So, apparently LJ is one of the main forums for dissidents in Russia.
I find that sort of sad.
hi.
how goes it?
i will not pretend to have a subject line
I was at the Borders, getting The Economist, when the fairly cute Brit at the counter seemed to take that as an opportunity to do his duty as an employee and convince me to donate $10 to send a bag of Seattle's Best Coffee ("Just like this display bag, here!") to 'our troops' overseas. I said no, I think they're caffeinated enough. He suggested that he certainly approved of having a morning cup o' joe. I said, perhaps that's because he's not getting shot at?
Ultimately he was not swayed by my line of reasoning, or that they have better coffee over there, already, quite naturally. Or that if I were to send coffee, I would send a cheap and plentiful variety. No.
Apparently if our troops cannot have gourmet coffee, then the terrorists have won.
He was a nice enough chap, but he went above and beyond the "Do you want to donate? No? OK, do you want a bag with that?" And seriously - this is what war has come to? We're at war, supposedly, and I'm going about my day, you know, as though we weren't, buying magazines and pulp fiction novels, sipping on a latte, discussing the pros and cons of sending vacuum packed little bricks of brand-name coffee to our fighting forces, because they might be a tad grumpy in the morning without it, it's damn near uncivilized.
Eesh.
And then I stopped by the Taco Cabana drive-through to get steak fajita* burritos for my dog. She kept asking me if I wanted this or that or salsa, or napkins, and I said no, these are for my dog, he doesn't need salsa, and if he needs a napkin I have perfectly serviceable carpet. Really? Yes, I'm a vegetarian, actually. Really? Uhm. Yes. Look, I don't do this every day, or anything... It's a treat, you know?
Apparently this floored her. She gathered together everyone in the kitchen and they all peered through the window and gaped at me. I meekly waved.
They did make HUGE burritos though. My dog is thrilled.
*THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHICKEN FAJITAS! NONE! I REFUSE!
Ultimately he was not swayed by my line of reasoning, or that they have better coffee over there, already, quite naturally. Or that if I were to send coffee, I would send a cheap and plentiful variety. No.
Apparently if our troops cannot have gourmet coffee, then the terrorists have won.
He was a nice enough chap, but he went above and beyond the "Do you want to donate? No? OK, do you want a bag with that?" And seriously - this is what war has come to? We're at war, supposedly, and I'm going about my day, you know, as though we weren't, buying magazines and pulp fiction novels, sipping on a latte, discussing the pros and cons of sending vacuum packed little bricks of brand-name coffee to our fighting forces, because they might be a tad grumpy in the morning without it, it's damn near uncivilized.
Eesh.
And then I stopped by the Taco Cabana drive-through to get steak fajita* burritos for my dog. She kept asking me if I wanted this or that or salsa, or napkins, and I said no, these are for my dog, he doesn't need salsa, and if he needs a napkin I have perfectly serviceable carpet. Really? Yes, I'm a vegetarian, actually. Really? Uhm. Yes. Look, I don't do this every day, or anything... It's a treat, you know?
Apparently this floored her. She gathered together everyone in the kitchen and they all peered through the window and gaped at me. I meekly waved.
They did make HUGE burritos though. My dog is thrilled.
*THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHICKEN FAJITAS! NONE! I REFUSE!
Football
OK, first things first, I'm delighted that Texas made it to the championship - especially as I foresaw them losing on three separate occasions. And while I was wrong, each time, I was close at least twice: A&M and Nebraska. The third was Oklahoma State.
However, they are going to get destroyed by Alabama.
However, however, there is hope yet. People forget that Alabama had its own close scare - with Tennessee - that came down to a last second play/miracle. Had Texas' own come in the middle of the season, instead of the end, people would be talking differently about it all.
So if the Tennessee Bama shows up, TX has hope. If the Florida Bama shows up, TX is toast. Although, because everyone is talking as though it's already a done deal, maybe Bama will be surprised. After all, everyone said USC was going to crush Texas, and look what happened.
I can dream.
Also, I think TCU and Boise should have been in different bowls, instead of playing each other. I know people say, well, if we are truly respecting them as two of the best teams, why would we not want to see the matchup? To this I say, well, sorry, but all things here are not equal. We are talking about perceptions not only of this season, but of the next, and beyond, and of two football programs, and two conferences. If they both clobbered BCS teams, I think it'd make more of a statement than if they clobber each other.
Especially as we already saw this exact same matchup. Last year. (TCU won, FYI).
And on to the Heisman. OK, well, first off, NO ONE deserved it this year. That's right - they should have just taken a year off. But, if anyone did, it was probably Suh - and he came in fourth.
Ingram did not deserve it (like I said, no one did), because any decent player in that slot on that team would have put up similar numbers, IMHO. But if you're going to give it to a non-deserving party, which they all are, I guess it doesn't hurt to give it to him. Except of course it would have been more meaningful giving it to Suh, a defensive player.
Interesting to note, though, that this was a VERY close Heisman race. Closest EVER. And so, though McCoy came in third, it was most decidedly NOT a distant third. Such that, if either McCoy had done better against Nebraska (and Suh), or had his one awful game come earlier in the season, instead of the last one before the vote, McCoy would most definitely had won. Which I'm sure McCoy himself knows.
But I'm sure he also knows that winners of the Heisman as often as not end up being awful players in the NFL and don't amount to much. So maybe he's counting his blessing.
It's a lot like coming in second in American Idol, I guess? Except you're more likely to pull a groin....
However, they are going to get destroyed by Alabama.
However, however, there is hope yet. People forget that Alabama had its own close scare - with Tennessee - that came down to a last second play/miracle. Had Texas' own come in the middle of the season, instead of the end, people would be talking differently about it all.
So if the Tennessee Bama shows up, TX has hope. If the Florida Bama shows up, TX is toast. Although, because everyone is talking as though it's already a done deal, maybe Bama will be surprised. After all, everyone said USC was going to crush Texas, and look what happened.
I can dream.
Also, I think TCU and Boise should have been in different bowls, instead of playing each other. I know people say, well, if we are truly respecting them as two of the best teams, why would we not want to see the matchup? To this I say, well, sorry, but all things here are not equal. We are talking about perceptions not only of this season, but of the next, and beyond, and of two football programs, and two conferences. If they both clobbered BCS teams, I think it'd make more of a statement than if they clobber each other.
Especially as we already saw this exact same matchup. Last year. (TCU won, FYI).
And on to the Heisman. OK, well, first off, NO ONE deserved it this year. That's right - they should have just taken a year off. But, if anyone did, it was probably Suh - and he came in fourth.
Ingram did not deserve it (like I said, no one did), because any decent player in that slot on that team would have put up similar numbers, IMHO. But if you're going to give it to a non-deserving party, which they all are, I guess it doesn't hurt to give it to him. Except of course it would have been more meaningful giving it to Suh, a defensive player.
Interesting to note, though, that this was a VERY close Heisman race. Closest EVER. And so, though McCoy came in third, it was most decidedly NOT a distant third. Such that, if either McCoy had done better against Nebraska (and Suh), or had his one awful game come earlier in the season, instead of the last one before the vote, McCoy would most definitely had won. Which I'm sure McCoy himself knows.
But I'm sure he also knows that winners of the Heisman as often as not end up being awful players in the NFL and don't amount to much. So maybe he's counting his blessing.
It's a lot like coming in second in American Idol, I guess? Except you're more likely to pull a groin....
you know
i'm still around. i just don't have much in depth to write. i think because facebook has made me stupid.
BRD
this post is about you!
BRD
Ok, well, just in case anyone is interested (or has anything approximating my taste in movies), I can say that Sin City, 300, and Quantum of Solace all look splendid in HD. Of course, Casino Royale is a far better movie (IMHO), and doesn't look so bad, either. Likewise the Crank movies; they look good. On TV, Fringe looks excellent. Also looking good are Le Femme Nikita, and, moreso, Bladerunner, and Dark City. Those last three don't look really exceptional - just far better than they did on DVD. Really, Sin City, 300, and Crank look best. I guess comic-booky-graphic-novelly is the way to go?
Just thought I'd share, as I'd solicited HD opinions not so long ago...
Just thought I'd share, as I'd solicited HD opinions not so long ago...
Pushing Daisies
BTW, I watched the second season of Pushing Daisies, and they actually wrapped up the story line, despite the nasty cancellation (albeit in rushed fashion). So, being as you can get both Season 1 and 2 fairly cheap, and being as it's an AWESOME show, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different and fun. Just thought I'd share.
blu ray?
OK, I have my fair share of BR movies, but only a portion of them actually look noticeably better in BR, really. Dark City, for example, sort of does not. 300 does - but you know, it also comes with the movie "300", so it's sort of a wash. I think Night Watch/Day Watch look good - but you miss out on the nifty creative subtitles. I want to beef up my collection, but not by getting movies that look just fine on DVD, for obvious reasons.
So I ask you: do you have any recommendations for BR movies? Ones that actually LOOK like they're BR?
Thanks!
So I ask you: do you have any recommendations for BR movies? Ones that actually LOOK like they're BR?
Thanks!
Mobile Me
I'm just not seeing anything that makes it compelling. Am I missing something? Something I won't realize is awesome until I use it? I'm tempted simply by Find My iPhone, but I don't plan on losing it, and there's other ways to accomplish pretty much the same thing. So there's gotta be more to than that, right?