The Play Nice For Three Days General Discussion Thread - 08/19/07

[horatio616]

We should throw them a loop or something.

How 'bout a "What is your favorite movie and/or favorite podcast and what is your opinion on Watchmen and what are some good tv shows?" thread.

[esophagus]

Or a "My Favorite TV Show" thread that just contains David Bowie Lyrics. "WHERE DO I PUT THIS?!"

[labor_days]

How 'bout a "What is your favorite movie and/or favorite podcast and what is your opinion on Watchmen and what are some good tv shows?" thread.

Paper, next Wednesday's GD has a title.

[horatio616]

Paper, next Wednesday's GD has a title.

I was thinking maybe "Hermaphrohawk vs. The Abortionist and Ron Mexico".

[esophagus]

See what happens when GD is closed after half a week? We grow restless and title it in random threads.

[labor_days]

I was thinking maybe "Hermaphrohawk vs. The Abortionist and Ron Mexico".

That should last about 3 pages before it's closed, eh?

[horatio616]

See what happens when GD is closed after half a week? We grow restless and title it in random threads.

We need to do a Hermaphrohawk zero issue with a lenticular cover or something. It could be full of posts from fill-in posters.

[esophagus]

We need to do a Hermaphrohawk zero issue with a lenticular cover or something. It could be full of posts from fill-in posters."Comes Free with Purchase of 'I Spy: Abe Vigoda'!"

[esophagus]

BAM! Not a great choice of title, but we get the message.

[acomicbookgirl]

Only here can you have Abe Vigoda and Hermaphrohawk in the same thread.. :p

[esophagus]

Only here can you have Abe Vigoda and Hermaphrohawk in the same thread.. :pNot to mention the same 2 for 1 package.

[horatio616]

Damn, these guys are good!

[labor_days]

We need to do a Hermaphrohawk zero issue with a lenticular cover or something. It could be full of posts from fill-in posters.

Variant cover of a buxom Hermaphrohawk drawn by Michael Turner, natch.

[kwok_talk]

Wow. I go away for the weekend and the GD thread gets shut down. Madness!

[horatio616]

Wow. I go away for the weekend and the GD thread gets shut down. Madness!


Your cyber-pheromones soothe us!

Our fantasy football league is not looking good. I can only find nine people! We should have started a fantasy Justice league!

[kwok_talk]

Your cyber-pheromones soothe us!

Our fantasy football league is not looking good. I can only find nine people! We should have started a fantasy Justice league!

Maybe we can PM Meltzer, since he'll be having more free time post-JLA

[horatio616]

Maybe we can PM Meltzer, since he'll be having more free time post-JLA

As long as everybody promises to lay of the eye-roll emoticons when he names his team the "Red Tornadoes".

[fred]

Ron Mexico performed an abortion on my Hermaphrohawk

[horatio616]

Ron Mexico performed an abortion on my Hermaphrohawk

Hey now this thread has to last us three more days!

[acomicbookgirl]

Maybe we can PM Meltzer, since he'll be having more free time post-JLA

I have his e-mail and he's on my My Space. ;)

[esophagus]

Your cyber-pheromones soothe us!

Our fantasy football league is not looking good. I can only find nine people! We should have started a fantasy Justice league!I completely imagined Superman throwing the ball way out of the field, and looking to Batman on the sidelines. "BRUCE, that was all yours!" "Shut up! My parents are dead!"

[esophagus]

I decided to go see what was up at the Mitch Clem (http://www.mitchclem.com/forum/index.php) forums I used to post on. So much clutter. So much spam. So many n00bs. I have a whole new appreciation for this forum, and its moderatory goodness.

[kwok_talk]

Happy official bday Paper!

[six-gun]

Hello everyone, I'm sorry for derailing the thread, let's put it all behind us. :cool:

[paper]

Thanks for the birthday wishes from the various threads, guys.

Becca, is it your birthday today, or was it yesterday? In any case, many happy returns.

I went out with my friends to see Superbad last night. I'm a real cruiserweight when it comes to the drinky-drinks, and they had me do a couple shots before the movie. When I get buzzed there's a real danger of me talking to people like the very attractive bartender. Managed to avoid that, but it was close. Took all my energy to not just shout, "I think I would love to live with you on a boat!"

This morning my head feels like this:

http://www2.gpmd.com/image/b/brih4000.jpg

[six-gun]

Ron Mexico performed an abortion on my Hermaphrohawk

if I had the time I would write an epic fantasy novel around that premise, however I don't have the time so the world shall be without that literary masterpiece

[paper]

So, last week I ordered Alias volumes 2 and 3. I specified that they hold them until both were available. Apparently they shipped book 3, and book 2 isn't slated to hit my doorstep until early October. Whatever.

[conorkilpatrick]

This is really funny. (http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1771556) (Some NSFW language)

[paper]

That's really good. The "ad bots" were a funny idea.

[-mk-]

Haha - classic clip. "Pwned!"

[jgg0610]

I think we hit a milestone this weekend. Is this the first time the GD thread has ever been closed? Paper, how was the movie, buzz and all?

[jgg0610]

This falls under the category of "Reports of my death have been greatly exagerated" with thanks to Mark Twain.

I got a call from a former co-worker this morning and his first words were "Oh, you're not dead." I said of course not and this was the explanation that I received of how he and some people I used to work with got there.

I usually pass this guy on the way to work everyday in the morning and afternoon most days. We work and live in exactly opposite towns so we drive the same route to work everyday but in opposite directions. He hadn't seen me on the drive to work in a month (my car's been in the shop for a month).

Another former co-worker lives around the corner from me and hasn't seen my car in the driveway for a month (again, my car has been in the shop for a month).

Same co-worker sees quite a few cars around my house yesterday none of which are mine (car still in shop and my wife had a spa party for her friends).

Therefore from these three facts, I must be dead right and yesterday was the funeral.

Unbelievable.

[jimski]

This falls under the category of "Reports of my death have been greatly exagerated" with thanks to Mark Twain.

A few years ago, under circumstances I cannot even begin to imagine, a guy on my block accidentally set himself on fire, jumped out his apartment window on fire, ran out onto the sidewalk, and expired.

Several friends read a local news report about "a young man in his mid-twenties in the 2500 block of Dale Ave." and called to make sure it wasn't me.

Because that sounded like something I would do, to my friends.

So they called me to ask if I was dead.

Thinking about it now, I still shake my head and sigh. I clearly have an image problem.

It's funny: I literally didn't read the general thread at all last week (I guess all my thoughts were specific) and look what I missed.

[jgg0610]

Sometime you'll have to describe how someone accidentally sets themselves on fire. That's too funny.

[fred]

I think we hit a milestone this weekend. Is this the first time the GD thread has ever been closed? Paper, how was the movie, buzz and all?

It was also closed the weekend that Transformers came out and I believe that there was one other time but I can't remember when or why.

[fred]

Sometime you'll have to describe how someone accidentally sets themselves on fire. That's too funny.

Richard Pryor

[conorkilpatrick]

Breaking: Vick will plead guilty in dogfighting case
Michael Vick has accepted a plea deal – and a likely prison sentence – to avoid additional federal charges related to a professional dogfighting operation, according to one of his attorneys.

[kwok_talk]

See you later!

[labor_days]

Breaking: Vick will plead guilty in dogfighting case
Michael Vick has accepted a plea deal – and a likely prison sentence – to avoid additional federal charges related to a professional dogfighting operation, according to one of his attorneys.

Vick is a scumbag who deserves the worst of prison life.

[esophagus]

Vick is a scumbag who deserves the worst of prison life.We still have two days to go.

[fred]

Vick is a scumbag who deserves the worst of prison life.

With any luck he'll spend the next 50 years braiding some dude's hair every day.

[kahunablair]

First off...
Happy Birthday Pol and Becca!!

Breaking: Vick will plead guilty in dogfighting case
Michael Vick has accepted a plea deal – and a likely prison sentence – to avoid additional federal charges related to a professional dogfighting operation, according to one of his attorneys.

Damnit Conor, they were finally starting to calm down!

[esophagus]

Sometime you'll have to describe how someone accidentally sets themselves on fire. That's too funny.A store in town sells flame proof retardant hoodies and back sprayers. One of these weekends I'm going to buy one of each. I'll fill the sprayer with gas and hose myself down, then start myself on fire. It sure won't be accidental, but I need pictures, it just sounds like fun. If you ever see a "Man claiming to be Human Torch dies" headline. It might be me.

[jimski]

Sometime you'll have to describe how someone accidentally sets themselves on fire. That's too funny.

I spent some time on that one myself. "Drunken cooking accident? Drunken candle accident? Drinking game accident? Can we at least agree there was drinking?" Because... presumably the apartment had more water than the sidewalk. Never mind the jumping out the window on fire.

I must confess that after asking my friend, "Does this sound like something that's likely to happen to me?" the first thing I did was take a walk around the block to see if there were dude-burns on the street.

[mikegraham6]

Good News guys! My contact for that "perfect job" i was interviewed for last week just called me and offered me a contract job for the month that it will take them to finish the interviews. Basically, that says that i landed the job and that the rest is a formality!
im excited. Since i mentioned my interview last week, I just figured i'd keep you all in the loop.

[horatio616]

With any luck he'll spend the next 50 years braiding some dude's hair every day.

He'll serve a year maybe.

[labor_days]

Good News guys! My contact for that "perfect job" i was interviewed for last week just called me and offered me a contract job for the month that it will take them to finish the interviews. Basically, that says that i landed the job and that the rest is a formality!
im excited. Since i mentioned my interview last week, I just figured i'd keep you all in the loop.

Congratulations, Mike. It's a great feeling to work at something that excites and interests you.

[esophagus]

Good News guys! My contact for that "perfect job" i was interviewed for last week just called me and offered me a contract job for the month that it will take them to finish the interviews. Basically, that says that i landed the job and that the rest is a formality!
im excited. Since i mentioned my interview last week, I just figured i'd keep you all in the loop.Nice. What's the job?

[kwok_talk]

Congrats on the job Mike!

[fred]

congratulations mike

[jgg0610]

Congratulations on the job Mike!

[mikegraham6]

Nice. What's the job?

Thanks guys!
the job is media analysis officer. It's an english essential job which means that i don't have to know french (something that is very very rare in the Canadian government).
Basically i'll come in every morning and go over the news and write daily briefings on any issues that would be relevant to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
I will also be working with a group of analysts who are hired out to analyze news coverage of defined issues, and report back on how it was covered, positively/negatively or with any slants.
I love the news and i love analyzing it, so im extremely excited for the job. I can't wait to do something that i'll actually enjoy doing!

[six-gun]

Vick will serve a year and then go to the CFL and be welcomed wth open arms, he doesn't deserve to get off that easily that but it's what's going to happen.

Sorry Mike! Hey, at least your country has a lot of undeveloped wilderness that Vick could possibly get "lost" in!

Congrats on the new job btw

[six-gun]

We still have two days to go.

Don't worry, I've made my case and I'm done.

Comics are fun!

[esophagus]

That sounds like a sweet job. I'm just looking for anything that beats out Wal-Mart. Right now I'm thinking guinea pig.

[fred]

I'm just looking for anything that beats out Wal-Mart.

I was completely skimming and that is not even close to what I thought that sentence said. Thanks for the unintentional laugh sir. Thanks also are due to my underdeveloped sense of maturity.

[jimski]

I can't decide whether analyzing media coverage would be the job created just for me or a one-way ticket to Arkham. On one hand, I sort of already do it for free; on the other, I always end up with high blood pressure afterwards.

Vick will serve a year and then go to the CFL and be welcomed wth open arms, he doesn't deserve to get off that easily that but it's what's going to happen. Once upon a time, Leonard Little got drunk out of his mind and drove into a soccer mom's SUV and killed her. Killed a human woman, and served 90 whole days in jail. Six years later, he was arrested for drunk driving again... and he continues to play for the St. Louis Rams happily ever after.

It happens. It's karma's problem.

[itsbecca]

Speaking of jobs and beating.... out

What kind of schooling did you do Fred? I've been looking at the universities in my area and all of the CS degrees seem to have very little options for web development. I feel like I'm missing something.

[fred]

Speaking of jobs and beating.... out

What kind of schooling did you do Fred? I've been looking at the universities in my area and all of the CS degrees seem to have very little options for web development. I feel like I'm missing something.

It really depends on the school that you go to and what you'd like to do.

If you're looking to be a web designer (as in the person that actually develops the look of a site), then you should try to get into a graphic arts program that has a web/interactive media/or new media concentration.

If you're looking to be a web programmer, which is what I am, then you're going to want to get into a CS program and take all of the web-focused classes that you can. When I went to school, most places didn't have it as a major of its own (this may have changed). You had to become a programmer in general and then focus your talents on the internet. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. Each year, as the internet grows more sophisticated (the sites rather than the people on it), more will be required of you. It's good to have working knowledge of things like C, VB, Java, etc as you'll be able to use them by themselves or as a springboard to quickly learn another language. I know somewhere between 15 and 20 by this point.

As you can see, there isn't really an easy answer. You kind of have to pick a path and soldier on. What? There's no program for that? **** it! I'll make my own. The internet is very much still in its "wild west" period and so consequently are its educational paths and requirements. I'll be glad to help however I can.

[itsbecca]

It really depends on the school that you go to and what you'd like to do.

If you're looking to be a web designer (as in the person that actually develops the look of a site), then you should try to get into a graphic arts program that has a web/interactive media/or new media concentration.

If you're looking to be a web programmer, which is what I am, then you're going to want to get into a CS program and take all of the web-focused classes that you can. When I went to school, most places didn't have it as a major of its own (this may have changed). You had to become a programmer in general and then focus your talents on the internet. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. Each year, as the internet grows more sophisticated (the sites rather than the people on it), more will be required of you. It's good to have working knowledge of things like C, VB, Java, etc as you'll be able to use them by themselves or as a springboard to quickly learn another language. I know somewhere between 15 and 20 by this point.

As you can see, there isn't really an easy answer. You kind of have to pick a path and soldier on. What? There's no program for that? **** it! I'll make my own. The internet is very much still in its "wild west" period and so consequently are its educational paths and requirements. I'll be glad to help however I can.

Definitley programmer. While I love the designing bit too, I have little artistic ability outside my design sense (I can say "It would be cool to present the content in this way" just don't ask me to draw anything, no pictures, no fonts... in fact my color choices might not even be that great.) There's just two disheartening things about a CS degree.
1)The most web classes I found at one school was three, count 'em, three classes.
2)I don't want to take calculus.

I'm thinking of visiting the schools and seeing if I can talk to someone. See if maybe their programs are more flexible than the course catalogs let on.

[iSteve]

Congratulations on the job, Mike. Sounds like a great fit for you.

[paper]

Yeah, congrats, Mike.

Good luck with the school search, Becca.

Nobody wants to be a screenwriting major like me? C'mon, kids! You can be under-appreciated by millions of people!

[fred]

1)The most web classes I found at one school was three, count 'em, three classes.
2)I don't want to take calculus.


1) Sometimes they are hidden in other departments. Also, some schools don't have very good offerings in this area. However, if they even offer only html then you'll be fine. You can take classes in .NET, Java, SQL is a must. Ideally, you'd be able to catch a PHP class or a few others. You can make it all work without that though.

2) This depends on where you go and what your high school test scores are like. If your SAT or ACT scores are good enough, you may be able to skip or test out of it. It depends on the school, the program, and the dean of the particular department.

[itsbecca]

2) This depends on where you go and what your high school test scores are like. If your SAT or ACT scores are good enough, you may be able to skip or test out of it. It depends on the school, the program, and the dean of the particular department.

Pahahaha I have good test scores, but I would never be able to test out of it. My brain is very much wired for that kind of logic, but the knowledge is conspiciously missing, because of a lazy high school career. And without that base... well my first attempt was abysmal.

I think I'll eventually just have to bite the bullet and get through it with a tutor or something.

[paper]

I just learned on IMDB that I share a birthday with Short Round. That awesome.

Here's some other August 20th birthdays I already knew about:

Isaac Hayes
James Marsters (Buffy, Smallville, Superman: Doomsday)
Robert Plant
Amy Adams
Fred Durst...
H.P. Lovecraft

Who do you share a birthday with?

[acomicbookgirl]

People who I share my favorite day of the year with or should that be the other way around.. Whatever.. Its all about me that day either way. ;)

Rod Steiger
Loretta Lynn
Pete Rose
Ritchie Blackmore
Bruce Sterling
Richard Jeni
Brad Garrett
David Justice
Greg Maddux
Anthony Michael Hall
Brad Ausmus
Adrien Brody
David Miller
Da Brat
Kyle Farnsworth
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Abigail Breslin

[acomicbookgirl]

Shame on me I need to wish Pol and Becca Happy Birthday! :) Congrat Mike on getting the dream job. :D

[esophagus]

Who do you share a birthday with?Florence Henderson
Jimmy Hoffa
Alan Parker
Michael Bloomberg
Teller, of Penn and Teller
Rob Thomas
Jack Benny
etc.

[jimski]

I think I've got Eric Idle and Xena, Warrior Princess.

[darron]

Happy birthday, Becca and Pol, you two crazy kids.

[esophagus]

Back to work tomorrow... I'm also quitting tomorrow. I'm hoping for the highly unlikely, but plausible, "you might as well just be done now" response. If that doesn't come I'm in for six straight days of hell.

[esophagus]

Nobody wants to be a screenwriting major like me? C'mon, kids! You can be under-appreciated by millions of people!I was going to take english. Now I've decided I'll either go for philosophy or just not go to college. The plan is to travel and open an arcade, comic shop, record store, or book store somewhere. Just as pricey, and probably just as fulfilling.

[six-gun]

Robert Plant

One of the barons of rock? very cool paper!

[horatio616]

Yeah, congrats, Mike.

Good luck with the school search, Becca.

Nobody wants to be a screenwriting major like me? C'mon, kids! You can be under-appreciated by millions of people!

Just to let everybody know, this is the fourth draft of this post. Paper wrote the first two drafts and I the second two. Rightfully I should be given co-writing credit for this post. I've done 37 uncredited rewrites of Paper posts and I think it's time for me to get the recognition I deserve.

[paper]

See, kids? That's comedy. That's where comedy lives.

[kahunablair]

Alright, all you "Reader types" out there, I have a question for you.
Has anyone looked into Booksfree.com or Bookswim.com? It's billed as NetFlix for books. I'm considering signing up with Bookswim because they have a selection of Graphic Novels I wanted to check out without laying the cash down to purchase them.

What's everyones thoughts on these types of services?

[esophagus]

Alright, all you "Reader types" out there, I have a question for you.
Has anyone looked into Booksfree.com or Bookswim.com? It's billed as NetFlix for books. I'm considering signing up with Bookswim because they have a selection of Graphic Novels I wanted to check out without laying the cash down to purchase them.

What's everyones thoughts on these types of services?I looked into Book Swim a while back, and found it VERY appealing, but again, they don't deliver to Canada. I need to move.

[conorkilpatrick]

Alright, all you "Reader types" out there, I have a question for you.
Has anyone looked into Booksfree.com or Bookswim.com? It's billed as NetFlix for books. I'm considering signing up with Bookswim because they have a selection of Graphic Novels I wanted to check out without laying the cash down to purchase them.

What's everyones thoughts on these types of services?

Isn't that just the library?

[esophagus]

Isn't that just the library?With a much bigger selection. There are video stores too, but that doesn't make them as appealing as netflix.

[kahunablair]

Isn't that just the library?

Nope, a library is free.
That's the only thing holding me back. My local town library has the usual staples, but nothing to extreme or different. The county wide libraries have a good selection, but they're all out of the way for me.
I'd be paying for convenience more then anything.

[-mk-]

Back to work tomorrow... I'm also quitting tomorrow. I'm hoping for the highly unlikely, but plausible, "you might as well just be done now" response. If that doesn't come I'm in for six straight days of hell.

Just wanted to interrupt the current book discussion to announce that because of the horrible mood I'm in at the moment (due to work), this made me cackle. I'm now in that "gimme a 6-pack and throw on Office Space" mood, which is awesome. Thanks.

[esophagus]

Just wanted to interrupt the current book discussion to announce that because of the horrible mood I'm in at the moment (due to work), this made me cackle. I'm now in that "gimme a 6-pack and throw on Office Space" mood, which is awesome. Thanks.Always glad to help. And thank you for giving me the idea to sit back and watch Office Space on my last day. Or every day until.

[itsbecca]

Alright, all you "Reader types" out there, I have a question for you.
Has anyone looked into Booksfree.com or Bookswim.com? It's billed as NetFlix for books. I'm considering signing up with Bookswim because they have a selection of Graphic Novels I wanted to check out without laying the cash down to purchase them.

What's everyones thoughts on these types of services?

I had no idea such a thing existed. I'm going to look into them. If the selection is good it would be awesome, but I have a feeling there's no way for them to be that good....

As much as I love my library, requesting books from other branches takes foooorever and they don't let you renew them more than once. Daily late fees suck a nut.

[kahunablair]

I had no idea such a thing existed. I'm going to look into them. If the selection is good it would be awesome, but I have a feeling there's no way for them to be that good....

As much as I love my library, requesting books from other branches takes foooorever and they don't let you renew them more than once. Daily late fees suck a nut.

I compared the two this morning and as far as I can tell they both have a pretty decent selection. As far as graphic novels go, Bookswim has a much better selection.
The late fee is another reason I'm so interested in taking a look at this route too.

[itsbecca]

I compared the two this morning and as far as I can tell they both have a pretty decent selection. As far as graphic novels go, Bookswim has a much better selection.
The late fee is another reason I'm so interested in taking a look at this route too.

I think at the least I would try it out for a few months to exhaust their list, like I've about done to my libraries graphic novel list. I have to think over their rotation program. It's an interesting concept. I'm to tired to think it over seriously right now though.

ALSO their keep it feature is kind of neat. I wonder how "deeply" discounted it is.

[fred]

I for one would like to say that I bear no ill will towards anyone or anything that "suck(s) a nut".

[kahunablair]

I think at the least I would try it out for a few months to exhaust their list, like I've about done to my libraries graphic novel list. I have to think over their rotation program. It's an interesting concept. I'm to tired to think it over seriously right now though.

ALSO their keep it feature is kind of neat. I wonder how "deeply" discounted it is.

Well I actually sat and went through their listings under Comic/Graphic novel.... yeah it's pretty much all manga or Dilbert strips.
They have Fun Home, which I'm going to be buying and a few Will Eisner's books, but it's not nearly as many as I originally thought.

[itsbecca]

Well I actually sat and went through their listings under Comic/Graphic novel.... yeah it's pretty much all manga or Dilbert strips.
They have Fun Home, which I'm going to be buying and a few Will Eisner's books, but it's not nearly as many as I originally thought.

That was my original impression :( But I was to lazy to look past a few pages. I'm glad someone did.

[mastap]

Yeah, congrats, Mike.

Good luck with the school search, Becca.

Nobody wants to be a screenwriting major like me? C'mon, kids! You can be under-appreciated by millions of people!

I ended up taking psychology, in other words, I'm paying $5,000 a year and have no idea what the hell I'm going to do when I get out

[esophagus]

Well I actually sat and went through their listings under Comic/Graphic novel.... yeah it's pretty much all manga or Dilbert strips.
They have Fun Home, which I'm going to be buying and a few Will Eisner's books, but it's not nearly as many as I originally thought.Did you check out the BooksFree selection? I only checked the first page, but I see it says they have nearly 700 to pick from. Nothing on the first page was manga.

[kahunablair]

Did you check out the BooksFree selection? I only checked the first page, but I see it says they have nearly 700 to pick from. Nothing on the first page was manga.

I just found the listing for "Graphic Novels" actually. They seem to have a much better selection. I'd say it's still 50/50 manga, but the other stuff is pretty decent. They have the usual standards, and some interesting looking indie books.
I think I'm going to be giving BooksFree a try. I'll keep you guys posted.