Archive for April, 2009

That other breakfast-related question

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

My box of waffles asks “How do you Eggo?”

Well, since you asked… I “eggo,” as you so eloquently put it, by toasting 2 blueberry waffles to a golden hue, and adding a bit of butter atop each waffle while it’s still warm.

No syrup, just butter.

Thanks for asking.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman

That other set of things I don’t do anymore

Monday, April 27th, 2009

I’m lazy.

Well, all things being said it’s not really my choice.  Technology and society have made it too easy to be lazy, and being lazy… of course, who am I to resist it?

Below are a list of things I used to do all the time, but don’t… for varous reasons.

  1. Get up to change the channel or adjust the volume at the TV.  I don’t even know if my television has controls to do such things on it anymore. No, I’ll go and search the whole room for the remote control rather than walk 3 feet to my television.
  2. Open the freezer to get ice cubes. Don’t have to… my fridge shoots them out a little dispensor on the door.
  3. Wait until after 9PM or 7PM to make a phone call.  Although I remember the days when it was a necessity very clearly none of my phone plans are really affected by WHEN I call anymore.  So it’s long distance at lunchtime for me.
  4. Brush or comb my hair.  Ha, well, this is the result of my current haircut.  But I remember when I used to have to battle the curls which look great on my daughter but tortured me as a young male. Simple solution – keep it short.
  5. Take my film to be developed at a photomart-type place. I was a hold-out, but now I’m pretty much all digital.

Exciting, huh?

Contributed by: Scott Copperman

That other over used phrase

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

This is an overdue update.

It’s the result of “a perfect storm” of committments.  I had a quiz and a programming assignment both due Monday morning for my graduate class. I was recruiting someone to work with me, and I had a number of projects due for work. I had a variety of committments in general: family obligations, social obligations, … I had to breathe … all that inhaling … and exhaling too!

Hmm, there’s nothing really very perfect nor very stormy about that at all, is there?  I just haven’t gotten around to it.

I did actually have a post written re: my grandfather’s birthday on the 16th and related thoughts, but I’ve decided not to post it.  (As I’m typing over it now to make this post.)

So, again, there’s really no meteorological excuse, I just didn’t post.

But that phrased gets used a lot, doesn’t it:  “a perfect storm”?

The origins aren’t hard to get.  It’s more than that fishing boat movie from a number of years ago, but it basically refers to a combinations of events which by themselves probably wouldn’t produce a specific result, yet the fact that a group of these events occur together yields a particular outcome.

Here are some examples from today’s newspapers:

From the NY Daily News:

“The recent foreclosure and refinancing crisis, following a sharp increase in home values created a perfect storm for these housing scammers to swoop in and fleece homeowners,” Schumer declared.

From BeyondChron.org

Yes, W. unified the right, but thanks to a perfect storm: the Clinton impeachment, weak Gore campaign, many GOP governors and state houses, Congressional command, and Karl Rove’s one-time brilliance – plus a compliant Supreme Court.

From the Oakland Tribune:

High staff turnover and the resulting lack of institutional memory complicated the situation, district spokesman Troy Flint said. Those responsible for overseeing the district’s finances during the early years of the state takeover long since have left the crumbling administration building.

“It was kind of a perfect storm of instability, which resulted in flawed business practices,” Flint said.

From the TheNation.com:

John Beddington, chief science adviser to the British government, warned in March that climate change and population growth together could produce a “perfect storm” of devastating food, water and energy shortages by 2030.

The phrase is just outright overused. And it sensationalizes (often where it shouldn’t).

I was just too busy to make a post until now.  I will again soon, though. Unless a flawless meteorological event prevents me from doing so.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman

That other Quentin Tarantino appearance on American Idol

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
American Idols Top 7

American Idol's Top 7

Yes, I’ll admit it. I watch American Idol.

I didn’t realize last night would be “movie night.” But isn’t it ironic how I was just saying the other day that somebody on Idol should sing one of the songs from the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack? Hmmm? Oh, I wasn’t saying that to you? Well, none the less I was saying that I’d like to hear another cover of “Sallys Song” or “What’s This?” or “Making Christmas.”

(Yes, I am familiar with the Nightmare Revisted album.)

But last night no one sang any of the songs from that album. (What’s the matter? It’s good enough for Amy Lee and Fiona Apple, but not good enough for Allison?)

Instead Quentin Tarantino was there (why?) coaching the 7 finalists as they sang the same set of movie soundtrack songs we always hear.

I wasn’t particularly blown away with any of them, and I’m not going to bother reviewing their performances (I’m hardly qualified to do so, then again… I can say “you look beautiful” and “I didn’t care for your song choice” or “it was a little pitchy,” so may I am).

I will simply say… I wish you guys would’ve paid Disney’s royalty fees and covered at least one Nightmare song.

Oh, and… Adam Lambert (who looks an awful lot like the bartender I was worried might get jumped a few weeks ago) clearly does not need the show. He’s talented, he’s doing his own thing, but do not misunderstand me… I’m very impressed that he is enjoying himself, respectful, and in now way showing any sense of how good he really is. He’s very easy to root for.

Lil and Matt I’ve had a enough of.

Anoop seems like a really nice guy with talent, but not a star. The other four…. Danny, Kris, Allison, and Adam are headed for big things (and I’m most impressed by Allison and Adam).

This concludes our American Idol coverage for the remainder of the year.

Oh, and if you haven’t heard the Nightmare Before Christmas covers, check ’em out.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman

That other bit of laziness

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Really, Disney?

I’d be more willing to believe this was all a misunderstanding if it weren’t blatantly “less popular” films (Aristocats”, “Robin Hood,” “Jungle Book,” etc., ) being reused.

In their defense, this may have been the handiwork of one or a few lazy individuals who were identified an dealt with by Disney long ago.  But, I’m inclined to think … probably not.

It’s not that awful a transgression. The end result is indeed different from the original in many ways, and we all often modify existing work rather than start from scratch with some projects.

Still there’s something disillusioning about discovering this video.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman

That other avatar

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

A little plug of my brother’s handiwork.

Some of the coolest avatar/buddy icons you’ll see.

If you like them, please give him credit.

The icon museum at Coppermanland.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman