The Empirical Manifesto

Want to take the kids to see Cars this weekend. Don't know if I'll get a chance. I know the theater will be packed with screaming children, and that will make me angry. And that they'll tag-team me for restroom breaks. Still, I'd love to take them. We downloaded the HD trailers a couple of days ago and watched them over and over.

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Once upon a time, during in Air Force days, my roommate had recently gotten married, and his wife's arrival was pending. She would need a car. He needed something cheap. I suggested - just for a test drive, just in case it wasn't as bad as we assumed it was - the Geo Metro. I'm in the back seat, my roommate is driving, and the salesman is in the passenger seat. As we're driving, I ask the gentleman, "What's that on the right front fender?"
He takes a look out the windshield, but doesn't see anything.
I point this time, "That thing protruding from the right fender, what is that?"
He moves and strains to see it, but cannot.
"That metal whip, secured in the fender," I say, "What is it?"
He sees it, and turns to me, confused and answers, "The antenna?"
"Yes!" I proclaim. "That's right!"
The salesman is now looking at me as if I might be retarded.
"What is that for?" I ask him.
Now, pretty much convinced I'm stupid, says very slowly, "The radio?"
"WHAT RADIO!?" I nearly scream, as the car is not equipped with one.
Nice. He didn't buy the car.

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Loaded Windows Vista (the Longhorn replacement) on an X1 and will be playing with that all week. Our group test-upgraded to Office 2003 prior to the migration to our users, and I lost my office bar. Office 2003 doesn't have an office bar. I know a lot of people hate the office bar, and many don't use it. I rarely care what "other people" do, or do not do. I liked it. I used it daily. However, in a fantastic turn of events, the Microsoft knowledgebase article written concerning the absence of the office bar in Office 2003 running on XP, (and I quote:)

The Office Shortcut Bar is not available in Microsoft Office 2003. However, you can use the Start menu in Microsoft Windows XP to start an Office program or to open a file or a folder. Additionally, you can use the Quick Launch bar in Windows XP or in Microsoft Windows 2000 to start an Office program or to open a file or a folder.

I wish I could slap someone at Microsoft for releasing that ignorant "Summary." Do they think I'm stupid?

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So, sitting in the boardroom yesterday, I notice that my CEO is wearing a pink tie, with a pink shirt? I never would have done that. But he is a very distinguished, powerful man. Today - what the hell, I too show up with pink-on-pink. So far half a dozen people have mentioned to me, "Hey, the CEO wore pink and pink yesterday too..." The king looks like the piss-boy!

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galinda822 came over for movie night, and the three of finally watched Office Space. I think I was the only one who enjoyed it, unfortunately. We followed that up with the first half of the mini-series Revelations, a galinda suggestion. It was quite good.

Took the kids to see Cars this morning. I expected the worst, and the wife even tried to talk me out of it. Boy was I surprised. I took a page out of the book of my dad and went to the first showing. There were maybe, 10 other people in there. I couldn't believe it. A nearly empty theater on a weekend opening show. Furthermore (and this really is hard to believe) neither of the children had to go to the bathroom for the duration of the full-two hour movie! And yes, it was good, on many different levels.
( mild spoilers here )

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Was drinking my coffee this morning when my wife announces, "Oh, and your CD came in yesterday."
"WHAT! WHAT! WHAT? Hell woman, why didn't you mention this before?"
"I just remembered."
I snatched it out of her hands and ripped it into iTunes, read the liner notes, and made a copy for the car. I've been listening to it all day. it's very good, and as promised, a scan of Bear McCreary's autograph:

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Drinking Pilsner Urquell...