Inspiration, move me brightly!

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"Swing and a drive, right-center field, this one is falling, it's a base hit! It'll go up the alley! Bruntlett will score! Ruiz around third, he is being waved home! The Phillies have won the ballgame! Ruiz scores! Rollins has won it! They stream out of the dugout! Rollins going to third! This game is over as the Phillies strike again with two outs in the ninth inning! And they have a three games to one lead!"

http://enrico.blogs.com/audio/Phillies.NLCS.Gm4.radio%20call(2).mp4

Let's say I have a small spreadsheet. One column, 1000 cells long. All names of some sort. Many names are repeated.

I want to know exactly how many of each name are in this column without having to write a formula for each name. Example:

dan
dan
alice
bob
mark
jack
jack
alice
bob
jack
mark

I could write "=countif($a$1:$a$12,"dan") - that would tell me how many times "dan" appears in the column. And then do that for every name. But you can see how this might be tough with so many different names in the column.

At home I just have Excel 2000, and it's not helpful.

In two days, a contractor is going to install fencing for me. For the past two weeks or so I have tried to get permission from my neighbor in case we need to use his back yard. I wrote everything out in detail including a diagram of precisely what we planned to do and how that might affect him, and I asked him to either initial and return or contact me if there were any questions or concerns.

I have heard not one word from the neighbors about this, and I'm fuming mad. I haven't been able to catch them at home, either.

I'm not sure if this affects anything, but I think the home is for sale - and it's a short sale. I found the listing online when I was searching my own address. If it's legit, it's going for at least 100K less than what I paid for mine, and THAT was 100K less than it had been listed for in the first place. So my guess is that these guys owe a lot on their mortgage and are under pressure from the bank to sell. Just a guess, though. There's not even a sign out front.

Anyway.

In addition, I haven't even heard back from the contractor in a few days - I wanted to know a) when they planned to come over and b) what they needed from me. Oy!

Anyone remember this?? Salem and then Gazelle nailed it!

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-183127.html

I was sitting in Hair Cuttery, getting a haircut*, and I heard a couple of songs come on the easy-listening station that Hair Cutterys always have playing.

First up was Forever Young by Rod Stewart. I kept wondering if it was a cover of the Dylan song, thinking that Stewart had jazzed it up so much that you'd recognize the original tune only by concentrating on the lyrics. But then I discovered that the lyrics to the Stewart song are horrible, and thus ended that.

Next was That's All by Genesis. It occurred to me that I remembered when the song was played on rock n' roll stations.

No point here, just musings.


*I eventually splurged and got them all cut. There, beat you to the joke.

Maybe...

U-Haul would have cost $41.88 for the rental ($19.95 plus mileage). They cancelled the reservation, probably because I didn't get back to them (duh, they did not leave a message) or because I mentioned I wanted to during an online "help" chat with them.

Ryder was $39, but they need 24-hr notice (makes sense) and are closed Sundays.

Home Depot rents trucks, but the closest one is seven miles away and I can't find shit out online, at work.

Lowe's rents equipment (trucks and other stuff, I guess); closest is in NORTH CAROLINA.

Penske is available and open, but they want $100.

Yikes.

Turns out that truck reservation was for today. I decided to contact u-haul this afternoon because they'd never said what time I needed to pick the truck up (I thought the reservation was for tomorrow, Sat). They said it was for today, 10 am, the location should have called you. I said they did not. Can I change it until tomorrow? You'd have to call the location. Ok, I would like to cancel. You'd have to call the location, since the reservation was for today.

I checked Vonage, and U-Haul did indeed call this morning. They called at 9 am, presumably to tell me my reservation was for 10 am. Now, who the hell in the hell hell does this? Why would you call a customer the day of his reservation to tell him he needed to be there in an hour? With no indication anywhere on the receipt that a time was to be specified later?

The worst part is that U-Haul, it turns out, is way cheaper than anyone else. It's like $19.95 plus $1.29 a mile. Others were like $40, $50, $70 for the day.

Oh, look, U-Haul just cancelled the reservation anyway. What. The. Hey.

Now what? No truck. None o' this stuff is fitting in my car. Gracious.

Ordered the fence panels, so all I have to do is go pick them up. Right after I get the truck on Sat! Huzzah! With any luck, they'll have actual fence posts as well. And someone to install them all.

Schedule coming up:

Thurs
Leave 9:15 am
Dr 10:00
Leave dr around noon, head to work
Leave work 5:30, head up to Silver Spring
7:30, watch Zombieland sneak preview
9:30, finish movie and train back home
Arrive home 10:45, 11pm

Fri

Friday is a normal workday! 9:30 to 5:30 or whatever.

Sat

Arrive at U-Haul 7 am to pick up truck
Go to Lowe's, buy fencing and posts
Go to Home Depot, pick up windows if they're ready (customized)
Take scooter to repair shop, perhaps.
Return truck to U-Haul

Here's a question for you all: do you know of anyone who has used lamps like these: http://www.sunbox.com/Products/10000LuxBright.asp

Maybe not those in particular, but that sort of light? (Although even helpfier if it IS this therapy lamp type.)

Week 1:

slacker 13-3
dan 12-4
paul 11-5
sper 11-4



======
Sunday, September 20

Carolina (0-1) at Atlanta (1-0)

St. Louis (0-1) at Washington (0-1)

Arizona (0-1) at Jacksonville (0-1)

Oakland at Kansas City

New England (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)

Houston (0-1) at Tennessee (0-1)

New Orleans (1-0) at Philadelphia (1-0)

Cincinnati (0-1) at Green Bay (1-0)

Minnesota (1-0) at Detroit (0-1)

Tampa Bay (0-1) at Buffalo (0-1)

Seattle (1-0) at San Francisco (1-0)

Pittsburgh (1-0) at Chicago (0-1)

Cleveland (0-1) at Denver (1-0)

Baltimore (1-0) at San Diego (1-0)

New York Giants (1-0) at Dallas (1-0)

Monday, September 21

Indianapolis (1-0) at Miami (0-1) PTS:

I don't think we'll be doing it this year: only slacker and I are in it! If you're interested, head over to 09fooootball and say hey. If I don't get at least three more people, I won't bother with it this year..

Steve Friedman, also known as Mr. Movie, is a talk-show host based in Philadelphia whose program is heard in 38 (or so) states weekly. I caught the show on the way home last night.

I didn't hear a lot of it, as I was heading out of range. But I did hear an interesting exchange.

A caller mentioned Peter Sellers, and Friedman subsequently described him as "sick" and other unkind terms. It took some time, but eventually he got around to the reason behind his opinion. Friedman claimed that Sellers once sued his ex-wife for custody of their kids just so he could put them up for adoption.

I looked online, google and wiki, and couldn't find anything to back up this claim. Anyone out there heard of it or have better google-fu than I?

I don't want a wife or SO, but I would like someone to cook and clean for me. Any takers?

One my favorite grammar writers is Grammar Girl, and recently I bought her book (Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tricks for Better Writing).

Grammar and usage are odd beasts. Few people grasp the nuances very well, but even those people disagree on things from time to time.

Anyway, what I'm going to do here, periodically, is point out areas where GG and I disagree. Not in rules, mind you, but in usage and the logic therein. I'll also clarify notes she's made about certain terms.

( First ones )

Ok, it's time again, just about, for our annual football pool. Who's in? Head on over to 09fooootball!

x the ones you ain't seen

100. DO THE RIGHT THING (1989)
99. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING (1960)x
98. THE TERMINATOR (1984)
97. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)
96. BELLE DE JOUR (1967)
95. MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (1985)x
94. EASY RIDER (1969)
93. HENRY V (1944) (Laurence Olivier)
92. WAY OUT WEST (1937) (Laurel & Hardy)x
91. A HARD DAY’S NIGHT (1964)
90. THE GENERAL (1926) (Buster Keaton)x
89. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)
88. BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (1925)x
87. ICE COLD IN ALEX (1958)x
86. BREATHLESS (A BOUT DE SOUFFLE) (1960)x
85. ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)
84. THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938)
83. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977)
82. HIGH NOON (1952)
81. THE GOLD RUSH (1925) (Charlie Chaplin)
80. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)
79. GOLDFINGER (1964)
78. CABARET (1972)x
77. THREE COLOURS: BLUE (1993), THREE COLOURS: WHITE (1993), THREE COLOURS: RED (1994)x
76. THE PRODUCERS (1968)
75. TOP HAT (1935)
74. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
73. M*A*S*H (1970)
72. BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945)
71. DON’T LOOK NOW (1973)
70. THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957)x
69. THE SEARCHERS (1956)
68. GET CARTER (1971)
67. KING KONG (1933)
66. BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
65. METROPOLIS (1927)
64. SPARTACUS (1960)
63. LA DOLCE VITA (1960)
62. BLUE VELVET (1986)
61. SECRETS & LIES (1995)x
60. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
59. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946)x
58. THE SEVEN SAMURAI (1954)x
57. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)
56. DR STRANGELOVE, OR: (1963)
55. JEAN DE FLORETTE (1986), MANON DES SOURCES (1986)x
54. TITANIC (1998)
53. THE JUNGLE BOOK (1967)
52. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)
51. THE ITALIAN JOB (1969) x
50. ANNIE HALL (1977)
49. THE EXORCIST (1973)
48. CHINATOWN (1974)
47. KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949)
46. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966)
45. DELIVERANCE (1972)
44. FITZCARRALDO (1982)x
43. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) x
42. FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994)
41. THE THIRD MAN (1949)
40. TOY STORY (1995)
39. THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
38. WITHNAIL & I (1987)
37. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1990)
36. ALIEN (1979)
35. THE GRADUATE (1967)
34. THE FULL MONTY (1997)
33. TRAINSPOTTING (1996)
32. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
31. FARGO (1996)
30. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
29. VERTIGO (1958)
28. KES (1969)x
27. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
26. THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
25. LA CONFIDENTIAL (1997)
24. SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)
23. LIFE OF BRIAN (1979)
22. TAXI DRIVER (1976)
21. ET: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
20. RAGING BULL (1980)x
19. CITIZEN KANE (1941)
18. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000)
17. THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)
16. CASABLANCA (1942)
15. THE MATRIX (1999)
14. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)
13. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
12. JAWS (1975)
11. PSYCHO (1960)
10. GOODFELLAS (1990)
9. SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)
8. BLADE RUNNER (1982)
7. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
6. GLADIATOR (2000)
5. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
4. PULP FICTION (1994)
3. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
2. THE GODFATHER (1972), THE GODFATHER PART II (1974)
1. STAR WARS (1977), STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

19 not seen

I'm not concerned with people disagreeing on things like abortion or healthcare or taxes and whatnot. People will always disagree on stuff. But look around. These town hall meetings that our elected representatives are having... something bad is bound to happen at one of them, and soon. People are bringing loaded guns to these things! And they think that's perfectly okay.

So it's bad enough that people are being bused in to these meetings with the sole purpose of screaming at politicians - and completely destroying any possible debate on the important subject of healtcare reform - but more than a few are actually armed. So you have hostile people marching into a politically charged atmosphere with guns, and this is not a problem?

Some wackjob was actually in the vicinity of President Obama during the latter's New Hampshire town meeting. With a loaded gun. Thought nothing of it. Is completely, batshit insane.

See, here's the issue. This should be a debate between taxpayers and big companies. The insurance companies make billions off of us, gambling that we won't die and will therefore continue to pay high premiums. They are not in dire straits here. Those of us who have insurance may think we have the best insurance, like, ever, but there's no way to know - unless we're seriously injured. And you know what happens then? The insurance company tells you to go fuck yourself, they're not paying for shit, you have a preexisting condition, you jerk.

So some nicer people decided they wanted to break the insurance companies' monopoly. If you don't know much about this debate, let me lay it out as simply as possible:

Reformers want to ADD a public option to healthcare. This would be a healthcare plan run by the government. The key word here is ADD. They are not. NOT. NOT. NOT changing anyone's current plan. The plan is NOT for the government to take over your current insurance plan and then tell you which doctors you can and cannot see. This is not the plan.

People fall under two categories:

1. Those who have no insurance - particularly the self-employed, for whom self-insurance is extremely expensive - will have the option of choosing the public plan, which will provide afforadable healthcare.

2. Those who have insurance have two options - they can stay exactly where they are now, or they can choose the public plan, which will likely be cheaper.

What's the idea here? Why would the govt want to do this, anyway?

Most of the money that is poured into insurance - by employers, employees, individuals - goes to the insurance company, not the doctors and nurses. They get more money, they drive up your costs. Obama feels that by inserting an optional government plan, prices will come down for everyone. Those with no insurance will be able to pay for it, finally, and those who have insurance might have a cheaper option, because the public option and the insurance companies will be in direct competition.

In addition, many of the costs associated with healthcare are for emergency issues that could have been prevented. Say Patient X feels sick and has no insurance, so he self medicates. A week or so later, he's worse off, so he has to go to the ER. Then get an MRI, an ultrasound, and so on. Those treatments cost a lot. Had Patient X gone to his regular doctor, he might have received quality care before his condition got out of hand - and costly. So the idea is to treat problems earlier, thus saving money.

One last thing. One major argument I keep hearing is that somehow this public option is basically socialized medicine. You know what else is "socialized" medicine? Medicare. Medicare is a government-run healthcare program that's been around for decades. Whatever its problems, Medicare works and has worked for a long, long time. So it's foolish and ignorant to suggest that if the government extended that sort of program to everyone, it would suddenly stink at it.

ETA: One last last thing. Some people have also whined about how the government will simply "ration" healthcare. Got news for ya, bub. Healthcare is already rationed. It's rationed according to whoever can pay for it. It's rationed by social status. And it's rationed by blind assholes in windowless buildings who decide that Aunt Bea can't have that liver transplant now because she huffed paint in 1965.

I'm sure there's something simple I'm overlooking here. My mom has an iPod. She wants to listen to audiobooks. I know you can download audiobooks, some for free and some for pay. But when we've put them on the iPod, the tracks haven't remained in order, even with Shuffle turned off. So when she'd listen to, say, track 1 (so titled, too), it would then move into, sat, track 20.

To get the book onto the iPod, we copied all the tracks into a playlist, named after the book. Then we plugged in the iPod, which then showed us a screen about syncing, where you could select which folders/playlists in your iTunes you wanted to sync. We selected the new playlist and let 'er rip, but that took ages and ages. And the tracks were still out of order anyway. Not only that, but we noticed that if we put on some other tracks on the iPod, then selected to sync just the new playlist, those other tracks would be erased, i.e., only the new playlist would be put onto the iPod.

I know there's a button in the lower right (I don't have an iPod, so it's not in front of me) of the iTunes screen that allows you to move the contents of a CD onto the iPod. We DID do this as well for an audio book that was on CD, rather than being downloaded (and it was on nine CDs, so you can imagine how long it took). But we had the same problem: The tracks were not in order in the iPod.

There's an easier way, right?

It could mean only one thing, an evil minion to do my bidding has been borned!

Luke Michael looks like his mom. Baby and mom resting comfortably, coming home Thursday. I don't have pictures yet, heading up there this weekend.

PICS ADDED!
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