45 Thoughts on GChat

Caroline Bankoff's exposition on Google's GChat.

15. While writing this piece, I conducted some research via GChat. I asked a contact, “What are your thoughts about GChat?” He replied, “GChat sometimes lubricates sincerity.” I asked why he thought that was. He replied, “Because it’s easier to type certain things into a box.

16. I think it follows that GChat sometimes lubricates insincerity, because it is easier to type certain things into a box.

45. If I get a kitten, I might name it GCat.

Discuss.

[Via]

It's Friday!

Last Night's Party

The first decade of the 21st century ended the way it began when I first moved to New York City 8 or so years ago - with an epic snow storm. Traffic was moving so slowly I was able to stand in the middle of the street in Times Square and take this photo of the snow as it started to finally accumulate on the ground. I was walking home from KTown after I fulfilled my KTown jjigae craving.

New York City woke up to a lot of snow the next morning.

Couple nights later I met up with Ro and Jeff (yes, he's still searching for new pants). After eating delicious noodle soup, we walked to KTown for a "surprise" birthday party.

A surprise birthday party at karaoke, natch. Disclaimer: I swear this was not organized or suggested by me.

Pro Tip: Passionate hand gestures makes any song better.

This girl was getting at it!

And if the singing is good enough, people will dance to it. Even go back to back wit it.

AND front to front wit it.

And then git paid afterwards!

This is what alcohol can do to people later in the evening.

Few days later it was New Year's Eve! I met up with friends on the Upper East Side for some food and drinks. After the clock stuck midnight, I went back to my apartment where one of my friends was having a party. By the time I remembered I had my camera it was pretty late, and the girls had changed in to their sweats.

Sweats don't mean the celebration has to stop tho!

And the dancing!

And peace in the new year.

And...intergalactic thug peace signs?

The New Year: clean out the old and start anew...including tossing out that computer from 1994. Raise your hand if you remember using these floppy discs at one point in your life.

If You Could Make One College Course Mandatory, Which Class Would It Be?

Good Magazine asked "If You Could Make One College Course Mandatory, Which Class Would It Be?" I'd recommend a two semester requirement in Economics and Finance. What say you?

BRB

I will be here to attend a wedding-slash-vacation starting today. Penelope might not like it, but Javier Bardem is pretty damn stoked on my behalf. So is George W. Bush. Your regularly scheduled programming will resume on my return.

Question:

How many SEO experts does it take to change a light bulb, lightbulb, light, bulb, lamp, lighting, lightswitch, switch,...

[Via]

Dear Readers:

First Western Film Aired on North Korean TV

On Christmas this year, North Korea's Dear Leader permitted a western-made movie to be shown on its state-run television network for the first time ever to celebrate the tenth anniversary of diplomatic relations between them and Britain.  The honored (heavily censored) film? BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.

I would have recommended ALI G INDAHOUSE.

Relatedly: Kim Jong Il Looking At Things.

The 110 Things New Yorkers Talked About in 2010

1. Bedbugs.

Continuity Errors

Austin Sidley highlights some glaring continuity errors and plot holes in "Eat, Pray, Love."

At a restaurant in Rome, Liz (Julia Roberts), orders spaghetti carbonara, which is prepared without tomatoes. In the following scene they are served pasta with tomato sauce.

In the scene where Liz (Julia Roberts) and Richard (Richard Jenkins) are sharing a soda (Thumbs-up), from one angle, the two umbrellas in the drink are open. In another, they are closed.

While eating pizza margherita at a restaurant in Naples, Liz's friend, Sophie (Tuva Novotny) complains of recently putting on twenty pounds and that her stomach now comes over the top of her pants. Liz (Julia Roberts) identifies this as a "muffin top" and claims to have one herself. Julia Roberts has never had a muffin top.

Liz (Julia Roberts) travels for a year with a single duffle bag for luggage, but somehow wears no fewer than sixty-seven perfectly coordinated outfits. At no point is the bag described as magically enchanted and capable of holding an unlimited number of items.

At the ashram in India, pilgrims are encouraged to improve their mental health and spiritual lives through a process of self-improvement of meditation and contemplation. This can actually only be achieved with anti-depressant pharmaceuticals.

When Liz (Julia Roberts) meets Felipe (Javier Bardem) in Bali, they engage in romantic flirtation without having sexual intercourse for at least three weeks. In reality, once Javier Bardem expresses romantic interest in someone, the duration until sexual intercourse is measured in minutes.

Throughout the movie, Liz (Julia Roberts) and others pray to God. There is no God.

Relatedly, I was watching Home Alone with my roommate yesterday and I noticed a mistake. When Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) goes to the grocery store by himself, he buys a big thing of laundry detergent. On his way home with the groceries, the bags both rip and everything falls out on to the street...but there's no laundry detergent. I'll wait while you pick up the contents of your brain after it exploded.

[Hat tip: Moye]

This Snowstorm Was Like...

Merry Christmas, Part 3

[Via]

Merry Christmas, Part 2

[Via]

Merry Christmas!

[Via]

Obama Signs Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

New York Times:

The audience for the ceremony included a who’s who of gay activists, among them Frank Kameny, who was fired from a civilian job as an Army astronomer in 1957 — an act that prompted him to found a gay rights advocacy organization in Washington D.C. and to file a lawsuit which went all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1965 he picketed the White House, in the first ever demonstration there by gays.

Now white-haired at 85, Mr. Kameny also served as an enlisted Army soldier; he signed up in May 1943, he said, three days before he turned 18, and saw “front line combat” in Germany during World War II. He said he was asked if he had “homosexual tendencies” and denied it. “They asked, and I didn’t tell,” he said, “and I resented for 67 years that I had to lie.”

Hero.

Happy Monday

Best Excuse

My friend Nick wrote:

I was involved in a hit-and-run accident last month. The police finally tracked down the guy and charged him. I picked up the report today and flipped to the page where he was asked to give his statement regarding why he didn't pull over after the accident. His formal statement read: "My bad."

Happy Friday

Showing off my pro Photoshop skillz.

Who Said It? Jehovah Or J-Hova?

From McSweeney's: JEHOVAH OR J-HOVA?

1. In the beginning was the word. 2. My balls and my word is all I have. 3. The ruler's back. 4. Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. 5. I'm a beast

More and answers here.

Google Reader Puns

PUNS INTENDED.