I'm ready for the Christmas music now

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas.

While you're at YouTube, look up the Muppets and John Denver - one of my favorite Christmas Albums, but the video from the TV special is not available on DVD.

Captain Randy On The Bridge

Captain Randy On The Bridge, originally uploaded by cinemamurray.

OK, traveling for business isn't completely a pain.

Oh the whole, I'd rather be in Columbus.

(With apologies to W.C. Fields.)

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

You just have to know where to look

This article claims that TV is becoming dummer. (I know it's mispelled. It's a joke, son).

New trend in TV viewing is to dumb down content

This is new? Anyone watched game shows, soap operas, sitcoms, and wrestling, for Christ's sake, over the last 60 years?

But there are wonderful, challenging, and entertaining things on TV. Take for instance "Deadwood" or "Rome" - both amazing shows. Too bad HBO was too shortsighted and canceled them both. I think the new show "The Tutors" has promise on Showtime. And of course, there's "Battlestar Galactica".


You are watching BSG, aren't you? And don't give me any of that "I don't like scifi" crap. BSG is one of the deepest, most complex, multifacited shows on TV.

Books By The Yard

A new Half Price Book store opened up in Westerville this past week - I'm a big fan of used book stores. I'm likely to find something of interest every time I go. For example, this time, in a rather large stack I bought for under $50, I found and am reading a very interesting book on Gin. Gin: The Much Lamented Death of Madam Geneva the Eighteenth Century Gin Craze.

But I never sell books there. I rarely sell books at all. But to take them there is pointless. They offer you an insulting pittance. Frankly, I'd rather give them away. Even leave them in a public place for them to find a new home on their own. Actually I do sell books, but only ones I don't like. So buyer beware.

And this. Well, this just offends me. Books by the Yard.

Books as a design element. Not your books, things that you are interested in. Things that you treasure. Just any old books. Things that might look nice, if you don't look too close. Why not stack those empty shelves with a beautiful collection of Readers' Digest Condensed Books (and I won't even talk about how those offend me!)? What not some encyclopedias, or better yet, law books?

Please, dear reader. If you aren't interested enough to buy and read books, then fill up those spaces with your Franklin Mint plate collection. Or some of the bobble head figures. Shot glasses from around the country. I'd actually be interested in seeing these displayed on your selves. But please, not the books by the yard.

Here's the secret: I judge people based on what they're reading. You get points for reading virtually anything. Fake displays are incredibly distasteful. You are not living in a furniture showroom.

Apparently, Mr. Balmer can't figure out how to use Outlook, either.

Mr. Ballmer may have a decidedly low-key office, but he uses an Excel spreadsheet to track his calendar.

Take Two - They're Small . . . And Cheap!

I think that saying the "Big Three" are going to have a problem with this is an understatement.

Toyota plans ultra-inexpensive car


How ultra-inexpensive? According to the article, about $6,200. And they're talking new manufacturing techniques, new materials. I'm sure just reading the article is sending Detroit auto execs running for the Pepto.

What do I have to say? About damn time. Cars are far too expensive and complex, and frankly, structured, for the most part, in 19th century technology. I'd love to see something cheap, safe, and fun.

About damn time.

Oh, and where's my rocket car?

With Ultimate Power Come Really Cool Toys

Ah, the things one can do with a little help from Google Maps.

Follow the link yes, this one for a little something amusing from Geogreeting.