Sunday, June 29, 2008

Things Fundi's Say - "I wouldn't know because"

In most contexts, a lack of knowledge or ignorance is a bad thing. Not so with Fundi Christians! I introduce you to a new phrase - "I wouldn't know because". When hearing this phrase, it's a clear indicator of a coming insult.

Example uses -
"What'd you think of that new movie?"
"I wouldn't know because I don't watch R rated movies"

"You know that corner of A and B streets where the drug dealer hangs out?"
"I wouldn't know because I don't do drugs"

Now, to truly show yourself as a fundi, you can't just say these phrases reasonably - a mistake I've made in a few of the above. The proper use of the phrase requires the ignorance and ignorance cause to be rather unrelated to the topic at hand. Bonus point if the phrase is in response to a statement and not a question.

"That restraunt had really good cocktails"
"I wouldn't know because I'm not a drunk"

Completed with a snear, this "I wouldn't know because" phrase is perfect for the budding fundi.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Denial

So, I'm watching TV a couple months ago, just after my nice 30" HDTV went out of warranty. I bought it a while back. It's a CRT, one of the last HDTV CRTs made. Compared to LCD screens, CRTs had (and still have) higher image quality. So, I was a bit concerned while watching the TV to hear a "pop" and watch the picture flash off and back on.

Not a problem, I thought to myself, probably just a signal hiccup, right? Yeah, that's all, I won't see it again.

A couple weeks later, "pop". Now, I'm thinking - ahh, not really an issue, it'll sort itself out.

Not so lucky.

It's now popping about once every 3 or 4 seconds, which makes watching TV near impossible - as soon as the picture comes back, "pop", bye picture.

How is it, I buy a cheapo TV that lasts over 10 years, my parents have a TV that recently hit 20, and I have a TV that craps out after 2?

So, now, I've joined those without TVs. On the plus side, that means more blogging, and I've read a good chunk of "Stranger in a Strange Land".

Of course, now I have a 150 lb CRT to figure out how to get rid of.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Friends don't let friends buy broken software

I'm shocked that EA is continuing it's current scheme of copy protection, after all of the consumer issues already reported with The Sims. Even more frustrating to me, is that I really was looking forward to purchasing Spore, which would be one of the first computer games I've bought in a couple years. (The last being Half Life 2, nothing new is interesting me it seems....)

However, EA is currently continuing it's draconian tactics of copy protection. Tactics that in the end serve to do little against dedicated pirates and directly harm consumers.

http://www.simprograms.com/?p=692

I'd ask that you seriously consider the attitude of EA towards its costumers, with this software. I'd ask that you consider that EA is charging you money for essentially broken software.

I will no longer be purchasing EA games and I encourage everyone to do the same. Limiting a user's ability to install a game, move it to another computer, is wrong.

I think the time has come for a class action suit against EA for selling broken software.

EA - if record companies have finally begun to understand the benefits of selling without DRM, what's stopping you?