obfuscated.org

Stephanie just told me about Mike Rowe’s previous life on QVC. There’s some amazing stuff out there on the Youtubes. Check it out.

Man, home repairs sure do suck. I’d hate it if something like this happened to me.

I know I threw that party for my boys and said we were “done” years ago… but that really needs to be put into context, you see. When I said “done” I meant “done with the hard part,” which was convincing you to let us tear up your bathroom. I mean, we knew once we got in there wasn’t going to be any finishing for years. No, in retrospect, I guess I could have been clearer about that. But that’s ancient history, now. I mean, you’ve got a new toilet to look forward to, someday! Right, and a shower, if we get to it.

The always-worth-reading Rands on laptops in meetings

The solution here is simple. If you’re in a meeting where you have no role such that you’re tempted to stare at your laptop: stop going. If you’re running a meeting infested with laptops and, after repeated gentle reminders about your no-laptop policy, there are still laptops: remove the laptop offenders from the meeting.

This brute force approach strikes me as being a violation of the Rands “Don’t be a prick” policy, but frequent readers know that not being a prick is always trumped by the even more important policy of “Don’t waste my time”. Besides, being a prick is going to have some interesting side effects.

It’s worth noting that “don’t waste my time” is a proper subset of “don’t be a prick.”

Oh my. I thought this was a joke when I started getting the email about it….

My money is on the winners from the Silverlake regional to take it all.

A quote on the Wikipedia page for Fermat’s last therom made me chuckle:

Fermat’s last theorem is one of the most famous theorems in the history of mathematics, familiar to nigh every mathematician, and had achieved a recognizable status in popular culture prior to its proof.

You’ll not find copy like this in Britannica, that’s for damn sure.

McSweeney’s Pros and Cons of the Top 20 Democratic Presidential Candidates is pretty funny.

11.

ALLEN IVERSON

Pro: Instant offense. Con: Selfish with the ball; may have lost a step.

12.

IRA GLASS

Pro: Thoughtful; self-effacing; like many Americans, enjoys cable television. Con: At present, no budget line item exists for moody introspective music to underscore every statement president makes in order to make it sound more poignant.

16.

JESUS CHRIST

Pro: Could draw some initial interest from the Christian right until they research his actual positions in a deeper way; likable; strong leadership qualities. Con: Unkempt; pretty far left; messianic complex.

[Via]

COULTON’s “thing a week” and the “Jonathan Coulton Project” are available as podcasts. Subscribe.

After years of happy pet-free living, we finally gave in and got a cat. Meet Tommy:

I’ve pre-ordered a year’s supply of Claritin, but being completely zonked out 24/7 will totally be worth it to have a little feline companionship around the house. Plus I get to blog about my cat, which is braggable.

For a good time, play both videos at the same time.