Due to the rising popularity of YouTube videos (and because a reader asked me about this), I think I need to mention KeepVid.com again. It's a web page that allows you to download videos from sites that only offer streaming (like YouTube, Google Video, iFilm, and others).

All you do is copy the link of the page with the video on it and paste it in the box on the left. Then select which streaming video page you got it from, using the drop-down menu on the right.

Click the "Download" button, and you'll be given a "Download Link" to click.

Click that, and there ya go. Now you've got the video on your hard drive.

One caveat. Sometimes you'll get multiple format options, sometimes only one - usually FLV (flash video format). You can get a free FLV player here, if you need one. Only about a 1 meg download. Link to the FLV player can also be found at Keepvid.com.

Posted by: Harvey at 10:22 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Blogson GEBIV of There's One, Only! has 3 videos featuring the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

They're all good, but I really like that last one.

Haven't enjoyed watching a music video that much since "Banditos" by The Refreshments.

Posted by: Harvey at 11:50 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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A while back I discussed "necessary soap story lines" - situations on soap operas that one or more characters will ALWAYS be experiencing - like:

Someone's getting married.

Someone's battling a "fatal" disease.

Someone's having an affair.

Someone has amnesia.

Someone doesn't know who the baby's real father is.

Well, someone's gone me one better. There's now a "Fantasy Soap League". Sorta like Fantasy Football, you pick your characters, and earn points when they find themselves in various classic soap situations. The complete list is too long to post here, but here are some of the 50-pointers to give you an idea:

# Surviving being shot or stabbed
# Surviving a car crash, plane crash, train wreck, motorcycle accident or any accident involving a means of transportation
# Surviving surgery (including plastic surgery)
# Surviving being poisoned
# Having a gun pulled on you
# Murdering someone
# Attempting to murder someone
# Pulling a gun on someone
# Coming in/out of a coma
# Dying
# Coming back from the dead
# Recovering from an illness or medical condition
# Flatlining (appropriate hospital equipment must be heard and/or seen or hospital staff must declare that the character has flatlined)
# Transplant (transplanter and transplantee receive points)
# Character never officially "dies" - but returns after at least a year (12 months) of consistent and visual absence
# Recasting or filling in - When announcement is made that a new actor will be playing the part of or filling in for the part of a character
# Admitting you murdered someone
# Hiring a person/hitman to kill someone.

Plenty of other ways to earn points, too. The complete list can be found at fantasysoapnet.com.

The only catch is that it costs $9.99 to sign up for a 10-week cycle, so I'm out.

Anyway, the only reason I'm mentioning this at all is that I'm tickled that SOMEONE out there admits how pathetically cliche and badly written these shows are.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to watching Days of Our Lives.

[Hat tip to Beloved Wife TNT of Smiling Dynamite for mentioning this to me.]

Posted by: Harvey at 09:52 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Practice your typing skills while you blow up your enemies.

Figure if you blog, you should be a good enough typist to play this game.

[via bloggranddaughter VW Bug of One Happy Dog Speaks]

Posted by: Harvey at 09:28 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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[Inspired by this post from IMAO pointing to this Weird Al video]

Witness the secret shame of George Lucas!

Featuring a cartoon with Boba Fett!

Singing Princess Leia!

Harvey Korman in drag!

Bea Arthur in drag!

and Wookies! Wookies! Wookies!

The whole thing, sans commercials, crappy, grainy, choppy quality, 1" x 1" display, RealPlayer format (scroll down) - 17.1 MB download

RealPlayer, if you don't have it - 9.5 MB download

The first 50 minutes at Google video

The animated cartoon segment featuring an appearance by Boba Fett.

Commercials from the SWHS:

Part 1

Part 2

[DISCLAIMER - Bad Example is not responsible for any mental scarring or cognitive disorders arising from the viewing of images linked above]

Posted by: Harvey at 06:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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After successfully completing level 1, I realized how addictive this game might be, so I quit while I still had the willpower.

Play Parking Perfection at your own risk.

Posted by: Harvey at 11:34 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Since Straight White Eric brought it up in this post, I offer:

Hamlet: The Restored Klingon Version (available from Barnes & Noble)

FROM THE PUBLISHER
For too long, readers throughout the Federation have been exposed to The Tragedy of Khamlet, Son of the Emperor of Qo'nos, that classic work of Klingon™ literature, only through inadequate and misleading English translations. Now at last, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Klingon Language Institute, this powerful drama by the legendary Klingon playwright, Wil'yam Shex'pir, can be appreciated in the elegance and glory of its original tongue.

This invaluable volume contains the complete text of the play, along with an English translation for easy consultation and comparison. In addition, an incisive introduction explains the play's crucial importance in Klingon culture, while copious notes illustrate how the debased English version diverges from the original, often distorting and even reversing the actual meaning of the verses.

Khamlet, the Restored Klingon Version, is a work that belongs in the library of every human who hopes truly to understand what it means to be Klingon.

Also, a list of Star Trek episodes that make Shakespeare references.

And, of course, the Klingon Language Institute home page.

Not to mention an online Klingon Dictionary.

Now get out of here, before I smite thee with my batleth!

Posted by: Harvey at 12:34 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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So I'm driving around last night, and I've got Bach's Brandenburg Concertos playing, and it occurred to me - yet again - that a LOT of classical music has the energy, style, and intracacy to be perfectly suited to interpretation through modern instruments.

Yet I've rarely heard it done.

Illustrating my point - Pachelbel's Canon in D Major as arranged for electric guitar, drums, and electric bass, and keyboard - interpreted so passionately as to make me misty with reverence.

If anyone's familar with other modern arrangements of classical music, let me know.

What I wouldn't give for some more Electric Mozart...

Posted by: Harvey at 02:42 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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Ah... THAT'S why the duct tape I used in the Navy was so much better than the crap I buy in the store.

Like indulging in a bottle of fine wine, I think everyone should try nuclear-grade duct tape at least once.

Posted by: Harvey at 07:46 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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20 minutes of Carlos Mencia during his stand-up days, back before he got his own show.

If you're stuck on dial-up and can't do streaming video, try going to KeepVid, selecting "YouTube" from the drop-down menu, and downloading it while you do something else, like sleep or vacation.

Posted by: Harvey at 11:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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So you have a buttload of favorite blogs, and you'd LIKE to celebrate their blogiversaries every year, but you just can't keep track of all those dates.

Jim of bRight & Early has a solution - The Blogiversary Database.

Just fill out the painfully easy form, confirm your submission, and you're in. Encourage your friends to do likewise, and you'll always be able to remember their special day.

For convenience, there's even a tiny piece of javascript you can put in your sidebar to display Blogiversaries (yesterday's, today's & tomorrow's). Once it's in your template, it updates by itself, so no extra work for you. Check my left sidebar below the Reader Quotes section to see how it looks.

Now go sign up so that I can keep track of you.

Posted by: Harvey at 10:26 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Gaze into the Total Perspective Vortex and despair.

*TPV explained

[via Pajamas Media]

Posted by: Harvey at 06:47 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Hadn't seen this commercial before, but thanks to Lynn of A Sweet, Familiar Dissonance, I've found an advertisement that speaks to my soul:

Burger King - Eat Like a Man - The Texas Double Whopper

In my heart, this is only second to the Vault Scarecrow commercial.

And yes, I *did* buy Vault soda JUST because I love that commercial so.

UPDATE: Lynn's got something to say to a vegetarian feminist who was offended by the commercial

Posted by: Harvey at 09:27 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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1 This is, IMHO, the best commercial out there right now. PERFECT!! AND goes a long way in making up for the creepier commercials that had out recently!

Posted by: Tammi at May 12, 2006 09:35 AM (ZbFVf)

2 What Tammi said. I'm hungry now...

Posted by: Richmond at May 12, 2006 09:54 AM (e8QFP)

3 That Burger King commerical with that King guy in bed with the construction worker is just plain creepy, I had to switch the station when it came because it creeped me out to no end.

Posted by: Quality Weenie at May 12, 2006 10:13 AM (XG7jZ)

4 //a vegetarian feminist who was offended by the commercial// You know what this lady needs? A good spanking. ...and NO! she can't borrow my Benevolent Overlord Kal El!

Posted by: shimauma at May 12, 2006 11:15 AM (oH+XM)

5 mmMMmmm...meat. And sorry to say it, Lynn, but driving a mini-van DOES make one less of a man.

Posted by: Ogre at May 12, 2006 11:28 AM (/k+l4)

6 And oh man, that Vault one is good -- I hadn't seen that one before!

Posted by: Ogre at May 12, 2006 11:30 AM (/k+l4)

7 I dunno. I liked the burger king super bowl commercial where the lady condiments fell on a big bun and mixed all together... well, I would have liked it if they'd "mixed". Yeah, I like the new Texas Whopper. Had two so far. It's my cup of tea. And in Ogre's eye's I guess I'm less of a man...

Posted by: GaMongrel at May 12, 2006 07:40 PM (tYXgL)

8 ha! Hippies! Love it. Great Vault commercial.

Posted by: GaMongrel at May 12, 2006 07:45 PM (tYXgL)

9 I didn't hear the commercial, I had the tv on mute....but I saw the words EAT THIS MEAT..and thought, holy crap!

Posted by: Rave at May 13, 2006 06:47 AM (Fir0Z)

10 Best. Commercial. Ever.

Posted by: Graumagus at May 13, 2006 08:15 AM (3bOE8)

11 I have to stand up and salute with tears in my eyes whenever I see the Vault scarecrow commercial. Ooh-rah!

Posted by: K T Cat at May 13, 2006 07:38 PM (BqX4Z)

12 Oooo... I like the Vault scarecrow commercial too. Sometimes I worry about myself. It's like I'm part guy or something. (NO! I'm NOT! Not really)

Posted by: Lynn S at May 14, 2006 05:49 AM (mjQTy)

13 Just wanted to let you know that I own the scarecrow seen in the Vault commercial. No, not the wimpy scarecrow, the manly scarecrow that blows fire! That scarecrow is the only benefit to living in Los Angeles.

Posted by: Bryce at May 25, 2006 12:09 AM (hN/0g)

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My idea-lemur appears comatose, so I'll just send you off to play with some bubble-wrap while I break out the smelling salts and the defibrillator.

Posted by: Harvey at 07:27 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 That's ok, double posting always brings out the best in Idea-lemurs.

Posted by: GEBIV at May 03, 2006 09:24 PM (CCh5P)

2 Frack! ... single-posted now...

Posted by: Harvey at May 03, 2006 09:43 PM (L7a63)

3 He's not over here, I haven't seen him anywhere.

Posted by: Ogre at May 04, 2006 09:03 AM (/k+l4)

4 Frack? You said Frack? Must be a Battlestar Galactica fan...

Posted by: Rave at May 04, 2006 01:30 PM (Fir0Z)

5 Rave - Guilty :-)

Posted by: Harvey at May 04, 2006 04:11 PM (L7a63)

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Dismount - Push a 3D stick figure down the stairs. More injuries = more points

Truck Dismount - 3D stick figure in a truck, which you crash into a wall. Again - pain = points.

Both games available here.

And since I'm feeling particularly cruel, here's an earworm for you:

The "Fruity Oaty Bars" commercial, as seen in the movie "Serenity".

Posted by: Harvey at 09:48 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1 Just what I needed Harvey, thanks.

Posted by: Richmond at April 28, 2006 01:37 PM (e8QFP)

2 Dammit Harvey, I don't have enough time in the day to waste playing these games. Crap, that pushed back getting work done by a half hour.

Posted by: Quality Weenie at April 28, 2006 01:43 PM (XG7jZ)

3 Tsk Tsk... it's 9pm and I'm getting up at 5am to get ready to leave for Orlando... and you show me this stuff... I'll never get to sleep. Sigh. Grandpappy... somedays you are just a BAD influence.

Posted by: vw bug at April 28, 2006 07:15 PM (uy1Pc)

4 Online scores aren't working.... The best I have is 119,808.... ... Force is one short, Heading: 0.68, Pitch: -0.53 heh

Posted by: _Jon at April 29, 2006 02:34 AM (aHLPi)

5 update: 147,758 H: 1.25, P:46.17 Push was from right thigh at near max force. ouch

Posted by: _Jon at April 29, 2006 02:44 AM (aHLPi)

6 great now I am singing that awful....Styx song... make it stop

Posted by: armywifetoddlermom at April 30, 2006 09:50 AM (+7Yi0)

7 You bastard. I was almost caught up from being out the end of last week. Dammit, man, I have blogs to read!

Posted by: Ogre at May 02, 2006 08:58 AM (/k+l4)

8 Straight shots to the back seem to be working best for me. 152793 points, hdg 0, pitch 1.19 Force is the key factor. This was two bars under max.

Posted by: Mike the Marine at May 03, 2006 11:01 AM (UMaIO)

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I saw that Beth of She Who Will Be Obeyed posted a link to WEBoggle.

Which I passed along to Beloved Wife TNT of Smiling Dynamite.

She'd hate me for getting her hooked on it, but that would cut into her playing time.

Posted by: Harvey at 08:37 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I took a tip from bloggrandson Neonangel of Lyrical Coma, and checked out "The Order of the Stick", a thrice-weekly serial web comic.

Now, I was not an obsessive gamer in high school, but the rest of my friends from chess club were, and I went on a handful of campaigns. Enough to know what "roll for initiative" means, anyway.

So if you've even a passing knowledge of D&D, I think you'll find it amusing.

I'll give you 3 places to choose from for your first visit:

Comic #1 (it's very nearly at #300 now) - Get in on the ground floor and read them in order.

Comic #143 - A typical instance of the humor - the illustrations are of the player characters inside their quest, while the dialogue is pretty much what you'd hear from the players as they sit in the basement drinking Mountain Dew & eating Cheetos. This tickles me, for some reason.

Comic #136 - The Weapons Shop sketch - an homage to Monty Python (you KNEW there would be one in there somewhere, right?).

Anyway, I now return you to your regularly scheduled World of Warcraft session.

Posted by: Harvey at 09:36 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Found this at American Digest

(click to enlarge)

Square A and Square B are the same color.

I saw the animated video which proves it. It didn't convince me.

I read the explanation. It didn't convince me.

I downloaded the pic, opened it up in MS Paint, cut out a chunk of square B and slid it up to square A...

After about 5 minutes of sliding that little section back & forth, I was finally convinced.

Try it yourself.

Posted by: Harvey at 04:31 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Ryan vs. Dorkman

Impeccable choreography, clean special effects. Lucas could learn something from these guys.

This would also be a good time to introduce KeepVid. A web page that allows you to download videos from sites that only offer streaming (like Google Video, YouTube, iFilm, and others).

User's note - be sure you've selected the right tab on the page before pasting in the video URL, otherwise it won't work.

Posted by: Harvey at 08:51 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Who's got the cheapest gas in town?

Click here, enter your zip code, and find out.

[Hat tip: Leslie's Omnibus]

Posted by: Harvey at 04:41 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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