Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:28 am

JasonZavoda wrote:

The Office is one of the few UK shows that fell flat for me. A bit loud and very sad in its way. I will have to try the American version of the office.

Jason the American version is quite different...same general plotline, but COMPLETELY different tone. While the UK version is very edgy, dark and more likely to make you cringe than laugh, the American version is pure subversive hilarity from the word go. Steve Carrell is genius...much better here than any of his films. While no one has a boss exactly this insane and brainless, everyone has had a boss LIKE Michael Scott....a functioning idiot who has risen to his level on incomptency.

The first three seasons are definitely the best....lost it's edge a bit this last season (but still great).

Mike B.

Posts: 592 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:50 am

Well, I'm doing something tonight I haven't done since I was a teenager... Shocked

Queueing overnight for tickets! Laughing

Hope it doesnt rain too much!

Cheers,
Malc

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:20 am

lawrenson wrote:

Well, I'm doing something tonight I haven't done since I was a teenager... Shocked

Queueing overnight for tickets! Laughing

Hope it doesnt rain too much!

Cheers,
Malc

ROCK AND ROLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

Remember lots of beer....

Who's the band?

Mike B.

Posts: 592 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:47 am

Ah, yes, "the band" IS the sign that I'm a lot older. Sad

On the other hand, most bands nowadays sell tickets thru the Internet, so I don't HAVE to queue!

This is for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet at the Novello, in London.

Its starring David Tennant (Dr Who) and Patrick Stewart (Trek) and good tickets for the recent run at Stratford on Avon were like gold dust. I would think this shorter run in London will be even harder to get. Tickets go on sale at the box office tomorrow. Hence the overnighter.

Got me beer, big warm coat, camping chair, tarpaulin, sandwiches, flask of tea and, of course, my towel! Very Happy

Cheers,
Malc

Posts: 2556 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:50 am

Death of OPEC?

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/09/11/the-dea th-of-opec.aspx

I can't even begin to fathom all of the possible ramifications of what will happen if the Saudi's leave OPEC.

Quote:

It was tired of rants from Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and the well-dressed oil minister from Iran.

Aren't we all? Very Happy

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:17 pm

lawrenson wrote:

Ah, yes, "the band" IS the sign that I'm a lot older. Sad

On the other hand, most bands nowadays sell tickets thru the Internet, so I don't HAVE to queue!

This is for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet at the Novello, in London.

Its starring David Tennant (Dr Who) and Patrick Stewart (Trek) and good tickets for the recent run at Stratford on Avon were like gold dust. I would think this shorter run in London will be even harder to get. Tickets go on sale at the box office tomorrow. Hence the overnighter.

Got me beer, big warm coat, camping chair, tarpaulin, sandwiches, flask of tea and, of course, my towel! Very Happy

Cheers,
Malc

Cool!

When I went to the UK in the 80's I got to see three plays...Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, and Henry V with Kenneth Branagh (long before the movie version!!!)...at a Stratford on Avon venue. Great stuff. I think those English blokes know a thing or two about staging a Shakespeare play.... Wink

Good Luck with the tickets! You could still bring some more beer!!!

Mike B.

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:25 pm

Kingofpain89 wrote:

Death of OPEC?

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/09/11/the-dea th-of-opec.aspx

I can't even begin to fathom all of the possible ramifications of what will happen if the Saudi's leave OPEC.

Aren't we all? Very Happy

Some of the Saudis were very pissed off about the recent speculation in the oil markets and the lack of initiative to slow the price increase. Basically, they were frightened that a perceived lack of product, along with a rise in price, would drive their customers (Read: USA) to seek other forms of energy, but most importantly, curtail use of said product. The idea is keep the relatively cheap oil flowing, countries like the US keep the giant gas guzzlers driving, and we don't investigate alternative fuel sources while we lead to a constant flow of money into their pockets. High prices only lead to conservation of use, which is detrimental to oil producing nations in the long run.

And it's happened, oil use is at it's lowest in years, we are driving less than we have in the last two decades, fuel guzzlers are being dumped by the Big Three in favor of fuel efficient vehicles, and talk of alternative fuel sources is the loudest it's ever been. I'd say the Saudis have a reason to be pissed....OPEC just took a permanent chunk out of their wallet by their inaction the last few months. It will be very interesting to see what happens....back to $2 a gallon gas?????

Mike B.

Posts: 1756 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:08 pm

lawrenson wrote:

This is for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet at the Novello, in London.

Its starring David Tennant (Dr Who) and Patrick Stewart (Trek) and good tickets for the recent run at Stratford on Avon were like gold dust. I would think this shorter run in London will be even harder to get. Tickets go on sale at the box office tomorrow. Hence the overnighter.

Got me beer, big warm coat, camping chair, tarpaulin, sandwiches, flask of tea and, of course, my towel! Very Happy

Cheers,
Malc

Good luck. It got great reviews when it played in Stratford. Weather for central London: should stay dry and no lower than 13 - best pack a brolly just in case though Very Happy

Posts: 592 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:29 pm

Update from Mrs Malcolm,

If its on the TV, he's at the front of the queue.
Got there just before the next person.

He's under cover. All the theatre lights go off at midnight.

He's also completely drunk already.

Cheers,
Karen

Posts: 592 · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:34 pm

RE: Hurricane Ike

Hope all our Texas contingent are OK?

Cheers,
Malc

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:38 pm

lawrenson wrote:

RE: Hurricane Ike

Hope all our Texas contingent are OK?

Cheers,
Malc

Just wind and rain here, but we are several hundred miles away. Galveston island is pretty much underwater. Lots less damage than expected, due to a storm surge of about half what was expected. However, because thousands of people didn't evacuate, hundreds of rescuers are now having to risk their lives in air and sea rescues. My son and daughter stayed in Houston and except for no electricity or water didn't have any problems. They both have propane cookers which will come in handy, they are saying power may be out for three weeks or more in some areas! They are also saying to boil water due to low water pressure. Should be fun.... Rolling Eyes

If you check out the national news the most compelling pictures IMO are the skyscrapers with gaping holes in them with windows blown out. Because of the very real danger of falling glass, desks, computers, etc, those streets will be cordoned off until they can knock the glass out of the buildings from the inside and put up plywood. I know when we had a tornado in FW over a decade ago, it took about 7 months to do this in the downtown area, it's a very time consuming and painstaking duty. It will take quite awhile to clean up this mess. My wife was traveling to Houston next weekend and now it looks like that's been scrubbed due to conditions.

Mike B.

Posts: 1076 · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:31 pm

Where I am, strong winds with gusts and heavy rain arrived around 2:30PM Central Time.

Aneoth and King are probably experiencing similar weather. BadMike is too far west to get the heavy stuff.

Here's the link (currently blowing up with a Java error on the server-side) to an animated North Texas radar: http://www.dallasnews.com/weather/radar/bigradar2.html

If this is as bad as it gets, it's nothing for the DFW area.

Posts: 108 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:54 pm

So eBay closed today at $22.00, down 2.44%. Not great, but still a lot better than, say, Merrill Lynch, AIG, JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers, Hewlett Packard, Bank of America . . . . . Shocked

Then there's the flooding here in the Midwest, the hurricanes in the Gulf . . . .

I don't live anywhere near the potential path of a hurricane, but I'm starting to think about stocking up on bottled water, MREs and batteries.

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:28 pm

Bracton wrote:

So eBay closed today at $22.00, down 2.44%. Not great, but still a lot better than, say, Merrill Lynch, AIG, JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers, Hewlett Packard, Bank of America . . . . . Shocked

Then there's the flooding here in the Midwest, the hurricanes in the Gulf . . . .

I don't live anywhere near the potential path of a hurricane, but I'm starting to think about stocking up on bottled water, MREs and batteries.

Don't forget extra dice, minis, and graph paper!!! The Essentials!!!! Very Happy

Mike B.

Posts: 343 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:37 am

Found this posted in my office yesterday. I think they're kidding...

Office Procedures Concerning Storm and Office Closings

Hurricane Category #1
No excuse for being late. Leave earlier to give extra time to avoid fallen trees and limbs.

Hurricane Category #2
Due to the horizontal rain, you may wear jeans.

Hurricane Category #3
Whereas most of the area will be flooded, we suggest you avoid wearing open-toe sandals when coming to work. Canoes will be provided to get to the building safely without getting wet.

Hurricane Category #4
More than likely there will be no electricity. Given that, we will have manual typewriters available to all staff members. Please take extra caution and wear water-proof make-up if Category 4 or above.

Hurricane Category #5
Velcro will be provided to keep you attached to your chairs when the windows blow out. For those that survive, we will have chocolate cake (provided by FEMA) at 3:00 pm in the kitchen. AND we'll all leave one hour earlier to assess damage at our homes; however, be on time the next morning...we need you here.

Posts: 96 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:22 am

Bracton wrote:

So eBay closed today at $22.00, down 2.44%. Not great, but still a lot better than, say, Merrill Lynch, AIG, JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers, Hewlett Packard, Bank of America . . . . . Shocked

Then there's the flooding here in the Midwest, the hurricanes in the Gulf . . . .

I don't live anywhere near the potential path of a hurricane, but I'm starting to think about stocking up on bottled water, MREs and batteries.

Flooding in the Midwest... heh...

We got 12+ inches of rain in Chicago in a 3-day period (Fri/Sat/Sun), and the area around my house reached the saturation point after day 2. Thank God that the electicity was still working (sump and ejector pumps were working fine...). The comic books are safe. Very Happy

Wednesday morning and finally most roads opening up that were closed off.

Posts: 1117 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:25 am

Badmike wrote:

Don't forget extra dice, minis, and graph paper!!! The Essentials!!!! Very Happy

Extra dice? What would qualify as extra dice? Is that the equivalent of a second bag/box full of dice? Razz

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:36 pm

g026r wrote:

Extra dice? What would qualify as extra dice? Is that the equivalent of a second bag/box full of dice? Razz

Ummm....more than can fit in two Crown Royal bags????? Very Happy

Mike B.

Posts: 108 · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:21 pm

Invincible Overlord wrote:

Flooding in the Midwest... heh...

We got 12+ inches of rain in Chicago in a 3-day period (Fri/Sat/Sun), and the area around my house reached the saturation point after day 2. Thank God that the electicity was still working (sump and ejector pumps were working fine...). The comic books are safe. Very Happy

Wednesday morning and finally most roads opening up that were closed off.

Someone put a sign on a stopsign post on a street nearby my house: "No Wake Zone". Crying or Very sad

Posts: 1291 · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:17 am

Toolhaus now have a section for false positives - where a seller puts the word 'neg' or 'negative' in positive feedback. A small thing maybe, but I'll be looking (and using it!)