AT&T really wants you to stick around.
If you text “yes” to 11113020 they will give you 1000 free rollover minutes with no strings attached. But maybe, just maybe, this little gesture will make you stay.
DogsOfWar
542 posts
Do you like pain and suffering? Do you hate the way Microsoft Office’s menus look since the “ribbon” interface was introduced? Would you like to go back to a simpler time? Would you like a free as in beer and free as in freedom alternative?
If you answered yes to all of these questions then today is a great day for you. OpenOffice.org 3.3 was just released.
If you find a bug let us know here. And even better if you find a workaround post it with the bug. We’ll keep a list so that we know which things are on purpose and which things are just bugs.
Who wants to talk about Big Love? It’s big, it has love and it’s on HBO so they can show and say whatever they want. Now go discuss. Continue reading
In this edition of not dressing like a slob we’ll look at professional attire. I have compiled a very simple list of things any gentleman can do to avoid looking like a complete tool while not spending and more money on clothes than he otherwise would. Each of these items I see gentlemen doing wrong on a regular basis and feel the need to help.
Rule 1 – Know what to match
- Shoes match your belt
- Socks match your pants
Rule 2 – Your pants should not be from the 1990s
- No cuffs
- No pleats
- Good length (people should not be able to see socks while you’re standing up)
Rule 3 – Know your size
- If you are a gentleman of a larger girth or height you may need to shop where sizes are well stocked for you
- If your shirt buttons are straining then your shirt is too small
Rule 4 – Know your age – shoes
- Your shoes should not have tassels unless you are over 60
- Timberland work boots are not dress shoes no matter how clean they are
- Learn the pleasures of a good shoe shine
Bonus Round – $5 word
- Haberdashery – A clothing and accessory store that specializes in the needs of a gentleman
Now, help out with your own wisdom in the comments.
Today we learned the following.
- The inspiration for Paul’s Boutique burned down.
- Braid is going to get back together and record a new album.
- You can listen to the new Iron & Wine album online, if you’re into that sort of thing. Personally, I find the breathlessness overwhelming.
Remember when I posted about the Wake Mate alarm clock system?
Well, it was recalled because of the explosive nature of its USB charger.
Have you noticed lately that your Netflix (or Redbox, Blockbuster, etc.) movies aren’t as feature packed as they used to be? The movie studio overlords had a problem, the rental houses only have to buy a disc once and then they can send it to hundreds or thousands of people. The studio oligarchy would much rather that individuals pay $30 each for individual copies of those movies. A new plan was needed.
Enter the “movie only” copies of DVDs and Blu-ray discs. Let us take the money making machine that is Twilight Eclipse as an example.
Your kids already forced you to take them to see it in the theater for $12 a pop plus snacks. Now the whole point of getting the DVD or Blu-ray is to watch the special features, so they put it on their Christmas wish list. Grandma goes to Best Buy and gets them the only copy they have left, the single disc DVD. The back of the box doesn’t list any features, but granny doesn’t know anything about the schemes of movie studios.
Your kid and her friends just want to watch the commentary where the pale face Brit tells what it was like to make out with Miss Dead Eyes. But it’s not there. So, you march down to return the stupid thing (open box returns are fun) and you are presented with a well stocked after holiday shelf where you find the following:
1. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Two-Disc Special Edition) DVD
2. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Single-Disc Edition) DVD
3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray on a flip disc
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Single-Disc Edition) Blu-ray
Can you guess which one has special features, or which features each one has? If you said number 1 and 3 you’re win a prize (that being the ability to hear Miss Dead Eyes attempt to emote). Further, can you guess which are the only ones the studios will sell to the rental companies?
This leaves only one question. What took them so long?
When my wife told me she wanted a turntable for Christmas I knew this was going to be one of those gifts that I would enjoy just as much as she does. When it came time to pick a turntable though I was confronted with a broad range of prices and products for what is a metal platter that spins a piece vinyl around in a circle. I immediately decided that I had no use for a $2000 turntable. Fortunately there were many in the $80 to $300 range from reputable companies that have made turntables for decades.
Another feature that I didn’t need was the built in ability to transfer to a computer, though an astute reader will notice by the name of the review I ended up with that anyway. I did want a built in phono pre-amp
It was Chris who suggested that I look at the Music Hall USB-1. The price was in the range I was looking at, it had a nice look to it and it included all of the features I wanted. It also had positive reviews online so I decided to go for it.
It’s available on Amazon Prime
We unboxed it immediately on Christmas day since I wasn’t about to have that thing sit unopened. Unfortunately we were at the mother-in-law’s so I had to improvise a hookup to her Sony soundbar setup. The turntable comes in a couple easy to assemble pieces and includes an Audio Technica AT3600L moving-magnet cartridge which locks easily into the tone arm.
The box includes a short RCA style stereo cable pair, USB cable and software for transferring music to a computer (which I haven’t used). The power cord is a standard 110V, two prong, polarized cord which is permanently affixed to the unit.
When we were able to get the unit home and I had time to hook it up I replaced the included RCA cables with longer gold tipped ones since I needed more reach and had an extra set in a drawer. The turntable is hooked up to a Pioneer VSX-9040THX receiver. The back of the turntable has a selector switch for sending the signal without modification or sending the signal through the built in pre-amp.
Aside from the receiver not having a pre-amp another bit of the past that is gone from the home entertainment center is the clearance necessary in a cabinet to lift the dust cover. For this reason I had to install the turntable on a stand next to the main entertainment center. Fortunately the table was already there and being used for a phone and photo albums. The photographs were replaced with the phonograph.
The first test album was Pet Sounds in mono. My brain uses Sloop John B as a reference song for everything so this was handy.
The album is mono and goes to a stereo input so it plays only through the two main front speakers. Setting a playback mode on the receiver will force it through the center channel as well, though this should be done with caution since it can add sound effects that are undesirable. The turntable spins up quickly after the power switch is set to on and the start/stop button is pressed.
The sound quality is was great and the unit has a nice fluid operation to all of the functions. The second test album was Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast. This album was used but in nice condition. Additionally it was recorded in stereo and has a nice range. You really can’t go wrong with Bruce Dickinson either. The sound reproduction was outstanding. The output level is a little lower than some of my other components so the listening level is a bit higher than for the TiVo. The other thing that becomes immediately apparent is that these albums were released before the Loudness War.
The third test album was Abbey Road which sounded the best of all three. The sound was quit rich and carried nicely throughout the house.
We have purchased a few more modern albums since and await their arrival.
“Ugly people craft and attractive people have sex.”