tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83943382024-03-07T16:56:34.704-08:00Something I learned todayWhen you're done reading, go back to WWW.NACHOSRULE.COM, The World Where Nachos Rule.
To add this blog as an RSS feed, use http://nachosrule.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.comBlogger1054125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-90344724151512472162016-11-08T23:15:00.000-08:002016-11-08T23:15:20.079-08:0011-8-16Dear people of the future -<br />
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Today, Donald Trump has been elected the President of the United States of America. He has been elected fairly, by the rules governing the electoral college.<br />
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You may read about this as you study the history of the United States. And you may wonder how so many people not only allowed this to happen, but fully supported his election. I have no answers. But perhaps I can offer the smallest bit of insight, as I do not sit alone, shocked, saddened and personally devastated.<br />
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Nearly every person I know does not respect Donald Trump. To be brash, I do not know one well meaning, intelligent person who even moderately supported Donald Trump. More to the point, they are outright disgusted by the person he is. The man is arrogant. He has trampled others through his business ventures, only to see many of them fail. The man lacks empathy. He is a compulsive liar. He certainly isn't someone that you would want as a boss, teacher or mentor in any capacity. Yet, he will now hold the highest office of this nation. The Presidency of the United States is currently the most powerful position any person can hold. Tonight is downright frightening.<br />
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People are scared. They are worried for the future of our nation and our people. Markets are already down 5%. The Mexican peso has already lost more than 5% of its value. Those are simply numbers. But people are scared for themselves. Non-citizens are worried about their ability to stay here. Women have quietly been silenced. Silenced by losing the first woman president. And also silenced by a man who clearly disrespects women as second rate citizens. Many are afraid of what may become of our nation's place in the world. Our relationships with other nations. And in turn, our economy, our rights and our peace.<br />
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And yet, Donald Trump was elected. He received the votes and support to do so. If you learn about this election many years from now, I hope you have a chance to look closely at the maps and the votes. The educated did not vote for him. And that's not to say that formal education is the end all be all of a person. But Donald Trump somehow summoned the support of the less educated. The less well off. He did so by fueling fear and hatred. Blaming their struggles on immigrants and "others". While nothing is farther from the truth, it worked.<br />
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The empathetic side of me wants to understand the people who resonate with him. I honestly want to understand their struggles. The rational side of me is hurt and furious. How can we tell our children to be good people? How can we say that honesty and integrity will ultimately allow them to succeed? It's simply not true. Our vote has somehow shouted out who we are. We are fearful and bigoted. We support lies that align with our prejudices more than we value ethics and compassion. We have set the example for the world, our children and each other. And I'm personally ashamed of it all. Many of us are. <br />
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If this election affects our future the way I fear, I apologize on behalf of us. The voters on November 8th, 2016. It wasn't all of us. But it wasn't enough of us. I don't have the answers. But I'm sorry nonetheless.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-45219858015296496432014-08-14T23:51:00.000-07:002014-08-14T23:51:40.335-07:00ALS Ice Bucket ChallengeHey, Lou. It's me, Mark. I know you've been gone more than 70 years now and we've never really met. But I've been thinking about you. In your famously courageous speech, you considered yourself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. If you thought you were lucky then, you should see the progress people are making towards your disease in 2014. Is it cured? Well, no. Not exactly. Well, not at all. But, uh, they don't name it after you anymore. So that's a start, right? You mean you like it being called Lou Gehrig's Disease? Hear me out though. There's something amazing happening. There are a handful of brilliant and dedicated people working really hard to find a cure. Then, just these last few weeks, there have been people who are pouring ice water over themselves in the name of ALS. That's what they call it now. Does the ice water help the disease? Real good question, Lou. Of course not. You would have figured that out yourself. You probably want to know why they're doing it then. As I understand it, if you pour a bucket of ice water on yourself, you relieve yourself of the moral obligation to donate money towards a cure. Then you challenge 3 friends to do the same thing. Isn't that great? Aren't you thrilled at the progress we've made in 73 years? I certainly know I am. You lucky bastard.<br />
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<br />http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-16420021312740084902014-06-26T22:06:00.001-07:002014-06-26T22:06:44.970-07:00Where were you when?Every generation has a tragedy where everyone seems to remember where they were when the heard. The most recent one was 9/11. My theory is that it happens once every 20 years or so. Here are the last four:<br />
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2001: September 11th attacks<br />
1986: Challenger explosion<br />
1963: JFK Assassination<br />
1941: Pearl Harbor attack<br />
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Beyond that I'd only be speculating. Perhaps Black Monday in 1929? Or something WWI related (1914-1918)?<br />
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I can tell you the details of my day on 9/11/2001. That's the one I'm old enough to remember. I guess what I'm also trying to say is that we're 5-10 years away from another one. That's it. That's my theory. The every 2 decade tragedy theory.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-72082340430785416752013-11-03T18:50:00.002-08:002013-11-03T18:50:58.163-08:00You WillTwenty years ago, AT&T started it's famous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnQ8EkwXJ0" target="_blank">You Will</a> campaign. It predicted video calls, wireless internet and ticket sales at a kiosk. At the time I was a kid and the commercials gave me great hope for my adult life.<br />
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Twenty years later, it was pretty spot on. I mean, it's not exact. You could argue that most of what we have today is even better. You'd think we'd be a lot happier with this Jetson's world we live in though. I mean, we have free video calling and nobody really uses it. </div>
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What I wish they had told me was the crummy parts about being an adult. There needs to be a new campaign. One that lets you know what it's really going to be like in 20 years...</div>
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<ul>
<li>Have you ever gone out for 2 beers on a Friday that gave you a hangover until Sunday? You will....</li>
<li>Have you ever gone for a walk on the beach and pulled a hamstring for no reason? You will...</li>
<li>Have you ever shit so hard that part of your insides come out... For a good week and a half of bleeding, chafing anus pain where you have to limp into the doctor's office and have hemorrhoids explained to you? You will...</li>
<li>Have you ever woken up at 3:30am because you bladder won't make it until morning? You will...</li>
<li>Have you ever sat around and thought, "What the hell happened to my life?" You will...</li>
</ul>
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http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-91306743273764052322012-04-15T13:39:00.001-07:002012-04-15T13:39:48.620-07:00Verizon FIOS - Where don't I sign up?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtj-XB6WrV7J_8OoS8ExjMX2hEd1NkuQBYCX1CW77XUdZhGKf2kQON_rL5RjmThUqW62anXgRfZiS3AZfppnP1Tczv5Z1ljThrRnPF6p4FkUCYRRIxp-jJ_Hyif440TFtLSBd/s1600/verizon_fios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtj-XB6WrV7J_8OoS8ExjMX2hEd1NkuQBYCX1CW77XUdZhGKf2kQON_rL5RjmThUqW62anXgRfZiS3AZfppnP1Tczv5Z1ljThrRnPF6p4FkUCYRRIxp-jJ_Hyif440TFtLSBd/s1600/verizon_fios.jpg" /></a></div>
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I want to be a fan of Verizon. I really do. I've been using their mobile service for almost a decade now. I really wanted to have any reason to convert to their FIOS for my cable and internet. I really did. I mean, who really likes their current cable service? If there's a better option, I'm totally ready.<br />
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But Verizon, you're making this really hard on me. Last year, we had <a href="http://nachosrule.blogspot.com/2011/06/verizon-wireless-customer-service-can.html">this exchange</a>. As a follow up from that event, a senior manager of Verizon called me and asked for some constructive feedback. We spent 45 minutes talking. While I don't claim to know much about their business, I simply told him that I didn't blame the people in the store. I blamed their training. Verizon employees receive incentives to get people signed up regardless of their tactics. There's absolutely no incentive for good, rational customer service.<br />
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<b><u>FIOS</u></b><br />
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Verizon FIOS is now installed in my apartment building, offering a choice from our current cable only option. As a kick-off, Verzion FIOS sales people were in the lobby yesterday all afternoon, "answering questions." The real reason they were there was to get people to switch from their current cable to FIOS. Again, I don't blame the Verizon guys here in the building - that is how they get paid. And, in these tough economic times, who could possibly argue with making a living?<br />
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Here's my story. I walked downstairs to pick up my mail. The Verizon guys were set up in front of the mailboxes and the following happened:<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy:</b> Hello. How are you?<br />
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<b>Me:</b> Good. How's everything?<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy:</b> Great. You must be here to check out Verizon FIOS.<br />
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<b>Me: </b> Actually, I'm just here to get my mail. Thanks.<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy:</b> (Unfolds a large pamphlet with their cable tiers and put it in front of my face.) Which tier looks closest to the one you have now?<br />
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<b>Me:</b> Sorry. I'm moving out of this building soon. I'm not interested. (Totally true, FWIW.)<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy: </b>That's fine. You can get FIOS month to month with no commitment. How many TVs do you have? Verizon offers this special (points to something on the pamphlet) for 2 or more TVs.<br />
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<b>Me: </b>(I feel pressured into not walking away, so, like a chump, I play along.) I have one TV and I'm more concerned with your internet speeds.<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy: </b>We have 15/5, 25/25 and 30/30 speeds and points to 3 options. (All 3 options are more expensive than what I currently have.)<br />
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<b>Me: </b>(I know the answer already, but since we're here, I decided to ask anyways) What do those numbers mean?<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy: </b>With 25/25 and 30/30 you get the same speed both ways. So it's worth the upgrade.<br />
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<b>Me: </b>(Internally debating whether to follow the old adage, "If you have nothing nice to say don't say it at all" or asking this guy more questions he can't answer. I immediately do what I believe is right, since it's not really his fault he doesn't understand what he's selling.) Ok. I have no movie channels, but have cable, with HD and DVR and good high speed internet for $105 a month.<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy: </b>Perfect! For that, we can do this plan.<br />
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<b>Me: </b>The one for $127.99 per month?<br />
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<b>Verizon Guy: </b>Yes. We'll be installing next week. Just sign up here. (He puts a sign up form in front of me.)<br />
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<b>Me: </b>(I give him the "Are you kidding me?" face). Isn't that more expensive than what I currently have?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2YF-Eu9DsH-9zxF2X5SnKg8qlZwXZfOZcEQm7GUY7mq6jLq9ElLBa75-CpdP9cy8T8Q0Uf3JHRyMMDMqVDrB16G9OOMdIbvBIZfaTfJ978wP28b8sZIjW1olRst8GJMXWJiI/s1600/are+you+kidding+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2YF-Eu9DsH-9zxF2X5SnKg8qlZwXZfOZcEQm7GUY7mq6jLq9ElLBa75-CpdP9cy8T8Q0Uf3JHRyMMDMqVDrB16G9OOMdIbvBIZfaTfJ978wP28b8sZIjW1olRst8GJMXWJiI/s320/are+you+kidding+me.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Verizon Guy: </b>As you can see, a lot of people are already signed up. (Admittedly, there were 10 or so signatures in a 48 unit building. That's not bad.)<br />
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<b>Me: </b>Thank you for the information. Good luck with your time here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfER9t6_EPA2U9XuPlcMlhqH1U5VX7IIzdVAvWeZUQz_Z-Rlv5C0PLacGGKvarIOg8m4j2QXzdBd1YjxOQuc6Ts8EcoGtIrgFDZiAKrAO9OhItvynLic6xl0O2y7lV5QxdFrr/s1600/Verizon+Fios+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfER9t6_EPA2U9XuPlcMlhqH1U5VX7IIzdVAvWeZUQz_Z-Rlv5C0PLacGGKvarIOg8m4j2QXzdBd1YjxOQuc6Ts8EcoGtIrgFDZiAKrAO9OhItvynLic6xl0O2y7lV5QxdFrr/s1600/Verizon+Fios+10.jpg" /></a></div>
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Verizon, there's one thing I can say for sure - you are truly consistent. Your sales force is terrible in all aspects of your business. They are pushy, don't listen and are woefully uninformed of your own products. If you incentivize them with sign ups only, that's exactly what they'll push for. You must think I'm awfully stupid to leave an already reliable source of cable and high speed internet for a new unknown AND pay $23 a month more for, at best, the same quality.<br />
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It's your business. Do what you want. But if you want one opinion from somebody who ultimately means nothing to your bottom line, here it is: Treat your sales people well. Train them well. They are often the only human interaction between you and us. In turn, they will treat your current and future customers well. When you don't, you get someone like me, who doesn't trust you anymore. I feel belittled. I feel used. And ultimately, I don't want my hard earned money that goes towards phone, communication and entertainment to go to you. I have options. And I will utilize them.<br />
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Good luck, Verizon. I'm out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MuCI0aFZqDsfo2HNstl5QHsYyAfzNZZeNxbuxzzinS53OoIxp3C6Q4SdKszyQBYR7JRYckVSunzSgQuLrtxrvbUhajDVxYiNd-HoetrsP96oO-h9geOZtfmlm42su0mSO21j/s1600/Apathy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MuCI0aFZqDsfo2HNstl5QHsYyAfzNZZeNxbuxzzinS53OoIxp3C6Q4SdKszyQBYR7JRYckVSunzSgQuLrtxrvbUhajDVxYiNd-HoetrsP96oO-h9geOZtfmlm42su0mSO21j/s320/Apathy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-15108703180949154862012-01-01T15:15:00.000-08:002012-01-01T15:15:37.534-08:00So I decided to try eHarmony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was a post-holiday sucker and fell for eHarmony's free weekend trial over New Years. Having not dated successfully in years, there was really nothing to lose.</div>
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<b><u>Joining</u></b></div>
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Their survey (or as they call it, 29 dimensions of compatibility) takes quite a while to fill out. I'm sure, like everyone else, there's a bit of self deception when it comes to some of your less desirable habits. Like, am I really going to admit that I spend a lot of time in front of my computer? Or that I don't really give a shit about over-priced gourmet food? Well, actually I did admit the latter.</div>
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So I'm as honest as possible without sounding like a total loser. It then searches for matches. You wait a minute while it does so. In fact, if you go to another window, the countdown pauses until you come back, so you can watch their advertising. After the 60 second countdown... Nothing. I wait a day, as I heard sometimes it takes a while. Nothing. 2 days? Still the same message....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU_MISWBJrxgW8E6srZJlhVth1fM64fNz30-ik0fMxwnUdGf4tGuL1qYnxTDBeQlokXbxCbIS0fQjQpElvnzNsgfYCWC0X9mQWBQPMhyphenhyphenezh3QXxnriBJKlJawwzhhLLd5cF3K/s1600/EHarmony.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU_MISWBJrxgW8E6srZJlhVth1fM64fNz30-ik0fMxwnUdGf4tGuL1qYnxTDBeQlokXbxCbIS0fQjQpElvnzNsgfYCWC0X9mQWBQPMhyphenhyphenezh3QXxnriBJKlJawwzhhLLd5cF3K/s400/EHarmony.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u><b>Matching</b></u></div>
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After 2 days, I finally get a couple of matches. The smallest matching radius is 30 miles. In a major metropolitan area, 30 miles is far. (Ok, so I'm lazy.) I check out the matches, read their profiles and have no idea what they look like. You have to pay to see pictures. Let's face it... aren't we all interested in what they look like? If we were to be honest, that's a big part of it.</div>
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The cheapest plan is for 3 months at $45 a month. If my math is correct, that's $135 to give this a shot.</div>
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I'm not sold yet. So I read a little bit more, with some wishful thinking that there might be someone remotely interesting that would convince me to spend $135.</div>
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There's a profile "question" that has you list "5 things you can't live without". I put a lot of thought into this. I can live without most of what I have. I narrow my choices down to water, shelter, food, electricity and I reluctantly add clothes. I'm not being a literal minded dick here. I honestly could do just fine without my TV, computer and whatever else people say. In fact, it would be a breath of fresh air to find someone else that isn't so caught up in that nonsense.</div>
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I begin to read the profiles of the girls I'm matched up with. What are their answers? "Fluffy pillows", "pedicures", "hockey", "french fries" (she better have relatives that died in the potato famine, or this is unacceptable), "pinkberry" (That's frozen yogurt. Which I decided was ok, since 100% of all people that never ate frozen yogurt have eventually died. True statistic.) And almost every one put "My iPhone". So it's not just my imagination that most people I meet are materialistic.</div>
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<u><b>Communication</b></u></div>
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I get an email this morning that one of the girls wants to initiate conversation. I read the first thing on her profile. It reads, "I am a Republican so Democrats need not apply. Sorry but I am looking for someone with the same values and ethics as myself." This alone I have no problem with. Good luck with that. I'm glad you're open and honest up front. You've just got the wrong guy.</div>
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When asked about politics, I pretty filled out the "Don't give a shit" form. Long story short, I don't think talking politics really ever accomplishes anything. You scream until you're blue in the face and nothing ever gets done. Life is way too short to get upset about things you can't control. You best enjoy whatever years you have on this earth, regardless of what's going on in Washington DC.</div>
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If you insist... At gunpoint, my beliefs are closest to libertarian, as I'd like to see the government stay out of most things (social and financial alike). At double gunpoint, I'd choose democrat over republican, for the simple reason that people shouldn't be told what to to with their lives. (Basically I'm choosing social freedoms over financial freedoms). How did I get matched up with this chick? Nice job, eHarmony.</div>
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<b><u>Thanks, but no thanks</u></b></div>
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Thanks for the free trial, eHarmony. But I'm not interested. It's easy to get discouraged in life. Trust me, I know. There are plenty of people that'll remind you that you're not _________ enough. Instead, I'd rather surround myself with people that are genuinely happy with who they are and who I am. And for that, I suspend my search indefinitely, hoping that, one day, she'll be just right. And so will I.</div>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-30228556817195648142011-12-05T18:42:00.001-08:002011-12-05T18:45:45.223-08:00Keurig Elite K-Cup Machine Broken? No Problem.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/64/96/45/00/0064964500402_500X500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/64/96/45/00/0064964500402_500X500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It appears I'm not the only one who has had a Keurig K-Cup Machine break. And just as advertised, Keurig replaced it, free of charge, no questions asked.<br />
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I received the Keurig Elite coffee maker as a gift 11 months ago. Just this weekend, it wouldn't power on. I called them, quickly explained the issue and they went on to send a replacement. The lady was nothing but polite.<br />
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Note to every other company... This is how you do customer service.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-24718908543357985592011-11-05T10:34:00.000-07:002011-11-05T10:36:45.622-07:00Daylight Saving TimeDaylight Saving Time never really made a whole lot of sense to me. Even as a kid, I had questions. It was explained to me that we moved the clocks in the spring so that we'd have more sunlight in the evenings to play. "Well," thought 7 year old me, "if that's the case, then why don't we leave it like that all year long so we can play all year round?"<br />
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As a teenager, I began to feel the effects of changing the clock twice a year. In the spring, my already sketchy sleep schedule became worse for the entire week after. Teenagers aren't meant to wake up at 5:45am. Waking up an hour earlier was something short of a disaster in the high school classroom. I cherished the extra hour of sleep in the fall. But then always felt a pit of depression in my stomach when the sun would set before I'd get home from school. It never felt right.<br />
<br />
Soon after college I was working on some big project with my company to sync up clocks among a whole bunch of companies across 5 states. It was then that I learned how parts of Indiana didn't adhere to daylight savings. We had to figure out, county by county which ones didn't use daylight savings and fix those individually. The only explanation I got was that the farmers would startle the cows if they were milked an hour earlier or later. To which, I'm sure I'm not the only person who thought, "Why don't you, the farmer, just wake up a bit earlier or later and not startle your cow?"<br />
<br />
At this point I realized that I've both been in favor or daylight savings and somewhat against it. More to the point, I'm more interested in a standard.<br />
<br />
My solution is this: One time, worldwide. Let's say we all adopted Greenwich Mean Time. If you live on the east coast of the United States, instead of waking up at 6:00am, you'd wake up at 11:00am. After some time, you'd simply think of 11:00am as the time to wake up. You'd get to work with 1:00pm and finish around 9:30pm. You'd then eat, spend time with the family and go to sleep at 3:30am. Why not? Except for the "It's just the way we've always done it", I don't see an issue. There'd be no more lost or gained hours when traveling. Every computer, phone, call center would be on the same time. One time, worldwide. That's my solution to all of this. We can then adjust our days and nights accordingly.<br />
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<br />http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-26761382699839646172011-06-18T12:25:00.000-07:002011-06-18T13:09:19.790-07:00Verizon Wireless Customer "Service" - Can You Hear Me Now?Before sounding like a bitter consumer, hiding behind an outdated blog, let me say a few positive things about Verizon Wireless. First, I've been with Verizon for 7 years. I'm ok paying a bit extra for their plans since their coverage seems to be better than the competition. I have a $60 / month call plan plus some limited texting and the mandatory $30 / month data plan. I figure I've paid upwards of $10,000 since 2004 to Verizon. I probably get a new phone every two years and continue to autopay around $100 a month. Again, I'm alright paying a bit more per month when the service is worth paying for. Verizon is expensive. And that's been alright with me. Until now.<div><br /></div><div>I bought my first smart phone about 18 months ago. The original Droid. In recent days the battery meter had a question mark in it. As a result, the battery won't hold a charge, but is alright if it stays plugged in. I was as resourceful as I knew how and looked up the problem online. As usual, I'm <a href="https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/16910;jsessionid=27F7EEEE37059AEA918C7F9F8734B1AE.node0">not the only one</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to the closest Verizon Wireless store on Thursday. The girl behind the counter doesn't really know what to do and suggests upgrading my phone and committing to a 2-year contract. This is my biggest problem with Verizon. They don't want to fix problems. They want you to commit to a 2-year contract. At $100 a month, that's $2400 plus the cost of the new phone. Yes, that's business. I understand. Just realize, Verizon, that I've shown over 7 years, that I'll upgrade my phone and re-up my contract in another 6 months or so anyways. Why won't you spend a few minutes getting to the root of the problem?</div><div><br /></div><div>Her other suggestion is to try a new battery. I say, "Great. I'll buy a battery." They don't have batteries. I ask where the closest Verizon store is so that I can buy a battery for the phone. She tells me to order one online. Thanks, Verizon. I don't blame the girl. She's new. I blame Verizon. Why don't you hire people who can do anything more than repeat the company line?</div><div><br /></div><div>I go home and order a battery online. They have free 2-day shipping. The battery comes a day early. The Fedex guy acted surprised at the fact when he delivered it. I do everything suggested online. I clean the battery contacts, I replace the battery. And, still, the question mark in the battery meter and the phone won't work when not charging.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now it's Saturday. I decide to go to another Verizon Wireless store. It's bigger and I figure there's a better shot and getting something figured out.</div><div><br /></div><div>I walk in and an older gentlemen mumbles something. I politely let him know I couldn't understand. He repeats to me, in an insulting manner, "How. Can. I. Help. You. Today?" Well, great. I see where this is going. I explain the battery situation, how it doesn't hold a change. He asks me two idiotic questions. First, he asks me what phone I have. Listen, if you work at Verizon and don't know that you're holding a Droid, something is severely wrong. He then asks if he's pressing the correct power button, wondering why it won't turn on. I calmly explain again that the phone will not hold a charge. You know, the whole reason I came to the store in the first place.</div><div><br /></div><div>He plugs it in and upgrades roaming capabilities by dialing *228. Awesome. Roaming. Without trying to sound insulting, I ask if there's a technical expert in the store. There were at least 10 people working and only 5 customers. He gets offended and tells me he's the technical expert. When his brilliant *228 doesn't miraculously cure my battery issue, he sends me to a young guy behind the counter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Young guy behind the counter immediately tells me to upgrade my phone by doing the 2-year contract. I want to know if he'll look into the current problem on my current phone. "Sorry sir, your phone is out of warranty." I know. I understand. There's a one year warranty. I'm fine with that. But can't we spend a few minutes looking into the battery issue? Perhaps it's an easy fix? Or is your only goal to get another $2400 contract + $200 phone purchase from me? Clearly, it's about the money.</div><div><br /></div><div>He refuses to even look into the problem. My option is to buy a new phone with a 2 year contract or leave. I left. But before I did, I insisted on getting a refund on the battery. I got my $43.99 back.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, I'm not upset with the people at the store. They all seem woefully inexperienced and underpaid. It's the long term business model of Verizon. I've been happy to pay you $1200 a year for your better than average coverage. Just help me a bit during a time like this. If it's going to cost me a couple hundred dollars to break my contract with you, it may be worth it. Five years ago, I was always given the benefit of the doubt when I had cell phone issues. Now we've been reduced to the company line - Upgrade your phone. You've failed, Verizon. And when thousands of people read this and begin making decisions to go elsewhere, perhaps you'll hear me then.</div><div><br /></div><div>Side note: If I could get a mobile device with data only (no call plan), I'd do it in a second. With Google Voice and Skype, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't miss voice or text. I think that's where we'll be in a few years anyways.</div>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-21991580134522438552010-12-27T22:43:00.000-08:002010-12-27T23:13:08.162-08:00Chicago Bulls Drafts since 1999I'm very excited about the Chicago Bulls in 2010-11. They're a fun team. They're easy to like and hard to hate. They're a group of good guys who work hard.<div><br /></div><div>I was recently thinking about why it took so long to rebuild since the departure of Michael Jordan. Since 1999, the Chicago Bulls have had their share of lottery picks. They've had two #1s, two #2s, a 3, two #4s, two 7s and a 9. Of those picks, only Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah remain on the team. You'd think with 10 picks that high, they'd have been able to rebuild quicker.</div><div><br /></div><div>Drafting is tough. But some teams do a much better job than others. And there's some luck involved in the quality of the draft. Let's quickly take a look at guys passed on by the Bulls. Instead they took Marcus Fizer (#4), Eddie Curry (#4), LaMarcus Aldridge (#2) and traded for Tyrus Thomas on draft day.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2000, they have a 4 and a 7 and take Marcus Fizer and Chris Mihm (trading him for Jamal Crawford). Ugh. Just passing on Joel Pryzbilla, Hedo Turkoglu and Mike Miller. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 2001, they missed out on Shane Battier, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Tony Parker. Instead they do their Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler rebuilding strategy.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2002, they had the Jay Williams tragedy, so there's a pass. Amare was taken #9 though.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2003, they just got hosed with the 7th pick. Ahead of Kirk Hinrich, you had Lebron, Carmelo, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Then 3 of those fuckers decided to play together.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2005 they have no pick (which is ok, since it turned into Luol Deng in 2004) and miss out on the Chris Paul and Deron Williams lottery.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2006, they have the #2 pick and inexplicably flip LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas and miss out on Rudy Gay, Brandon Roy and J.J. Redick.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm too lazy to research this, but something happened between the 2006 and 2007 draft. The Bulls went from completely screwing up each and every pick to doing something right. What was it?</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2007, they start to figure things out, stealing Joakim Noah at #9. There was talk the previous year, had Noah come out, he might have been a top 3 pick.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2008, the luck out on the #1 and obviously take Derrick Rose. There was talk about Beasley, but even the Bulls couldn't screw that one up. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 2009, they do a great job of getting Taj Gibson at 26.</div>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-11087403164071425552010-12-21T22:35:00.001-08:002010-12-21T23:52:09.664-08:00NBA 2K11 - A brief history of sports video games. And a review of "My Player" mode.I have lived through the earliest generations of video games to what we have now. My first memories of sports games were on the Odyssey 2 system. I remember playing baseball, football, basketball and golf. The football game had a field that wasn't quite big enough (80 yards?). The basketball game was 1 on 1 with two large "hoops" on either end. The 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> baseman in the baseball game played directly on 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> base. (In hindsight, I think this is why I learned to hit opposite field in real life.)<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7vKnKYQrLBI?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7vKnKYQrLBI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NM2jW6D6Ka4?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NM2jW6D6Ka4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Only 5 years later, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">NES</span> brought us <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tecmo</span> Bowl, First and Ten, Baseball Stars, RBI baseball and other games that were leaps and bounds beyond our original game playing experience. I'd spend nights with my neighbors creating our own leagues in Baseball Stars. You couldn't save games back then, so we'd just stay up all night. Eventually our Nintendo would overheat and give out, leading to 4:30 am yelling sessions.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3a_Kh4Kq8Ts?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3a_Kh4Kq8Ts?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Fast forward another 5 years to the early 1990s. My brother and I would gasp at the latest on Sega Genesis. The Madden games were amazingly innovative. We had real teams! And playbooks! And announcers! ("Oh no. There's a man down.")<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cK2oyQXwhbQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cK2oyQXwhbQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />My brother still hesitates playing sports games with me after the "Madden Years" of the early - mid 90s.<br /><br />The point here is that he and I used to say, "Wow. Look at what's happened to games over the past 10-15 years. Imagine what's going to happen 10-15 years from now." We were legitimately excited. Well, here we are, in late 2010. And that time is now. And I've recently purchased NBA 2K11 for my first basketball experience since NBA Jam some 15 years ago.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hncvGSwO1-E?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hncvGSwO1-E?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><strong><u>THE REVIEW</u></strong><br /><strong><u></u></strong><br />First off, I just want to give all sorts of praise to the video game industry. The level of detail in this game (and many other games) is simply extraordinary. Yes, you can play as any of the NBA teams. Yes, the likeness of the players is pretty impressive. And yes, they do tend to play to the skill level of the real player.<br /><br />Many other details are not overlooked... The stadiums, the advertisements and even tattoos.<br />Each stadium even has their own sounds - For example, Minnesota has the howling <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Timberwolves</span>.<br /><br />Where I'm truly impressed is how lifelike the experience can be. The announcers, for the most part, are seamless in their play calling. Doris Burke is also on the sidelines giving updates on player health and what the coaches say.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Joakim</span> Noah got hurt in reality? The game updates itself and you play as the Bulls. But without Noah who's injured on the bench. Current (real) scores tick away as you play, allowing you to keep up with your favorite team.<br /><br />This game isn't for the faint of heart. It takes amazing amounts of practice. I would say that sports games are no longer for the casual player. (Although, I wouldn't mind seeing an NBA Jam type game that doesn't take oodles of skill.) You really have to understand basketball to play the game. You need to run plays, space the floor, make good passes in the passing lanes and only shoot high percentage shots. Playing with Kobe or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">LeBron</span> won't help poor decision making.<br /><br />Oh, and let's not forget, you can play as Michael Jordan on a few of his Bulls teams.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pBYtAVaRvyM?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pBYtAVaRvyM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong><u>MY PLAYER</u></strong><br /><br />My favorite (and most frustrating) part of the game is "My Player". You make a player and try to work your way into the league. I gave my player my real name. And I decided I wanted a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Deron</span> Williams mold point guard. So he's 6' 3", 210 pounds and passes first. They intentionally make your skill set pretty raw, so you have lots of room to improve.<br /><br />Listen, I'm not a great basketball player in a real life. But I understand the game and can hit a jump shot. We're at the point that, even in my basketball fantasy world, I'm worse than I am in real life. That's where we're at when it comes to some of these games. If you're new to the game, you're going to be terrible.<br /><br />So, in my fantasy world of making the NBA, I start with a few scrimmages. I commit too many turnovers, allow my opponent to score on me and begin falling in the NBA draft projections. Eventually, I'm drafted by the Miami Heat in the 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> round. Which, despite my hatred of the Heat, I figure it would be fun to be the point guard on their team.<br /><br />Before I can do anything, they get rid of me. So I've been relegated to the D-League, playing for the Springfield Armor. So now my NBA fantasy has me playing point guard in the D-League. Oh, and did I mention I was the backup point guard, coming off the bench?<br /><br />At this point I consider restarting "My Player" mode, but it really wouldn't make me any better. So instead, I play as a backup in the D-League. The player you get is bad. You're slow. You can't jump. You're not strong. Your shot is terrible. And you're forced to really learn fundamentals. It's like being a real player who's fighting for an NBA spot. You have to learn the ropes, run the plays and just get the fundamentals down.<br /><br />After each game, based on your performance, you get points to improve your player. You improve slowly. VERY slowly. There are dozens of categories to improve. And the improvements you can make are incremental at best. It's depressing to think about how long it will take to become decent.<br /><br />After a day or two in the D-League, I get the big announcement. The Charlotte Bobcats just signed me to a 10 day contract. I'm telling you - even in my fantasies, I'm lame. I come off the bench, again. I now understand why players want out of bad teams. When you're the point guard for a team that can't score, it's frustrating. They judge you on your assists. And Gerald Wallace blows far too many layups.<br /><br />There's a "request a trade" option. So I did. The home fans got pissed and began chanting "Trade him! Trade him!" whenever I touched the ball. I play a good 15 games as the backup point guard, with one good game. I scored 23 points and had 13 assists.<br /><br />Just today I got my trade approved. To the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lakers</span>. So now I start instead of Derek Fisher. After all these hours of playing NBA 2K11, it's fun. It's as if, working towards playing for a winner was all worthwhile. Passing the ball to Kobe and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gasol</span> makes me look better.<br /><br />So there you have it. I wish I was about 12 years old right now. As an adult, I don't have the time or desire to get really good at a game like this. But my competitive nature is somehow reinvigorated. In just one generation, we've gone from Odyssey 2 to this. Not too shabby.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2LBKg9e9uA?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2LBKg9e9uA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-81285126574950073292010-02-27T09:57:00.000-08:002010-02-27T11:00:33.293-08:00Heavy Rain reactions----- NO SPOILERS -----<br /><br />I've been looking forward to the PS3 game <a href="http://www.heavyrainps3.com/">Heavy Rain</a> for quite some time now. On my way home from work on Friday I stopped at Target to pick it up. The kid at the electronics register was super excited about the game too. Now, outside of the gaming community, very few people have the slightest clue what Heavy Rain is. This is why I've chosen to give my initial reactions to the game here online. Since I can't discuss the game with most others. Plus, for reasons to be explained, I can't really discuss it with the people who are playing the game.<br /><br />It's my opinion that game developers, much like movie studios, have figured out a money making formula and will seldom deviate from that. And why would they? Money is money. In the movie world, big action adventures with tremendous special effects will be your meal ticket. Intriguing plot lines are irrelevant (see Avatar). If you know your movie can make $100 million or more, you're going to produce it. The same goes for video games. The top games year after year are first person shooters and the musical (see Rock Band and Guitar Hero) games. Personally, I've peaked as a faux-musician and I'm tired of shooting "enemies" in a variety of ways. I've played Uncharted 2 online for months now and have amassed something like 5000 kills of other online players. When is enough enough? When will the senseless killing end?<br /><br />It is for this reason that I would support Heavy Rain, regardless of reviews. Heavy Rain is simply a complex, plot driven drama that intends to immerse you into the story line. For their risk taking alone, I am behind this game. Worst case, it will open the minds of some video game makers. Best case, it lives up to its tremendous hype and begins an entirely new genre of game.<br /><br />As I give my reactions to the game, I won't give any spoilers that you wouldn't already know from seeing the game trailer:<br /><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JKPPdgBK3r8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JKPPdgBK3r8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />I played for 5 hours on Friday evening to the point where I basically fell asleep due to exhaustion. Here are my initial thoughts beginning the next morning:<br /><br />- The story line is compelling. Within the first hour I was immediately immersed in the characters.<br /><br />- Don't play this game while you're tired. You have to think quick and act quicker. Often times when you're least expecting it.<br /><br />- Most games allow you to save and go back to where you saved the game. This game forces you to make split second decisions and live with them. The resulting gameplay is based upon those decisions. For the first time in ages, I've felt a heightened sense of thrill while weaving my way through the story, knowing my decisions could be permanent to the outcome.<br /><br />- (VERY MINOR SPOILER if you haven't seen the trailers) Within the first hour or two of the game, I suggested they market the game as "Heavy Rain: Where you can suck as a dad even in your fantasy life."<br /><br />- Music is often under appreciated in games. Heavy Rain is no exception. The music immerses you in the moment.<br /><br />- The first time through the game, you have no idea how your decisions are affecting the subsequent gameplay. Honestly, I have no idea if my decisions play any role in the overall game. It seems like they do.<br /><br />- Which brings us to the question of replay-ability. If I play this again, will I get a completely different story? Or is the story basically the same with the illusion of choice?<br /><br />- When you install the game, there are instructions on how to make oragami. In fact, they give you a piece of oragami in the game box. My oragami is sitting in front of the TV. One of those neat little extras that make the experience just a little bit better.<br /><br />- My brother and I are comparing notes over IM right now. Since we don't want to spoil each others' game, we have to ask "How many inches of rain have fallen in your game?" That's the best way we've figured out how to compare our progress without ruining anything.<br /><br />- Based on our vague conversations, certain scenes played out differently for us purely upon our skill and/or decisions. This alone has me excited for a replay of the game.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-52180407915316724482010-02-12T22:20:00.000-08:002010-02-12T22:48:42.055-08:002010 Winter Olympic Running DiaryAs I'm watching the 2010 Winter Olympic opening ceremonies, the parade of nations just began. For no reason, I've been inspired to write about it. In a flashback of my early days online, I vaguely remember writing about the 2002 Winter Olympics as one of my first "Something I learned today" entries.<br /><br />- My interest in the Winter Olympics has greatly increased simply due to the attractiveness of the competitors.<br /><br />- Speaking of which... Holy Denmark! Have you ever seen an unattractive Denmarkian... er, Denmark-an... Point is, couldn't they promote tourism simply based on how hot they all are?<br /><br />- Pakistan is representing, huh? Didn't see that one coming.<br /><br />- Seems a little unfair that Bosnia and Herzegovina get to team up and compete together.<br /><br />- Poland needs a new flag. Their overall standing in the world would jump dramatically if their flag weren't so lame.<br /><br />- What's the theme? Snow? I know we're in a recession, but creativity should never slump.<br /><br />- We're seeing the greatest moment in so many of these peoples' lives. It shows on their faces.<br /><br />- China is poised for world domination. First, the 2008 games in Beijng. Now, it seems like they're ready to surprise in the winter games. In a decade, I'm preparing to pledge my allegiance to whatever overlord takes control.<br /><br />- You ever wonder what happened to Pikaboo Street? She's working in a hospital now. Intensive care ward. When she picks up the phone, she answers, "Pikaboo. ICU." (None of that is true. Or funny. But it had to be said.)<br /><br />- I was looking at a map of the winter games. The farthest south the games have ever been were either in the U.S. or Japan. The latitudes were pretty close.<br /><br />- If you were offered the opportunity to be one of those Canadian snowflake people who dances during the parade, would you take it? I couldn't dance, nor appear that happy, for that long.<br /><br />- Mexico sent one dude in his 50s? If you're under 25 years old and live in Mexico, wouldn't you just take up any winter sport to be their representative next time?<br /><br />- The danger factor in the winter games is WAY higher than the summer games. You'd think that alone would generate some interest.<br /><br />- In 1948 the winter pentathlon was an event. It consisted of cross-country skiing, shooting, downhill skiing, fencing and horse riding. Wouldn't you love to see that? Especially shooting on a horse with skis?<br /><br />- Call me unpatriotic, but I'd give up every U.S. medal to see other countries who have never medaled win it.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-44574636473252034972009-08-24T15:21:00.000-07:002009-08-24T16:21:47.379-07:00Songs Ruined by CommercialsMusic holds a special place in my heart; as I'm sure it does you too. Music brings you back to places past. Music elicits emotions of all sorts. Songs remind you people, places and are one of our greatest connections to our own past.<br /><br />That is why it kills me when companies use some of the greatest songs to market their products. The songwriters are often just as guilty - But the rights to songs isn't really my concern here. It's the fact that I will forever lose that beautiful connection to those past emotions and now think of some McDonald's meal or morning coffee.<br /><br />Here are songs that have absolutely been destroyed by being used in commercials throughout my lifetime. Feel free to add your own...<br /><br /><br /><br />- Stevie Wonder's "Sunshine of my Life" - Used in a Minute Maid orange juice commercial many years ago. (Let me know if you can find that commercial - Right now, I can't).<br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uPyq4iqt6Go&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uPyq4iqt6Go&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />- The Killer's "I've got soul but I'm not a Soldier" - Used by Nike<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-ae3tFI8wXE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-ae3tFI8wXE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />- Nike also used John Lennon's "Instant Karma" many years ago. On a side note, during high school my buddy Dan used to sing "Yeah we all shine on... Like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". Which was funny to me since he moved from South Africa no more than a year earlier. To this day, I wonder if he even knew who Kareem was.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JB49FHuR_rQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JB49FHuR_rQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />- The DeBeer's diamond commercial. It's not so much the song as the way they've brainwashed everyone into buying their product for far too much money. Not to mention the fact that diamonds are often mined by child and slave labor. But that's a rant for another day.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vXHm8TzLzE&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vXHm8TzLzE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />- You don't think that The Moody Blues had something deeper in mind with "Tuesday Afternoon" than a Visa commercial and an aquarium?<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2OC5_wJLxZU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2OC5_wJLxZU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />- I'm not forgetting 3 Doors Down "Let Me Be Myself" from the Geico caveman commercials... You know, since nobody has any kind of emotional attachment to 3 Doors Down.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-_XL7MtkZ8w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-_XL7MtkZ8w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />- How about Lincoln destroying both the name of a great president, but also "Major Tom (Coming Home)".<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r_gXXv0M2fE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r_gXXv0M2fE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />- Kodak took "True Colors" and killed it. Apparently this destruction went international...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C-o-n6t15po&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C-o-n6t15po&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />- I have to admit, I actually like this one. Starbucks' Glen commercial is fantastic. The fact that Survivor was part of this makes it A-OK in my book.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1PFMFAvGpk&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1PFMFAvGpk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />- Way to go McDonald's. You took "Fur Elise", intentionally inserted mistakes AND had this girl make up some ridiculous words. More than 20 years later, this is all I can think about when I hear "Fur Elise"... Which was probably your goal in the first place, wasn't it?<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-2yklZeEbFE&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-2yklZeEbFE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />- To fix the problem, this guy needs to be doing all marketing for all commercials that use popular songs...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CsbFxnryag&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CsbFxnryag&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Like I said before, add your own in the comments section. This is a national tragedy that can no longer go overlooked or understated.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-50571837549072784352009-08-01T23:06:00.001-07:002009-08-04T16:38:09.720-07:00Twitter Account HackedMy Twitter account was hacked the other day. Whoever (or whatever) logged in and made one Twitter post. It was effectively a spam email with an "adult" link. Twitter then suspended my account pending an investigation of suspicious activity. Twitter provides a link to get your account back.<br /><br />As part of the report, there is a required field where you complete the statement "I feel: ________". I wrote "violated". On that request page, it says that "tiger is assigned to your request." I address tiger directly later on.<br /><br /><br />Here is a running log of the exchange between Twitter and me in an effort to un-suspend the account....<br /><br />- Submitted Jul 30 01:02 pm by you<br />It appears that my account has been hacked. I am going to change my password. I hope that Twitter can un-suspend my account soon.<br /><br />- Twitter also sends an email to my default account<br /><br />- Jul-30 2009 01:28 pm.<br />Thank you for the email. My Twitter password appears to have been hacked. Since this happened, I changed my password. I also deleted the spam-like tweet that was posted as part of the hack. I don't believe I have violated any other terms. I hope to have my account reinstated promptly.<br /><br />- Twitter sends another email requesting that I change my password. (Notice I've explained twice that I've already done so).<br /><br />- Password has been reset. Again. Are we good?<br />Jul-30 2009 02:48 pm.<br /><br />- At this point, my Twitter account disappears for a few hours. Eventually, it moves back to being suspended. Twitter does nothing from this point onward. I decide to add to the online request form every 8 hours or so, hoping to get the problem resolved.<br /><br />- Seriously... When can we set my account straight? Or is this like a 50 game steroid suspension?<br />Jul-30 2009 09:53 pm.<br /><br />- What's with this suspension? What do you need to hear from me? That I like Michael Bolton's music? Fine - For my money it doesn't get any better than when he sings "When a man loves a woman". Happy?<br />Jul-31 2009 10:34 am.<br /><br />- I've tweeted 38 times in 7 months. That averages out to one tweet every 5.5 days. And, to be perfectly honest, nothing I have to say is that interesting anyways. How could I possibly have violated your terms? Let's fix this, fellas.<br />Jul-31 2009 11:47 am.<br /><br />- Do you guys not work on Fridays? As much as I really don't "get" the whole Twitter hype, I would like to have my account back. My account was hacked. I changed the password. That's it. What's so complicated?<br />Jul-31 2009 04:30 pm.<br /><br />- Tiger -<br />Do you want to know what happened today? I did something for the first time. I used 3-ply toilet paper. It was pure bliss. But guess what? I didn't get to share this joy with anyone. I'll give you one guess as to why.<br />Aug-01 2009 05:02 pm.<br /><br />As of today, my account remains suspended.<br /><br /><br />-------<br /><br />Update: Still no word from Twitter. So I've continued my "follow ups" to the open request...<br /><br />- We've now hit the 5-day mark. And my account is still suspended. When a major league pitcher initiates a bench clearing brawl, he's allowed back after 5 days.<br />Aug-02 2009 01:15 pm.<br /><br />- Can't you do a simple IP trace on the malicious post? I guarantee it's not mine. Speaking of, if you can't do an IP trace, I'm just going to open a new Twitter account using a different email address. I mean, yeah, that's a pain for me. But if that's what it takes to bring Twitter happiness back to my life, then that's what I'll do. Just let me know, since this suspension is now beyond ridiculous.<br />Aug-02 2009 08:55 pm.<br /><br /><br />------<br /><br />The issue is resolved, nearly a week after it began. Thanks to tiger at Twitter for the following...<br /><br />- tiger, Aug 03 03:39 pm:<br />If you have not already, you should shortly receive notification that your account posted some updates that led us to believe that it was compromised. We are in the process of cleaning things up and should have already sent you a password reset notification. Your account is at this point back up and running; please only reopen this ticket if you encounter further issues. Make sure that sweep your computer for malware and create a secure password consisting of both letters and numbers; do not provide your username and/or e-mail and password to untrusted third-party sites.<br />Thanks, tigerhttp://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-35371386950579149142009-05-29T16:24:00.000-07:002009-05-31T14:54:40.285-07:002009 Scripps National Spelling BeeThe 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee is here. The way I see it, there's really no better way to resurrect this page than to write my annual Spelling Bee running diary. The bee ended last night, and I've yet to watch either the preliminary rounds or the finals. Fortunately, I'm spoiler free thus far and plan to watch about 6 hours of spelling bee as I write seemingly random thoughts. I'll begin with the preliminary rounds and will move on to the final rounds afterwards.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><u>Preliminary Rounds</u></strong>:<br /><br /><br /><br />- This time around, I'm watching in HD. I can't think of any other occasion where I have thought, "You know, this might be better in SD."<br /><br />- Nice job with the intro. Bees and honey. Clever.<br /><br />- An 8th grader named Alex has the craziest, long hair. He also looks like he's 6 foot 2 and plays center for a varsity football team. They need to be checking for HGH next year.<br /><br />- I feel like I'm getting far more words correct this year. It must be an early round thing. There's no way my spelling abilities have gotten any better.<br /><br />- There needs to be a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh49fHFMUTg">Hevad Khan</a> kid. One that just goes nuts every time he gets a word right, high fiving the other kids, judges and camera crew.<br /><br />- I've asked this before and I'll ask it again. Why are Canada and Jamaica allowed in the NATIONAL spelling bee?<br /><br />- Some real young kid named Sriram got eliminated early. He was interviewed while eating a chocolate chip cookie, with gooey chocolate mess all over his face. He couldn't have been happier. Ah, to be a kid again.<br /><br />- Speaking of interviews, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIP7a9Z-YBM">Erin Andrews</a> is smoking hot. She might kickstart puberty for half of these kids. Between talking to her and the cookies, it might be the first time that losing is better than winning.<br /><br />- There is going to be a massive spelling bee scandal in the next five years. You don't think that someone could either signal words to a kid from the audience? Or, they could go high tech with an earpiece. Either way, it's happening. Mark my words.<br /><br />- Kennyi looks to be as Hevad Khan as it's going to get. He came up there all super cool and confident. Then he nailed voussior. I'm not sure if I really like him or I'm concerned that he's the next Chad Ochocinco.<br /><br />- Round 4 = words I can spell. Round 5 = words I cannot spell. At this point, I'm very impressed.<br /><br />- These kids give more level headed analyses than Lebron James.<br /><br />- 20 spellers were knocked out during round 5. The final one was Eleanor Runde, who, to be blunt, seems to be too good looking to be in the spelling bee. How wrong is that to say? And on how many levels?<br /><br />- Serena Skye Laine-Lobsinger. With a name like that, you have to learn how to spell. She also has a self-confidence you rarely see among adults.<br /><br />My DVR cut off. So, that's it for the preliminaries. When I get a chance to watch the finals, I'll continue here....<br /><br />-----------http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-80248964359896654032008-12-24T12:29:00.000-08:002008-12-24T12:40:54.683-08:0012/24/08 A Kazoo ChristmasAfter much thought and deliberation, there seems to be no better way to pass along holiday cheer and to ring in the new year than with kazoos. So, here's my holiday gift to you... the patient reader who stuck around as I didn't write anything for weeks on end... A bunch of kazoo songs.<br /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Metallica</span> on Kazoos<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iC65ufGUvKM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iC65ufGUvKM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />The Final Countdown on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">KazooKeyLele</span> (Which, if my math is correct, is only 33% kazoo. But 100% awesome.)<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XAg5KjnAhuU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XAg5KjnAhuU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />For the more traditional of you, here's Handel's Messiah on kazoos.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yhlm232KRlQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yhlm232KRlQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Eleanor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rigby</span> on Kazoo<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/94lr1BTsZxg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/94lr1BTsZxg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />This is especially for my cousins who text me every time they hear Billie Jean...<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E50v6rP1xkI&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E50v6rP1xkI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Rocky on kazoos.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Seglez6aw4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Seglez6aw4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Finally, a tribute to John Williams. With no kazoos.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lk5_OSsawz4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lk5_OSsawz4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-61716916900900314152008-12-23T15:42:00.000-08:002008-12-23T15:49:12.631-08:00The Ultimate Nacho Bowl and The Ultimate Nachos<div>I received this email a week ago from Jonny O. He writes about "The Ultimate Nacho Bowl". The story brings a holiday tear to my eye...</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><a href="http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7010/nachosinactionmh1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 593px; height: 294px;" src="http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7010/nachosinactionmh1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><div>--------</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So... the end-of-semester potluck in my ceramics class. The anticipation was building for several weeks. Many asked as I was crafting the thing what purpose it could possibly serve- such a massive beast of a thing. What could justify such effort and magnitude? Such devotion. So I explained to them in bits and pieces my long pedigree in nacho making: The triumphs. The tragedies. The hours of study. The adulation. The fame. The women. Had my tales run thin? Was I all talk and no action? The class demanded proof, I sensed. "Fine, you shall have it!!" </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I was a bit worried, to be honest. It's sort of my magnum opus, my A-Game,these nachos. It's something I've perfected and re-perfected over years and years. How many Super Bowl parties? How many 4th of Julys? And each time, trying to make things truer and wiser and more perfect. But this was a whole different crowd. These were "artsy" types. I fully expected the other offerings at the table to be of the "cruelty-free, fair trade tofu" variety. How would my display of ostentatious machismo play out? My dish, which basically says, "screw calories, screw fat and cholesterol. This is about the EATING." How would it go? Would they turn their noses up at it? Politely say "thank you, that's nice"? Would it sit there untouched, unloved, as I slunk into a corner and made polite conversation? So with worry in mind, I put special attention to dialing in the seasoning just right: Paprika, onion, garlic, chili, several peppers, half a beer and others. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I tasted it at the edge of its last bit of reducing and knew I had hit some magic luck. It was just right. I knew, from one taste, there was no way of making it better. Nothing to add, nothing I could take away. It was just damn right. Rare perfection. That gave me confidence. As I entered the studio I surveyed the spread and realized I overestimated my foes. Many brought in store-bought cookies. Trader Joe's fare was abundant. A few brought in simple homemade goods. One brought a decent pasta salad. Still others brought in heartfelt endeavors, such as fresh baked breads (which were quite good, I must say). But they were all token gestures to this magnanimous occasion. In fact, the whole spirit of the thing was to "bring a dish in your DISH" - make a dish in the class - forge something by your own hand - and then bring something equally delicious to fill it. And looking over the plastic Trader Joes containers of hummus, the collection of store-bought crackers and soups, and otherwise petty endeavors, I chuckled inwardly. I was the newbie, and yet they didn't have the spirit of the thing. I pulled the cover off the ultimate nacho bowl to a collective hush. And they knew, oh my brothers, it was the main event. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The total package had arrived. They'd never seen anything like it. And the combination of the Ultimate Nacho Bowl with the Ultimate Nachos in it, well, they were utterly powerless. I sat back in somewhat fascination as they descended upon it. Like ants. The class made those nachos gone in short and decisive order. GONE! The bowl scraped clean! All I had to do was rinse the sucker out at the end of the night. I inwardly reveled in my nacho-dom, my confidence restored, my nachismo intact. All in all, another victory for the greatest food of all time. And another victory for your's truly, the king: I am the Ric Flair of the Nacho. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>peace, love and nachos </div><br /><div>- j </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><a href="http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/5500/nachobowlfinalee9.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 640px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 480px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/5500/nachobowlfinalee9.jpg" border="0" /></a>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-25731953226927582872008-12-14T19:03:00.000-08:002008-12-14T20:45:53.118-08:0012/14/08 Active IngredientsI got this Lip Balm from Trader Joe's. One of its selling points is "50% Organic Ingredients". Then, under the active ingredients, there are two: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Octinoxate</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Oxybenzone</span>. So, your Venn Diagram of active ingredients and organic ingredients do not overlap. Which, to be technical, doesn't really constitute a Venn Diagram at all. All that aside, I am a fan of this Lip Balm.<br /><br />-----<br /><br />It's weird not writing on this anymore. The strangest part is that I often save <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">webpages</span> and links to remind myself that I want to write about a certain topic. Over the course of the past month or two, I've collected dozens of "favorites" that were intended for here. The options were to 1) Erase them all 2) Post them all in a brain dump or 3) Organize them and post them in some sort of logical manner over the next week or two. I've decided to go with Option #2. I'm just going to post stuff until I get tired of it. This can be your go to page for the holidays when you need a new link or game or something when you're bored at work. Or not work as the case may be for 6.5% of the US Population and rising.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />You never really put much thought into the allure of video games. One of the assumptions you probably don't think much about is that you get to do things in video games that you probably couldn't in real life. You get to play a professional sport, fight a war, be a rock star... You're hard pressed to find a game in which you're better in real life than you are in video game land. Until now. Try this <a href="http://www.foddy.net/Athletics.html">Running Game</a>. You use the Q, W, O and P keys to control the guy's thighs and calves. After at least a dozen tries in the 100 meter dash, I maxed out at 5.5 meters before I fell. (Warning: For the competitor in you, this could quite possibly be the most frustrating gaming experience of your life).<br /><br />-------<br /><br />I made my first contribution to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wikipedia</span> today. There's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chicago_White_Sox_Nicknames">List of White <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sox</span> Players' Nicknames</a>. I added one. I rule.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />The <a href="http://qcn.ucr.edu/">Quake Catcher Network</a> is asking for your help if your computer has an accelerometer. The detector comes standard on Macs - Its purpose is to save your hard drive if your computer falls. However, the Quake Catcher Network wants to collect simultaneous data from those sensors to warn and analyze earthquakes.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5TYBAk2FUeI&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5TYBAk2FUeI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />------<br /><br /><a href="http://foodproof.com/blogs/view/post/100-things-you-should-eat-before-246/">100 things you should eat before you die</a>. I'd guess I probably still have 50 to go.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Bored again? Play just about any <a href="http://www.thesmartass.info/nes">Original <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NES</span> Game</a> here. I suck at Baseball Stars.<br /><br />------<br /><br />A few months ago I saw a world map poster unlike any I had ever seen before. The dude told me it was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall-Peters_projection">Gall-Peters Projection</a>. He explained that most world maps you see inflate the size of the United States and Europe so that the powers that be appear more powerful. In this projection, Africa looks pretty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">friggin</span>' huge.<br /><br />------<br /><br />In the best/only good move MTV has made in the past 15 years, they are offering up <a href="http://www.mtvmusic.com/">old school music videos online</a>.<br /><br />------<br /><br />"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Synesthesia</span></a> is a neurologically based phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway." I guess it's common that people see letters and numbers in colors. Personally, I think the number 6 has a hat. And convinced I once saw 6 wearing a hat in a kindergarten book or something and it's embedded in my subconscious.<br /><br />I'm fascinated by the phenomenon, but would be frightened to have a severe case of it.<br /><br />Speaking of colors, I had an intense dream a couple of night ago where colors played a blatantly obvious role. I won't explain the dream now, but the colors I remember were the girl in <strong>orange</strong>, and <strong>green</strong> and <strong>blue</strong> train lines. Perhaps I'll research it later and give an analysis.<br /><br />------<br /><br />"In 1993, the UK Science Minister, William <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Waldegrave</span>, challenged physicists to produce an answer that would fit on one page to the question 'What is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Higgs</span> boson, and why do we want to find it?' " Here are <a href="http://www.phy.uct.ac.za/courses/phy400w/particle/higgs.htm">the best 1 page answers</a>.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Some guy's list of the Top 10 Naked Gun Moments:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6zLvNAxVZfU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6zLvNAxVZfU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />------<br /><br />I think this was from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PostSecret</span>. It's about <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jvTR-Om6kh1Ke0um9CpWRctfABw1dtpUyD2GGgnlOKzIaXy9O2HbHFhm1h1W_m52KyeIn7K-M44Za9ozA5uA0TwEFLPP-fnJo8kknipjLyI2YbGnU3hhGkqPDzm6Wn5kILyN/s1600-h/rockband.jpg">playing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">RockBand</span></a>.<br /><br />-----<br /><br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportscenter/commercials"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ESPN's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">SportsCenter</span> Commercials</a> throughout the years.<br /><br /><br />-----<br /><br />In October, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">MSNBC</span> wrote an article about how Americans have lost $2 Trillion or 20% of their <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27073061/">retirement plans</a>. Which got me to thinking. That equates to about $10 Trillion in total retirement savings beforehand. The national deficit is also right about at $10 Trillion. Where I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">surprised</span> is that, if you took every single penny saved by every single American over the course of decades, it would barely equal the wasteful government spending, $5 Trillion of which has been accumulated this decade alone.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Here's a goofy site where you look at random photos of people and <a href="http://ageproject.specialsnowflake.com/">guess their age</a>.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Another game for you - It's called <a href="http://www.bartbonte.com/factoryballs2">Factory Balls</a>. It's a great thinking person's game.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />This game is like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Tetris</span>. Only being bad at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Tetris</span> helps you. <a href="http://www.kongregate.com/games/WeirdBeardGames/99-bricks">99 Bricks</a>.<br /><br />--------<br /><br /><a href="http://cvk.qubes.org/images/funny/best_paper_ever.jpg">The story of Oedipus</a>. As written by some high school kid.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />Point: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Pachebel's</span> Canon in D rules<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jTBrXBCX0ec&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jTBrXBCX0ec&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Counter-Point: Not so much<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JdxkVQy7QLM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JdxkVQy7QLM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-59883044764144995782008-11-06T10:07:00.000-08:002008-11-06T10:11:45.550-08:0011/6/08 I Love Nachos DayHappy "I Love Nachos Day"!<br /><br />If you need to send a <a href="http://hicards.com/platinum/bizarre/11-6.html">last minute card, here ya go</a>... <a href="http://cards.123greetings.com/cgi-bin/newcards/showthumbs.pl?q1=enov_nachosday&log=123">Here are some more e-cards</a>...<br /><br />Thanks to the <a href="http://almanacofmerriment.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-love-nachos-day-november-6th.html">Almanac of Miscellaneous Merriment</a> for the reminder.<br /><br />If you're an elementary school teacher, here's <a href="http://edhelper.com/DailyThemes_987.html">a lesson plan for I Love Nachos Day</a>.<br /><br />And finally, some <a href="http://www.ilovenachocheese.com/2007/02/medicinal_uses_.html">medicinal uses of nacho cheese</a>.http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-36194601634579863112008-10-29T17:22:00.000-07:002008-10-29T17:39:41.185-07:0010/29/08 Candy CornWhile stopped in my car at a light this morning, a truck pulled up next to me. Out of the corner of my eye, the back of the truck read "Superior Super Dump". To which I thought, "That sounds fantastic."<br /><br />------<br /><br />During that same car ride, some guys were talking about the website <a href="http://www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">HotChicksWithDouchebags</span>.com</a>. At that exact moment, I saw a guy in my rear view mirror with both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">iPod</span> buds in his ears as he was driving. I began to wonder if it was the same guy I played basketball with this past weekend that insisted on listening to his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">iPod</span> during the game.<br /><br />------<br /><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27305471/">Your IQ at age 10</a> has a positive correlation with alcohol problems as an adult. "... for every 15-point increase in childhood mental ability score, the likelihood of drinking problems increased 1.38 times for women, and 1.17 times for men."<br /><br />------<br /><br />Here's something you probably never expected to hear me say - This is my favorite <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Nickelback</span> cover ever.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dRi6j2sSvTE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dRi6j2sSvTE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />------<br /><br />Have you seen the new Guitar Hero: World Tour commercial? It seems like risky business to pay four of the top athletes to endorse their product. At first glance, I recognized A-Rod, Michael Phelps and Kobe. After doing some research, I learned that the drummer doesn't have special needs. It's Tony Hawk. All I can think is that 1) Whatever money they paid those four guys, they probably could have put into better development. And 2) As great as those guys are as athletes, A-Rod, Kobe and Phelps are all kind of strange guys. I mean, if you had to choose 3 other athletes to come hang out and play Guitar Hero with you, would any of those guys make your top 20? When I think personable and fun, those aren't the guys that come to mind.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AAgj5eKm8kg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AAgj5eKm8kg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />-------<br /><br />Finally with Halloween creeping up on us, here's my favorite Halloween comedy bit by Lewis Black....<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0KpkvmBOnuw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0KpkvmBOnuw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-85243855297570092942008-10-18T16:57:00.000-07:002008-10-18T17:38:01.518-07:0010/18/08 My Ding Ding DongThe best part about watching playoff baseball on TBS this month??? Waking up the next morning and finding "Saved by the Bell" on TV.<br /><br />-----<br /><br />Speaking of high school, yesterday I attended my first high school assembly since I was that age. During the homecoming rally, songs would be played every now and again on the loud speaker. Included in the song selection were, "Crank Dat" by Soulja Boy, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAp9BKosZXs">I kissed a girl</a> (and I liked it)", and that goofy song what goes, "Oooh, you touch my Tra la la. My ding ding dong." I want to talk about "Watch me crank dat Soulja Boy then Superman that hoe" but I don't have the heart to even explain it. You'll have to search the internet to find out for yourself what that's all about.<br /><br />Now, I'm the last person to really care about protecting teenagers from music and lyrics. In fact, my personal opinion is that teenagers should be exposed to the realities of life sooner than later. But I wonder if the administration has a clue what these songs are about. Or maybe they just don't care - Were we listening to songs like that in high school? Like, did we play that Bel Biv DeVoe song where they say, "Me and the crew used to do her" at high school assemblies?<br /><br /><br />Here's that Tra la la song -<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AVOYT6MMAxs&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AVOYT6MMAxs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Here's my favorite version of Crank Dat -<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UNK2L8-V5dQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UNK2L8-V5dQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />-----<br /><br />Kid Rock is a no talent ass clown. He takes "Werewolves of London", adds in a few "Sweet Home Alabama" rips and claims a song of his own. Even worse? He thinks the best word to rhyme with "things" is... well, "things". The chorus seriously goes, "And we were trying different things / And we were smoking funny things."<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uUaP7LoppGw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uUaP7LoppGw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-49868858516713174302008-10-04T22:51:00.000-07:002008-10-05T17:12:02.713-07:0010/4/08 Frustration, Good Buddy<a href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/flash_games.png"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 437px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 294px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="241" alt="" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/flash_games.png" border="0" /></a><br />I've found the most difficult online flash game ever. It's appropriately named <a href="http://www.arcadenoid.com/frustation-ii.html">Frustration II</a>. Good luck. And let me know how you do. (I made it to level 4 and quit). (Update: I beat it with 90 mistakes.)<br /><br /><div></div>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-69597983687925422782008-09-28T13:31:00.000-07:002008-09-28T13:55:31.512-07:009/28/08 Spider DreamI have an irrational fear of spiders. When it's hot at night and a bead of sweat rolls down my neck, I wake up and quickly brush it away, fearing it's a spider crawling on me.<br /><br />Last night I had a vivid spider dream. For your reading pleasure, you get an account of the dream, an online dream interpretation of spiders from <a href="http://www.dreammoods.com/">DreamMoods.com</a> and the ability (if you so choose) to combine the two and determine your own take on the dream. If you know me, this is an extremely rare opportunity where I'll open up and leave myself vulnerable.<br /><br />The dream began in a public room with a strand of spider web hanging from the ceiling about halfway to the floor. On the bottom was a cocoon beginning to bud. The cocoon began to grow and evolve into individual chambers. Those chambers then turned into eggs, with the assumption that there was a baby spider in each one. (I've read that the logic part of the brain is shut off during dreams. This is an obvious example.)<br /><br />Next time I check the spider web strand, it had developed into a bigger, more intricate web and the "queen spider" had entered the picture. (Again, logic be damned, the spider in my dream behaved more like a queen ant where there's one mommy for the colony.) The queen was very cartoon-y. It was overly large with almost human-like characteristics. I was unable (out of fear?) to destroy the web or the spider in its initial stages. Due to that, it was beginning to grow out of control.<br /><br />Towards the end of the dream, I walked across the room. The web had grown to such immense proportions that much of it clung to my body like sticky lint. The queen spider was now in a jar, caring for the cocoon-turned-eggs. The jar, too, was like some sort of protection that people from the outside world were providing for the queen spider. I couldn't quite understand why anyone would protect the spider that way and allow it to live and multiply. The queen, almost tauntingly, began taking its baby-ready eggs and tossing them around the room. One of them was intentionally aimed at me and went straight down the back of my shirt, causing a mini freak out on my part.<br /><br />Still fearful of the queen spider, I devised a way to kill it without having to touch it. I decided that, if I covered the top of the jar, the spider would suffocate. I carefully placed a magazine over the jar and waited. On the ground was a slug shaped bug wearing the classic red and blue spiderman costume. The slug crawled to the jar and removed the magazine. Again, I put the magazine back on top of the jar. The slug returned again to protect the queen spider.<br /><br />At this point I resigned and gave up. I also had this feeling of regret that I didn't address the spider problem early on when I could have dealt with it. Dream over.<br /><br />Now that I've accounted for there dream, here's what DreamMoods says about spiders...<br /><br />"To see a spider in your dream, indicates that you are feeling like an outsider in some situation. Or that you may want to keep your distance and stay away from an alluring and tempting situation. The spider is also symbolic of feminine power. Alternatively, a spider may refer to a powerful force protecting you against your self-destructive behavior. If you kill a spider, it symbolizes misfortune and general bad luck.<br /><br />To see a spider spinning a web in your dream, signifies that you will be rewarded for your hard work. You will soon find yourself promoted in your job or recognized for your achievement in a difficult task. Spiders are a symbol of creativity due to the intricate webs they spin. On a negative note, spiders may indicate a feeling of being entangled or trapped in a sticky or clingy relationship. It represents some ensnaring and controlling force. You may feel that someone or some situation is sucking the life right out of you.<br /><br />To see a spider climbing up a wall in your dream, denotes that your desires will be soon be realized.<br /><br />To dream that you are bitten by a spider, represents a conflict with your mother or some dominant female figure in your life. The dream may be a metaphor for a devouring mother or the feminine power to possess and entrap. Perhaps you are feeling trapped by some relationship."<br /><br />Now it's your turn. Go ahead. Analyze away.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sHzdsFiBbFc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sHzdsFiBbFc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394338.post-58873853859760146422008-09-27T09:56:00.000-07:002008-09-27T10:20:57.518-07:009/27/08 Happy Anniversary, TelescopeHappy 400th Anniversary, Telescope! Thanks to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Lippershey">Hans Lipperhey</a>, who first filed for the telescope patent in October, 1608, humankind would eventually grow up and realize that it's not all about me, me, me. Sure it took some longer than others, but our egotistical "We're the center of everything" place in the universe eventually became more clear. And far more humbling.<br /><br />The following year, Galileo Galilei, making improvements of his own to the telescope, saw four of Jupiters moons (Io, Europa, Casllito, and later Ganymede) and began plotting their orbits. This alone proved that the earth wasn't the center of <em>everything</em>. In that same year, Johannes Kepler published <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomia_nova">Astronomia Nova</a>, containing ten years of research and observation on the orbit of Mars. One of the biggest findings was that Mars' orbit was not circular, but rather elliptical, leading to one of Kepler's Laws. In honor of these great accomplishments in the year 1609, next year is being celebrated as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Year_of_Astronomy">International Year of Astronomy</a>.<br /><br />------<br /><br />A very near and dear friend encouraged me to still write, despite my sad attempts to even do this once a week. So, for those of you that enjoy reading this, you have No Longer Neighbor Natalie to thank for my attempt at some sort of writing resurgence.<br /><br />------<br /><br />From the nerdy to the heartfelt to the childish, a new absurd song has toppled "Milkshake" and "Umbrella" as the one to get stuck in my head for days at a time. In what Mike has accurately described as "appalling", "Paper Planes" takes the top spot in this week's top horrendous songs that I still listen to. I think I enjoy the gun shots in the chorus most.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7sei-eEjy4g&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7sei-eEjy4g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>http://www.nachosrule.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02900005971294721635noreply@blogger.com0