The new and improved(?) Netflix design

As you may or may not know, Netflix watch instantly changed their site design last night into something completely unusable.  I’m usually a fan of a good redesign, but in this case, in the words of the great Charles Barkley, “The operation was a success, but the patient died.”

So I have two suggestions to improve the design.  Either make the movie images so big that you can only browse one movie at a time:

Or shrink everything down so you can see every movie they offer on one page:

What do you think, sirs?

Where a kid can be a kid (and a parent can be totally oblivious)

Theory:  At any given time at a Chuck E. Cheese there will always be at least one hyper unsupervised kid running around while mom or dad sit at a booth totally unaware of the chaos around them.

Proof:  The other day, we took the kids to said pizza/entertainment establishment at a little after 10:00 a.m. on a Wednesday.  It was just us and another family there at that hour.  Surely my theory wouldn’t hold true, right?  Let me paint a picture:  mom sits at a table eating a salad (who does that at 10 a.m.?), we are at the prize counter when one of her kids runs up to us begging for more tokens.  It took him an unusual amount of time before he realized we weren’t his family.  But the topper – as we were leaving, two of the boys were running up the ski-ball ramp dunking the balls into the 10,000 point ring while mom continued to eat her salad (after 40 minutes, it still wasn’t gone!)

And so my theory still stands…

Great Scott!

I came across this still frame from Psycho. Just what exactly was the regional manager of Dunder-Mifflin, Scranton doing at the Bates Motel?

Is Digital TV Really Better?

It’s pretty obvious that the digital TV switch is already here.  I especially noticed this  last night watching the Grammys.  (By the way, I called Album of the Year when “Raising Sand” came out – Take that Pete!).  Anyway, on the CBS feed out of Toledo, about every 5 minutes or so the audio and video would stutter, causing the picture to pixellate.  The audio from the CBS Detroit feed wasn’t any better, sounding like the reverb was cranked up.  Also, any time the stage lights would flash, you could clearly see a pixellated pattern.

Over the past few months, on nearly all the network channels we currently have the audio sounds watery, like a low quality mp3.  When there is a sports program on, the players have a jaggy outline around them.  All of this is on our 27 inch Zenith that is about 9 years old.  I understand that hi-def looks better, but I’m holding on to the TV till it dies rather than spend 5 times what a TV should cost.  (I’ll have a separate post later on the racket that is the flat TV market).

So has anyone else noticed this?  Is this what we have to look forward to after the “big switch”?

What the kids got for Christmas

For our two boys this year, I went back to the classics from my personal collection- Star Wars Episode I figures (still in the package since ’99) and a fully restored Millennium Falcon circa 1979 (Which I myself received for Christmas years ago).  The looks on their faces that morning made holding on to the toys all these years worth it.

Best Quotes From “Launch Party”

Dwight: Go to my car. Open the trunk. Inside, you will see many pelts. Under the smallest one is a case. Inside that case is a bear horn. Bring it to me.

Angela: Would it really be better if it said “lanch party”?

Dwight: In your face, machines!

DunMiff/sys: Not sure. Just became self-aware. So much to figure out. I think I am programmed to be your enemy. I think it is my job to destroy you when it comes to selling paper.
Dwight: How do I know this isn’t Jim?
DunMiff/sys: What is a Jim?

Darryl: How about instead of yelling at our sweet little Miss Kapoor over 500 sheets of paper, you get back to your desk, and start selling multiple reams like a man.

Michael: We’re already in the city. The main part. With the buildings.

Kevin: It’s like eating a hot circle of garbage. 

More “Fun Run” Quotes

There were too many to pass up, so here are some more from “The Office”:

Michael: Phyllis, how is the rabies quilt coming?

Michael: I always imagined it with a giant check.
Jim: Yeah, I mean personally, I am definitely on board with the giant check.
Pam: Giant check it is.
Dwight: I don’t know. On the other hand, it does leave less money for bat birth control.

Pam: I didn’t see where it started, but I saw where it ended.
Jim: Gross.

Pam: They say if you’re nervous around someone, you should picture them naked. I do not recommend this strategy. Try picturing them with more clothes on. Or a funny coat.

Jim: Oh, I’m sorry. Is this a working office? And not a French beach?

Michael: I would like you to accept this check for $340 made out to “Science.”

Angela: Cat heaven is a beautiful place. But you don’t get there if you’re euthanized!

Michael: I ate more fettuccini alfredo and drank less water than I have in my entire life.

Iran So Far

This has got to be one of the funniest musical skits from SNL in a long time:

Best Quotes from “Fun Run”

Sorry about that. Okay, where was I…oh yes – here are some of the best quotes from The Office “Fun Run”-

Ryan: I don’t think you understand how jeopardy works.
Michael: Oh, right, I’m sorry. What is, “we’re fine”?

Michael: Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh I don’t know. I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally, I’ll hit somebody with my car. So sue me. No, don’t sue me. That’s the opposite of the point that I’m trying to make.

Angela: Any problems?
Dwight: Well you left the TV on. And your cat is dead.

Dwight: She’s in a better place. Actually, the place that she’s in is the freezer. Because of the odor.

Best quotes from “The Job”

For “The Office” finale (a perfect ending to Season 3), I give you two video quotes: