Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Colbert Report

So I went to the Sep. 29th taping of The Colbert Report, freaking awesome as hell! Me and three others drove into New York from East Stroudsburg, For me it was the first time ever driving in a city environment and to add to things I was driving a big conversion van. We left around 3PM and rolled out of the Lincoln Tunnel around 5.

We made it to the line at 5:15 and checked ourselves in, they started handing out the passes around 30 mins later. I was #89 out of I think #110


After some more waiting and going over the rules, we were shuffled in one group at a time to go through security and chill in the waiting room. They had old episodes playing on a TV. Be for we got to go into the studio, a guy came out and briefed us on general audience behavior and how we were the soundtrack for the show. Then they started calling the numbers to go in, since we got there kinda late we were in the upper most row to the left of the big C desk. Quite a good view actually.

They had some popular music playing unit the warm up comic came out, he wasn't that bad at all played off the crowed very well and was quite funny. Then Stephen came out and the crowd went crazy! He proceeded to do a out of character Q&A, nothing new was really learned here but still awesome:

He is Catholic
He use to play D&D
He doesn't see him self as a political activist, He says he is just a comedian that plays off the news he is genuinely interested in.
And he has had professional singing training.

His interaction with the audience was very cool and funny, and after the singing question he started singing the bass vocals for The Star Spangled Banner, he then pulled his stage manager in and they sang the whole thing.

After the Q&A he got behind the desk and started flinging the Wriststrong bracelets into the crowd, I unfortunately didn't get one and another person got nailed in the face by one.

Then the taping starts, the crowd lets loose, the amount of energy during this whole thing was just incredible and insanely fun. The only cues for the crowd "to go crazy" were at the start and end of the breaks, the laughing and cheering during the segments is genuine. During the breaks between segments he would talk with his staff, get his hair fixed, dance, lip sync, and air drum from his desk, to give the audience a little something silly between takes. He did have a few screw ups, and when he did he would crack jokes with the crowd. At one point they had to do a re-shoot because Stephen just couldn't hold back from laughing while trying to deliver a line, which made everyone crackup.

The interview Steven Rattner was interesting, had good flow, and most importantly had some great laughing moments.

At the end the crowd gives one last crazy fit that continued past the cameras turning off, Stephen proceeded to take a bow and dance around for a bit be for thanking us for coming out and heading to the back. The overall taping was just shy of a hour.

It was some of the most fun I had in a while and totally worth the drive and wait.

The live experience of the show is just simply awesome, if you like the show and ever have a chance to see the taping DO IT you will not regret it my friend.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

In Before Tomorrow

One of my Goals on this blog is to have at least one post daily. Currently helping a friend set up a blog of his own, going to be doing reviews and what not. I don't have the full specifics, so stay tuned my followers.

I should post something a little more interesting posted tomorrow.

Edit:

BAM:
http://thenerdyreviewer.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 27, 2010

Still Sorting

Welp still going through stuff, I am kinda mad at myself for keeping a lot of this stuff around. I mean you know the stuff isn't worth much but when you find most of the stuff doesn't work even the parts that where stored properly is kinda bummer.

It looks like whats going to be left are some Hard Drives, one or two video cards, some keyboards, and a few laptop parts. Plus some non computer stuff that may interest some people.

So anyway I wanted to share a few of favorite web comics I follow that you guys may or may not like.

http://dollar.jinwicked.com/
http://www.explosm.net/comics/
http://www.oglaf.com/
http://www.digitalunrestcomic.com/
http://www.duelinganalogs.com/
http://www.egscomics.com/
http://www.myextralife.com/
http://www.gunshowcomic.com/
http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/
http://www.penny-arcade.com/
http://picturesforsadchildren.com/
http://www.shortpacked.com/
http://www.thewotch.com/
http://www.vgcats.com/
http://hipsterhitler.com/

I know some a pretty popular, so you may have already seen them. But check out some others you might just enjoy them.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

A New Plan

Ok, I am actually sitting down and testing some this stuff and it's not going very well, as the parts are just left overs from other jobs they weren't really treated with the up most care. So new plan is to scrap the non working stuff and post up the working stuff at a little later date.

I would rather see working parts go to people that could use them instead of just scrapping them.

A Plan

OK, Instead of me going through every little piece of hardware and listing it, You guys let me know what your looking for and I can see what I can do for you. No set pricing just make me an offer, some things can be the cost of shipping.


Note: Most of my computer gear is pre-2002, None of the Computers in the pictures are "complete" except for the Macintosh IIcx it has a bad HD. There are some Thinkpad T40 & T20 parts available. Check out the Stuff post for some generalized pics.


The video game stuff & the Mac 128k is staying with me.


You Can contact me here:
randomthoughtsandoutherstuff@gmail.com


Or leave a comment.

Read the "A New Plan" Post

Recycling

So I am looking into different ways to get rid of my computer clutter. The stuff I have isn't really going for that much on ebay, and craigslist is great for certain things but for my area getting rid of computer stuff is not one of them. A lot of scrapyards want to charge if the computers still have the components in them, at best they will take the for free.

I am seriously considering a place called cj environmental, they give you a fedex shipping lable and you send them your scrap. They extract the precious metals and cut you a check a percentage of the metals value. Exactly like cash4gold. Then I would just have to take the metal cases to the scrap yard. It would be easier and faster to send everything in one big box then to sort the stuff and set up individual auctions that may not sell or have to send to multiple places.

I figure the worst that can happen is they give me nothing and I got rid of stuff not worth selling. I would expect best case to get like $30 for everything. So nothing really to lose.

So guys any thoughts on the subject?

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Stuff

So the home inspection went relatively well today. No structural problems to bee seen, and the roof has a few more years left in it. Unfortunate MedEd didn't have the power turned on so we couldn't test the electrical systems, but the breaker box seems to be neat and in order. We will be going back for a 2nd free of charge inspection when the power gets turned on. On the water side only 2 issues, a new facet in the kitchen is needed and the wax seal has broken on the downstairs toilet both easy fixes. The whole house looks like its been very well maintained.

I am also posting up some pics of my clutter.



That's not all of it, and it's also after 3 days of work. I also had 15 CRT monitors ranging from 13" - 21" that I got rid off earlier this year during spring clean up.

I can't wait to get my game systems hooked up after the move, the current placement of my TV makes it kind of hard to have more then 2 things hooked up. The 80's TV in the pic is NOT the TV I am talking about.

Friday, September 24, 2010

More Packing

Even though the closing is still a ways off, we are still trying to get stuff de-cluttered and the non essentials packed. As per some comments in my last post I think I will be holding some ebay auctions soon. At first I was reluctant but I figure I can lump allot of the PC parts that aren't worth much together in no reserve bulk auctions. I kinda want to keep the camera stuff even though I would never use any of it.

As we go through this deep clean I hope to find my two Game Gears that went missing about 2 years back, so far I have found a few SNES controllers I have been looking for and a extra PS2. I have no idea where the PS2 came from I got to test it out and make sure it works, I know someone that might want it.

Most of the space is being taken up by computer towers with parts everyware. I think the only computer stuff I plan on keeping is my main desktop, my T400 Thinkpad, my 755Cs Thinkpad, and my working Macintosh 128k (w/512k upgrade). I am a sucker for old computers & electronics but I got to draw the line I never want to end up like some of those people on that show "Hoarders".

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Moving

It's true you don't realise how much crap you have till you got to box it up and move. I am taking notice at what a Pack-Rat I am I got broken alarm clocks from the 70's, busted computers from the 80's early 90's, tons of old camera equipment that I got when I helped clean out an apartment. Just so much stuff! I bet its going to be real fun to move my 32" CRT TV that weighs close to 275lbs up the narrow basement stairs again.

I just got to get rid of a lot of crap, as I don't have the space for it in the new house, nor do I want to keep the old broken stuff around.


Ahh well, on the bright side I did find my Rubik's Cube! :D

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Blank

Been very busy today, and don't really have anything else to post.
So how bout two more bands that I think you guys shoud check out!

Here we got The Toasters a ska band out of New York. If they sound familiar the song in the video appeared in the pilot of "Mission Hill" and part of their song "Two-Tone Army" was the theme for KaBlam!

Lower quality youtube version: Here

And for video number two here is Edguy a German Power Metal Band.


\m/

50 Followers WHOO!

Start a load of a laundry, get on the computer for just a sec to check emails and what not, come here see 50 followers. AWWWW YEAAAAAA

I know what you are thinking, you see there are 51 followers and note 51 =! 50. Well some how I managed to follow myself and that wouldn't be right to count it.

So yea, you guys/girls all freaking ROCK!

Not much else to post right now, I just had a need to thank all my wonderful followers before I got back to cleaning!

Woot Woot!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Check It

Look guys new background! And over on the right you will find an awesome poll!

So yea, Went to the Salvation Army Thrift store a month or two back and picked up a few games one being this game right here:

That's right JET FREAKING MOTO. Now I haven't played this game since '99 so I wasn't sure how well it was going to hold up, So I get a friend over and throw it into my PS2. As soon as I got to the main screen the music alone took me right back to my 90's childhood. So the first thing we do is run off and get a cheat to access all tracks, then after we chose our riders the trash talk began. Being so long since I played it I was worried that I was going to suck, but as soon as we started everything came rushing back to me, all the little tricks and short cuts, how I use to hit those grappling towers just right. He wasn't half bad him self but I managed to come in 1st for all but the swamp level.

The graphics may have dated, and the whole game has that 90's "Extreme" thing going on complete with Mountain Dew advertising. But I would be a liar to say it's no longer fun, the soundtrack fits the game perfectly and gets your adrenalin pumping as you try to get around some of the insanely laid out levels at extreme speeds without going over the edge.

Even if you know what your doing one miscalculation in speed and you can clip your head sending yourself flying off your hoverbike into the abyss, giving your competition a chance to blow right by you.

If you see it cheap and like racers I recommend you pick it up, got mine for $1.99 and its been worth every penny.

Underslept

Fall asleep at 5am, wake up a bit light headed check the clock... 8:59am. One extreme to the next, cant be healthy. Well at least stuff will get done today ACs to take out of windows and stuff to be put on craigslist. Good news is that I think I got a nice groove with this blog going on and should have another post later today.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Overslept

Fall asleep at 2am, wake up with a headache check the clock... 1:30pm. Oversleeping is never pleasant, always wake up unrefreshed with some sort of ache or pain, and to top it off most of the day is wasted.


Also
@Defkon & modest crisis
Voltaire did have 2 songs featured in the cartoon "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy"

BRAINS!
&
Land of the Dead

The song he is probably most know for is When You're Evil

Maybe that's where the familiarity is coming from.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Busy, Busy, Busy

Not going to have much to post today got to do some work to my Van. So ill throw up another video from another Artist I like.

Voltair - This guy does a lot of Gothy/Satirical/Dark Humor/Geeky stuff, definitely not going to fit everyone's taste but some may like it.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

POTATOES

Right after my last post my internet started going in and out, apparently some one hit a pole. Anyhoo If you didn't notice I stylized the blog title a bit, it's not much but looks better then just plane text.

Also got my hands on some potatoes from my grandmothers garden and made some of the best mashed potatoes ever.

6 large russet potatoes
Stick of butter
1/2 Cup of whole milk
Salt to taste

I boiled the potatoes for 35 mins with skins and all, strained them and put them in a large bowl. My potatoes where soft enough to start smashing them with a big fork, after you got a good smash going throw in your milk and a softened stick of butter. I then used a electric hand mixer to blend everything together, this left me with smooth texture and some hardy chunks you expect from homemade mashed potatoes.

Serves 6-8 people

Saturday

Ahh yes Saturday, Sometimes its nice to have absolutely nothing to do. Waking up late in the day, Kicking back checking others blogs, watching funny videos on the internet, in a complete state of relaxation without a care in the world.

Life is good.

Friday, September 17, 2010

A Musical Interlude

Seen a few comments in my last post saying they didn't know Devo, This led to idea to make a post full of bands and descriptions of their music. Seemed like a great idea till the actual typing began, then it was like I was writing a bad essay, apparently I am also horrible at describing music. Plus it was no fun. So what I will do is post two bands I think people should check out with a accompanying youtube vid. May post some more in the future.

First Cellador a Power Metal band out of Omaha, Nebraska



And then we have Fifth Angel a 80's Heavy Metal Band that never quite took off but should have.


ENJOY FOLKS!

Awake

Got up this morning, No sign of undead flys... disappointing

Mousy friend from last night is very real as he left a little gift in the corner... Eww

New Devo album going in background... not bad

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Squeak

On the verge of falling asleep I see a small mouse scurry across the floor with sum sort of nut.

God speed my little rodent friend.

Flys

There have been two flys buzzing around my head for about a hour now. The sound of one really close to my ear always makes me bug out. I think they do it just to make my act on instinct and smack the side of my head. O god that buzzing.

*Bzzzzzzzzzzz*

*SMACK*

Got him, feel like ninja.

No Sleep

5:40 AM

My head feels heavy and my eyes have a gentile presser behind them. My mind wonders from what to type next to if I am going to fall a sleep with my hands on the keyboard. Sometimes when I am really exhausted  I vividly feel like I am doing something like opening the screen on my laptop or checking the time. Every once and a while I will think my head has a connection to the internet and I would just visualize websites in my mind. For all I know I could just be hallucinating myself typing this.

5:50 AM

Acorn

If I was a acorn what would I ultimately become? Would I be nourishment for a squirrel that helps him survive the winter. Maybe I would sprout and become a mighty Oak that eventually gets cut down and made into a executives desk. Perhaps I'll be the cause of death of a man looking up in a wind storm. Or maybe I'd just be stepped on and crushed then reincarnate as a Brazil Nut.