And now, the week in review.
"I've fallen, and it's all good." A Japanese electronics company has invented iGlassware, a beer mug that can electronically signal the wait staff when you�ve finished with your beer and need another. Perfect for that beer drinker who can�t stand the thought of, or is incapable of, actually walking to the bar to get a refill.
"We had a reactor leak here now. Give us a few minutes to lock it down. Large leak...very dangerous." The state of New Mexico or, more accurately, the Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, wishes to make this announcement: the TV show �The West Wing� is fictional. As though the fact that the show has a liberal president wasn�t enough to give that away. Oh, and the fact that it's a TV show. According to an article posted on CNN.com, New Mexico officials worried that the most recent episode of The West Wing, in which a truck containing uranium fuel rods crashes in Idaho, might unnecessarily alarm people. It didn't crash in New Mexico, which might make one wonder why New Mexico was so worried about this... "But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?"
"Now, give me the twelve cents, and I'll give you the rest of your change back... And then give me the twenty..." The United States Department of the Treasury offers uncirculated dollar bills with special serial numbers for only $5.95. You can get �Year of the Horse� notes (with serial numbers beginning with 8888), Lucky 777 notes, and �Prosperity notes�, among others. The web page for the Prosperity notes points out that the �note is an ideal gift for a family member or friend that you want to extend well wishes and the hope that they will become wealthy and remain prosperous.� Perhaps it should instead note the improbability of remaining prosperous if you keep spending $6 to buy $1 bills.
"Captain, I sense ... hostility." PvP started making fun of John Edward, a television psychic who purports to contact deceased friends and relatives for people. Immediately after this, the author of the strip started getting hate mail from people pissed off at him for mocking John�s �powers�. Please. Remember, �Crossing Over with John Edward� airs on the Science Fiction channel.
"Dude, where's my car salesman?" Meredith and I went shopping for cars. We had a bad visit to a Toyota dealer, then an OK visit to a Honda dealer, and finally a good visit to a Volkswagen dealer. The Honda dealer was OK until the very end, when he reported that they had no brochures on any of their cars and that he was out of business cards. Oh, and if we came back in, just ask someone else to help us. Umm... Meredith wasn�t very impressed with the Civic (the engine noise seemed a bit much, like the car was working way too hard), and the Accord was OK. The Volkswagen dealer, though, took us seriously the whole time, and engaged both of us equally in conversation. We looked at the Passat, and were really impressed with it.
"My parents didn't need a V-chip; they had the V-belt!" As I was getting my hair cut today, I listened to the conversations of the two boys (ages 10 and 8) and their mother as they got their hair cut. (I�m normally incredibly good about not listening to conversations I just don�t care but they were more challenging to tune out than most.) Part of the conversation involved discussing various Jerry Springer episodes the three of them had watched together. I�m not sure that I�m really emotionally mature enough to deal with Jerry Springer (ok, maybe the problem isn�t not enough maturity). One of the curses of my job is the fact that I am incredibly well versed in daytime television offerings, since I work on a satellite TV receiver. Frankly, it�s all pretty bad. But Jerry Springer is still really near the bottom of the list. I just can�t even imagine letting children that young watch it.
(thanks to Chris, one of my college roommates, for the observation so many years ago on the absurdity of the V-chip)
Posted by Mike at April 5, 2002 08:47 PM