Scott K. Ellis

In light of the events of Star Wars 1-3, here's what's really happening in episode 4.

Stolen from elfs by way of zonereyrie.

COMBAT CARDS 2.1

watch StormCrow42 fight

CREATE YOUR CARD

I know, I don't post enough on this LJ. Nevertheless, I've started elys_storm to post my SCA related thoughts and doings, under the theory that I'll feel less silly doing so rather than inflict it upon people who might not have an interest.

In the spirit of the various lists going around about how great a person various people (Chuck Norris, etc.) are, here is a list about Alton Brown. (reproduced below under the cut)

( Thirty Facts About Alton Brown )

TiVo (makers of my favorite DVR) has just introduced their new pricing plan. Now, instead of buying your TiVo upfront several hundred dollars, you can get one for free, just by committing to pay for 1-3 years of service (like a cell phone). Pricing plans start as low as 16.95/month for a 3 year commitment, but it's only $19.95/month for just a 1 year service commitment. After the service contract is up, you can contact them to get the monthly service fee dropped down to $12.95/month. You can also just prepay for the initial service and get the box for free (or a DVD burning version at a reduced price).

If anyone decides to take advantage of this new deal, I'd appreciate a heads up first so I can give you my TiVo referrer program info.

Apparently I've been a bad (good?) boy?


Submit your own plea to Cthulhu!

I know many of my friends are in dire monitary straits this holiday season, but for those of you who aren't, Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity toy drive is in it's third year. Check out the web site, but basically it's a gamer-run toy and fund drive benefiting various children's hospitals around the country.

250 things Mr. Welch can no longer do during an RPG

I received this from an email list I follow and thought it interesting enough to share:

If you cannot understand my argument, and declare ‘It’s Greek to me’, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger, if your wish is father to the thought, if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool’s paradise -- why, be that as it may, the more fool you, for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you think it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think it is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then -- to give the devil his due -- if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I was dead as a doornail, if you think I am an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then -- by Jove! O Lord! Tut, tut! For goodness’ sake! What the Dickens! But me no buts -- it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare.

I just got home a little while ago from seeing the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie. To paraphrase DNA, it was almost, but not quite, completely unlike the book. I liked it anyway. There was a significant amount of new or different material, but enough classic stuff and subtle references to the book and earlier BBC TV special (the music for the title intro, and the TV Marvin in the background of one of the scenes) to please the die-hard fan. I'll attribute early bad reviews to people too dedicated to the purity of the books, something that Adams didn't really subscribe to himself.

Tracie and I went to the mall this past Friday, just to walk around. We stepped into the BAM just to look around a bit (and to pick up one of their fliers, looking for a coupon for free shipping from their web store). I had no idea that I would come across Raymond E. Feist's newest novel Exile's Return. But I did, so of course I had to buy it (REF is one of the authors who's books I'll buy in hardcover at full price). I just finished reading it. I thought since it was the third book in his Conclave of Shadows series that it would finish up the series. I was wrong. Now I have to wait another year or so for the next volume. Argh!

I ran across this in an online discussion forum and had to share it:

     "Okay, the interns are all zoned out in the poppy field, and we've determined that even a really soaking rain won't rust a tin man fast enough that he can't give himself a squirt of lube.  So that's busted.  What's next?"
     "We're gonna need a witch, and a bucket."

Tracie and I are heading south to Florida to do some visiting (my new nephew, my parents, and of course my South Florida friends). Give an email if you want to try to get together, stormcrow42 (at) gmail dot com.

This is very funny.

A fun read.

Avast, "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" is this Sunday, September 19th (and all other September 19ths)!

Woot, I scored an invitation to Gmail. My email address there (unconnected to slow it's spam adopiton) is stormcrow42 (someone keeps getting stormcrow everywhere I go it seems).

We recently (a few weeks ago) ordered a second TiVo (they were having a sale on refurbished units, $50 after rebate). It was working great until earlier today (when Tracie called me to tell me that it wouldn't display anything anymore). When I got home to check it out, I found that it wouldn't get beyond the first screen it puts up when you plug it in before going completely dark.

TiVo's support people were great about it. After the usual set of questions to make sure that it wasn't something stupid they arranged for me to get a replacement. They're sending a shipping label so I won't have to pay shipping (yeah). They offered to cross-ship the replacement unit, but they'd need to charge my credit card until they got the defective unit back. Being at the tail end of the "pay the morgage" paycheck, I can't afford to do that, so I'll have to wait for them to receive the defective one before they ship me a replacement.

Luckily, I hadn't gotten around to moving all the important recordings onto the new unit, so no major programming will be lost.

I haven't even seen "I, Robot" yet, but this comic seems to mirror my thoughts after seeing the promos. I'm kinda torn over seeing it, it's getting too many decent reviews, even if it does butcher Asimov's vision.