Variety.com - Warner purrs for Thundercats

Yeah, Thundercats may be a movie. I am also excited to see the Transformer (even if it is directed by Michael Bay) I love that the cartoons of my youth are becoming the zeitgeist of movie productions. I also read He-Man is going to be made. Let's hope it is better than the Dolph Lundgren crap that came out in the 80s. Check out this link for a very funny top 15 cartoon theme songs. Pretty funny!

Variety.com - Warner purrs for Thundercats

Chris Thile and Nickel Creek

Madrid and I went and saw Chris Thile of Nickel Creek play at the Iron Horse on Sunday night. Thile is amazing! I love the mandolin and he is one of the most amazing players out there.

I do have to admit that I like his stuff with Nickel Creek much better. So in that spirit, my favorite Nickel Creek song (featuring Chris Thile on Mandolin). If you haven't given Nickel Creek a listen, you really should! (and if you have a chance to go see them live, do it as they are taking a indefinite hiatus at the end of the year!)

Experimental Film

Continuing on the theme of music, I saw They Might Be Giants a few weeks ago at the Iron Horse in Northamton, MA. I have been a fan of the band since Flood (one of my top 10 favorite albums). If you have a chance to see them live, do it! (They are performing a free show at Mohegan Sun Casino in July!)

They sing the theme song to Malcolm in the Middle and perform the theme to The Daily Show "Dog on Fire" (which I find to be a hysterical name for that piece of music!).

Here is the Homestar Runner video for "Experimental Film" by They Might Be Giants. This song is in heavy rotation on my iPod right now. Enjoy!

Nai

TV Dad Salaries

I am a little early for Father's Day, but I found this list of fictional dad's and what they would make in real life pretty interesting.


CNN/Money: TV Dad Salaries


Nai

The Police

I get to see them July 29 at Fenway Park. I can't wait.

The Landlord

I am usually against the exploitation of minors (especially now that I am an uncle), but THIS is funny!

The Electric Company

I think this speaks for itself, but I will add one thing... I love my job...on the ground... with no voltage to speak of!

Ian

glumbert.com - High Power Job

Michigan's Finest

Listen to the following. It is pretty funny on it's own, but when I tell you the caller is a cop?... HIGHlarious!

Moon Return Video

Now this is a sequel that I want to see.

My only question is what is the purpose? It looks like we are setting up a futuristic trailer park. I am expecting Cousin Eddie to walk out in his robe, yelling "Shitter's full!

Ian

Another Panda Video

Ok,

So, the last video reminded me of this commercial, which I think was hilarious.

This video was a running joke in my office at UNCW and I was happy to find it again.

Good times with Pandas!

Pretty, Pretty Panda

This video was hilarious to me, but I don't know why. I would love to hear what my visitors think. Leave a comment, if you have a minute.

Nai

The Real Life Denny Crane!

...Or maybe Alan Shore. Either way this is straight out of Boston Legal!

Lawyer arrested for kissing judicial employee - Boston.com

Pan's Labyrinth

I am really anticipating seeing Pan's Labyrinth, but I think it is off a lot of people's radar. Neil Gaiman (author of Sandman and American Gods, and a pretty good judge of things of this type!) has seen it and gives a "no spoiler review".

The official site is here.

It looks like it opens everywhere on January 19.

March of the Emperor

Watch and Laugh!

In Search of...Ian Martin

Over the holidays, I received a very nice letter from a woman who has lost track of a childhood friend and would like to reconnect with that person. The man she is looking for is named Marion (Toby) Martin and has a son named Ian Martin.

That being my name, she found this blog and wrote me to see if I was the son of her lost friend and if so, can I put her into contact with Toby.

Unfortunately I am not the Ian Martin she is looking for. However, if the correct Ian happens on to this site (or Toby - even better), I would be happy to pass along the info to this very nice woman. Just drop me an email or leave a comment.

Just another unadvertised service from the folks here at "Me Talk Pretty"!

Nai

Best of 2006 - TV

This list is easy for me because by December I was only watching what I really liked. I set the following rule - It's season had to be between Sept. and December which leaves off 24, Entourage, etc. So here goes:

10. Veronica Mars (Don't judge, just watch... You'll thanks me!)
9. The Amazing Race (The only reality show I enjoy)
8. Boston Legal
7. Scrubs
6. Doctor Who (I never watched the old series, but this new series imported and shown on Sci Fi has me hooked!)
5. Battlestar Gallactica (If you like
4. Lost (This show is getting a little tired, but I still tune in)
3. Heroes
2. The Office
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Honorable Mentions: Saturday Night Live (I had given up this show, but with a smaller cast, the funny just may be back), Jericho, Shark, House, The Simpsons, The Class (It is growing on me), My Name is Earl, 30 Rock, Without a Trace.

I know this list will spark a debate. Bring it on!

Nai

Resolute Resolutions

Well, I am not much for New Year's resolutions, but if I did make them, journaling and blogging (as in do more..) would be at the top of the list. So, in that vein, the return of Me Talk Pretty.

The first order of business is end of the year lists. Let's make the first one movies.

In order to do this, I went to Movieweb and went through the list of movies released in 2006. I came up with the following list of movies I saw this past year:

• Lucky Number Slevin
• Art School Confidential
• Poseidon
• The Da Vinci Code
• Benchwarmers
• Inside Man
• V for Vendetta
• Thank You For Smoking
• Game 6
• Firewall
• Glory Road
• Mission: Impossible III
• Over the Hedge
• X-Men: The Last Stand
• A Prairie Home Companion
• Wordplay
• Click
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans' Chest
• Superman Returns
• Brick
• Clerks 2
• Miami Vice
• Talladega Nights
• Accepted
• Employee of the Month
• The Prestige
• Little Miss Sunshine
• Stranger Than Fiction
• Casino Royale
• For Your Consideration
• Deck The Halls
• Blood Diamond
• Rocky Balboa
• Night at the Museum
  

So, based on this list, here is Nai's Top 10 Movies that I saw in 2006:
10. Brick
9. Wordplay
8. Lucky Number Slevin
7. Inside Man
6. The Prestige
5. Superman Returns
4. Over The Hedge
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
2. V for Vendetta
1. Little Miss Sunshine

Honorable mentions to: X-Men The Last Stand, A Prairie home Companion, Accepted, Clerks 2, Casino Royale, For Your Consideration, Blood Diamond, Rocky Balboa, and Night at the Museum.

What do you think?

Nai

Elton John vows to make hip hop record - Yahoo! News

Elton John vows to make hip hop record - Yahoo! News

Please, no!

HP 0 - Me 1

On Monday I received a phonecall from a Hewlett Packard Case Manager offering me a fixed or refurbished iPod with a 3 month warranty. He profusely apologized and said that I was victim of the phone operators being unable to offer any kind of solution.

I asked him which letter sparked him receiving my case for reveiw (I sent three; one to the CEO, one to the Board of Directors, and one to the Better Business Bureau.) He said it was the CEOs letter that did the trick, although he was certain the Better Business Bureau letter will also come to their attention.

So my iPod is FedExing its way to HP for fix or (most likely) replacement and I don't have to shell out the 300 bones that I thought I would. If all goes well, my HP ban will be lifted.

It just goes to prove...don't underestimate the power of letter writing.

Ian

I've been Packard!

Pardon the interruption, but..

Since Monday, every hour outside of work has been spent trying to get my iPod to work. It is at this moment that I am starting to realize that my 18 month old piece of equipment that I use on a daily basis has died a premature death. This realization has made me sad. However, it has also made me angry. This is the anger that really gets me fuming. It is at the hands of a big company. And what does any good Martin do when a company pisses them off? Boycott them and send a letter to anyone who will listen.

So, I am using this blog to let the public know how I was completely screwed by Hewlett Packard. My iPod that was made by Hewlett Packard (which they no longer make) crapped out on me while sitting in its cradle. I am letting the world know not to trust an HP product because apparently they do not stand by their product. Below is the letter I submitted to the better Business Bureau. (For those who are keeping score, I also emailed the HP board of Directors and a personal email to the HP CEO.

I purchased an iPod by HP in December of 2004 from a Circuit City store. At that time I was told by the salesperson that I could buy a circuit city extended warranty plan, but the one from HP was a better value. He had a good experience and led me in that direction.

A couple of weeks after purchasing my iPod I contacted HP by phone inquiring about their extended warranty program. The representative informed me that with the model of iPod that I had a year to purchase the extended warranty, which would then cover the iPod from all defects.

Since I was told I had up to a year and finances were tight after the holiday season and I had just purchased a $300 iPod, I decided to wait to purchase the plan until I had more available cash.

Later in the year (I think it was August, but I can't be sure) I called HP to purchase the extended warranty. I was told at that point that they were no longer offering the warranty due to the partnership between Apple and HP dissolving and they were no longer producing the iPod by HP. I argued that I had been assured that I could purchase an extended warranty a year after the purchase date and that should be honored. The representative said that was not their policy. I spoke to the manager and he wouldn't budge.

The conversation terminated with HP contending they had no onus in providing me the opportunity to extend the warranty and I resolved to not purchase any more HP labeled products. After all, my iPod was still working and they have the reputation of lasting for more than 2 years anyway.

This week, after 18 months of ownership, my iPod ceases to work. I email HP tech support and after 3 days of back and forth with the support staf, it is determined that a repair or replacement in needed. I am quoted $269 for the repair or $229 for a refurbished model comparable to the one I own. Now I can by the most current one from Apple at $299 that has more storage and a warranty that I can count on. Because of this, neither solution makes much sense, especially considering HP refusal to warranty the iPods.

So now let see where this gets me. I will promise to update this site with any and all resolutions I get from HP. If they work to make this correct I will give them all the credit that is do.

Hopefully some lighter fare shortly.....

Ian