I could be remembering incorrectly. It was unusual for a Disney movie and I think it was talked about by the adults around me quite a bit. I also remember thinking Maximillian was a really cool name.

  490. I actually went to Event Horizon because, for some reason, I thought it was going to be a cool Sci-Fi / Star Trek type movie.

    About 15/20 minutes into it I left the theater with my money returned to me.

    This probably won’t surprise anyone who knows me and knows that the movie isn’t anything like Star Trek.

    I had taken a large sports bottle in with me and it was full of wine and sprite.

    It wasn’t helping.

  501. I liked Ben Stiller in Reality Bites, but Ethan Hawke was soooo much more swoonworthy and always will be.

    What was that bands name? “Hey Man, That’s My Bike” … ? Is that right?

  502. I saw the movie, Hotel For Dogs, this morning.

    It was sweet and predictable with lots of cute dogs. My 3 and 5 year old kids sat through the entire thing completely mesmerized, so even if I hadn’t liked it, it would not have made a difference.

    Story was completely unrealistic, impossible, and incomplete. Just right for kids to ask a million questions.

    Overall, I really did like it, but I have a problem with the way Animal Control was portrayed. I’m sure that all the people who work for Animal Control are not dog-hating dillholes. Otherwise, why would they choose that line of work at all really? It really makes them out to be bad guys.

    Pretty typical for kid movie, but it still kinda bugs me.

  506. … and now a bit of good economic news …

    Goldman Sacks announced this morning that they they are in good enough shape that they will be paying back their “TARP” money.. after having had it less then a year !

    What the media seldom if ever mention about the “Wall Street Bailout” … is that it was in essence, just a loan. This one company will be paying back the original money PLUS over 1 Billion dollars in interest! That’s the tax payers getting over 20% profit while keeping our financial house of cards from collapsing on top of us.
    Isn’t it nice when a plan comes together.

  509. And begrudging kudos where kudos are due:
    Goldman Sachs did the right thing. How sad that this is a big surprise. . . . I think most of us considered that money gone forever, like the $20 we loaned out-of-guilt to that ne’er-do-good in our lives.

  510. I think I’ll arm myself with some garlic … yes… I’ll arm myself with some garlic on top of a white pizza with spinach and artichoke.

    That should keep any dangers away.

  511. And the third and final for now:
    …………………………………………………………………………………………….Clitty Lake??!?
    Hmm, is THAT where you find the little man in the boat??

  513. I can’t find any white pizza around here so I’m snacking on a piece of marble rye toast with some warm brie and a side of strawberries.

  519. So B.O.B. would make a better overlord than Maximillian, hmmm.

    Sounds like its time for a rousing game of best robot overlord / worst robot overlord.

    My vote: Best – Twiki & Dr. Theopolis combo from Buck Rogers
    Worst – Proteus IV from the Demon Seed (unless you’re in to that kind of thing)

  524. The Taco Bell Chihuahua died and I can’t think of anything funny to say about it because everything just seems like it would be in bad taste.

    Kinda like… Taco Bell

  532. Click on the “buy yours now” button. He’s actually got quite the catalogue (no I didn’t buy them, I wanted to see what would happen because I thought it was a joke)

  535. Actually – when we put some bricks down in our own backyard, we made it into a chess/checkerboard with the hopes of someday getting pieces.

    I don’t have a picture of it online but I’m sure I could find one and post it.

  537. Cj my hubby wants an outdoor chess set too. The biggest deterrant is the price. The local gardening centre sells the pieces for about $75 each.

  539. So, anyway. Here’s a picture I found of the yard being installed. You can see our little chess/checkerboard on the right. It’s covered with dirtyness, but looks really pretty when it’s done. You’d think I could find a “done” picture.

    http://tinyurl.com/cjsyard

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