Wish List 2014 - S.H.I.E.L.D. Edition

For those interested, here is my birthday/Christmas wish list for 2014. I will update this post through the remainder of 2014.

Things I Always Enjoy Receiving

These are not in any particular order.

• chocolate chip cookies, soft & chewy, with walnuts
• gift cards: Barnes & Noble, Google Play (not iTunes), Amazon, restaurants (e.g. Applebee's, Logan's, Culver's)
• cheese puffs (not the crunchy ones... ew... the puffy ones)
• sausage, cracker & cheese gift packages... if you prefer a DIY version try summer sausage, regular Ritz crackers and sharp cheddar or aged white cheddar
• instant cappuccino mixes, various flavors
• mixed nuts (NO peanuts)
• M&Ms... prefer seasonal flavors, such as mint
• Reese's Pieces
• peppermint-scented jar candle

Things I Would Like

movies & TV

DVD is okay unless Blu-Ray is specified. Though Blu-Ray is preferred. :)

• Guardians of the Galaxy (Blu-Ray & Blu-Ray 3D) - I strongly prefer the Target version is it includes "Target exclusive" stuff (Target) NOTE: this item is price-reduced week of 12/7 
• Thor: The Dark World Blu-Ray (Amazon) 
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-Ray (Amazon) 
• The Lego Movie Blu-Ray & DVD combo (Amazon) 
• Tim Hawkins:
• Greatest Hits & Greatest Bits (Tim Hawkins online store) 
• That's The Worst DVD (Tim Hawkins online store) 
• DVD Combo Meal (7 DVDs) (Tim Hawkins online store) 
• Not familiar with Tim Hawkins? Check out this video: Cletus Take The Reel at YouTube 
• Brian Regan Standing Up (MusicToday Brian Regan Store) 
• Up - Blu-Ray 4-disc (Amazon) 
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Amazon) 
• An American Carol (Amazon) 
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Skynet Edition) Blu-ray (Amazon)
• Psych - any season 
• Highlander: Director's Cut Blu-ray (Amazon)
• Stargate: 15th Anniversary Edition Blu-Ray (Amazon)

video games

• 24: The Game for PS2 (Amazon) 
• Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures for PS2 (Amazon) 
• Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest for PS2 (Amazon) 

music/audio on CD

• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Special Edition (Amazon) 
• Rockshow Comedy Tour by Tim Hawkins (Tim Hawkins online store)
• All By Myself by Brian Regan (MusicToday Brian Regan Store) 
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony II - I STRONGLY prefer the Target Exclusive version as it includes extra tracks (Target) 
• Chip Davis Presents: Renaissance Holiday (Amazon) 
• A Midwinter Night's Dream by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon) 
• An Ancient Muse by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon) 
• A Mediterranean Odyssey by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon) 
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon) 
• Troubadours On The Rhine by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon) 
• Nights from the Alhambra (2 CD + DVD) by Loreena McKennitt (Amazon ) 
• Christmas Songs by Anuna (Amazon) 
• Christmas Memories by Anuna (Amazon) 
• We Three Strings by Bryan Lubeck (Amazon)

books

• The Tyranny of Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by Jonah Goldberg hardcover (Amazon)... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook... paperback's okay, too
• No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed by John Stossel hardcover (Amazon)... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook... paperback's okay, too

books - Dilbert

• Try Rebooting Yourself [2011] (Amazon) 
• Cubes and Punishment [2011] (Amazon) 
• This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value [2011] (Amazon) 
• What Would Wally Do? [2006] (Amazon) 
• Your Accomplishments Are Suspiciously Hard to Verify [2011] (Amazon) 
• Teamwork Means You Can't Pick the Side that's Right [2012] (Amazon) 
• How's That Underling Thing Working Out for You? [2011] (Amazon) 
• Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain! by Scott Adams - hardcover (Amazon) 
• Your New Job Title is "Accomplice" [2013] (Amazon) 
• I Sense a Coldness to Your Mentoring [2013] (Amazon) 
• Dilbert - A Treasury Of Sunday Strips: Version 00 [2000] (Amazon) 
• I Can't Remember If We're Cheap or Smart [2012] (Amazon) 
• Build a Better Life by Stealing Office Supplies: Dogbert's Big Book of Business [2014] (Amazon) 

misc

• lightsaber
• Dilbert calendars, wall (Amazon) and/or day-to-day (Amazon) 
• I don't buy anything from iTunes

big ticket items

• Mr. Coffee BVMC-FM1 20-Ounce Frappe Maker (Amazon) 

Embedded Videos Are The Worst

This evening, I was reading several older posts and noticed something pretty annoying. Of the posts I read having embedded videos, all videos hosted by non-YouTube sites (e.g. Hulu) no longer worked. So very frustrating. A lot of those videos were pretty funny, such as Christopher Walken's "Googly Eyes Gardner" from SNL (apparently now available on Yahoo).

The following will be futile, but here goes:

Dear Hulu, stop pulling videos from your service. Everyone hates it when you do that. Thank you.

Wish List 2013 - Smartphone and Tablet Edition

For those interested, here is my birthday/Christmas wish list for 2013. I will update this post through the remainder of 2013.

Things I Always Enjoy Receiving

These are not in any particular order.

• chocolate chip cookies, soft & chewy, with walnuts
• gift cards: Barnes & Noble, restaurants (Red Robin, Logan's, Culver's, Outback)
• cheese puffs (not the crunchy ones)
• sausage, cracker & cheese gift packages... if you prefer a DIY version try summer sausage, regular Ritz crackers and sharp cheddar or aged white cheddar
• instant cappuccino mixes, various flavors
• mixed nuts (NO peanuts)
• M&Ms... prefer seasonal flavors
• Reese's Pieces
• peppermint-scented jar candle

Things I Would Like

movies & TV

DVD is okay unless Blu-Ray is specified. Though Blu-Ray is preferred. :)

• Tim Hawkins Greatest Hits & Greatest Bits - $20 at Rockshow Comedy Products (Not familiar with Tim Hawkins? Check out this video: Cletus Take The Reel at YouTube) 
• Brian Regan Standing Up - $17.99 at MusicToday Brian Regan Store 
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Extended Edition) - Blu-Ray $19.96 at Amazon 
• Psych - any season 
• Up - Blu-Ray 4-disc: $19.35 at Amazon 
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - 2-deluxe edition: $5.49 at Amazon 
• An American Carol - $4.74 at Amazon 

video games

• 24: The Game for PS2, $16.25 at Amazon 
• Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures for PS2, $11.44 at Amazon 
• Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest for PS2, $4.28 at Amazon 

music/audio on CD

• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Special Edition - $19.84 at Amazon 
• Rockshow Comedy Tour by Tim Hawkins $10 at Rockshow Comedy Products
• All By Myself by Brian Regan $12.99 at MusicToday Brian Regan Store 
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony II - I STRONGLY prefer the Target Exclusive version as it includes extra tracks - $9.60 at Target 
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration - I'd prefer the Target Exclusive at includes extra tracks, but it may not be available anymore - $9.61 at Amazon 
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live - $7.28 at Amazon 
• Chip Davis Presents: Renaissance Holiday - $9.33 at Amazon 
• A Midwinter Night's Dream by Loreena McKennitt $11.99 at Amazon 
• An Ancient Muse by Loreena McKennitt $15.13 at Amazon 
• A Mediterranean Odyssey by Loreena McKennitt $13.98 at Amazon 
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley by Loreena McKennitt $10.88 at Amazon 
• Troubadours On The Rhine by Loreena McKennitt $11.98 at Amazon 
• Nights from the Alhambra (2 CD + DVD) by Loreena McKennitt $24.18 at Amazon  
• Christmas Songs by Anuna $11.18 at Amazon 
• Christmas Memories by Anuna $4.40 at Amazon 

books

• The Tyranny of Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by Jonah Goldberg - $19.74 hardcover at Amazon... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook... paperback's okay, too
• No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed by John Stossel - $19.06 hardcover at Amazon... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook... paperback's okay, too
• Try Rebooting Yourself [Dilbert 2011] - $11.28 at Amazon 
• Cubes and Punishment [Dilbert 2011] - $13.73 at Amazon 
• This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value [Dilbert 2011] - $11.51 at Amazon 
• What Would Wally Do? [Dilbert 2006] - Amazon 
• Your Accomplishments Are Suspiciously Hard to Verify [Dilbert 2011] - $12.00 at Amazon 
• Teamwork Means You Can't Pick the Side that's Right [Dilbert 2012] - $11.45 at Amazon 
• How's That Underling Thing Working Out for You? [Dilbert 2011] - $10.12 at Amazon 
• Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain! by Scott Adams - $9.98 hardcover at Amazon 
• Your New Job Title is "Accomplice" [Dilbert 2013] - $10.79 at Amazon 
• I Sense a Coldness to Your Mentoring [Dilbert 2013] - $10.92 at Amazon 
• Dilbert - A Treasury Of Sunday Strips: Version 00 [Dilbert 2000] - $17.09 at Amazon 
• I Can't Remember If We're Cheap or Smart [Dilbert 2012] - $12.09 at Amazon 

misc

• lightsaber
• no calendars
• I don't buy anything from iTunes

big ticket items

• 60" plasma or LED 1080 HDTV having PC port, composite input port (shared with component is okay), HDMI and USB ports, and display at least 120Hz... do not bother paying extra for a "smart" TV... ambient light sensor would be nice but not a big deal
• Mr. Coffee BVMC-FM1 20-Ounce Frappe Maker - currently $44.99 (list $79.99) at Amazon 

Tech Support - How We Computer People Actually Do It

Like most technically-oriented computer people, I have friends, relatives, co-workers and acquaintances who are not computer people... they tend to regard computers, and software running on them, as difficult-to-understand mysteries.

This view of computers and software is especially noticeable when they want to accomplish something specific but cannot immediately determine how to do it. The non-computer person will then ask the computer person for assistance. The computer person then, often, "magically" provides a solution to the frequent amazement of the non-computer person...

"How did you do that/figure that out?", asks the non-computer person.

For the benefit of all the non-computer people I know, here's an explanation from the xkcd webcomic on how we work our magic:

source: http://xkcd.com/627/

Wish List 2012 - Hobbit Edition

For those interested, here's my birthday/Christmas 2012 wish list. Be sure to check back here often, as I will update it through the remainder of 2012.

Updates

• 12/28/12 - crossed out sausage, crackers, Dilbert: The Complete Series and The Hobbit music soundrtack

Things I Always Enjoy Receiving

These are not in any particular order.

• chocolate chip cookies, soft & chewy, preferably with walnuts
• gift cards: Barnes & Noble, any restaurant
• cheese puffs (not the crunchy ones)
• summer sausage + Ritz crackers + block cheese (sharp cheddar and aged white cheddar are good choices)
• flavored coffees... sampler sizes are okay (i.e. those teeny tiny 1.5oz packages)... especially seasonal or holiday flavors
• instant cappuccino mixes, various flavors
• mixed nuts (NO peanuts)
• M&Ms... right now they have a chocolate cherry/cherry cordial flavor that is SUPER tasty! Chocolate Mint is good, too.
• Reese's Pieces

Things I Would Like

movies

• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - 2-deluxe edition: $4.82 at Amazon 
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine - if possible, the Walmart 3-disc set, otherwise the Blu-Ray/DVD combo $9.96 at Amazon 
• An American Carol: $4.47 at Amazon 
• Dilbert: The Complete Series: $19.99 at Amazon 
• Up - Blu-Ray 4-disc: $29.49 at Amazon 

video games

• 24: The Game for PS2, $15.96 at Amazon 
• Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures for PS2, $17.98 at Amazon 
• Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest for PS2, $10.47 at Amazon 

music on CD

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Special Edition $17.98 at Amazon 
• A Midwinter Night's Dream by Loreena McKennitt $13.99 at Amazon
• An Ancient Muse by Loreena McKennitt $13.99 at Amazon
• A Mediterranean Odyssey by Loreena McKennitt $10.99 at Amazon
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley by Loreena McKennitt $10.99 at Amazon 
• Christmas Songs by Anuna $10.97 at Amazon 
• Christmas Memories by Anuna $6.71 at Amazon 
• Troubadours On The Rhine by Loreena McKennitt $9.99 at Amazon 
• Nights from the Alhambra - (2 CD + DVD) by Loreena McKennitt $23.47 at Barnes & Noble 

books

• Try Rebooting Yourself [Dilbert] - $10.39 at Amazon
• Cubes and Punishment [Dilbert] - $16.99 at Amazon
• This Is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value [Dilbert] - $10.74 at Amazon
• What Would Wally Do? [Dilbert] - $12.71 at Amazon
• Your Accomplishments Are Suspiciously Hard to Verify  [Dilbert] - $11.55 at Amazon 
• Teamwork Means You Can't Pick the Side that's Right  [Dilbert] - $10.39 at Amazon 
• How's That Underling Thing Working Out for You?  [Dilbert] - $10.39 at Amazon 
• Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain! by Scott Adams - $6.00 at Amazon 
• The Tyranny of Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by Jonah Goldberg - $18.48 at Amazon... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook
• No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed by John Stossel - $17.30 at Amazon... alternatively, I'd be interested in the unabridged CD audiobook... paperback's okay, too

big ticket items

• Google Nexus 7 tablet 32GB version - $249 at Google