Audio Reviews

When I was in high school, I had a half-hour commute to school. I would always listen to KSL's news program in the morning and Sean Hannity in the afternoons. (Don't worry: I've since repented of my Sean Hannity addiction.) I really enjoyed it because it took no extra effort and I always felt highly informed. I really miss the news now that I walk to school instead of driving. It felt so . . . productive.

I've been trying to revive my audio addiction with podcasts. This would probably work better if I actually went out and bought an Mp3 player, or at least some memory for my cell phone's audio player. (Hey! Black Friday is coming. Maybe I'll buy some this year, if the sales are good enough and I don't sleep through my alarm.) But there's some pretty good stuff out there, even if it's hard to find. Here's a run down of my current must-listen list:

• Ask a Ninja - Um, hello? Random advice from ninjas? Ninature golfing and ninterships? Okay, so it's not informative, but whatever. It's still hilarious and the video is fairly well done. :D I highly recommend the "Pirates 2" review--even if you haven't seen the movie.
• BYU Recent Talks - For obvious reasons.
  
• Grammar Girl - More like "Usage Girl" but I can see the need to go for the alliteration. Anyway, Grammar Girl covers all sorts of fun usage issues. This week it was whether "woman" can be used as an adjective, as in "Nancy Pelosi is the first woman speaker of the house." (Answer: No. You wouldn't say call someone a "man physician." Plus we have a perfectly good adjective for this already: female. I didn't used to care about this until I created my amazing handout on sexist language for ELang 322. Now I find it very interesting . . . .) The podcast is very well done, and she does her research on usage issues. I may not switch from using "that" to "who" because of it, but it's still interesting to know.
• Mr. Manners - Run by the same people as Grammar Girl, and it's just as high quality. Very interesting perspectives on manners. Only two episodes so far. The first--on toasting--was academically interesting, although not very applicable, but I highly recommend the second episode, which is on (of all things) holding doors open! Mr. Manners expresses my view on the subject much more clearly than I was able to. He even discusses how to deal with "anti-chivalry doors!" (Apparently, don't bother, unless it's a date or the person is unable to open the door themselves. Then, don't rush for the second door; simply say, "Please, allow me," so that the person knows your intentions. Hyper-adorable!)
• Pottercast - Yes, a 90-minute news program every week about Harry Potter. I bet you didn't know there was that much to say. Oh, there is. Plus, it has the inestimable John Noe. Horcri, indeed.

And in un-podcast-related media, check out Will It Blend. My uncle is representing this guy in a copyright lawsuit, and his videos are hilarious. I really like the golf balls one. :D

Book Math and Some Macs

While I was walking home from campus yesterday, I was thinking about my reading habits, namely, how long it takes me to pick up a book and once I have it how long it takes me to finish it. Without further ado, I present to you some really ridiculously made up math. (Rachel would cry.)

T(x) is a function where x represents time and T represents my relative progress in the book. Thus, the x intercept of T(x) is the point where I first pick up the book.
T(x)=I/(10N)(x-R)^3-b-t
I=general interest in the book. For Harry Potter books, I approaches infinity. :D
N=number of books currently reading. I hate starting a new book when I am in the middle of other books. Right now, I think I am at a record high of 5 books. I prefer reading books one at a time rather than in packs.
R=recommendation index of person recommending book = I(1)E(1)^2+I(2)E(2)^2+...+I(i)E(i)^2-abs(D)
I(i)=interest level of past books recommended
E(i)=actual enjoyment of past books recommended
D=perceived relative intelligence of recommender (In abs() because I tend to resent recommendations from people who I perceive as superior and ignore recommendations from people less intelligent. Sad that this is a factor, but it's true. However, the importance of this factor diminishes as we add books to the equation. :D)
b=stress factor=m+s
m=messiness of apartment
s=school work load
t=time it takes me to get to the local library or bookstore

It almost works, if I could figure out some realistic units.

*headdesk* I am such a geek.

If only to prove the point, I now present my collection of Mac switch ad parodies. I have no idea why I like these so much, but they are hillarious. For your own safety, do not drink any milk while watching the following videos.
The Original Ad
Editting Switch - Language Warning
Han Solo
Mac Gamer?
Oh! Baby Mac
Productivity?

Bonus for anyone who has ever used Flash.