I just can't help myself. They're sooooo nice.

-DCB

I had opened up the iTunes Music Store this morning and I couldn't help but notice a thumbnail for a rap video. Is it just me, or does this guy (Chamillionaire) bare a striking resemblance to a Critter?





Coincidence ... I think not.

-DCB

I love the part with the elevator.

-DCB

A few months ago, I unfortunately had to move back in with my parents. Once I noticed how slow their SBC Yahoo DSL was, I asked my Mom to get Optimum Online (local cable ISP). She did, then shortly after that was up and running we cancelled the DSL. At that time my Dad was using an SBC Yahoo mail account through Thunderbird as his email client. After canceling DSL, Thunderbird wouldn't connect to the POP server. But seeing as it was technically a Yahoo Mail account, I tried logging him in through the Yahoo Mail webpage. Success. At some point after that, his computer was infected with some malicious spyware or maybe even a virus, so I had to wipe eveything out. I didn't bother to backup his mail because it was now all online. Since it was just a stupid web based "free" email, I figured he could keep using it indefinitely ... I was wrong.
Within the last week he tried to log in, but it wouldn't let him. After a couple of days to see if it was a Yahoo problem, he called me to tell me that he can't get into his email. I tried from my Mac, since I know his password (I'm the one who set it up). Log in error. I tried to reset the password, thats when I got the page telling me the account was deactivated.
First, I combed through the Yahoo help pages ... useless. I sent them a message using their web form. They got back within a day and told me it was because the DSL had been cancelled and that I should contact SBC to clear any problem up. So I tried their live chat with a support rep. She let me know that there wasn't much she could do and that I should call their number and talk to someone directly.
I call the number she gave me. The voice activated menu system is all but useless due to the unique nature of my problem, but I manage to get through. After explaining the situation, the rep had to check with someone else. After a 5 minute wait, he finally came back and said the only way to reactivate the account is to order a dial-up service in order to keep the account active. Since that would require a contract, I told him no. It would be stupid to pay a monthly charge for essentially free email. I ask nicely one more time if it could just be reactivated for a couple of days so I could get my Dad's contacts at the very least. No luck.
Now my poor Dad is undergoing hip replacement surgery next week. He'd like to keep in contact with family and friends via email, but because Yahoo's stubbornness, he won't be able to do that.
Bottom line, if you can avoid it, DON'T USE YAHOO.

-DCB

Amen

-DCB

About a month before iTunes added the podcast feature, I started listening to a few of them. Since then I've become a podcast addict. So I figured I would start posting some of my favorites.
I'll start with the funny ones. Although in the minority, these are the ones that I'm sure get the most looks around the office as I start cracking up listening to (and watching) my iPod. Happy Tree Friends and Tiki Bar TV are pretty damn funny. Channel Frederator always seems to crack me up as well as impress me with its independent animation. The low brow humor of Infected is always a welcome addition to my iPod library. And Ask a Ninja, pure genius.
I'll weigh in on some other categories in the coming weeks, so stay tuned ...

-DCB

Well, it has indeed been a year of blogging here on the Lounge. Not that I want to make that big a deal about it, I certainly don't have many posts in the archives. I'm hoping to do more here in this coming year. Again, I make no promises. It's merely a hope.
On to the assorted editorials. First thing on my radar is the Gillette Fusion. I spotted it in Stop & Shop and had to laugh. For those of you who don't know, I am a bald headed man, I shave it regularly. So I found that I've become a connoisseur of razors. Currently I use the Schick Quattro. It has four blades, which honestly, I find excessive. Frankly, I like the weight and the feel of the handle, that's why I use it. But I could easily go back to using the Mach 3 which has a mere three blades. Now if the Quattro is excessive, then the Fusion with five blades, is just overkill. Not to mention the $25 pricetag for 8 replacement cartridges. That's over $3 a cartridge. The tagline for the Fusion must be "For a shave so close, you'd swear it was muscle tissue". Needless to say I won't be making the leap to five blades just yet.

-DCB

once again those chickens have done it again.

-DCB

But Lugz has a point about Apple ripping off one of Lugz's ads with their new iPod commercial featuring Slim Shady. When I first saw this mentioned on Cult of Mac, I thought it was just because of the color scheme. After watching both videos back to back, the similarities are astounding. Especially the use of moving arrows. For shame Apple, do your homework. I know you probably had an outside firm do the spot for you. But when the 2 ads look so similar, someone should be doing a little research before these things reach the general public. And biting ideas off of someone else, that's such a Microsoft thing to do.

-DCB

So I went to the Big E a few days ago with my lovely girlfriend, Laura (pictured below with Lorenzo Llamas), and I have to say that the deep fried Oreos are everything I thought they could be.



Now, continuing with my retro theme, I found a couple more old pictures while cleaning out my room. The first one is me on a Christmas morning (probably around'82). And if you weren't sure if I was an OG geek from way back, just take a gander at me holding my brand new copy of Pac-Man for my brand new Atari 5200 whilst wearing my Pac-Man PJs.



And here's a shot from that same day, probably only a few hours later. It's me and my Grandpa playing Pac-Man on the 5200 (dig that Zenith, baby). Note the Pac-Man tabletop arcade game in the foreground. I think it can be said without refute that I had Pac-Man fever.



-DCB