I thought Pandora was cool. And it is. But Slacker...

The only drawback is the volume thing. It varies from artist/album to artist/album. Small price to pay. So give Thingy Radio a try.

You likee.

Labels: neat-o, tunes

I doubt anyone who isn't a fan of hockey could finish a typical article on the sport, just as I would probably have to clench my teeth through a 1-pager on the World Soccer League (Is that what it's called?) If you're happily reading an article on hockey, it means you have a team, and you watch regularly.

Unless of course the writer of the article is William Freakin' Faulkner. Then it's for everybody. When I first stumbled on this I had to rub my eyes and squint at the header. But there it was. The William Faulkner. Of Mississippi. Writing about ice hockey in 1955. I nearly sprinted downstairs to get my glasses so that I could sit back and read it properly.

It doesn't disappoint. I suppose it would be interesting to read any good writer's first impression of a game they don't understand. But Faulkner on ice hockey...it's an inspiring read for the uninitiated and a real treat for the fan.

Labels: etc., games

So I was reading this article about a bloke who had the brilliant idea to put an engagement ring into a helium balloon so he could "pop" the question when this bit stopped me: "I felt like such a plonker. It cost a fortune and I knew my girlfriend would kill me."

Plonker.

Great word, although it's better with a British accent, as in Plonk-ah. We Americans would say Plawnk-er, but still. Great word.

So I got to thinking about all the other uniquely British words and expressions that I'd heard in my days, going all the way back to The Young Ones when, as American teens without an Internet, we had to deduce the meaning of words like quid, bollocks, and bugger-all from their context.

Try adding these to your everyday language. Maybe something will catch on. If we could only be so lucky...

• banger (sausage)
• bimble (wander aimlessly)
• blimey! (exclamation of surprise)
• clanger (mistake/blunder)
• manky (ill or out of sorts)
• grotty (dirty, disgusting)
• gaffer (old man)

Labels: Ha

I haven't seen this great classic since I was a wee tyke. I used to love these guys, and seeing this released a bunch of old memories. [Thanks Jeff!]

Labels: Ha

How could...what was he...how in the hell could...did he think he could just...I mean...what the...are you kidding me...?

The strangest thing about this deal is...How could he, of all people, have believed for a second that he could live a secret life, pushing money into shady corners to pay for a "high-end hooker" who surely knew who he is? There were a multitude of ways it could blow up in his face and yet he took that kind of risk to his family and the governorship? What was he thinking?!

I guess there's only one explanation: Blinding hubris.

I almost voted for him, too. But I was a slacker and never went. I had figured hey, here's a guy who cleaned up the underwriting biz on Wall Street and seemed uniquely motivated to weed out corruption. I watched some of CNBC's coverage...I didn't realize that he is widely considered a political bully, often going too far to sully the reputations of others. There's a cliche or two for this sort of event, and boy are they fitting.

You have to feel bad for his family. Power does do some unfortunate things to us human beans.

Labels: politics