Robin Williams' Reality What A Concept

When I was a kid -- 300 to 400 years ago --, I first heard Robin Williams' album "Reality ... What a Concept" and it was uproariously funny (subversively bawdy might be a good term). I believe it was my cousin Mike who first played this album for me. I never forgot it, though my vinyl collection had long since vanished while I was off at college. I always wanted it on CD though it's never been able to be released. Once, I saw a copy on e-bay for like $90. Yeah, as if.

Anyway, I was perusing the web with Google. Google's an amazing thing. On a lark, I typed it in and boom. There it was. Laugh.com sells it for a reasonable price. I ordered it and it came yesterday. I listened to it today and it's as funny as ever. What scares me, is that I still remember almost every bit as crystal clear as when I used to listen to it over and over and over again.

"Rented lips" and "Sammy Davis Junior Junior" come to mind. As well as the New York Echo. I laughed hard listening to it again. I also got some bits that I didn't get when I first heard this album in 1979. Innocence I suppose. I would encourage everyone to locate and purchase this album. It's 41 minutes of bliss. It's classic OLD Williams -- unfocused, random, pointless, and guaranteed to cause paroxysms of laughter.

My eyes won't stop watering but I don't think I'm actually sick. This is day two of mostly runny eyes and occasional sneeze attacks. It feels like a bad allergy onset, though god knows to what.

It's Passover and I was off to see Mom and Grandma for dinner. On the way over, there was some sort of horrific accident. It must have just happened because I was only about ten cars back. Finally a cop comes flying through. Moments later traffic begins to slowly creep by on the median, directed by someone who had stopped. Ambulances and other police hadn't arrived. I got to the front and it was pretty horrific. There was a guy laying in the center lane, a big, bald biker dude who wasn't wearing a helmet. He was clawing at the ground in obvious pain and there was an enormous puddle of blood. It was everywhere. I drove on since a cop was already on scene and others had stopped to help -- what could I do? Some minutes later I passed an ambulance head that way. I'm sure it was far too late. I didn't relate this story over dinner.

I got to Grandma's, gave her the present from Sophia (Feng Fang Fu) and took a photo which is posted over at Flickr. Then we had dinner at Outback. The service was good, the food was average -- I am not an Outback fan as they've gone downhill. I had a nice time.

All Sorts of Tidbits II

Ah, yes, the compendium type post. Sure to be of interest to no-one, except, guess what? You're here reading it. So it must interest someone at least little on some level. That or your RSS reader has let you down in a spectacular fashion.

1. First, the blog is approaching 200,000 posts and I expect we'll hit that number this summer. Though recent traffic has dropped off a bit. I cannot believe how many hits I get, though about 70% of them are what I deem a "worthless" hit. To me, that's someone who reads the one post they came across and never comes back to the blog again.
2. Secondly the mix of visitors has slowly started to change. Search engine referrals are down to 73.5% while website referrals are up to 26% -- Google still provides most of our traffic (75% of that 73%).
3. My post on Led Zeppelin still remains the single most popular post and it generates people who linger and read the 300+ comments. Following that is the post about Daniel Radcliffe's Penis which generates more worthless hits than anything -- apparently people think they're getting the goods from my website. I think not. In third place is the Dell Sucks post which generates traffic as well as getting me lots of sympathetic e-mails. In fourth place is the Crazy Frog post, which like the Penis post, is worthless for valuable traffic. All other posts generate insignificant traffic when measured over time. Short-term some posts like mine on Wolfgang Van Halen and Terry Brooks generate short-terms bursts but then people move on to whatever else is news.
4. A special shout-out goes to Maury Wilkinson. She's the one who challenged me to make a blog. So I should thank her for that. But that's not why she's getting the shout-out here. She's been bugging me forever to get a TiVo. I broke down and got a DVR today (which she calls a Ti-Faux because it's a generic one) so I don't have to miss House, Heroes, and Lost any more. We'll see how I like it.
5. I love being a grammar Nazi. No, really. I'm not perfect but I am better than most people. And I certainly know the difference between your/you're and it's/its -- which about 80% of the people who write me obviously don't. I started a thread on my Panthers Hockey Message Board (which actually tracks back to another thread on a different board). I am only mentioning this because the thread is awesome. And better yet, the spiteful bitch on the original thread, who apparently runs the LED board, made an ass out of herself, engaged in petty-name calling, and then used RED on the matrix board to make the error worse.
The thread got locked and the entire ad was gone from the last game. Victory is mine! (Okay, it's got nothing to do with me or anything I said, but still.)
6. My guest room is now wired for HDTV for the benefit of my guests. And I've installed a new flat-screen LCD TV. Isn't that great? Except I don't like guests. Damn -- I think that may be ironic. That's why I'm in the process of finding a new home for my Sony KV27EXR10.
7. I saw Horton Hears a Who. It is surprisingly good. Really. Except when they break into song at the end -- a clear Shrek rip-odd. Everyone knows the story, has read the book, etcetera so there's no point in me going over it. You will like it. Visually appealing, very entertaining, and just a good film. Really. Saw previews for Ice Age 3, Narnia: Caspian, Wall-E and Speed Racer. I can't wait to see the first three. I was looking forward to Speed Racer but the preview has me reconsidering.
8. My neck still hurts (see accident report) and though it was getting better, it's acting up again. Not sure why. But my C4 vertebrae is in the wrong place according to the x-ray the chiropractor took. I definitely have whiplash. Progressive Insurance are being serious poopy-heads about it, and I've written a letter to their CEO and the State of Florida Insurance Commissioner. They lied to me, and I caught them in the lie. They also tried to get me to sign a waiver of rights including all future rights. I'm not even cured yet and they want to buy me off for a small pittance. I was very up-front. I want them to pay my medical bills. Nothing more and nothing less. Apparently they think this is unfair. State Law entitles to me reimbursement for missed work and other benefits. I wasn't really excited about the paperwork, but I suppose I have to do it now. It's clear they are lying scum and do not have my best interests at heart. Ultimately, I will be better so I'm not worried about long term issues, but if they think I'm signing a waiver for something down the road, they're nuts. What if something was missed on the x-ray? Too many things could go wrong. Woe be the person who gets rear-ended by a Progressive policy holder. Progressive Sucks. They must use Dell laptops :)
9. I am opposed to bio-fuels. Why? Food should not be used to operate cars when people are starving to death all over the planet. I can't imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

Why Sharper Image Went Bust (Plus Bonus Medical Update)

First, a few words on The Sharper Image. It was for many years a very cool store. I went to their original store in San Francisco way back in the 1980s when I was a student at Cal (GO BEARS!) I frequented their store on Market Street right near the Powell and Montgomery BART stations and a short walk to either the California or Powell Street cable cars.

What made the store so attractive to me and my geek friends were the gadgets. Cool gadgets that you couldn't find anywhere. Granted these gadgets didn't do anything, but that wasn't the point. They had a cool replica of the Walther PPK James Bond carried, life-size Darth Vader statues, full size pinball machines, and all sorts of useless but very neat electronics.

When I came back to Miami and they opened their first store in Florida at Bayside there were waiting lines to get in. A store at Dadeland Mall followed and it was the same thing. People were banging their doors down to get in. Then, slowly over time, they changed. More useful, practical things. They lost their cool factor. Basically they turned into Brookstone. I love Brookstone. If I want Brookstone, I go there. Sharper Image lost their caché. All my friends, and me, stopped going there. They forgot who their customer was. The most important thing in business is to know your customer and what they want. Sharper Image decided we wanted pillows, massage chairs, luggage, and air purifiers. They just didn't ask us, their customers. And the sad part is they're blaming all sorts of factors on their failures, but that isn't why they failed. Bad Management because they lost sight of their goals.

Medical Update (1): More on the car accident from previous psots. My upper back and shoulders and neck are killing me. The x-rays are negative but something is wrong. My chiropractor thinks it's whiplash but that's got nothing to do with my mid-back. And now I'm getting these random pains in my kidney -- short, sharp pain that lasts a few seconds and vanishes. (On the plus side my hip isn't hurting any more...)

Medical Update (2): I went to the eye doctor yesterday. I got the worst diagnosis possible. I was there because my eyesight is deteriorating at a noticeable rate. The diagnosis: I'm getting old. He said there's nothing wrong that wasn't wrong before. My left eye is shot and always has been. My right eye is no longer perfect. It will continue to get worse and there's nothing I can do. He gave me a new prescription but told me not to fill it until I can't stand this one anymore. I'm going to try and go until my birthday if I can. I still try and not use them to read books and such -- plain black on white and it's not too bad.

Pain in the Neck (Literal)

Ouch. Today hurts much worse than yesterday. I am sore in my shoulders, my entire neck, upper back, and a little in my lower back. I have this burning sensation that goes from one shoulder blade to the other. And the weird random pain in my right hip. The insurance people told me that this is normal -- a few days after is when it hits. Well, it hit.

I am going to hospital first thing in the morning for x-rays to see if there's anything obvious. After that it's up to the doctor, but perhaps an MRI or two. Joy. Joy. Joy.

In other related news, Progressive is not being cooperative (they're the insurers of records of the lady who hit us). Per state law, I've contacted my insurance company who is going to have to deal with it now. I am displeased.

Randomness Part Eight

What a weekend. The Panthers won Friday and Sunday giving us a total of four wins in a row. Yay, Panthers.

Next up, I'm sitting in Thomas' car on Sunday and he's driving. We're both wearing seat belts. Though I often give him crap for his driving, he's a pretty good (ie: very cautious) driver. So Saturday afternoon at around 310pm, we're leaving Office Depot, and he stops at a stop sign. He starts to go, but someone comes flying by at warp 30 in a car, so he stops again. They pass. He's in the process of looking both ways when some lady in a Black Honda Accord rear ends us at a high rate of speed causing us to lurch forward about 6 to 10 feet. We both get out and survey the damage -- most of which is to Thomas' car. They trade insurance info, though Timmy fails to get her driver's license number, and I got down her tag number. They decide not to call the cops. Thomas is fine, me not so much. As they're wrapping up I notice my neck is unusually sore on the left side where it joins the shoulder.

Thomas goes home (a five minute drive) and calls his insurance agent and their insurance agent. They want to talk to me since I'm injured. They ask me for my auto insurance details. Really. I refuse to provide it since I was not driving and my car was not present. I hate this already. In other news, gets worse as the hours tick by. I try to ignore it because that's how I am. Today it hurts more, sore to the touch. My back hurts a little and my right hip a lot.

Adrian cancelled skating on me today, which is probably for the best anyway. I went grocery shopping and then to Walgreens for some drugs. Yay, drugs. Doing laundry now.

Watched some of the Pens vs Capitals game on TV and some stuff on the science channel. I did a great deal of work my tax packet. I hate taxes. HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE. So much work.

Had dinner with Jason last week. That was fun to see him, Jenny, and Erica again. We really have to do that more often.

UK newspapers such as the Daily Mail and the Telegraph are reporting yesterday and today on an expected deal between Sir Paul McCartney and Apple, Inc. to bring the Beatles catalog to iTunes. According to the Telegraph, the deal could be worth as much as £300 million. An Apple Corps label spokesperson said that the date "has not yet been set." The deal has been much delayed. But industry insiders say that by the end of the year fans using iTunes will be able to buy songs from albums such as Help! and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Former hits from albums such as Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the White Album, and Help are expected to top the download charts for several months on release. I envision the long rumoured Yellow Submarine iPod which I will purchase on opening day because I must own one.

I was In a Car Accident Today

Today, I was in a relatively minor car accident. Or, more accurately, I was rear-ended by a cel-phone wielding blonde bitch. Maybe she isn't but her attitude bears me out.

I left work a bit early today to go to the post office and pick up some stuff while they were still open. So, along about 435pm or so, I am on the NW 36th Street access road (the road that runs right next to NW 36th Street). The road merges from two to one lane as it hooks left onto Ludlam Road. I was in the left lane (the through lane) and the right lane merges into it (they have the merge sign, and therefore the left lane has right of way).

I am driving substantially below the speed limit because it's raining and the road is wet. Right next to me in the right lane is a dark blue Kia Sportage. In the right lane following the Sportage is a gold Honda Civic, driven by a blonde who appears to be on a cell-phone. In front of me is a white Nissan Pathfinder (or maybe it's a Q45; I'm not positive as I wasn't paying attention to that). I slow a little more to let the Sportage in, and continue as the lanes merge. Please keep in mind there is no median and it's a blind curve so you cannot weave into the oncoming lanes without risking a fatal head-on collision.

I am still driving WELL below the speed limit, going approximately 20 to 25 MPH due to the fact we're merging, the road is wet, and we're on a blind curve. Three wonderful driving conditions.

Apparently the lady in the Honda decides to merge and lean on her horn at the same time. It is my understanding that, apparently, if you're a blonde on a cel-phone merging left, leaning on the horn gives you the right of way even if a car is ALREADY in the space you wish to occupy. Apparently it does not dawn on her she can slow down or stop and get behind me.

It is FAR more convenient for her to actually clip my back bumper and keep leaning on her horn. I pull over in front of Miami Aviation (or whatever that abandoned building in front of the UPS Air terminal is called) and get out and grab my (OFF as always) cel phone. She exits her car and is gabbing on the phone -- which is why I assume she was on it when she hit me as she didn't likely have time to make a call in the few seconds that elapse.

She starts yelling at me in Spanish and I yell back at her in English (no foul words were used). I ask what she wants to do because, happily there is almost NO visible damage to my car. She yabbers something so fast, I cannot understand it to translate it with my semi-limited Spanish. I say "Policia?" and she says "Si! Policia" so I call the Police (she is still on her phone call). I call 911 and transfer to the non-emergency number and give them the details calmly, and politely as a cop drives by and totally ignores us -- we're standing in the rain. I probably should have mentioned that because it adds to the joy of my situation.

Amazingly, not 4 minutes later the police show up -- okay, it's a PSA but still four minutes is rocking. I like the police. We greet him simultaneously, me in English, her in Spanish. She's hung up the phone at some point. He looks for the damage on my car and doesn't see much, and then looks at her damage. He asks me to describe what happened and I tell my side pointing at the clearly marked lanes and road signs. He asks her for her side in Spanish. I should mention the PSA is very professional -- some guy named Officer Delgado with a scary looking scar on his left arm.

It's quite clear she rear-ended me while not having the right of way. He doesn't TELL me that, but he talks to her in Spanish and I don't think he realizes I speak a little. Sometimes silence is good: keep your mouth shut. He asks what I want to do. I told him she wants a police report, so we should let her have what she wants. I explain, again, that nobody is hurt and I have no serious damage -- it's all on her front bumper and the rear of my car, hence the overwhelming evidence she rear-ended me. I've just got a few nicks I can probably fix myself.

He talks to her in Spanish and tells her that she can drive away and he won't write anything. He asks if I'm okay with that, and despite my desire to punish Blondie as she so richly deserves, I'm very tired of being in the rain. Apparently she is too, and decides it's okay to leave with no report. He instructs her to leave first and stops traffic so she can get back on the road. I notice she jots my plate number down as she drives off -- which is why I am writing this so when I get a legal document, I have everything written here while it's fresh in my memory along with a nifty time and date stamp.

I stay a few moments more chatting with the officer before I get in my car and get to the post office just before they close at 5pm.

I'd have posted this earlier, but I got home a little later than expected as I got stock in 5pm traffic, in construction (yet another batch of new construction -- this time on 25th street and Milam Dairy) on my way home. Then I had to call Thomas to find out how his hip replacement surgery went -- it's fine. He's awake and as alert as he was before the operation (take that as you will). He'll be in the hospital until this weekend approximately before he goes to a rehab center. He's watching baseball -- he says he likes it, but I think it's to dull the plain. Watching baseball makes me numb....

So how was YOUR day?