Tropicanopolis

2012-01-27T10:13:00.001-05:00

Especially stink beetles!

2012-01-27T08:35:00.001-05:00

Even stink beetles?

2012-01-26T20:56:00.001-05:00

Thanks again, State Ignoramuses.

2012-01-26T08:33:00.001-05:00

Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham? I better go read Great Expectations again.

2012-01-23T11:54:00.000-05:00

2012-01-17T08:36:00.002-05:00

mp3otd: Frank Zappa - Don't Eat the Yellow Snow

Bored? Like Ron Swanson? How 'bout this? [warning: audio/video link]

2012-01-14T18:49:00.001-05:00

2012-01-13T10:03:00.006-05:00

Honestly, there are times when I like the new Real Estate album more than these people.

I remember someone posting a link awhile ago about a book that did not use the letter "e". I would like to see a book that does not include a single adverb or split infinitive. It should win a Pulitzer on technical merit alone.

Some one FINALLY posted this old CBS report about the year 2001 on YouTube (made in 1985).

2012-01-11T16:08:00.001-05:00

Yeah, it gets good.

2012-01-10T16:57:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across this on Pandora today. Thumbs up.
Daydream in Blue - I Monster

2012-01-10T13:32:00.001-05:00

and At the Drive-in?! Oh, happy day!

2012-01-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

Well how 'bout that.

2012-01-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

My cable provider offered free Showtime this past weekend, forcing me to watch as much Homeland as possible. It's like 24, minus the plot holes and conservative ax grinding.

Once again I have broken my "No more Stephen King books" vow and started reading 11/22/63. Based on the first 300 pages, I recommend it.

2012-01-08T19:37:00.006-05:00

I don't know how to pace posts. No one ever taught me...

I recently got a home phone line. The first call I received was a wrong number. Figures. At least it's unlimited incoming calls.

I also recently had an impossible time fixing a virused-up computer (not mine). It must have affected the boot sector or some other fancy computer words that I know just enough about to be dangerous. I was writing zeros to the hard drive, using the "Ultimate Bood CD", and so on. Finally after a seemingly random series of button smashes and reboots, Success!! Maybe I'll give dabbling in computer fixin' a bit of a break.

Scott or Ryan, have either of you played the newest iteration of Saints Row? I've never played any version, but they have certainly looked entertaining.

On a video game-related note, a reported South Park RPG that looks just like South Park piques my interest, but not quite enough to get into that genre.

In world news, it looks like the US will place more sanctions on Iran until war becomes inevitable. Let's just be thankful that they don't ICBMs; although, a lack of threatened mutual annihilation makes war between us all that much more possible. Somehow North Korea has "survived" world sanctions, and their weapons keep the 50+ year stalemate going. In general, the US' rule-of-thumb should be to avoid Vizzini's classic blunders, "The most famous of which is 'never get involved in a land war in Asia.'"

The benefits of having a baby around:

Man Stroke Woman - Burp the Baby by atomicwedgie

The upcoming CES 2012 reminds me of the promising technology that will never be and that which will be but will be implemented poorly. I look forward to wide-scale production of OLED TVs with their superior images and lower power consumption (although they need to fix the lifetime of the blue organics).

I would also like to see improved LED light bulbs which turn on instantly, don't contain mercury, consume half the power of CFLs and last 6 times as long; however dimmability requires special technology rather than current wall dimmers, and, more importantly, white colors have been very subpar to-date, i.e. poor for use as indoor lighting sources.

I don't have much new to report on the television front. I've just gotten into 30 Rock since it is easy to watch much of the series consecutively; although I probably won't watch the series again once caught up. I've been doing the same with Archer, although much slower. I want to give SCTV, Kids in the Hall, and News Radio all a dedicated watch.

I have no new music endorsements since Green Naugahyde recommended originally by Andy. Although, if he hasn't heard, I would recommend Les Claypool's solo projects like "Of Fungi and Foe," "Of Whales and Woe," "High Ball with the Devil," and "Purple Onion."

2012-01-05T22:46:00.002-05:00

I dunno if I've posted these items before, but here goes...

I like these Tiny Houses, but the price seems pretty step. I'm sure the hipsters living in them wouldn't mind too much. The design is a really neat idea and very aesthetic, but I'm sure anyone would get stir crazy after awhile. Unless they were placed in some beautifully scenic terrain, and you could open them up for nice days to bring in the outdoors. (There's a picture I've seen online of a man sitting in an A-frame hut with part of the roof off with the backdrop of mountains and I think a lake, but I can't find the picture on Google, so just imagine it)

I also like the idea of a self-sufficient floating island. The guy's first one was a little bit better developed, but a hurricane took care of that. If you guys are thinking of birthday gift ideas for me, please, consider one of these.

2012-01-03T19:16:00.002-05:00

Lest you think I'm a total ninny for always talking about Downton Abbey, I started watching Justified. A police procedural that isn't lame and is definitely not for the ladies.

2012-01-03T10:03:00.002-05:00

Our electric company occasionally sends us rebates/coupons for new lightbulbs. You might try calling yours and see if you can get something.

2012-01-02T18:07:00.003-05:00

I like the idea of replacing incandescent bulbs all over the place, but (in addition to the cold temperature problem) I think it's a poor idea when every damn bulb in my house seems to be on a dimmer. $10/bulb is a pretty big initial cost.

2012-01-01T12:43:00.002-05:00

Oh, Scott, you so silly!

The Hangover II is exactly what I expected it to be: a rehash of the first movie in a new locale. I would say it's less re-watchable than the original mainly due to the lack of original dialogue and memorable phrases. That said, I still enjoyed it.

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy is one of those limited-release comedies with a number of recognizable (but not first-billed) faces. It was entertaining throughout and worth at least one watch in my book. (It's not nearly as absurd and hilarious as Wet Hot American Summer, which only gets funnier as I rewatch it).

2011-12-31T20:33:00.004-05:00

I never liked the theorem that a roomful of monkeys typing for a million years eventually produce Shakespeare. Given that logic, it is just as probable the monkeys type out The Protocols of the Elders of Zion or The Communist Manifesto.

Then what do you do? You have to kill those monkeys, and nobody wants to kill monkeys.

2011-12-29T14:05:00.004-05:00

Official countdown to Season 2 of Downton Abbey: 10 days.

Several reviews say the new season is a step down in quality from the first with respect to plot, but I'm still a sucker for period pieces and British acting.

2011-12-23T20:34:00.001-05:00

Sounds good!

2011-12-22T20:51:00.002-05:00

Congratulations! Hugs all around. We'll be in town this weekend if you're up for a quick visit/meet & greet. :)

2011-12-22T07:40:00.001-05:00

Amy and I would like to announce our newest family member. She weighs in at a sturdy 10 pounds and has been doing well so far. Huzzah!

2011-12-18T15:47:00.002-05:00

Call me a renegade, but I'll always be a two-spacer.

2011-12-18T10:25:00.003-05:00

It looks like the only way to see any decent amount of snow this year is by typing "let it snow" into Google.

2011-12-17T22:00:00.004-05:00

Amy and I just watched "White Christmas." It's a classic musical with a so-so song list but a good story. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys the genre and hasn't yet seen it. Also, I now know what Chevy Chase was talking about when he talked about Bing Crosby tap-dancing with Danny Fuckin' Kaye.

We also just watched one of my Christmas cartoon favorites. Peace on Earth is an MGM short from 1939 with a poignant message.

Another "Christmas movie" I should give a watch this year is Trading Places.

2011-12-12T21:13:00.005-05:00

I love me some good ol' cartoons. I spent so many hours watching Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry and even the Hanna-Barbara shows now and again. Plus I dig the old music that often accompanied them. One of my favorite shorts was "The Three Little Bops." (Full here; without ads, but you may need to click the link to get out of the "beta" player). I also like the Dixieland Droopy shorts too.

I don't know why, but I feel I should dedicate this pic to Ryan.

2011-12-11T20:13:00.001-05:00

2011-12-07T16:09:00.002-05:00

I only bought two new albums this year, so therefore my top records of 2011 is as follows:

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien
Owen - Ghost Town

2011-12-06T15:46:00.001-05:00

Remember Snowcraft?

2011-12-01T08:46:00.003-05:00

I picked this up after hearing critics and fans call it their best since Pork Soda. That, and I was feeling nostalgic for the good ol' days. It's funny you mention Tragedy's A Comin'. That's probably one of my favorite tracks on there. Eyes of the Squirrel's a zinger as well. Plenty of kick ass musicianship and zany lyrics. Glad you dig it.

2011-11-30T09:34:00.001-05:00

Primus' song "Tragedy's A Comin'" recalls their "Ballad of Bodacious" in my ear.

2011-11-28T20:10:00.005-05:00

I was lambasted by a board of directors tonight, to whom I was trying to sell my research project. It was a fight against an immediately hostile crowd right out of the gate. It worked out okay, I guess, but not nearly as well as I had hoped or in the any way how I hoped we would get there. So that event leads me to my next stop: the ol' liquor store. I got me a case of fancy beer and a can of Four Loko. I know at least a year late on the latter, but figured I'd give it a chance. However, I crunched some quick numbers and estimated its alcohol content at about 5.6 Coors Light's. Not the best idea for a work night, so I guess it'll just have to wait until this weekend.

Also, on recommendation from Andy, I'm currently checking out the new Primus album, Green Naugahyde. So far, I'm digging on it hard. Good rock with that funk and folk kick that we so love from Primus.

2011-11-21T21:45:00.001-05:00

2011-11-05T21:24:00.004-04:00

The last two brothers are my heroes.

2011-11-02T20:08:00.001-04:00

There are now more American Pie movies than Police Academy movies. I don't know what that means, but it has to mean something.

2011-10-31T21:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween. Has anybody seen my tambourine?

2011-10-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, guys. I'm sorry let's talk about other things.

2011-10-28T12:36:00.004-04:00

Back to Bf3 (because I'm not done yet):

The campaign was short, as usual, and left me with a wet, noodly one (that's a bad thing). Clicking x, o, or R1 within a couple second time window as instructed is not a way to battle a boss, rather it's weak sauce.

Also, is that a wheeled, armored vehicle circling the sky above a river? Why, yes. Yes, it is.

2011-10-27T11:34:00.003-04:00

Apparently some health disorders can be categorized as regular or complex. If I had to choose, I'd prefer a complex disorder since it is at least partially imaginary.

2011-10-27T08:47:00.002-04:00

Scratch my latest comments on Bf3 being that hard. Sure it's hard and I have to repeat scenarios multiple times, but it's still no Ghost Recon. Ever since GR2, let alone the GRAWs, that game has been nearly impossible to play solo, and it takes frequent manual saves and/or a good team approach to make it through the levels. Ah, co-op, how I miss you.

2011-10-26T14:39:00.002-04:00

I don't care for exams none too much. I've taken more than my fair share. And two full days in a row of testing is certainly tiresome.

On the bright side, I just got Battlefield 3. So far I've only worked on the campaign. I have to say, it's one of the hardest modern FPS. I've died on nearly every level, often multiple times on the normal difficulty setting. I can't even imagine what hard it like.

2011-10-25T10:04:00.003-04:00

Moving on, Tiffany and I recently burned through the first season of Downton Abbey.

The US doesn't get new episodes until 2012. So if you know anyone going to England soon, tell them to buy me a copy of the second season blu-ray.

2011-10-24T17:21:00.002-04:00

Well one of us had fun. ;)

2011-10-23T19:28:00.001-04:00

I think that Mr. Husbandface needs to revoke this comment:

"This band [Cymbals Eat Guitars] is playing in Indy next month, but Mrs. Wifeypants probably won't let me go."

because, oh yes, we were there.

2011-10-14T11:50:00.001-04:00

http://www.earwolf.com/episode/suicide-is-painless/

Jon Hamm and Paul F. Tompkins pretending to be Garry Marshall. Getting to the point: you will laugh.

2011-10-13T18:31:00.002-04:00

I've never seen a Bollywood movie, but if I do it would probably need to be Robot. The problem is where do I find 3 hours to actually watch it?

2011-10-13T18:13:00.000-04:00

I'd probably watch Robot. Especially, if I could watch it with yous guys.

2011-10-13T18:00:00.003-04:00

The new South Parks have been enjoyable. Good work, Team StoneParker.

(Also, the most recent episode led to a train of thought that brought on the new Trop subheading.)

((On a related note, Goddamn homophones!))

2011-10-12T18:31:00.002-04:00

I love these.

2011-10-12T16:09:00.004-04:00

I don't update my iPod very often, but when I do, I find the entire process frustrating and never flawless. Supposedly the servers are overloaded at present giving me an odd error when I go to update. That's silly to me. I can't see why the process can't occur locally after a download of the file. I also hate how Apple always tries to bundle a bunch of BS software with their updates and use confusing wording on their series of pop-up boxes you have to click to proceed. It's all weak sauce. Weak Apple sauce.

2011-10-11T21:27:00.002-04:00

In yesterday's news: I thought the season premiere of American Dad! was great. I think I just often like concept(?) episodes (You know the ones that play off a type of style or genre unrelated to the show, like the Community Christmas and paintball episodes).

That and I like funky Cee-Lo.

There's something going on beneath the water
People getting hot
Making sons and daughters
It's just you and me
And L-U-V
In the T-U-B

2011-10-10T19:35:00.001-04:00

Some of the videos I'm seen are difficult to watch as live audio doesn't transfer too well to hidden handheld cameras.

2011-10-10T18:01:00.003-04:00

Video bootlegs of The Book of Mormon show up on YouTube every now and then.

Is it really piracy if the only legitimate showing is thousands of miles away and sold out for months? I guess so, but if the Matt and Trey syndicated a live showing nationally through movie theaters similar to boxing matches, I'd pay up.

2011-10-09T09:10:00.002-04:00

I'm currently procrastinating on 2 looming projects. So here are some odd thoughts and comments I've been meaning to get around to posting.

I'm currently waiting on the case for my new $99 ($105.XX after taxes) HP TouchPad to arrive. Watching the tracking has been interesting. It started out about 131 miles to the southwest of me. Next stop was 258 miles to the northwest of me. It's now sitting about 163 miles to the northeast of me. If that isn't inefficient shipping, then I don't know what is.

My next gadget of desire is Amazon.com's upcoming Kindle Fire. I think they priced it pretty sweetly. It's more portable than my new TouchPad. It'll probably be Amy's anyway (I really don't need 2 tablets). First though, I'd really like to see some good hands-on reviews of the thing. Google has been far from perfect with their version of the Android OS, and I'd like to know more about the highlights and pitfalls of Amazon's OS version and user interface. With money being tight, as usual, I don't think Amy should hold her breath on getting this toy by Christmas anyhow.

A couple of weeks ago I got on a big sketch comedy kick, watching back-to-back episodes of The State and Monty Python's Flying Circus. They both hold up pretty well for me despite their era- and culture-based humor. I'd like to give Kids in the Hall a shot. I'm not as sure about SCTV, I'm afraid that it's just a Canadian SNL that doesn't hold up very well against time and a lack of knowledge in Canadian pop culture in days of yore. Bob & Doug McKenzie's Strange Brew (film) was a strange brew indeed. Although I still got some laughs out of it.

I'm really interesting in seeing the comedy broadway musical The Book of Mormon. I don't think I'll be making it over to Broadway anytime soon, and it's not available on video. So unless it happens to travel through, or they release a decent video of it, I guess I'll just have to dream.

Maybe now I'll go clean the garage or do some laundry. Anything but work on my projects, you can be sure of that.

2011-10-01T20:47:00.002-04:00

From Ryan's chan site:

2011-09-29T21:41:00.003-04:00

I've been driving to Indy this week for work, and I came across a community radio station, 91.9 WITT. It's a completely random collection of obscure music like this and old radio shows, and has actually made the drive pretty enjoyable.

One little gem I heard this morning was this little number.

2011-09-17T13:10:00.002-04:00

True.

2011-09-14T09:49:00.002-04:00

This band is playing in Indy next month, but Mrs. Wifeypants probably won't let me go.

2011-09-09T12:12:00.002-04:00

Ed Begley Jr. is speaking at Purdue in about 2 weeks. Maybe he'll let me interview him for my fake Stan Sitwell biography.

2011-09-08T20:02:00.002-04:00

Also, you Vonnegut fans will be excited to hear about the first authoritative and authorized biography. It's set to be released on Nov. 8. If you happen to be a member of LibraryThing, you can try to win a free copy.

2011-09-08T19:38:00.000-04:00

Great misquotations. Futurama fans will notice a link to the show and Voltaire.

2011-09-02T23:18:00.002-04:00

I'm nearly through The Godfather Part II, and I must say that it's much more compelling and quite a bit less campy than it's predecessor. I definitely recommend it to the zero percent of you that haven't yet seen it.

2011-09-02T14:57:00.001-04:00

Hmm...

2011-09-02T12:42:00.003-04:00

I was recently watching a bit o' TV, specifically a movie called "Support Your Local Sheriff," a classic Western with an all-star Western cast. While I had it muted, the setting and the way the person spoke reminded me of a phrase my dad used to say: "Shoot low, Sheriff! He's riding a Shetland!"

2011-09-01T15:30:00.001-04:00

2011-09-01T15:02:00.002-04:00

Speaking of Martin Hannett, I think I need to watch 24-Hour Party People again. Another great movie in need of a better title.

2011-09-01T14:33:00.001-04:00

"Like an albino Brian Eno, and hydrocephalic Martin Hannett..."

Oh, Venture Bros.

2011-08-31T17:38:00.002-04:00

Thank you, Purdue.

2011-08-31T10:29:00.001-04:00

2011-08-29T19:06:00.003-04:00

One of the guys from my high school class started organizing the Linton Music Festival a few years ago in what I will just cringe and call my 'home town.' It's a 3-day festival during Labor Day weekend and we've somehow never managed to make it, but it always seems to be a pretty successful event. I'm pretty sure it's the biggest thing to ever happen in Linton, Indiana. There are usually quite a few local artists, including Linton's own Keesha Scott (hey, we were in marching band together!) and a band named Philpot, which I have always associated with major douchebags. I'm sure it falls short of the Bonnaroo experience, but I hope to check it out one of these years.

2011-08-22T22:09:00.001-04:00

Clever.

2011-08-22T20:48:00.002-04:00

Apparently I missed the entire new season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, now titled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1. I caught part of a mid-season episode last night and it was on par with their peak episodes I thought. I'll just have to catch up on the others.

Also on the topic of Adult Swim shows, I've been keeping up with Childrens Hospital. I really dig on the absurd humor of that group. Meanwhile, Amy hates it.

2011-08-20T11:02:00.004-04:00

Well, I tried this morning online and at a couple of stores to get the HP Touchpad tablet for the ridiculous sale price of $99 to $149 for the 16- and 32-GB models, respectively. But no dice. What a cluster of a situation. It was a nice thought while it lasted (getting a dead but okay tablet/operating system for dirt cheap). Oh well. I don't think I'll lose much sleep over it.

2011-08-19T23:54:00.001-04:00

2011-08-18T16:53:00.002-04:00

Well played. Well played indeed.

2011-08-18T09:35:00.002-04:00

I'm on a metal kick lately, listening to the "Boneyard" station on XM-Sirius. I think it's the screaming guitar riffs that are speaking directly to my tortured soul. So, without further ado:

mp3otd: Dream Theater - Pull Me Under

2011-08-16T14:56:00.003-04:00

mp3otd: Krokus - Headhunter

Here's a couple of neat shots my parents got on a trip to AK. Looks like a place I'd love to visit.

2011-08-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

mp3otd: Mindless Self Indulgence - Cake

2011-08-15T10:53:00.002-04:00

I do the same thing. Being able to add to a list makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. Plus I have a terrible memory so I can go back and say, Oh yeah, I did read that.

2011-08-14T20:38:00.003-04:00

I've found the best way to keep myself motivated to read is to keep a running list of all the recent books I have read, sort of like a merit badges for Boy Scouts. That's somewhat narcissistic, but it works.

2011-08-14T20:11:00.002-04:00

Enrique Iglesias' new song is on the same par as this one. No tact or subtlety.

2011-08-14T17:35:00.003-04:00

I just read my first novel is a short while. The last was The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. This one was The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson. It was a good read and a quick read. It was only a little over 200 pages long with a moderately-sized font. My library copy smelt of old smoke (nasty stuff). Anyway, just reading the book gave me the urge to keep the miscellaneous beer or mixed beverage in my hands. I don't know what else to say about it. It had all of the language, tones, and subject matter you would expect in a Thompson book. I noticed that the film adaptation is supposed to be out by late October, and by the cast listing, I am already disappointed. There were very few major characters in the book, say 6ish, and Bruce Robinson cut out one of the top 3 for his film adaptation. I guess we'll just have to see how it all turns out.

2011-08-11T21:45:00.001-04:00

I am strongly considering this. I missed the signup for a much closer location, but may still pick one of the upcoming sites.

2011-08-11T13:11:00.002-04:00

I think I must be a hipster at heart, because I can't stop listening to this song.

2011-08-10T21:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks for you insights, Ryan. I'll pass them along.

2011-08-10T15:13:00.004-04:00

Donny Manco is widely regarded as the best artist in the area. He and brother Nick are the ones who used to run Studio 13 before whatever bullshit drama happened there went down. Donny now has a place (or at least did when I lived there) called New Republic or something to that effect, located on St. Joe. His brother Nick, if he still does tattoos, is also rather talented. Both of them are well known, so they're probably a bit more expensive and have a lengthy waiting list. The main recommendation is to find someone who's actually willing to do it who has a good reputation. The Manco brothers are notorious for casually passing off jobs to complete hacks, who they say are really good. What that means is that they're too busy, lazy, or too big of jerks to do the tattoo, so they'll just pass it off to someone else. I found them both to be pretty big phonies and complete assholes but, in all fairness, they're both extremely talented. Don't let that happen, lest you end up with a really shitty tattoo.

Other than them, I don't really know any of the names of decent people in town. The guy who did my tattoos was working at a Co-op when I left. He's a good artist and I've seen him do some pretty amazing stuff, especially considering that most of the tattoos that he does for people are pretty simple / basic. If the co-op is still around (I think it was on Parnell or some shit), that would be a good place to go. Tell them to check out artists' portfolios and see who's art they like best. People typically only put their good stuff in their portfolios (obviously), so whoever has the biggest AND best looking portfolio is the way to go. Stay away from Grade A tattoos, they're mostly just douchebags who like to tattoo butterflies on half-naked drunk wannabe sorority girls, no matter what anyone tells you.

If your acquaintance is wanting to getting a large crest on the back, tell them to be careful of getting milked. Tattoo artists in shops are just like car salesmen. They keep telling you what a great deal they're giving you while they're fist-fucking your wallet. They commonly take breaks like every 15 minutes and act like that's just all part of the deal. Basically, they just make up a large number off of the top of their head, charge you a random amount for any given session, and act like that's "the going price". For large tattoos, they're often going to drag it out over months and months, doing just small amounts of work each session, in order to drain your wallet.

Edit: While it may sound dickish, tell them to make damn sure that it's their REAL family crest. Family crest tattoos come in second place only to Chinese words in terms of inaccuracy.

2011-08-10T14:23:00.001-04:00

Ryan, do you have any recommendations for good tattoo artists in town? I have an acquaintance that is looking to have a his family crest tattooed on his back, and I figured I'd see if you knew any place/person that could do that type of work well. Andy, feel free to weigh in on this.

2011-08-10T09:19:00.001-04:00

mp3otd: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)

2011-08-09T12:04:00.006-04:00

(I'd credit the source but their page looks to be down; so screw it)

yesterday's mp3otd: Fleetwood Mac - Second Hand News
My free short-term Sirius-XM radio account has a decent variety. I already notice though repeats of stuff. At least some of the stations play more obscure stuff by a wide range of artists, popular or otherwise. The above track is certainly not obscure.

edit: today's mp3otd: Jimi Hendrix - Castles Made of Sand

2011-08-01T18:46:00.002-04:00

It wasn't the cheapest option, but it came with lower monthly payments (than a purchase loan) and higher reliability (than a used car). Car loans for purchase have monthly payments a good deal higher than a lease payment. Although over the course of the loan (usually longer) you pay more, but will have more (own the car). Leasing just pays for the depreciation, so I won't have anything to show at the end but I will have paid less over the 36 months than if I bought. The condition where I'll lose more total is if I do decide to buy the car at the end of the lease. But by that time I should have a better income and be able to afford bigger payments (new car, perhap?). There is not a clear best option across all situations between leasing new, buying new, & buying used, but I think I made a reasonable decision for my situation.

2011-07-31T22:43:00.004-04:00

Why lease? If you took out a loan to buy, you'd still keep the car after you paid it off.

mp3otd: Homer Simpson - Up, Up and Away (in my beautiful motor boat)

2011-07-31T16:28:00.002-04:00

This isn't really breaking news anymore but I figured I had might as well get around to posting about it. I had been in the passive market for a new car for quite some time as I knew the clock was running out on the ol' Grand Am. Well, a couple of weeks ago, with my air still out, the small problems stacking up, and a worsening leaking head gasket (at least the fourth one the engine had seen), I decided it was high time to test drive a number of the fine new mid-size sedans available at my local dealers. I wanted to balance our tight budget with the need for reliability. This lead us towards leasing a base-model family sedan. I further narrowed it down by my failed trust in General Motors. Longer story short, we got ourselves a BRAND NEW CAR! Specifically, we're leasing a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The base model comes with some nice creature features, most importantly, ice-cold air conditioning, and the lease payments don't break the bank, costing less than my cost-of-living increase for the year. All was well, and to boot, the dealer had agreed to take the Pontiac off my hands for a fair trade-in price, sight-unseen. That old devil of a machine thought she'd get the last laugh though. I ran it over to my dad's house so he could help me glue back on a mirror and the hanging upholstery while I took out the subs. As I pulled out of the driveway I noticed that I was "leaking coolant at an alarming rate." No "blast of searing-hot resin" could stop this leak. So I gassed it in an attempt to get it to the dealership before it blew up. As I drove down the street I noticed the trail of fluid behind be was quickly tapering off. It was about that time I also noticed the temperature gauge steadily climbing. So much for all of that. I pulled into a gas station, got a hold of the dealership, and then called the tow truck. I was still able to trade the bastard in, but at about 40% of the original price. But at least I'm rid of that mobile money pit. Good riddance.

mp3otd: James Ingram & Michael McDonald - Yah Mo B There

2011-07-29T22:22:00.001-04:00

The trustworthiness of beards.

2011-07-29T20:20:00.001-04:00

I'll work on it.

Also, if you use IE, you're dumb. No, really. There are graphs and everything.

2011-07-29T18:24:00.005-04:00

Amy, we shall cease being friends until you have read Slaughterhouse-Five.

I might, however, change my mind if you take up this little hobby.

2011-07-29T10:55:00.004-04:00

Seriously? A Missouri high school has banned Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and Sarah Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer. And the person who filed the complaint? A local professor. Who should be immediately fired, because he obviously doesn't understand a damn thing about higher education. All three books (Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak was not banned) are now on my to-be-read list (if they weren't already). And that's probably what some Missouri teens will be doing, because, you know, tell a kid not to do something...especially if you describe it as having so much profanity it would make a sailor blush, soft-core porn, or a novel about girls who lose their clothes during beer pong. I mean come on. You're just asking them to read it.

I do, however, love Ockler's comments regarding the issue.

Following the decision to remove her novel from school shelves in Missouri, Ockler said that "you can ban my books from every damn district in the country — I'm still not going to write to send messages or make teens feel guilty because they've made choices that some people want to pretend don't exist... I get that my book isn't appropriate for all teens, and that some parents are opposed to the content. That's fine. Read it and decide for your own family. I wish more parents would do that — get involved in their kids' reading and discuss the issues the books portray. But don't make that decision for everyone else's family by limiting a book's availability and burying the issue under guise of a 'curriculum discussion'."

2011-07-26T16:56:00.001-04:00

Julie's trying to get me to see Cut Copy with her in Indy next month. "It's kinda retro sounding gay keyboard music. That's the stuff you like, right?"

2011-07-24T22:38:00.000-04:00

Well somebody had to post something...