Ploafmaster General

Reeling from the unexpected blow to the forehead, Allen spun around to face his attacker screaming, "..."

Dang...there's a lot of crazy web apps out there intended to "connect" people together.

There's the reprehensible MySpace. I tried it out hoping to drive more traffic here. Didn't really work, but I did get in touch with a few folks I hadn't heard from since high school. That was kinda neat. Now my profile lays dormant with a message pointing people to a different service...

I also tried Facebook (and still sorta use it), but while I gathered "friends" rather quickly, it seems mostly like a way for people to post a few inane messages on the profiles of those folks they don't see too often.

There's del.icio.us, the so-called "social bookmarking" action. I essentially created a profile there for two reasons: 1. Universally accessible bookmarks, and 2. Topical RSS feeds. I don't usually get around to putting much in there, but then I don't suppose I often consider much of my web-reading to be bookmark-worthy.

My neglected Myspace profile now directs people to my presence on VIRBº - a slick new profile/friends/music/etc. site that allows for truly beautiful customization (and naturally the hideous is pretty easy, too). I check that frequently, but most of my real-world friends that use any sites of this nature are still stuck on MySpace or Facebook. So I don't see a lot of activity on my profile.

Finally, there's the new Twitter app. I've already said most of what I can about it for now. I use that pretty heavily, just because it's kinda fun to play around with. And the BBC World updates are quite useful. Again, only a few people I really know use it, so it's not as cool as it could be.

I can't imagine what other forms of Social Networking are around the corner. AOL's Ficlet's looks promising and fun, but trying to keep up with one more thing is onerous and ridiculous at this point. Maybe I'll drop MySpace forever. It's about time. And Facebook? I'm already tiring of it.

There are too many distractions, and I suppose I'm still old-fashioned enough that I prefer to interact with my friends over a sandwich at a local restaurant instead of teh interwebs.

Today, Jake and Nate were gracious enough to help me hang a new front door. The process took nearly twice as long as I thought it would, but after 3.5 hours, my new front door was up and swinging perfectly with it's glorious oil-rubbed bronze hardware assembled.

Now I just need to put in some new weather stripping and a new threshold (and likely a sweep as well) and we'll be all set.

Q: what is your favorite kitchen utensil?

A: Chris, you've asked a question that is very dear to my heart, as I enjoy cooking so much. I revel as excitedly about culinary gear as I do the latest tech gadgetry.

Before I say what my favorite kitchen utensil is, I have to clarify - as oft I am wont - my terms. When I talk about utensils, I don't mean simply that which may be used. In this context I'm talking about purely mechanical implements that aid food preparation. I'll exclude the cookware/bakeware itself, but my definition also excludes electronics such as my KitchenAid stand mixer or my electronic probe thermometer.

All that being said, my favorite Kitchen Utensil is by far the pair of stainless steel Oxo Good Grips tongs. Tongs in general are extremely versatile - whether for fishing something out of a marinade or rotating that pork tenderloin in the frying pan.

Some close runners-up, however, would include my Microplane zester/grater and my 8" Chef's Knife.

There it is...post questions for the next Ask Dan in the comments!

Slate had an interesting article posted today regarding potential alternatives to the standard hand-on-Bible oath - all intended for Mr. Rove, should he actually appear before Congressional panels.

Looks like a gentleman in London has created a host of "Twitter bots" that essentially auto-update with the headline ticker from BBC News' website.

I'm totally digging the BBC World bot, and follow it on Twitter. It's like a free RSS feed reader that auto-updates, and provides a link at the end of each "tweet" to the full story.

So there's a practical use for Twitter.

What do you write when it's a slow, foggy week?

A post about how slow and foggy you feel during said week.

Really...it's pretty dull around here lately. Although I AM finally rebuilding my blog...slowly, foggily, but surely.

Alright, so I'm getting sucked in.

Call it inane. Call it a waste. I think it's fun, at least for now. Go check out Twitter, and then look me up.

UPDATE: Okay, so the Twitter site is slow as molasses on a cold day. It's kinda cool, but as I've mentioned in some of my notes on the app, I feel like it's reaching critical mass. Following SXSW it appears to be grinding slowly along. These folks will need to do something about their bandwidth soon or else a potentially good thing will collapse under its own weight.

Crumbs.

After engineering an AMAZING comeback late in the second half, VCU couldn't go without fouling in a nail-biting overtime, costing us the victory. So I'm a little bummed right now.

I tell you what, VCU had better pay Anthony Grant what he asks for when the inevitable contract renegotiation happens this summer. I think under his teaching, and the increasing talent of some of the younger fellas on the squad, we have a chance of getting back in the tourney next year.

So, a bit forlorn, I still yell, "Go RAMS!"

Q: if you really had the cheat as your sidekick would you really kick him? Would you let him have light switch rave parties? What kind of stuff would he do for you as a sidekick?

A: You bet your behind I'd kick The Cheat. Only way to keep him in line. And no, there'd be no light switch rave parties. Waste of electricity, and too much of a risk of seizure for everybody else.

With The Cheat in line and not misbehaving, I think I'd have him fetch all my meals. And mix me some suudsu.

That's it. Nothing major, nothing exciting. But it's an answer. I mean, I've had an exhausting, crappy week. Cut me some slack, eh? ;-)

Post your questions for next week in the comments section!

Oh man, that was a nail-biter of a game. Coming back from an egregious early deficit, my Rams managed to stick close to Duke's score throughout the last 3/4 of the game, occasionally hopping into the lead for fleeting moments.

Finally, with 1.8 seconds left on the clock, Maynor put up a FG to push the score to its final resting place.

Our next shot will be against the winner of the Pittsburgh-Wright State game on Saturday.

Cool essay about an interesting musical context by Sufjan Stevens.

My musical mind is almost about to explode.

Indie-Hip-Hop emcee Busdriver has sampled Yes' "Close to the Edge" - specifically the "...I get up, I get down" portion from the middle of the track.

Wow, interesting song, cool groove, and crazy points just for busting the musical mold from all sides by bitin' from a progressive rock legend for a rap tune.

Score! I put 65 cents into the vending machine at work for some Junior Mints.

The box dropped, the auger kept spinning...

Another box dropped! The machine then tells me that I still have 65 cents and should make another selection! I figured, what the heck, I'll try for two more boxes of Junior Mints! It tells me to pick something else, however, so I opt for some Starburst...only one pack this time :-)

Holy Cow. 200 mpg, reasonable cruising speed, and spaceship looks to boot? And they want to try selling 'em for 20 large? SIGN ME UP!

For the second time in three years, VCU's Men's Basketball Team is heading to the NCAA tournament.

We face off against Duke University's Blue Devils in the first round, this Thursday night at 7:10 pm.

Go RAMS!!!

V! C! UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Hilarious inclusion of George Bush in the Teletubbies intro:
[youtube [www.youtube.com/watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFBwD2b5nz8&w=425&h=350])

As much as I prefer the local cafe, I just read an interesting memo from Starbucks' chairman Howard Schultz lamenting the loss of his company's "soul" over the years.

The memo, and the article in Slate in which I read it, are worth a look.

Holycrapitstoofunnyformenottolaugh:
http://eeuauaughhhuauaahh.ytmnd.com/

It's Friday, which means I'm noodling around more than working at my office. I figure I'll start off by posting a vid of an AWESOME cover of Outkast's "Hey Ya" performed by one fella, his voice, and some guitars. My buddy Nate pointed me to this, and I have to say, it's actually really pleasant and melancholy. Check it:
[youtube [www.youtube.com/watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8nkkOA_AM&w=425&h=350])

I was in Target on Tuesday evening with my wife and sister-in-law when I came across the following on my way to the electronics section:


I don't think I really need to say anything further on the subject.

I finally reclaimed the rest of my missing Weezer collection.

It's been about 6 years since I lost my original copies of Weezer's so-called Blue Album and Pinkerton, and though I was able to acquire the excellent 10th anniversary copy of the former, I'd held off on the latter in hopes they would release an equally tasty anniversary edition.

Alas, they didn't - spurning Pinkerton once again as they did when it failed to achieve commercial success the first go-'round. So last night I finally located a copy of the truly excellent rock album at Barnes and Noble in the Near-West End of Richmond.

I sure have missed such fantastic tracks as "Tired of Sex," "Across the Sea," "El Scorcho," and "Butterfly." The lyrics, the guitar solos, the bass lines - everything is fantastic. I think what really sealed the warm-fuzzies in my mind was the drive to Target later in the evening - Valerie, her sister, and myself cruising down the highway and Broad Street singing "El Scorcho" at the top of our lungs.

While I continue to mourn for the death of Rivers Cuomo's quality songwriting I'm relieved to reconnect with what is, in my opinion, some of his finest work.

I know I only have a few readers, and I know of those, none of you really listen to Radio Paradise (though I know Mugs has before). But PLEASE take a minute to read this clearly articulated description of the crisis now facing all internet broadcasters.

I know using a word like "crisis" is a bit dramatic, but consider the creativity, flexibility, and freedom that comes from being able to run your own low-cost broadcast station, and the choice that provides to music lovers everywhere: niche stations with no commercials, rare music otherwise unheard of, and creative DJs who favor intricately crafted play lists over the latest top 40 drivel.

Though I'm not entirely surprised that our government has favored business interests over the arts and fair use, I'm still really pissed off that the Copyright Royalty Board essentially ignored other opinions and went right along with the requests of the abominable RIAA. Screw those guys.

Valerie picked Talladega Nights for her Netflix queue, and tonight we watched it. Or, well, I did while she snoozed. That happens a lot - even with movies she likes.

I give this flick, co-written, co-produced, and starring Will Ferrell, 3 stars out of 5. The acting was alright, the humor, as my buddy Dave indicated, was limited mostly to what you saw in the commercials. The story was light, the cameos were gratuitous, and the film-making was amazing.

I was floored, actually, to finally see a major studio release a comedy that I felt contained excellent directing, photography, and editing. Full letterbox, well-composed shots, gorgeous color, and fantastic cuts that made portions of NASCAR racing exciting even to me, if only for those abbreviated scenes.

The film-making, I'd say, actually saved this movie from a crappy 2. Good show, Andy McKay.