410 thoughts on “UnDeadpan UnShaurette

  1. Well, the swine flu has arrived in Houston. I haven’t had any exposure, but some schools have been closed around here where cases have been found.

  2. For a bizarre Dracula movie try the movie Thralls. Very strange. Very strange Renfield

    dleifneR egnarts yreV .egnarts yreV .sllarhT eivom eht yrt ievom alucarD errazib a roF

  3. My turn to cream all over the message board.

    In the spirit of the day:

    !emosewa si SnaD .daer nuf a s’ti dna “evoL s’htiliL” hsinif did I

  4. Yhat’s all the backward I can handle. The kids made sure I was awake every minute of the night.

    I have to drive for almonst 2 hours (40 min. each way) to have lunch with out-of-towners I’ve never met before then I’m hosting a dinner party of sorts.

    Now… where’d I put that nap?

  5. Okay, yeah, that’s enough backwards.

    After all, we don’t want some first-time visitor coming in after hearing we aren’t cliquey only to find out they need to be fluent in backwards to understand the comments board…

  6. I need an idea.

    I have a book that was given to me and I would like to give it as a prize.
    The book is an anthology of short stories with Wolves at the heart of the story playing a key roll.

    What I am looking for is a contest to give it away? Any ideas?

  7. Sweet Jesus that was a hard thing reading comments this morning. My head kept trying to turn itself inside out.

    I think the combination of writing backwards, but with the letters still oriented normally greatly increased the difficulty. It would have been much easier if we could reverse the letters themselves.

    Surely there’s a font available for that somewhere……

  8. I never would have guessed… 😉

    I am thinking that I should just do a random drawing of people who want the book. Maybe after they write a review somewhere… I dunno.

  9. I think I’m in trouble.

    TEB has taken to recording Skype conversations with me and she’s threatening to use them as blackmail.

    I feel so dirty.

  10. Definitely gladness. Can’t next week because the in-laws will be in town, but my husband and I have big plans to watch porn on the big TV in the living room once the house is empty 😀

    Actually, we do have plans for the basement where her room is. We are going to tear out her bedroom and recarpet the basement and make it more friendly to our needs (workout area, etc.)

  11. Deadpan Porn – for some reason, very tight light blue jeans (good for moving furniture in:) ) and a frumpy sweat shirt (chilly today so need the warmth)

  12. No, it’s not which is a good thing. Unfortunately we had a number of boxes of stuff that we were going to give to charity. Some of them had books, which are probably ruined. now.

  13. ditto: total bummer! I remember multiple instances growing up in Eastern Colorado when we were up with my cussing-in-Czech dad sucking water out of the carpet in the basement because of flooding from either rain, or from someone leaving the hose on.

    *childhood flashback shudder*

  14. EssBee – How Czech are you?

    One of my best friends in the world defected at the age of five with her mom and sister and came to the states … I wanted her mom to teach me a couple phrases in Czech, but only two of them stuck with me. Apparently it was most important to me to know how to say, “I love you” and “He has a nice ass.”

    I have no idea how to spell them, but I can speak them in Czech.

  15. In this unshow… I disagree with Jack’s show note. I don’t think he sounds tired. They both sound a bit giggly, but I don’t hear tired.

  16. I am pretty Czech, Cj, but don’t speak the language. I know words for food, and the phrase that means “easy come, easy go” (one of my family’s staples — really, our philosophy). My dad could hook you up, though!

    Deadpan, I need some advice. Evil, Inc. just got exponentially eviler today. Employees are no longer allowed to access the internet for personal use, similar to Rhettro’s situation. My activity here will be limited during the weekdays to lunch, which makes me sad.

    Here’s the advice part:

    I’m buying a laptop. Maybe even tonight. I want a MacBook. Is that the way to go? Or could I get just what I need from a Sony or a Dell or something for less $$? I’m not a gamer. I have lots of video on my computer and lots of audio files. I also stream a lot of video on Netflix and other places. Any recommendations? If I go PC, what am I looking for in terms of processors, RAM, those kind of thingies that I can’t even define?

  17. Hi Essbee.

    /4 cents worth

    Having used PC’s AND Macs professionally and having done work for the R&D division of a PC hardware developer … I can offer the following –

    If you like to work with computers then go the low $$ route and get a PC.
    If you’re a busy person and just want to USE a computer to do stuff … get a Mac.

    While this Macbook (currently using) has been a bit of a disappointment to me when compared to the reliability and hardiness of other Macs I have used/owned … it is still lightyears ahead of any PC I have had contact with as far as just being able to turn it on and use it without having to give a 2nd thought to how or why it works (like you would a TV).

    As I said, if futzing with a computer is nothing for you (as with many of our geek brethren out there) go the low $$. Otherwise, just spend the money for a Mac and get on with just using it.
    /4 cents worth

  18. I have bad luck with computers so I don’t give any advice other than run screaming if someone tries to sell you an HP product. Meh.

    I’m happy with my shiny new green Dell Inspiron. I use it to play WoW and create massively cool spreadsheets in Excel.

    End of month? Bring it.

  19. After finding Western Digital tech support to be of no use, I have succeeded anyway in upgrading my machine – I can hardly believe it, but I now have a 1 TERAbyte hard drive.

    Muw ha ha ha!

    Which is good as my new camera does a 6MB file size at max JPEG quality and resolution.

    And to think, back in the day, when I put together my first PC, the 40MB drive I had was a monster. So big, I had to split it into two 20MB partitions as DOS couldn’t have a partition larger than 32MB.

  20. Ditto, sorry about the flooding. We’ve had some hellacious storms down here in recent weeks – one guy at my office had his place flooded twice in a week’s time. Of course, he had just had all the carpet replaced from the first flooding when the second round came through.

  21. If your videos aren’t HD res, then a netbook will be able to play back your videos fine (by installing videolan) and will be very portable to boot.

    The Samsung NC10 has had some good reviews:

    http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/234621/samsung-nc10.html

    The price quoted is for the UK, but you will be able to pick it up for cheaper in the US.

    If you are heavily into video editing or Photoshop then it’s probably too low powered, but for most other things a netbook does the job.

  22. That’s a very good recommendation on the netbook idea for EssBee, Van.

    Friday has arrived, act appropriately 🙂

  23. Afternoon Pan, off to sisters today which means travelling through London..I see a train journey in my immediate future.

  24. Morning, Pan!

    Thanks for the computer advice, guys. Very unlike me, I didn’t rush out last night and buy. I will probably do so tonight.

    Be careful breathing the air, Van!

  25. Jack, I find Steve Vai the king of silly faces when playing.

    EssBee, if you’re hoping to do some gaming, the definitely go PC.

    If you’re looking for just a “working” computer. Then Mac may be the way to go. I know people prefer mac for recording music etc, but my husband is quite happy with Sony’s Acid Music Studio on his PC when recording music and such.

  26. Ugh, Bunny? Thanks for the advice!

    Just watched another episode of Fringe. Loved it!

    Q: “What now?”
    A: “Now you crap ’em out.”

    CP: First of May — JC

  27. No, just tired. Spent all day moving furniture. Then went to MA in the early evening. Spend an hour and a half there, then went to my daughter’s new place and helped her rearrange all the furniture we moved in.

    Still had to get up at five this morning because it’s month end at work. Also, must finish putting the guest room back together, get some grocery shopping done, clean the guest bathroom and still do the day job in the course of today.

    I stand by my ugh.

  28. I share in the ugh.

    I’m headed off to Evil, Inc, where the internet has been banned. Bastards!

    Have a great day, DP.

  29. My my, there is an advantage to being a crust old duffer.

    Managed to frighten off a group of teenagers from sitting near me on the train.

  30. Good on you, Van. You keep those young whipper-snappers in their place 🙂

    As for the other comment, don’t feel bad, I could never get into Sudoku either.

  31. Good morning, Pan.

    Today is the 1st of May and the first day of the month. Spreadsheet day.
    Off I go to enter big numbers into little boxes for 12 hours in the hopes that I get done in time to go out tonight.

    Speedy fingers, don’t fail me now!

  32. Was inspired to rewatch my Donnie Darko Director’s Cut DVD and then listen to the commentary with Kelly and Kevin Smith.

    I was somewhat disappointed to hear that he only had vague ideas of what was going on as he made the film. (A trouble which was clearly also present during production of “Southland Tales.”)

    I was also bugged by his inability to either pronounce or define “Deus ex machina.” I though the mispronunciation by the Barrymore characther had been either intentional or the actress’ error.

  33. I’ve never used a Mac so I can’t compare. My husband is well-known for being the anti-Apple products guy although he did let me buy an iTouch which I love.

    Someday, I will touch a Mac computer and all will be right with the world.

  34. Here is a deadpan travel tip:

    If visiting London, don’t travel on public transport during rush hour…it’s fucking insane out there.

  35. There was a point in time when I decided to learn everything there was to know about PC’s so I could build my own and save money. Since then I’ve never owned a Mac. I like Macs fine, they are pretty seemless for doing video/photo editing. But for gaming and 3D modeling, the PC can’t be beat.

  36. And now the hubby is home playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the Wii – not distracting at all..

    4 workbooks done – 9 to go.. Then 3 more spreadsheets to start on…

  37. I’m starting to see the light. With any luck, I’ll be done in about an hour.(to the point I can put it away until tomorrow anyway)

  38. Well Pan,

    I’m calling it quits for the day. Will finish up on Sunday. Must finish getting my house in order before the in-laws come tomorrow.

    Have a good one 🙂

  39. And…. a note from EssBee, whose internet is locked down, yet is still able to use IM:

    “here i suffer
    but, i’m going to buy a macbook tonight, so don’t feel too sorry for me!”

  40. Deadpan!!

    I’m writing this, my first eVAR thing from my new macbook! Sorry Van, but I think I’m happy.

    Aporkalipse. LOL!!

  41. Well Pan, just checking in for a moment. Gaming is over. Played Catan Geographies: Germany. I lost. Hubby won. So overall it was a good day for our side.

    Just waiting for my i-pod to sync so I can listed while I play Drakensan on my PC.

    EssBee, the one going around here is the Hamdemic.

  42. /lurk=off

    Hey Everybody! Man did I have a case of the giggles. 😀

    TEB, I haven’t hard of “Thralls”, but from my cursory googling, it looks like it has been rebranded “Blood Angels”, but doesn’t have Drac in it. Hmmm… If you know more about it, lemme know.

    WW, I promise, I didn’t poke your eye out, but perhaps this is a sign that now is the time to get that awesome patch. P-)

    Now, I must share the creamsicle adventure! M and I went to the store (not Walmart — local store was still open) and we bought her some fresh, shiny, shoe polish, and all was well. But then — for some reason — I felt compelled to buy some Creamsicles. In the freezer aisle, all they had were variety packs with: Creamsicles, Fudgesicles, and Popsicles. I figured this would be cool. Once we got home, and I opened the box, I discovered — I kid you all not — there was only ONE Creamsicle in the WHOLE box. And it was a red raspberry one, not a beloved orange one. I was sad. But I had lots of Fudgesicles to make up for it.

    Thus endeth my creamy deadpan.

    /lurk=on

  43. Morning Pan, dragging my nephew to see the Coraline movie in 3D.

    I suspect he’s going to be a rebel and watch the film with one eye shut…

  44. Good morning Pan.

    Jack: Surely! I’ve e-mailed you.

    My woman’s work was broken into last night. Cut the alarms and cameras. Took no cash but went through filing cabinets.

    Ditto: How’s the basement?

  45. And I must take Mr. Mangan to task on his comments this past episode. The Deadpan is VERY clique-ey! After all, after I submitted just one voicemail I received several warm greetings before my dumbass figured out that comments are on the comment page, not the forums (d’oh!). In the past few episodes I’ve had pleasant banter and helpful suggestions. The worst part is that I had to personally contact the Pan via voicemail and comments. If the Pan was truly not clique-ey they’d have come to my residence and force me to interact. Shame Deadpan, shame!

  46. (I’ve intended on thanking the pan-Pan for your kindness in accepting the newcomer. This recent show gave me an opening to thanking you all without doing it blatantly. Which now I’ve done. Blast.)

  47. Good morning, Deadpan!

    Do any of you know how to transfer my iTunes contents to my new laptop? Is it as easy as plugging the iPod in and following the for-dummies commands? Or will that wipe my iPod?

    It’s gloomy in Colorado this morning. I had planned on yardwork, but it might be raining, so I might be doing inside work (say, cleaning). Have a good morning!

  48. EssBee – You defintely DON”T want to plug the Ipod into the new laptop yet.

    In the Apple world, it’s all about domination…chains, whips and hot wax. The Computer is the master and your Ipod can have only one master. The new master is jealous and will wipe all evidence that the slave belonged to anyone else before.

    In order to get make this relationship work, the new master is going to have to come in and take all the toys and gear from the old one before the first session beings. She’ll still erase the old marks, but then the new ones will look just the same.

    Euphemistically speaking, of course…. 🙂

  49. Morning Pan.
    EssBee – yes … sort of. I just read an article on that. It’s easy if you know how to do it right. I’ll look for the article and get back to you.

  50. Good Lord, Ed might be feisty today! Even so, point taken, not plugging in the iPod. I would litralee cry if my iPod got wiped. Real tears, fellas.

    Thanks, JOe. You’re sweet as pie.

  51. Morning Pan.

    Just doing some cleaning etc before I head out to MA. Being tested today.

    Dan.

    The movie Thralls was played recently on our local SF channel, “Space”. Lorenzo Lamas played dracula (a.k.a. Mr. Jones) and Richard Cox played Renfield (a.k.a. Rennie).

    IMDB has a write up on it

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404496/

  52. TEB is in the frozen wasteland that is Canada.

    Cough

    Just saw Coraline, the 3D was really wasted on this charming film.

  53. Hi everyone!

    TEB – So it is the same movie. Excellent. I shall have to add it to my NetFlix queue. Lorenzo Lamas as Dracula, eh? Hmmm… he’s no Adrian Zmed, but it’ll have to do.

  54. I figured Joe would come through with the useful answer. I had a short time so I wanted to get the warning out to you before you unintentionally wiped your Ipod.

    There are tools, at least on the PC side, to rebuild an Itunes collection from off the Ipod. I had to use such a tool a few years ago when a drive crashed on me and my backup was corrupted. My only source for some 40GB of tuneage was the Ipod itself.

    As Joe’s good links show, it’s much easier to deal with going from one machine to another.

  55. I manually copied my iPod’s music folder to my C: drive – but – each individual file gets renamed to a random 4-alpha-character code. So you have folders and folders of mysterious filenames. Maybe one of those specialized tools will help to counter that, so your copy of “Walkin on Sunshine” doesn’t become XGFD.mp3.

  56. Jack: If you have the option “keep music organized” then when you add the ipod music folder to your library, it will properly rename things.

  57. Well Pan, just gone midnight here, another year that seems to have passed in a blink of an eye, time to show the finger to the old guy with the strange agricultural implement.

    Night..

    Fstream will be playing a french classical music internet radio station all night.

  58. Happy birthday, Van!

    I’m up early and off to pick up an old friend at the airport for breakfast and a free ride for her to her hotel. Then, I’m coming back home to go back to Denver with my family for a 7 year-old’s birthday party!

  59. Good morning, Pan!

    I’ve got my coffee and my newspaper and a joyously fun day ahead. Fridays are my favorite, but Sundays are a close second.

    I think I’m going to buy my Star Trek tickets on line today! This is the week the new movie comes out and I’m going to be excited all week! Yay for Star Trek!

  60. Morning Pan.

    In-laws are in so just a quick hop in.

    Happy Birthday to Van as well as a big *virtual* hug!

    Dan, I also for got to mention, for a truly horrifying Dracula experience (and I don’t mean that in a good way), try Dracula 3000 with Casper Van Dien as Van Helsing

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367677/

    One of the worst movies evar 🙂

  61. And speaking of belated – yes, the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs is already well under way, but my pre-round 2 predictions have not changed:

    Blackhawks over Canucks in 6
    Crapitals over Penguins in 6
    Wings over Ducks in 6
    Bruins over Canes in 5

  62. I treated myself to a “download to my Tivo” rental of Quantum of Solace.

    I’d say it was an okay action flick. As a Bond film … not so much.
    I should never have to think that hard to follow along with the plot of a Bond film.
    I had to watch throught the film a seond time to try and figure out this whole “dead girlfriend” thing and how that fit in with the faux Eco guy. I’m still not sure there if there was a connection.

    Meh. I’ll be happy when the studios get over this pretentious, Emo Bond phase they are going through.

  63. Hello again Deadpan!!

    The Mistress is making an apperance once again.

    J0e sent an email mentioning that Amy Bowen wante to get ahold of me so i came to stop by, say hi and see whats up.

    School is almost out for the small ones.
    Me, other then scout stuff for Infomercial Boy, I’m not doing much. But local racing is starting soon, and rumor has it the guy we used to work on his car may be able to drive a Mini Sprint this summer, which puts me back at the track some weekends. NICE! Never worked on this kind of car before so it will be lots of learning for me.

    When we arent off at Scouts it seems we have been at 501st events. My husband joined recently, so thats been taking up many weekends. Spent all day saturday at the library for Free Comic Book Day.

    So to get ahold of me my email is jbjs311 at hotmail dot com also on facebook with the same address.

    I’ll try to be back soon!

  64. TEB, I still have nightmares due to the atrocity that is Dracula 3000.

    CJ, what are the plans for Star Trek? I can’t make the midnight premeire, but would love to join you on a weekend showing. 😀

  65. Star Trek – Actually hoping to talk to the guys about it today – Cine Capri is showing it at 8pm on Thursday night – I’m going to offer up that as a choice. We have a babysitter for that night so we are go.

    Also, this weekend being Mother’s day and a couple family birthdays is not a good option for us… but we might be coerced to a 2nd viewing…

    Maybe we can do a Saturday Matinee in a few weeks and have a DanS + Jack extra special LLAP.

  66. The same friends who accompanied me to the midnight premiere of Watchmen have both said they’re up for another midnight premiere. We’re seeing Star Trek together on Thursday night. I’m really looking forward to it. 🙂

  67. Been a busy weekend. Just popping in to say “hi”.

    Hi.

    Happy Birthday Vanamonde!

    I have no further thoughts at the moment.

  68. Hey, Pan!

    We’ve had a busy, busy weekend. I really wish someone would come by and pull the weeds in my front yard for me.

    We just celebrated a 7 year-old’s birthday in style (with kabobs and an ice cream cake).

    I can’t believe it’s already Sunday night.

  69. Happy birthday, Justa J0e! Picture all of us around the Deadpan clapping our hands like the staff at some Friday’s-style chain restaurant and singing an annoying unfunny birthday song.

    Or….

    Just enjoy the day with some candles and cake and loved ones.

  70. It’s a creamy threesome. Just finished my first Out of the Coffin, got a good blush on with UnDeadpan, and am currently listening to something almost on my radio dial.

    Also known as, hoorah for ‘panites.

  71. Morning Pan.

    Hubby just heading off to work. In-laws not awake yet.

    No Star Trek opening for us. In-laws will still be in town. 🙁

    Happy Birthday J0e! Have a piece of cake for me!

  72. WNDR – you are 2 kind. In fact you are more than two kind, you are three kind and as we all know 3 kind beats two pair so I’d say you are a winner.

    Had cake. Pinapple upside down cake. Moist. fruity. mmmm.

    Been playing with the “Airport Express” that I got. I think it will work nicely to give me that “whole house, internet music system” I seemed to think I wanted.

  73. Re: Star Trek

    Well, I already had a dream of it being an utter travesty. It couldn’t possibly be as bad as my dream version.

  74. Yes I have a funny feeling in my water it’s going to be naff.

    I’m keeping fingers crossed I’m wrong.

    On the to do list:

    Read a book by PG Wodehouse.

  75. Well, since I’ve missed JaJ’s birthday, I’ll just give you really early birthday wishes for 2010….so there.

  76. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

    Life better be renewed. I finally go to watching the finale. Wow. It was better than Chuck’s finale–the wife only slightly disagrees. Wow. What was he chosen for?!?!

    What the hell am I going to watch after all my shows are gone? Grrr.

  77. Hey JaJ Happy Late Birthday!!!!

    The hubby and I went to see the new XMen movie today. I was very happy with it. My favorite of all the movies. That could have a lot to do with Gambit (my favorite Xmen EVER!) being in it, or a naked Hugh Jackman. But The hubby liked the movie too so i wasnt totaled swayed by the hotness factor.

  78. [rant] Coworkers are not using their eyes. After several years of running the same machines together, anything that I can deduce in 5 seconds shouldn’t be beyond their capabilities to see. [/rant]

  79. From the Wiki article on Change Blindness:
    …failure to compare the relevant information from the current scene to the representation…

    That sounds about right. The belt isn’t spinning because the drive wheel fell off. And yet no one see that the drive wheel is missing.

    The information is nice to have, though it doesn’t exactly reduce my frustration. =) Thanks for the heads up, Vanamonde.

  80. Morning, Pan.

    The wife and I are planning a trip to Vegas this summer – the kids are spending that time away with my parents, so it will be just the two of us.

    I’m doing plenty of research now, but I wanted to probe the minds of the community. Who’s been there? Any recommendations on hotels good or bad? And, any thoughts on shows to see or avoid?

    We’ll do some gambling, though that’s not our main purpose. We do have a trip planned over to the Grand Canyon that we’re looking forward to.

  81. Have not seen Wolverine yet. Reviews look pretty mixed all around. Never caught the super duper sneaky preview last month, either. We’ll probably hold off until the Blu-Ray comes out.

  82. Morning Pan.

    Once again hubby leaving for work; in-laws still asleep.

    Ed, I can’t really give a review. We stayed at the Hilton and did the Trek experience but since they closed that down. We did tour the hotels. The next time we go we’ll either stay at the Luxor or Caesars.

    WE had friends stay at the The Ballagio (SP?). They said it was quite nice, and when the fountain did it’s ballet there was a channel on the TV that you could turn to to pipe in the music it was dancing to.

  83. Ed, I’ve also been to the Ballagio (SP?), which has good restaurants. I don’t gamble, so that’s all I’ve got! I was there for a business meeting and didn’t get to see much.

  84. I tried to copy my iTunes library over to my external hard drive and screwed something up royally. All of my podcasts now have ! next to them — my music did as well, but I was able to revert back to an older Library file. Aaargh!

    I’ll try again tonight, and if it doesn’t work, I might just bite the bullet and reconstruct it from scratch on the new computer.

    CW: The Tudors (before work)

  85. 8:00 and still asleep. Must be nice 🙂

    We say Penn & Teller, and Elton John when we were in Vegas (as well as the Star Trek Experience 🙂 )

  86. EssBee
    I’m doing a similar iTunes thing.

    I hooked my hard drive to the computer and copied over just the “ITunes Music” Folder.
    Then I went into iTunes preferences … told it that the hard drive was the NEW location of the music folder.

    Then, for good measure, I went to file/library/consolidate library … and iTunes made sure that I had copied all my audio files to the new folder.

    It seems to work perfectly now.

    All of this was starting with a Mac though.
    Tonight I may try to do the same thing with a PC.

    I’ll let you know how that works out.

  87. You’d think that with all of the iHype, Apple UIs for basic actions would be a lot less user-unfriendly.

    Wolverine: If you turn off your “Well why don’t they just/Why would anyone do that?” filters, it’s a fun superhero action flick. Also — I don’t know — but it would seem that Deadpool fans might also have some complaints.

  88. I must having got the boring one JB, just drinking at a bar telling an Asian barmaid he was drinking to remember.

  89. Hi Everyone!

    JOe, I think I’ve got it. I downloaded something called iPodrip and it seems to be taking all of my files from the iPod onto the new macbook. Whew!

    How is everyone tonight?

    I spend this evening pulling grass out of my xeriscape and really enjoyed it!

  90. Exactly, Wolf! The neighbor’s freakin’ lawn is infringing on my rights to have a beautiful rock & cactus garden (that I don’t have to water).

  91. Yeah Wolverine. Pretty much what everyone else said. If I rated the XMEN films by how good they were I would say that the XMEN 2 was the best, XMEN 3 the worst and the first film somewhere in the middle. Wolverine ranks somewhere above X3 but below X1. Deadpool, I confess I didn’t even know who he was until I bought Marvel Ultimate Alliance for the 360 and he was a fun character to play. I’m not sure what the point of the final scene with Deadpool was exactly. Overall though, I found him the most interesting character shown, but his screen time was pretty brief.

  92. I’m going to venture a guess that my iTunes recovery is going to take around 12 hours. I don’t know if that’s too long or too short, but I do know it probably means that I won’t have my iPod at Evil, Inc. tomorrow. I have no idea how to function!

    5087 tracks left . . .

  93. Ess – I know it’s a pain in the arse, but don’t you have a backup mp3 player for emergencies? Or is it just me and my destructive tendencies that prompt me to have 2 extra players sitting around waiting for when I break this one?

  94. No backup mp3 player Nomad, but I do have these silver disc-like things that play music. I wonder how they work? Maybe I’ll take a few of those with me today?

    4855 tracks left …

  95. Do you have a CD/DVD drive in your work computer? You could burn a playlist of files to a blank disk and listen to them on the work computer. Though, if most of your files are in Apple’s AAC format, instead of MP3, that probably wouldn’t do much good unless you could install Itunes on the work PC.

    I can get away with installing just about anything on my work computer, but I know lots of places lock their computers down against that kind of thing.

  96. Morning Pan, listening to the lastest Skepticality podcast, it’s annoying that Swoopie doesn’t pronounce Edinburgh correctly even though she is interviewing someone who does.

    Small potatoes though…..

  97. Morning Pan!

    Same Scenario. I’m awake, hubby’s leaving, everyone else is asleep.

    All things considered, I wish I was asleep too.

  98. Before I saw the post saying that “SPIMM” was a typo, I thought it was an intentional variation on the acronym, meant to mean “Song Playing In My Mind.” That phrase does make sense in the context of the sentence where “SPIMM” is first used, kind of.

  99. Good Morning.

    Last night my iPod Touch did this bizarre thing where it refused to turn off. Every time I pressed the button on the face it would ask me to go to the music center or close. That’s all it would do. It was bizarre. So, I had to restore factory settings and wipe the entire iPod to get it back to normal. I think the iPods are going to rise up against us and make us all crazy.

  100. So, Edinburgh is pronounced Ed-in-bur-ah?

    I thought we only did screwed up stuff like that on our side of the pond.

  101. Oh yeah … and..

    I AM SEEING STAR TREK TOMORROW!

    whew… I just had to scream!

    I’m a little excited.

    Star Trek

    I love Star Trek.

    Really Really Really

  102. St. Patrick’s Day several years ago I saw Authority Zero sing the Scotsman at a local pub, The Dubliner.

    I think I was trying to remember the name of the band this weekend and I have such a horrible short-term memory so I thought I’d better document it right here and now.

  103. When are you headed there, CJ? I’m still in my geeky engineer overanalyzing research stage for the trip my wife and I are taking at the end of July.

  104. Here you go Ed.
    Feed your engineer this data.

    http://www.stephsvegas.com/
    Not too frequently updated but some good tips – especially the $20 room upgrade.

    http://www.lasvegastripreport.com/
    Best Vegas site evah.
    It’s reviews by regular folks. Of course everyone has their own things that tweak them so you have to read a lot of reports to come up with an average. If one report says a place had lousy service it might be an expectation problem. If 3 people report a place has lousy service then you should give that more weight.

    http://www.lvol.com/lvoleg/lvshows.html
    Just a good site to see what shows are playing, where, how much and some reviews.

    Enjoy.

  105. I thought I had subscribed to F&SF months ago, but nothing came of it. After Van mentioned his e-sub, I was pretty much decided that would work for me. I kept pulling up the website to pull the trigger, but I kept backing out again before completing the transaction.

    When I got up tonight, I found out that the June/July issue has shown up in the mail.

    So… woot for that, but really? I’m pretty sure I signed up in January. That’s a crazy long turn around.

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