Why yes, I do have some good stuff for you this week. Let's begin with our (okay, my) continuing fascination with anything and everything ShamWow-related. I'm pleased that someone finally decided to spoof it properly. (Consumerist, as usual)
We all know, or have at least encountered, a dude like this at some point. (CasualMafia)
And from the same people, a little dig at both hip-hop and hybrid-car righteousness.
31 May 2009
27 May 2009
Back in the (Warehouse) Club
A good while back, I talked about my affinity for warehouse clubs, and Costco in particular. But after the Mrs. left her previous job her Costco membership, which she'd gotten through the employer, lapsed.
For a while we were clubless. It didn't matter much at first, but as time went by I started to miss things like the two-pound blocks of Cabot aged cheddar (called "special reserve" or some such nonsense), the razor blade cartridges in packs of 12 or 16 that would last me a year, the five tubes of toothpaste for $9, and other such things.
I looked into my benefits at work and found that I could get a membership to BJ's Wholesale Club at a discount, so I signed up. One nice thing about BJ's is that there is one within walking distance of our house, though depending on how much I buy, carrying home a bunch of club-sized mega-packages on foot isn't necessarily the most convenient approach. If I walk there I just have to be mindful of how much I can carry, and for bigger loads we can plan ahead and take the car.
After two visits I'm giving them a mixed report card. BJ's does carry things that Costco did not, like the brands of toothpaste and certain other household items we use, and they have a very nice in-house bakery department (Costco had some baked goods, but it seems like BJ's has more). But I am starting to feel that the membership might not be as worthwhile as I once thought it was.
Razor blades are definitely a good deal (the only place you'll find them priced as low is on eBay, and who knows if those are real or not) but with each package of 12 blade cartridges you get a new razor handle, which is silly and wasteful. A three-pack of anti-perspirant was $10, but I recently got it on sale at CVS at two for $7, which is basically the same deal give or take a few cents, and even that is only slightly less than what I normally pay at Target, so not really that impressive.
I think bigger-ticket items like TVs and outdoor furniture can be better deals, and certainly if you have a large family you can save on food at a warehouse club. Sometimes it's just handy to be able to get a large quantity of something all at once so you don't have to buy it as often, provided you are able to store it. But I think the idea of the warehouse club is more enticing than the reality of the place. It seems like I go there with visions of deals that never materialize, and you also have to factor in the cost of the membership, which is a better deal if you shop there frequently, not such a good deal if you don't.
Since I paid for my membership and it's valid for more than a year, I will continue to make use of it, if only for the three-pound tubs of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. But when it expires, I don't think I will renew it.
For a while we were clubless. It didn't matter much at first, but as time went by I started to miss things like the two-pound blocks of Cabot aged cheddar (called "special reserve" or some such nonsense), the razor blade cartridges in packs of 12 or 16 that would last me a year, the five tubes of toothpaste for $9, and other such things.
I looked into my benefits at work and found that I could get a membership to BJ's Wholesale Club at a discount, so I signed up. One nice thing about BJ's is that there is one within walking distance of our house, though depending on how much I buy, carrying home a bunch of club-sized mega-packages on foot isn't necessarily the most convenient approach. If I walk there I just have to be mindful of how much I can carry, and for bigger loads we can plan ahead and take the car.
After two visits I'm giving them a mixed report card. BJ's does carry things that Costco did not, like the brands of toothpaste and certain other household items we use, and they have a very nice in-house bakery department (Costco had some baked goods, but it seems like BJ's has more). But I am starting to feel that the membership might not be as worthwhile as I once thought it was.
Razor blades are definitely a good deal (the only place you'll find them priced as low is on eBay, and who knows if those are real or not) but with each package of 12 blade cartridges you get a new razor handle, which is silly and wasteful. A three-pack of anti-perspirant was $10, but I recently got it on sale at CVS at two for $7, which is basically the same deal give or take a few cents, and even that is only slightly less than what I normally pay at Target, so not really that impressive.
I think bigger-ticket items like TVs and outdoor furniture can be better deals, and certainly if you have a large family you can save on food at a warehouse club. Sometimes it's just handy to be able to get a large quantity of something all at once so you don't have to buy it as often, provided you are able to store it. But I think the idea of the warehouse club is more enticing than the reality of the place. It seems like I go there with visions of deals that never materialize, and you also have to factor in the cost of the membership, which is a better deal if you shop there frequently, not such a good deal if you don't.
Since I paid for my membership and it's valid for more than a year, I will continue to make use of it, if only for the three-pound tubs of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. But when it expires, I don't think I will renew it.
24 May 2009
This Week in (Possibly Not) Awesome (5/24/09)
Given that it's a holiday weekend and I've been out most of the day, this is going to be more like "This Week in Mildly Amusing." In fact, I admit that this week's entries are leftovers from previous editions that I didn't think were quite worthy, sort of the JV squad of TWIA. Like I said, it's a holiday weekend. I reserve the right to be lazy.
Signspotting is, well, a blog of funny signs.
I didn't realize bands still bothered to make videos, but I liked this one.
The note I made for this site is "crazy suits," so I guess that's what you'll find. (Note: I was asked to remove the link, for an unspecified reason and FIVE YEARS LATER.)
Signspotting is, well, a blog of funny signs.
I didn't realize bands still bothered to make videos, but I liked this one.
The note I made for this site is "crazy suits," so I guess that's what you'll find. (Note: I was asked to remove the link, for an unspecified reason and FIVE YEARS LATER.)
22 May 2009
Heading into the Weekend
This morning's commute was... shockingly normal, in all respects. The bus came when it was supposed to, the traffic on the Fellsway was normal, the train rolled into the station just as I reached the platform, it moved at typical rush-hour speed and did not make any unexpected stops. I actually got to work before 9 AM. Small miracles.
Now things are winding down here at the office, heading into the holiday weekend (wait, it's Memorial Day weekend already?). I'm planning on partaking in some retail therapy at the Kittery outlets, either tomorrow or Sunday, depending on the Mrs., who is getting over her first work-derived cold from her new job. Two whole months before getting sick, that's longer than I expected. And I hope to get to see Star Trek over the course of the next three days.
One more thing: I haven't geeked out over Mad Men in a while, mostly because it's been off the air between seasons (the show is back in production on its third season, which is supposed to start in August). However, I still check the official AMC Mad Men blog a couple times a week, and on Tuesday they posted an interview with a young lady who goes by Dyna Moe. Dyna has done a series of illustrations, one for each episode of the two seasons of MM, which are posted here on Flickr. These are extremely cool, and, even better, are available to purchase as prints, cards, and such here.
Now things are winding down here at the office, heading into the holiday weekend (wait, it's Memorial Day weekend already?). I'm planning on partaking in some retail therapy at the Kittery outlets, either tomorrow or Sunday, depending on the Mrs., who is getting over her first work-derived cold from her new job. Two whole months before getting sick, that's longer than I expected. And I hope to get to see Star Trek over the course of the next three days.
One more thing: I haven't geeked out over Mad Men in a while, mostly because it's been off the air between seasons (the show is back in production on its third season, which is supposed to start in August). However, I still check the official AMC Mad Men blog a couple times a week, and on Tuesday they posted an interview with a young lady who goes by Dyna Moe. Dyna has done a series of illustrations, one for each episode of the two seasons of MM, which are posted here on Flickr. These are extremely cool, and, even better, are available to purchase as prints, cards, and such here.
21 May 2009
MBTA Blues, Continued
It seemed like things were starting to get a little better with the commuting, though on Tuesday and Wednesday there was terrible traffic on the Fellsway. I don't know why; maybe people were getting fed up with the Orange Line fiasco and decided to drive instead? The bus trip to Wellington station from my house, that usually takes about ten minutes (about half of which is spent getting through the light at Wellington Circle) took 25 on Tuesday and 20 on Wednesday.
Yesterday I somehow still managed to arrive at work only a few minutes after 9, so I thought today would be more or less the same. That was my mistake: getting overconfident too quickly. Today we were rolling along on the Green Line when we stopped just outside Arlington station, and sat. And sat. And sat for a good fifteen minutes, with occasional announcements about "signal problems" ahead. I could see out the front of the train that there was another train just ahead of us, waiting in the station. What fun.
Eventually we were allowed to move forward into the station, but were told that the problems were affecting the entire Green Line, and that once we got to Copley the train would be sitting for an indefinite period of time, and we might want to consider getting off the train and making other arrangements. Luckily I was able to walk the two blocks down to Copley Square and catch a 39 bus down Huntington Avenue, but it was still nearly 10 AM when I arrived at work.
Of course, we now know that not just the Green Line but the whole system was affected, by a maintenance crew's error. Whoopsie. Not a real good week for the T. One thing about dealing with more than a week of transit problems is that I've been able to detach from concern about what time I'm going to get to work. When there's nothing you can do about it, the best thing to do is stop worrying and let it go.
One other bit of weirdness this morning: as I came out of the Berkeley Street exit of Arlington (the main entrance has been closed for a couple of years while they redo the place) and crossed the corner in front of Shreve's, I saw a youngish woman, her cell phone pressed to her ear, burst into tears and start crying loudly, right on the street corner. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of bad news she had just received. (I assume she wasn't crying about the T's problems.) Did she just get dumped? Not so likely at 9:30 AM. A lost pet? A death in the family seemed the most likely explanation. I felt badly for her, but before I could even stop to see if I could help in any way, she had already turned her back and moved into a corner of the building, to be as alone with her grief as possible on a busy street.
Yesterday I somehow still managed to arrive at work only a few minutes after 9, so I thought today would be more or less the same. That was my mistake: getting overconfident too quickly. Today we were rolling along on the Green Line when we stopped just outside Arlington station, and sat. And sat. And sat for a good fifteen minutes, with occasional announcements about "signal problems" ahead. I could see out the front of the train that there was another train just ahead of us, waiting in the station. What fun.
Eventually we were allowed to move forward into the station, but were told that the problems were affecting the entire Green Line, and that once we got to Copley the train would be sitting for an indefinite period of time, and we might want to consider getting off the train and making other arrangements. Luckily I was able to walk the two blocks down to Copley Square and catch a 39 bus down Huntington Avenue, but it was still nearly 10 AM when I arrived at work.
Of course, we now know that not just the Green Line but the whole system was affected, by a maintenance crew's error. Whoopsie. Not a real good week for the T. One thing about dealing with more than a week of transit problems is that I've been able to detach from concern about what time I'm going to get to work. When there's nothing you can do about it, the best thing to do is stop worrying and let it go.
One other bit of weirdness this morning: as I came out of the Berkeley Street exit of Arlington (the main entrance has been closed for a couple of years while they redo the place) and crossed the corner in front of Shreve's, I saw a youngish woman, her cell phone pressed to her ear, burst into tears and start crying loudly, right on the street corner. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of bad news she had just received. (I assume she wasn't crying about the T's problems.) Did she just get dumped? Not so likely at 9:30 AM. A lost pet? A death in the family seemed the most likely explanation. I felt badly for her, but before I could even stop to see if I could help in any way, she had already turned her back and moved into a corner of the building, to be as alone with her grief as possible on a busy street.
18 May 2009
MBTA: MayBe Train Arrive?
The level of suck on the Orange Line is reaching epic proportions. Since last Wednesday, the morning and evening commutes have been disastrous.
This morning started on a wrong note even before I even reached the train. My usual bus was 15 minutes late (the usual gap between buses in the morning is 20 minutes). When I reached the platform at Wellington I saw a coworker (we are our office's only two Medfordites), and we immediately noticed how crowded the platform was. After almost 30 minutes and two trains that were too full to contemplate boarding, we were able to squeeze onto the third.
We switched to the Green Line at North Station, and eventually made it to the office at 9:35. I left my house at 7:50, so that's one hour and 45 minutes. On a good day, with fortuitous connections, I can make the trip in 50 minutes; on a more typical day, one hour. Today I need to get home to tend to the dog, so I'm wondering what time I should leave work.
I don't know what is wrong with the Orange Line's signals (since that's where they keep telling us the problem lies), and I don't know why it's taking the T so long to diagnose and fix it. I do remember a few years back, being inconvenienced for months at a time while the signal system on the Orange Line was supposedly being upgraded.
Regardless, the situation is unacceptable, and the T is not helping matters by not giving the riders any useful information. Cryptic robo-announcements about "signal problems" don't do us any good. Telling us to use the Green Line doesn't do us any good if we're stuck at Wellington.
This morning started on a wrong note even before I even reached the train. My usual bus was 15 minutes late (the usual gap between buses in the morning is 20 minutes). When I reached the platform at Wellington I saw a coworker (we are our office's only two Medfordites), and we immediately noticed how crowded the platform was. After almost 30 minutes and two trains that were too full to contemplate boarding, we were able to squeeze onto the third.
We switched to the Green Line at North Station, and eventually made it to the office at 9:35. I left my house at 7:50, so that's one hour and 45 minutes. On a good day, with fortuitous connections, I can make the trip in 50 minutes; on a more typical day, one hour. Today I need to get home to tend to the dog, so I'm wondering what time I should leave work.
I don't know what is wrong with the Orange Line's signals (since that's where they keep telling us the problem lies), and I don't know why it's taking the T so long to diagnose and fix it. I do remember a few years back, being inconvenienced for months at a time while the signal system on the Orange Line was supposedly being upgraded.
Regardless, the situation is unacceptable, and the T is not helping matters by not giving the riders any useful information. Cryptic robo-announcements about "signal problems" don't do us any good. Telling us to use the Green Line doesn't do us any good if we're stuck at Wellington.
17 May 2009
This Week in Awesome (5/17/09)
After my last check-in, the rest of the work week turned out to be about the same. Things should calm down in a couple of days, and I have some stuff that I've started working on but just haven't had time to complete.
Meanwhile, on to the awesome...
There's definitely some schadenfreude to be found in looking at these pictures, but who among us doesn't have similarly awful stuff in their past?
Someone has way too much time on their hands... apparently there's a whole series of these clips on YouTube, but since the titles (and all the toy vehicles) are in Japanese, I'm at a bit of a loss to decipher the sequence. If you too find yourself with an abundance of free time, perhaps you could watch them all and report back?
Whatever you think of TV pitchman Vince, the products he hawks, or his extracurricular activities, you have to admire the effort and talent that a guy named Steve Porter put into this "remix" of the Slap Chop infomercial. (The Auto-Tune is truly a wondrous thing, especially if it can make someone "sing" who wasn't singing in the first place.) Of course, there's also one for the ShamWow; the consensus seems to be that it's not as good, but I'll leave that for you to decide. And if you're lucky enough not to know who this guy is, then I salute you.
Meanwhile, on to the awesome...
There's definitely some schadenfreude to be found in looking at these pictures, but who among us doesn't have similarly awful stuff in their past?
Someone has way too much time on their hands... apparently there's a whole series of these clips on YouTube, but since the titles (and all the toy vehicles) are in Japanese, I'm at a bit of a loss to decipher the sequence. If you too find yourself with an abundance of free time, perhaps you could watch them all and report back?
Whatever you think of TV pitchman Vince, the products he hawks, or his extracurricular activities, you have to admire the effort and talent that a guy named Steve Porter put into this "remix" of the Slap Chop infomercial. (The Auto-Tune is truly a wondrous thing, especially if it can make someone "sing" who wasn't singing in the first place.) Of course, there's also one for the ShamWow; the consensus seems to be that it's not as good, but I'll leave that for you to decide. And if you're lucky enough not to know who this guy is, then I salute you.
13 May 2009
That Bites
I know I haven't posted anything this week. Things have been a little bit pressurized at work, which is unusual, and it's distracting me from my ongoing mission to deconstruct the concept of productivity.
However, I find myself with a bit of time at the moment. I had my lower braces put on last week, and a slightly thicker wire put on the top ones. No problems so far, other than the end of the bottom wire giving the inside of my mouth a good gouging, but a quick visit to the dentist's office yesterday took care of it.
But he also put a block behind my two front upper teeth to prevent my bite from closing all the way, so as not to hit the bottom braces with the top teeth. This has made eating weird all over again, because I can't use my front teeth to bite into things like I normally would. Very frustrating, and it's also more difficult to chew food as thoroughly as I should. Consequently, I'm trying to eat soft foods whenever possible, and to avoid sandwiches and things that require biting, but there's no way I'm giving up Anna's burritos.
However, I find myself with a bit of time at the moment. I had my lower braces put on last week, and a slightly thicker wire put on the top ones. No problems so far, other than the end of the bottom wire giving the inside of my mouth a good gouging, but a quick visit to the dentist's office yesterday took care of it.
But he also put a block behind my two front upper teeth to prevent my bite from closing all the way, so as not to hit the bottom braces with the top teeth. This has made eating weird all over again, because I can't use my front teeth to bite into things like I normally would. Very frustrating, and it's also more difficult to chew food as thoroughly as I should. Consequently, I'm trying to eat soft foods whenever possible, and to avoid sandwiches and things that require biting, but there's no way I'm giving up Anna's burritos.
10 May 2009
This Week in Awesome (5/10/09)
We're just overflowing with awesome this week, so let's get right to this week's goodies:
3. I may have said this before, but I love locally produced commercials. However, this one creeps me out. (AdFreak via Jalponik)
2. Ever wondered what scenes from classic movies would be like if the dialogue were performed by an Amazon Kindle and an Apple iPhone? Wonder no more. (DVICE blog)
1. This clip gives a whole new meaning to the words "car jack." You probably don't want to watch this one at work, and it's probably not appropriate for kids either. (Break.com, also via Jalopnik)
3. I may have said this before, but I love locally produced commercials. However, this one creeps me out. (AdFreak via Jalponik)
2. Ever wondered what scenes from classic movies would be like if the dialogue were performed by an Amazon Kindle and an Apple iPhone? Wonder no more. (DVICE blog)
1. This clip gives a whole new meaning to the words "car jack." You probably don't want to watch this one at work, and it's probably not appropriate for kids either. (Break.com, also via Jalopnik)
07 May 2009
Vinyl Junkie Extraordinaire
In my basement I have around 250 vinyl LPs (and a couple dozen 12" singles) in storage, representing the focus of a good deal of my leisure time from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s (I got my first CD player in '87, but I kept buying vinyl for a while after that). Unlike a lot of other people, I didn't sell or discard my records after switching to CDs. One friend's husband is an extremely avid collector, and he owns several thousand LPs, which take up quite a bit of space in their home.
But the king of vinyl has to be Bob George, the co-founder of a recorded music archive that is profiled today in a story on the New York Times City Room blog. Mr. George's archive contains more than two million recordings from 1950 to the present. His efforts have led to a partnership with Columbia University (coincidentally the alma mater of the Mrs.' father) that opens the archive to research and classroom use.
Those of you who are into collecting music, regardless of format, will likely appreciate this story and Mr. George's dedication to preserving a piece of cultural history. The story also has a sidebar featuring some of the archive's music.
But the king of vinyl has to be Bob George, the co-founder of a recorded music archive that is profiled today in a story on the New York Times City Room blog. Mr. George's archive contains more than two million recordings from 1950 to the present. His efforts have led to a partnership with Columbia University (coincidentally the alma mater of the Mrs.' father) that opens the archive to research and classroom use.
Those of you who are into collecting music, regardless of format, will likely appreciate this story and Mr. George's dedication to preserving a piece of cultural history. The story also has a sidebar featuring some of the archive's music.
05 May 2009
Reuse, Retread, Recycle
Time for another TV rant; this time NBC's going to be the target of my disapproval. The Peacock made some announcements yesterday regarding their fall plans. They stopped short of detailing their full schedule, but outlined the new shows in the works.
First, there's Jay Leno. I have nothing against the guy, but his show is boring, and I think giving over five hours of prime-time real estate to what will essentially be the same show he's been doing since 1992 is a bad idea. It's a cop-out, and it might as well be a white flag from NBC, because there's no way Jay is going to draw more viewers than CSI: Extra Cheese or other competing shows at 10 PM.
So, what else does NBC have lined up for us? Not one but two medical dramas, trying to fill that ER void, I guess. One is called Trauma and focuses on EMTs, the other is called Mercy and focuses on nurses. How long until we get Hospital Accounting or a gritty drama about the travails of candy stripers? Yeesh.
Also, there's another attempt to do a series based on the 20-year-old movie Parenthood. I'm completely baffled by why anyone would think this is a good idea, especially since the first attempt, which I was not aware of (I had to go look it up on IMDB) was a miserable failure. I guess I'm not the target audience. They're also prepping a post-apocalyptic drama called Day One, which sounds an awful lot like CBS's Jericho from a couple of years ago, and we all know how well that worked out.
If you prefer comedy but don't get why people like those shows on Thursday without laugh tracks, you might enjoy Community, starring... wait for it... Chevy Chase, as a later-life student at a community college. Wow. I mean... wow. (Are we sure he's not a teacher?) I just have to think someone spiked the water cooler at NBC's programming offices with peyote. This one also stars The Soup host Joel McHale, probably because they owe him for not moving forward with the US version of The IT Crowd that he was slated to be in. There's one other comedy, 100 Questions, something about dating. I wouldn't even mention it, except that behind-the-scenes TV comedy legend James Burrows is somehow involved. And of course there are more crappy reality shows.
But what I'm really bitter about is that NBC did not see fit to renew Life. (Some other shows are still on the bubble as far as renewal, but I'm not invested in any of them.) Life wasn't a great show, but it was pretty entertaining, and it was an attempt at a police procedural that was a bit different than most, which probably made it too quirky to succeed. It would be a natural fit on parent company NBC Universal's USA cable network, but don't look for such a miracle to happen, because if it was going to happen, they would have already arranged it and announced it.
At least I know that, aside from the Thursday comedies and Sunday night football games, I won't have to concern myself with NBC come September.
First, there's Jay Leno. I have nothing against the guy, but his show is boring, and I think giving over five hours of prime-time real estate to what will essentially be the same show he's been doing since 1992 is a bad idea. It's a cop-out, and it might as well be a white flag from NBC, because there's no way Jay is going to draw more viewers than CSI: Extra Cheese or other competing shows at 10 PM.
So, what else does NBC have lined up for us? Not one but two medical dramas, trying to fill that ER void, I guess. One is called Trauma and focuses on EMTs, the other is called Mercy and focuses on nurses. How long until we get Hospital Accounting or a gritty drama about the travails of candy stripers? Yeesh.
Also, there's another attempt to do a series based on the 20-year-old movie Parenthood. I'm completely baffled by why anyone would think this is a good idea, especially since the first attempt, which I was not aware of (I had to go look it up on IMDB) was a miserable failure. I guess I'm not the target audience. They're also prepping a post-apocalyptic drama called Day One, which sounds an awful lot like CBS's Jericho from a couple of years ago, and we all know how well that worked out.
If you prefer comedy but don't get why people like those shows on Thursday without laugh tracks, you might enjoy Community, starring... wait for it... Chevy Chase, as a later-life student at a community college. Wow. I mean... wow. (Are we sure he's not a teacher?) I just have to think someone spiked the water cooler at NBC's programming offices with peyote. This one also stars The Soup host Joel McHale, probably because they owe him for not moving forward with the US version of The IT Crowd that he was slated to be in. There's one other comedy, 100 Questions, something about dating. I wouldn't even mention it, except that behind-the-scenes TV comedy legend James Burrows is somehow involved. And of course there are more crappy reality shows.
But what I'm really bitter about is that NBC did not see fit to renew Life. (Some other shows are still on the bubble as far as renewal, but I'm not invested in any of them.) Life wasn't a great show, but it was pretty entertaining, and it was an attempt at a police procedural that was a bit different than most, which probably made it too quirky to succeed. It would be a natural fit on parent company NBC Universal's USA cable network, but don't look for such a miracle to happen, because if it was going to happen, they would have already arranged it and announced it.
At least I know that, aside from the Thursday comedies and Sunday night football games, I won't have to concern myself with NBC come September.
04 May 2009
This Week in Awesome (5/3/09)
I can't believe I forgot to do this over the weekend... my apologies. I don't want to deprive anyone of their weekly dose of awesome.
After the president's news conference once again disrupted the prime-time TV schedule last Wednesday, the ABC show Better Off Ted, which was one of the preempted programs, released a tongue-in-cheek commercial response in the guise of Veridian Dynamics, the fictitious corporation portrayed in the show. This is a very funny show, in the vein of Arrested Development but with a vibe of its own. Some of their other fake commercials are here. (TV Squad)
Have you seen those Microsoft ads where supposedly real people (who are quite obviously actors) go computer shopping? Someone did a parody of them. (Landline TV)
And in the never-ending parade of stupid criminals, we have some video from the Houston Police Department. The Houston cops have been using bait cars to battle car theft, and these cars have cameras mounted inside. Not only does this help the conviction rate, it provides some amusing moments for us. (Houston Chronicle)
After the president's news conference once again disrupted the prime-time TV schedule last Wednesday, the ABC show Better Off Ted, which was one of the preempted programs, released a tongue-in-cheek commercial response in the guise of Veridian Dynamics, the fictitious corporation portrayed in the show. This is a very funny show, in the vein of Arrested Development but with a vibe of its own. Some of their other fake commercials are here. (TV Squad)
Have you seen those Microsoft ads where supposedly real people (who are quite obviously actors) go computer shopping? Someone did a parody of them. (Landline TV)
And in the never-ending parade of stupid criminals, we have some video from the Houston Police Department. The Houston cops have been using bait cars to battle car theft, and these cars have cameras mounted inside. Not only does this help the conviction rate, it provides some amusing moments for us. (Houston Chronicle)
01 May 2009
Cheesy Chunks
Just got back from dinner at good old Cambridge Common. They have something on the menu called "mac & cheese bites." Basically they cut mac and cheese into chunks about an inch across, bread them and fry them. Interestingly, our friend's young son tried them but didn't like them.
First, how can a kid not like that? Second, while the menu says, "answering the question: can mac & cheese really get any better?" the first thing I thought of was, they found a way to make mac & cheese even less healthy than it already is.
First, how can a kid not like that? Second, while the menu says, "answering the question: can mac & cheese really get any better?" the first thing I thought of was, they found a way to make mac & cheese even less healthy than it already is.
28 April 2009
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong
Given that we're about to hit (and possibly surpass) 90 degrees this afternoon, I felt pretty bad about leaving the dog home alone today. We don't have the air conditioners in yet, so the best I could do for her was to leave a fan running, pointed directly on her. And after this evening, things will be much more comfortable, for her and for us.
Speaking of warm weather, I've been looking around for a summer suit. I'll have more to say about this in due time, but for now I want to sort of circle back to last week's post about pants, and warn everyone about something even more hideous and appalling. Over the weekend I wandered into an H&M. This is a store I don't normally bother going into, because even though their clothes are inexpensive, they are also cheaply made and aimed at a younger, thinner audience. But I was in a mall, saw the store, and thought I'd remembered seeing something in a magazine about an H&M suit.
I didn't find what I thought I'd seen, but I did see something so horrifying that I made an audible exclamation of shock. Fortunately, no one was near me at the time. The source of this distress? A striped seersucker sport coat and MATCHING SHORTS. (Fortunately for the rest of you, the H&M web site doesn't have any images of it.) Now, I've already made my feelings clear about this incredibly awful look, but I guess it won't die. But guys, if I see any of you wearing this outfit later on in the summer, I seriously cannot be held responsible for what I might do.
Speaking of warm weather, I've been looking around for a summer suit. I'll have more to say about this in due time, but for now I want to sort of circle back to last week's post about pants, and warn everyone about something even more hideous and appalling. Over the weekend I wandered into an H&M. This is a store I don't normally bother going into, because even though their clothes are inexpensive, they are also cheaply made and aimed at a younger, thinner audience. But I was in a mall, saw the store, and thought I'd remembered seeing something in a magazine about an H&M suit.
I didn't find what I thought I'd seen, but I did see something so horrifying that I made an audible exclamation of shock. Fortunately, no one was near me at the time. The source of this distress? A striped seersucker sport coat and MATCHING SHORTS. (Fortunately for the rest of you, the H&M web site doesn't have any images of it.) Now, I've already made my feelings clear about this incredibly awful look, but I guess it won't die. But guys, if I see any of you wearing this outfit later on in the summer, I seriously cannot be held responsible for what I might do.
26 April 2009
This Week in Awesome (4/26/09)
Whoops, I almost let the weekend slip by without posting this...
This is a strange little video about a horse that has some very, uh, un-horse-like behavior. The Mrs. thought this was amusing enough to post on her Facebook page, so if you've already seen it I apologize, but she only knew about it because I showed it to her. And yes, I want the credit, and yes, I am just that petty, sometimes. (Next time I'll wait until after I've posted it first to show her...)
Vintage commercials are the best.
Someone out there doesn't care for hipsters. I laughed at this, and you probably will too.
This last one is also a commercial, though a contemporary one. But it sure doesn't look like one, and it's so cool you won't care anyway.
This is a strange little video about a horse that has some very, uh, un-horse-like behavior. The Mrs. thought this was amusing enough to post on her Facebook page, so if you've already seen it I apologize, but she only knew about it because I showed it to her. And yes, I want the credit, and yes, I am just that petty, sometimes. (Next time I'll wait until after I've posted it first to show her...)
Vintage commercials are the best.
Someone out there doesn't care for hipsters. I laughed at this, and you probably will too.
This last one is also a commercial, though a contemporary one. But it sure doesn't look like one, and it's so cool you won't care anyway.
24 April 2009
A Sure Sign of Spring
With today's beautiful weather and the even warmer days expected this weekend, I was just thinking about this, and then Esquire goes and articulates it so concisely for our benefit.
Thank you, ladies, thank you all. Now, let's see how long it takes until I see last summer's favorite confusing female fashion choice, the sundress worn with cowboy boots (see #7 here).
Update, 2 PM: Well, that really didn't take long... just got back from getting lunch, and walking down the "Pike" (central corridor) in Brigham & Womens was a woman wearing exactly what I'd described above.
Thank you, ladies, thank you all. Now, let's see how long it takes until I see last summer's favorite confusing female fashion choice, the sundress worn with cowboy boots (see #7 here).
Update, 2 PM: Well, that really didn't take long... just got back from getting lunch, and walking down the "Pike" (central corridor) in Brigham & Womens was a woman wearing exactly what I'd described above.
22 April 2009
Frankenpants
I don't follow high fashion, but I do pay attention to what is being offered to men of average means and tastes. I do this for a number of reasons: I just like to shop, I care about my appearance and I like to know what's out there, I like to observe how trends make their way into the culture, and I like to have some advance warning about things that are horrible and wrong and should not be suffered by any man.
It's that last part that leads me to today's example of What Not to Wear: The Guy Edition (with apologies to Clinton and Stacy, but I suspect they wouldn't mind). For more than four decades, Lands' End has been dressing men (and women) who want to look presentable at work but don't want to put any effort into thinking about it. There's really nothing wrong with that. They serve a need, and their clothing tends to be fairly priced and decently made.
But a while back I noticed something in the Lands' End catalog called "trouser jeans." Basically these are pants that combine the front half of a pair of khakis (a flat front with pockets on the side seams) with the back half of a pair of jeans (a seamed yoke below the waist and sewn-on back pockets). This is the sartorial equivalent of a mullet (business in the front, party in the back), and an answer to a question that never should have been asked.
As soon as I realized what I was looking at, my first thought was, Why? I can't help but wonder what the designers were thinking. It's so wrong on so many levels. Jeans may be a little more comfortable than khakis, but it's not like the typical pair of khakis is constricting; if yours are, you are either buying the wrong size, or you're shopping in the wrong place. If you work somewhere that doesn't allow you to wear jeans, how is this any better? The only difference is that these are made out of twill or canvas, but it's not difficult to find jeans that are made that way. They could be worse, but only if the front was pleated.
The more I thought about it (and I couldn't stop thinking about it, although I certainly tried), the more I felt that if anything, this unholy hybrid pant should have been done the opposite way: jeans in the front, khakis in the back. Why? I think the front pockets of jeans are easier to use because the opening is horizontal instead of vertical, and the set-in rear pockets are neater and more presentable. Then I decided I was nuts for thinking about it so much.
If you clicked on the link above, you may have noticed that these pants are now on sale. We can only hope that Lands' End has learned its lesson and is getting rid of them for good.
It's that last part that leads me to today's example of What Not to Wear: The Guy Edition (with apologies to Clinton and Stacy, but I suspect they wouldn't mind). For more than four decades, Lands' End has been dressing men (and women) who want to look presentable at work but don't want to put any effort into thinking about it. There's really nothing wrong with that. They serve a need, and their clothing tends to be fairly priced and decently made.
But a while back I noticed something in the Lands' End catalog called "trouser jeans." Basically these are pants that combine the front half of a pair of khakis (a flat front with pockets on the side seams) with the back half of a pair of jeans (a seamed yoke below the waist and sewn-on back pockets). This is the sartorial equivalent of a mullet (business in the front, party in the back), and an answer to a question that never should have been asked.
As soon as I realized what I was looking at, my first thought was, Why? I can't help but wonder what the designers were thinking. It's so wrong on so many levels. Jeans may be a little more comfortable than khakis, but it's not like the typical pair of khakis is constricting; if yours are, you are either buying the wrong size, or you're shopping in the wrong place. If you work somewhere that doesn't allow you to wear jeans, how is this any better? The only difference is that these are made out of twill or canvas, but it's not difficult to find jeans that are made that way. They could be worse, but only if the front was pleated.
The more I thought about it (and I couldn't stop thinking about it, although I certainly tried), the more I felt that if anything, this unholy hybrid pant should have been done the opposite way: jeans in the front, khakis in the back. Why? I think the front pockets of jeans are easier to use because the opening is horizontal instead of vertical, and the set-in rear pockets are neater and more presentable. Then I decided I was nuts for thinking about it so much.
If you clicked on the link above, you may have noticed that these pants are now on sale. We can only hope that Lands' End has learned its lesson and is getting rid of them for good.
20 April 2009
The Endorsement: Merrell
For a long time I've had problems with my feet. I've had to put some sort of cushioning insole in several pairs of my shoes (even ones that are supposed to be extra-comfortable), and sometimes I get a very painful cramp in my right foot, depending on how much standing or walking I'm doing. If I take off the shoe and stretch out my foot, the cramp tends to go away, but it isn't always convenient or dignified to do that. The problem is not confined to one particular type or brand of shoe, so I know that my foot is the problem, not the shoes. I know that I should see a podiatrist about it, but I feel like I can barely manage my time as it is.
One problem is that shoes frequently don't start to cause me trouble until I've had them for a while, at which point they can't be returned. A notable exception to this is L.L. Bean. For generations outdoorsmen, thrifty Yankees, and countless others made mail-order purchases from Bean with confidence because of the security of the company's guarantee that if a customer was unhappy with any product, for any reason, at any time, they could return it.
I have been a Bean customer for nearly 30 years. I've bought just about every article of clothing they offer, and I never had a problem with anything I purchased, until a couple of years ago. I bought a pair of casual shoes to wear to work, and I found that after a few hours, the shoes were causing sharp pains in my legs. This was different from the foot cramp, and worse. The shoes had to go back. The clerk at the store was extremely apologetic. I thought it was a fluke occurrence, and didn't give it much more thought after that.
Each year after Christmas, Bean has a big clearance sale to get ready for spring. I was in need of a pair of outdoorish shoes, what most people would call a trail shoe. This is a type of shoe I like to wear on weekends in spring and fall, something a bit more rugged than a typical sneaker, maybe something with waterproofing or at least water resistance. I'd looked at Bean's trail shoes a couple of times, and when I saw that they were 30% off their regular price in the post-holiday sale, I ordered a pair.
The first few times I wore them they were fine, but then I started to have pain similar to what happened with the other shoes. Not quite as severe, and more in the ankles than the legs, but significant enough that I knew I wouldn't be able to keep wearing them. I fear that Bean is making products to hit a target price point, and that quality is suffering as a result. It doesn't mean that I'm giving up on them completely, but I don't think I can keep buying shoes from them, which is unfortunate.
That still left me in need of a trail shoe. One reason I'd liked the Bean shoes was that they were fairly low-key in appearance; a lot of the other shoes I looked at resembled lumpy spaceships. So-called trail running sneakers were even worse. Somehow I stumbled onto some Merrell shoes on the web. I always thought that Merrell made shoes for serious outdoor types like rock climbers, or those slip-ons for older folks who can no longer bend down to tie their shoes, so I just never paid much attention. I was even more interested when I learned that certain styles were available in wide widths.
Eventually I decided on the Moab, which is available in two versions. One is ventilated and I guess is meant to be worn in warmer weather; the other is waterproof, making it much more practical for year-round wear. I went to several shoe sites and read customers' reviews, and found that this shoe was generally very favorably reviewed, a good sign. It's very light compared to other shoes I've seen in this style, and the interior cushioning is made of a very dense foam; I have some other shoes with this type of insole (Rockport's XCS line has it), and they have been among my more comfortable and less troublesome shoes. It's also available in four colors, which made it easier to find one I liked (I chose the gray/black combo that Merrell calls "beluga").
I wore the shoes all day Saturday and all day Sunday: no cramping, my feet did not hurt at all, and neither did my ankles or legs. This is a big relief, and gives me confidence that there will be other pain-free shoes in my future.
One problem is that shoes frequently don't start to cause me trouble until I've had them for a while, at which point they can't be returned. A notable exception to this is L.L. Bean. For generations outdoorsmen, thrifty Yankees, and countless others made mail-order purchases from Bean with confidence because of the security of the company's guarantee that if a customer was unhappy with any product, for any reason, at any time, they could return it.
I have been a Bean customer for nearly 30 years. I've bought just about every article of clothing they offer, and I never had a problem with anything I purchased, until a couple of years ago. I bought a pair of casual shoes to wear to work, and I found that after a few hours, the shoes were causing sharp pains in my legs. This was different from the foot cramp, and worse. The shoes had to go back. The clerk at the store was extremely apologetic. I thought it was a fluke occurrence, and didn't give it much more thought after that.
Each year after Christmas, Bean has a big clearance sale to get ready for spring. I was in need of a pair of outdoorish shoes, what most people would call a trail shoe. This is a type of shoe I like to wear on weekends in spring and fall, something a bit more rugged than a typical sneaker, maybe something with waterproofing or at least water resistance. I'd looked at Bean's trail shoes a couple of times, and when I saw that they were 30% off their regular price in the post-holiday sale, I ordered a pair.
The first few times I wore them they were fine, but then I started to have pain similar to what happened with the other shoes. Not quite as severe, and more in the ankles than the legs, but significant enough that I knew I wouldn't be able to keep wearing them. I fear that Bean is making products to hit a target price point, and that quality is suffering as a result. It doesn't mean that I'm giving up on them completely, but I don't think I can keep buying shoes from them, which is unfortunate.
That still left me in need of a trail shoe. One reason I'd liked the Bean shoes was that they were fairly low-key in appearance; a lot of the other shoes I looked at resembled lumpy spaceships. So-called trail running sneakers were even worse. Somehow I stumbled onto some Merrell shoes on the web. I always thought that Merrell made shoes for serious outdoor types like rock climbers, or those slip-ons for older folks who can no longer bend down to tie their shoes, so I just never paid much attention. I was even more interested when I learned that certain styles were available in wide widths.
Eventually I decided on the Moab, which is available in two versions. One is ventilated and I guess is meant to be worn in warmer weather; the other is waterproof, making it much more practical for year-round wear. I went to several shoe sites and read customers' reviews, and found that this shoe was generally very favorably reviewed, a good sign. It's very light compared to other shoes I've seen in this style, and the interior cushioning is made of a very dense foam; I have some other shoes with this type of insole (Rockport's XCS line has it), and they have been among my more comfortable and less troublesome shoes. It's also available in four colors, which made it easier to find one I liked (I chose the gray/black combo that Merrell calls "beluga").
I wore the shoes all day Saturday and all day Sunday: no cramping, my feet did not hurt at all, and neither did my ankles or legs. This is a big relief, and gives me confidence that there will be other pain-free shoes in my future.
19 April 2009
This Week in Awesome (4/19/09)
A bit of a theme to this week's entries, though I wasn't trying for one; it just sort of came together that way. You'll see what I mean...
3. We begin with a piece about Harlequin romances that ran on Nightline at the beginning of the week, though I found the clip on Consumerist. The "readings" are cute, but what I found most interesting was that Harlequin publishes a series of books aimed at female NASCAR fans. Who knew?
2. Over in Norway, a couple were apparently so into each other that they couldn't wait until they got off the road and out of their car to have sex. Hope it was worth it.
1. Finally, folks in South Bend, Indiana prefer not to have sex while driving at excessive speeds, but that doesn't mean they aren't having sex in other inappropriate places. Apparently the restroom in one local fast food place is the hot spot for Hoosier swingers.
3. We begin with a piece about Harlequin romances that ran on Nightline at the beginning of the week, though I found the clip on Consumerist. The "readings" are cute, but what I found most interesting was that Harlequin publishes a series of books aimed at female NASCAR fans. Who knew?
2. Over in Norway, a couple were apparently so into each other that they couldn't wait until they got off the road and out of their car to have sex. Hope it was worth it.
1. Finally, folks in South Bend, Indiana prefer not to have sex while driving at excessive speeds, but that doesn't mean they aren't having sex in other inappropriate places. Apparently the restroom in one local fast food place is the hot spot for Hoosier swingers.
15 April 2009
Taxed
We left our taxes until last night. I don't know why; it's not like we owe money. It's just one of those things that's easy to forget over the course of weekend after weekend, until the deadline is at hand. We're not getting back as much as last year, but that's mostly because the Mrs. only worked for about one-third of 2008.
For a number of years we have been able to file our Massachusetts state taxes over the phone, but now they have an online system. It was pretty simple, except I had to enter all the W-2 information for each form. This wasn't horrible, but if you have more than one job, and your spouse has more than one job, it could get pretty tedious pretty fast.
For a number of years we have been able to file our Massachusetts state taxes over the phone, but now they have an online system. It was pretty simple, except I had to enter all the W-2 information for each form. This wasn't horrible, but if you have more than one job, and your spouse has more than one job, it could get pretty tedious pretty fast.
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