Two bits of post-World Series amusement, firstly from The Onion’s Sports department:

Colorado Rockies: ‘What The Fuck Just Happened?’

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and, courtesy of Mark, one of my favorite interweb videos in some time, answering the above question:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmaOj5ot7jA&rel=1]

Sorry to be on all-strike, all the time mode, but really, this is pretty much the future of the industry I work in on the line here.

Why do I think it’s going to get worse? The following two lines from the AMPTP’s statement:

In referring to DVDs, we include not only traditional DVDs, but also electronic sell-through — i.e., permanent downloads. As you know, we believe that electronic sell-through is synonymous with DVD.

This, THIS, is the flagrantly insane statement that the producers make on the last day before the deal expires.

Anyone who knows a goddamn thing about digital distribution knows that trying to make DVDs and downloads equivalent is utterly ridiculous.

We’re all doomed.

Happy Halloween!

So I’ve mentioned my joking plan to subsist on cat food should the strike put me out of work to several people, and I’ve learned a couple of things about inexpensive food:

1. There are a lot more ways to prepare Ramen than you’d think.

2. People seriously will eat anything when they’re stoned. More than one person mentioned eating dog biscuits while high. One even touted the biscuits’ high calcium content as a potential benefit.

The rumor du jour is that the strike might get held off until next week. This is good for TV production, because every extra day means another chance to maybe get another script in under the line.*

Also, at the end of that article is a good summary of what the key issues are in the negotiations.

The biggest sticking point is currently the New Media stuff, since although it’s costly now, it’s fairly clear that if properly executed, it’s going to make a boatload of money. It’s really a question of what percentage of that boatload the writers get.

* – Scripts turned in before a strike is called can theoretically be shot, just without any changes from the writer and only very minimal changes from the director.

However, if the Teamsters honor the writers’ picket lines, as they’re sort of urging their members to do, it’s going to be very, very difficult to shoot anything without trucks to move everything around.

The Teamsters, I should note, are the only union in town that has a specific clause that says they can honor picket lines without getting fired. Pretty much anyone else who honors them is out of a job.

This is looking increasingly likely to become a reality show starting Friday.

At least the mediator the Feds are sending in is a black belt in aikido, and can kick the shit out of the moron negotiators if they have another fight over chairs.

Looks like me and Chaplin are going to be fighting over who gets to eat the cat food.

I listen to the BBC Global News Podcast in the car while I’m schlepping various things around Los Angeles, because it’s an easy way for me to maintain my goal of being reasonably informed about the rest of the world.

It’s normally fairly straightforward and British and reserved, but with one rather odd story to finish up the podcast.

This video was the subject of this morning’s kicker:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipvdBnU8F8&rel=1]

I have to admit, when the BBC announcer, in his velvety, dignified British tones, said “An Australian politician is caught eating his own earwax” at the top of the podcast, I burst out laughing.

So as my fellow Mac nerds know, it’s Leopard Day, and no, I am not in line with the rest of the fanboys.

Sadly, this is not just because I really needed to save the $45 the $20 off and $25 rewards certificate I had at Amazon bought me.

No, this is because I’m so busy from work overflowing into the weekend and three (three!) parties I have to attend to go installing a new operating system on my computer.

I rarely even have two things I absolutely have to do on the weekend, but I can think of at least twelve I have to do this weekend.

The fact that this week at work was insane on a level I’ve never seen before didn’t help, as it’s pushed several work things from the week to the weekend.

The bigger problem for my inner geek is that I don’t think I’m going to have time to install until not next weekend, but the weekend after. The disc, which is arriving Monday, will just sit there and taunt me for two weeks.

Next weekend I’m dragging my ass to San Diego, to visit my mother who will be there attending a conference. And weekdays? Fuhgeddaboutit, I’m up to my eyeballs and then some with work.

Even if the writers’ strike armageddon comes to pass (god forbid), I’m still not going to be out on my ass immediately enough to have the small consolation of being able to install a new OS, since we’ll be filming for a week or two on scripts that would already be written.

So I guess I’m just going to be a sad Mac for a couple weeks while I go out and try to have a life.

Today’s Onion Radio News provided me, and I hope shall provide you, with a sorely needed laugh.

Audio definitely not safe for work, unless you’re either wearing headphones or work in an office that wholeheartedly believes in this research.

Since I have had several queries: Unlike much of the rest of Southern California, I am not on fire. The closest of the fires to me is the one in Malibu, which is several miles up the coast.

I’m slightly more concerned about next weekend, since I’m supposed to go to San Diego to visit my mom, who’s going to be there for a conference.

At the rate that town is burning, I’m just hoping Interstate 15 doesn’t melt.