Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Meh. Can't say I particularly cared for Star Wars and most certainly didn't pay attention to the credits.

The puppetry is much more interesting to me, but again, it's not one of those things I'd have paid attention to credits for...especially since it's been at least 25 years since I watched Sesame Street and I can't say I've ever watched any of The Muppets.

/tk

We need to have a talk with your parents.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I have every Lindy's annual for the Pro Football, Big Ten & Pro Football Draft that they have ever put out.

Reading the current Draft annual... A good portion of it has pages that are blurry wherever there is any kind of graphic (shaded box, etc) What just really made me laugh at how bad it is was that whoever edited the two-page section on the Patriots let the writer go on & on about how Belichick said every member of the team needs to be talked to. They then neglected to review their TE's or WR's. Oops.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Pumpy's XBox gamer profile gave my son a pretty good chuckle tonight. The only help I could offer was "that's just Pumpy. No explanation is really adequate"

[Scoobz0202]

Not sure where else to post this and I don't really feel like creating a thread.

Need cell phone advice regarding warranties and what not.

I have had a Motorola Droid since November of 09. I can upgrade in July. I can actually use an upgrade on a family plan if need be but the phones I want won't be out till early, mid summer so I would really like to avoid that.

BUT

My Motorola Droid took a spill today. Nothing cracked, but the screen doesn't work. The soft touch buttons light up, and based on memorization of where certain things are on the screen I can still tell it works based on the feedback vibration when I unlock the phone. Just the screen doesn't turn on. I have insurance, called and talked to a guy on the phone. Here's where the situation gets murky.

I have two choices apparently. Use my insurance policy thing but that has like a 90 dollar deductible. Not bad but its more then the 50 I've paid before. But the guy on the phone went on to say it could be covered under my extended warranty. He had me check the battery, no water damage. The keyboard is fine. No cracks on the screen. He said that shows no sign of user abuse (he knows I dropped it). He went on to say he will overnight me a new phone and I will have to send back the old one. They will check my phone and make sure there is no user abuse. Great..... then I realized... my phone is rooted. That voids the warranty. He was telling me that if they find user abuse I get charged 300 dollars for the new phone? I don't even have the choice to say "No thanks, here's your new phone back I'll take my broken one back."

With the screen broken do you think I am at risk with the phone being rooted? Will they discover that since they can't see the screen? When I get the phone on Monday should I call them and say " Whoops, my old phone started working! I don't need that phone anymore!" and then find a different route? Or do you think I will be cool?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Ok, this was just weird... had that spinning woman picture come up in two ads at the same time, so there were two of the image spaced out on my screen. They were spinning in the opposite direction.

[Ksyrup]

I bet THIS GUY knows who Frank Oz is!

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I bet THIS GUY knows who Frank Oz is!

But he probably doesn't know the touch of a woman.

[Draft Dodger]

stream of a bald eagle nest, eggs due to hatch today
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

[molson]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

Ok, this was just weird... had that spinning woman picture come up in two ads at the same time, so there were two of the image spaced out on my screen. They were spinning in the opposite direction.

Spinning women?

OK man, you're drunk, and I'm jealous.

[Logan]

My girlfriend's sister gave birth to identical twin girls last night. Between my side and hers we now have EIGHT nieces under six years old. There's one nephew thrown in there too but holy crap, I'm destined to be surrounded by women.

[JonInMiddleGA]

How did it become "Post Stupid Internet Memes Day" for my FB friends but nobody sent me a memo?

Reading (snopes) Is Fundamental.

[stevew]

someone posted the "nobody buy gas tomorrow and teach blah blah blah a lesson" meme the other day. I was going to shit all over the topic but decided that the author wasn't worth the time.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

someone posted the "nobody buy gas tomorrow and teach blah blah blah a lesson" meme the other day. I was going to shit all over the topic but decided that the author wasn't worth the time.

You mean "Run out of gas on your way to work Day"?

[Radii]

How is it that no one (pumpy!!) has brought up the fact that there are very recent topless Kathy Griffin pictures on the internet?

[Ksyrup]

I didn't know that, and I haven't seen them, but you nonetheless just ruined my day.

[Ksyrup]

If a Kathy Griffin goes topless and no one is around to see it, will you still go blind?

FUCK YES.

[stevew]

Oh god, why did i look for that.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Radii

How is it that no one (pumpy!!) has brought up the fact that there are very recent topless Kathy Griffin pictures on the internet?

I think you are think of Carrot Top

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

I think you are think of Carrot Top

Having unfortunately seen the Kathy Griffin pictures, and the Carrot Top bit on Tosh.0, I think its safe so that that Carrot Top has a bigger rack.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I hate it when I've got a great song parody idea ... and then realize I've got nothing except for the chorus.

[molson]

Kind of fun minor league sports night at the the Idaho Stampede game the other night - Idaho needed a win and someone else to lose to make the NBDL playoffs. Idaho won, and the other game dragged on into double OT. The PA guy did play by play of the other game, while Antoine Walker and a couple of the coaches crowded around a courtside laptop to watch it. Alas, the wrong team won, but by the time I left, Antoine Walker was still signing autographs and talking to fans down on the court a good 20-30 minutes after the game was over.

It's a great minor league sports atmosphere down there (though the beer prices are unfortunately major-league caliber.)

[sterlingice]

I was in Boise and saw the Stampede win the NBADL title a couple of years ago. Was up there for training and looking for something to do Friday night before heading home Saturday and they were playing game 3 of the Finals. Four of us from the class went since they had B1G1 tickets- it was like $10 for each of us for tickets about 5 rows off the floor. It was a fun experience

SI

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I hate it when I've got a great song parody idea ... and then realize I've got nothing except for the chorus.

Yes, yes.

[stevew]

They are closing one of the two campus parking structures in 2 weeks. It is going to be a major major clusterfuck for the end of the semester. It also costs 80 bucks per semester to park.

[Logan]

I paid $400 a semester to park my car in deck of the building I lived in my junior and senior years at Rutgers.

To have that deal again...

[molson]

Originally Posted by Logan

I paid $400 a semester to park my car in deck of the building I lived in my junior and senior years at Rutgers.

To have that deal again...

That's more expensive than the monthly rent for my first NYC apartment in 2000. (I use the term "apartment" loosely, it was a Staten Island rooming house with a shared bathroom.)

[jeff061]

I've looked into the cost of living in Boston with a decent parking arrangement.

I'm not living in Boston.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Logan

I paid $400 a semester to park my car in deck of the building I lived in my junior and senior years at Rutgers.

To have that deal again...

This is bumblefuck Youngstown Ohio. Most people would have to be paid to park there.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by jeff061

I've looked into the cost of living in Boston with a decent parking arrangement.

I'm not living in Boston.

Funny. The company I work for had quite a few openings in Boston when I was looking last year. Then I saw what it cost to live there. Then I saw what I would be paid. It was cheaper to live in Richmond on only my wife's salary than to move there

SI

[stevew]

The opening Lao Che sequence in Temple of Doom is probably my favorite scene in movies.

[Ksyrup]

When I'm on CNN.com, I feel dirty when I click on a murder/missing person article link and it takes me to a Nancy Grace page/video. I immediately exit and do a google search for a non-CNN article.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

When I'm on CNN.com, I feel dirty when I click on a murder/missing person article link and it takes me to a Nancy Grace page/video. I immediately exit and do a google search for a non-CNN article.

agreed. I feel bad accidentally supporting her drivel.

[B & B]

If a hooker tells you that she will take payment in candy, its figurative, and she wont accept skittles.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by stevew

The opening Lao Che sequence in Temple of Doom is probably my favorite scene in movies.

Nothing like partying at the Club Obi Wan.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by B & B

If a hooker tells you that she will take payment in candy, its figurative, and she wont accept skittles.

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Nothing like partying at the Club Obi Wan.

WHAT?

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

WHAT?

This is funny because I'm not sure if you intentionally meant to combine those two quotes.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

When I'm on CNN.com, I feel dirty when I click on a murder/missing person article link and it takes me to a Nancy Grace page/video. I immediately exit and do a google search for a non-CNN article.

I just weep for what CNN has become. It used to be the best place to get news on TV and now it's just this sad little tabloid mess that occasionally gets it in gear when it's disaster time because they still have good access due to their name.

SI

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Just got this ad in my work email:

Ray Bradbury sez, "FUCK YOU L-Ron!"
ray.jpg

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Uh... The test monitor in the beginning of "Spies Like Us"?

DUH!




Oh yeah, and he was the voice of Yoda, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal among other muppets.

And the cop at the beginning of the Blues Brothers. Here he is eating his lunch.

blues-brothers-1_288x216.jpg

[Ksyrup]

Anybody see the video up on CNN.com about Nick Charles? Very sad. I remember him and Hickman doing CNN sports.

[tyketime]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Anybody see the video up on CNN.com about Nick Charles? Very sad. I remember him and Hickman doing CNN sports.

I just read that story as well. It is very sad. And yet...

I feel really bad for his five year old daughter. I know he's taping these video memories for her. And I also fully understand she wouldn't be here without his deciding to have a child at a later age (I guess either 58 or 59). But there's also a part of me that wonders why parents (mostly older men) decide to have a baby later in life.

I just did a quick google search (there are plenty of other examples):

What do Strom Thurmond, Mick Jagger, Luciano Pavarotti and Rupert Murdoch have in common?

They all fathered children after the age of 55.

Actually, if you exclude Mick Jagger, who fathered a child merely at 55, the others all did it after the age of 65. Thurmond and Murdoch were actually over 70.

What do they expect? The chances of the older father dying while their child is very young is obviously much higher. Do they ever take their child into consideration, or is it just good enough that they brought the child onto Earth?

I really don't mean to diminish this particular story. It's just something I always think about when I hear about a older man fathering a child.

[JediKooter]

Don't forget about Tony Randall.

[Ksyrup]

Frank Gifford, too.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Non Non Non Non Non Non heinous!

Keanu Reeves on the Bill & Ted 3 Story - ComingSoon.net

edit- apparently this was announced back in September? Don't remember hearing anything then

[terpkristin]

I just got an email from Wachovia telling me I can manage my bills online. Looks legit...no obvious misspellings, sender when I look at details isn't something fake.

But I don't have a Wachovia account....

/tk

[jeff061]

New job. Go me. Lots of travel, potentially some international.

I swear I'll stick with this one for longer than 1.5 years.

[sabotai]

Woohoo, 4 day weekend!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Why do I keep the clock in one car 5 minutes ahead and not the other?
And why do I do that in the one car, when I realize I do it?
So when I look at the clock at see it's 7:20, the first thought in my head is "well, it's really only 7:15"

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Anybody see the video up on CNN.com about Nick Charles? Very sad. I remember him and Hickman doing CNN sports.

I know I probably type this once every other week, but Joe Posnanski has to be the best writer on the planet right now.


Honesty



A lot has happened to Nick Charles since I wrote a back page column about him at Sports Illustrated. HBO had him broadcast one more fight. CNN spent a couple of days with him and wrote this beautiful and heartbreaking story about him. I understand that Dr. Sanjay Gupta had an intimate conversation that will be broadcast soon. Nick and his wife Cory are beginning a charity to fight child labor in the Philippines ... more on that soon.

Also, thousands and thousands of people have written to him to say they are thinking about him, they care about him, they are praying for him.



I was talking with another friend about Nick and why it is that his story so moves us. You might know that Nick has Stage 4 bladder cancer, and he will die in the next few months. If that sounds overly blunt, well, that's how Nick Charles wants it. He has no illusions. He wants no illusions. He tried hard for a long time to beat the cancer. But, he says, sometimes you have to know when the fight is over.

Of course, there's the touching part of the story. So many people remember Nick from his days as sports anchor during the early days of CNN. So many people know him from his boxing work the last few years. Television, probably more than any other medium, brings us close to people, makes us feel like we know them in deeper ways. There is no doubt that part of it is just the feeling that something terrible has happened to a friend.

There is something more, though. There is something about honesty that I think touches us in places few other things reach. Nick Charles is an honest man. He is honest about his death. And his honest about his life too. "I have made a lot of mistakes," he told me. "But I never wanted to hurt people. I know that. I know that I never wanted to hurt anyone."

We were talking about this sort of honesty, this friend and I, and I told him a story from my college days ... a story that, for no obvious reason, I have told three or four times in the last couple of weeks. It's funny what sticks with you from school. It's funny what lessons stand out of all the classes and all the lectures and all the friendships and relationships and everything else.

"Have you ever written that story?" the friend asked.

"No," I said.

"I can't believe you've never written that story," he said.

So, here is that story: I took a film class in college. The teacher, and sadly I don't even remember his name, was a Vietnam veteran, and he was in a wheelchair. I mention this because it becomes an important part of the story.

The class was amazing, one of my favorites ... while so much of college is now a blur, that class still seems impossibly clear to me. I remember the way we broke down Citizen Kane ... and Time Bandits ... the way we talked about the copout that was the ending of The Color Of Money ... I remember a lot of things from that class, and almost nothing at all from most of my others. I know this was because of the professor.

Most of all, I remember watching The Stunt Man. There's a scene in The Stunt Man, and I will forget the particulars, where the stunt man is running through a battlefield, and a thousand bullets are chasing him, but, of course, none ever hit him. Only the scene is so long, and there are so many bullets and missiles and bombs, that after a while it becomes clear that the absurdity is exactly what is being emphasized. It gets funny after a while. And so, there was laughter in the room.

The professor stopped the movie then, and told us a story. He said that as absurd as that might seem, he'd actually seen it in real life. He had never talked to us about Vietnam, not that I recall, but in that moment he told us this story of a Vietnamese soldier running through a field, and everyone fired at him, but nobody could hit him. The man just kept running and running, bullets whizzing by him, and it seemed utterly impossible, but there it was, the power of fortune in war, the extraordinary authority of chance over everyone's lives, a man somehow running through bullets.

And then we started watching the movie again and didn't think much more of it.

The next class, the professor began like this: A couple of days ago, I told you the story about the man running through the field. I have always promised myself, ever since I got back from Vietnam, that I would never lie about the war. That was the deal I made with myself. That was how I was going to keep myself sane. I would always tell the truth.

He paused here, and I remember that the room felt airless, suffocating.

What I told you the other day was true. There was a man. And there was a field. He ran through the field, and everyone fired at him, and nobody could hit him. He ran and ran, and nobody could hit him. I have never seen anything like it. Nobody could hit him.

He paused again. His voice was strong. It did not crack.

And he said this: And then, the part I left out: I shot him, and I killed him.

I don't think I've gone a month without thinking about that moment. There is not another moment from college or high school that I remember as vividly. I remember the shock. I remember the pain. I remember the confusion.

I'm still not sure I know the lesson. It changes on me all the time. Sometimes I think it's about the horror of war. Sometimes I think it's about the deals we have to make with ourselves. Sometimes I think it's about the daily terror and outrage and sadness people must endure while nobody notices.

Now, though, I think it's about something else. I have not seen that professor even one time in almost 25 years, but I thought about him again and again as I talked with Nick Charles about what to do when you know you are going to die. "I want to feel everything," he told me, and I thought I knew what he meant. I thought he meant that he wants to breathe in the mountain air, and really taste the calamari, and take in every reaction from his beautiful little daughter Giovanna. And I know he did mean all those things and more.

But I also think he means he wants to feel EVERYTHING. He does not want to lie to himself. He wonders if he has spent too much time lying to himself. He does not want to withdraw even for moment. He knows that people are watching, and they can be inspired. He knows that his wife and daughter are with him, and every moment is precious. He knows that he has so few good days left, and as he told me: "I don't have time for the BS. I just don't. I'm dying."

And if we are honest with ourselves, truly and devastatingly honest, maybe we should ask: Is it really so different for any of us?

[Ksyrup]

Entertaining article by Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman about his time in the band in the early 70s. Pretty funny stuff.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...upergroup.html