October 13th, 2006

blowhard

Sign of maturity? Or low boredom threshhold?

I had a whole big critique here of James Lileks' latest Bleat, and how it's symptomatic of the conservative movement's state of denial, that late-empire phenomenon that says since everything is okay now, everything will always be okay, and anyone who says otherwise is a big alarmist, because what could possibly go wrong?* And how this is a similar belief to that held by every other empire ever, none of which are around any more, for some reason. And then I had another biq critique of all the bullshit on Town Hall today, especially the bullshit about how we're letting the Mark Foley sex scandal distract us from important issues** like North Korea which will destroy us all***, as if we aren't capable of thinking about two things at once.

But you know what? I got bored with it. I'm sure I'll return; I can't stay away from bullshit politics. But right now, I'm just not in the mood for writing another impotant tirade against these assholes. They'll still be there when my mad-on returns, but today, I'm gonna work on other stuff. Maybe on complaining about something that, per rum_holiday, will result in my getting free merchandise.

*: Except the threat of dusky foreign terrorists. It's okay to be alarmist about that.
**: Something the Republicans have NEVER done, no never.
***: See first asterisk.
space geek

Just READING this poll makes you a total geek

As a very lonely, pathetic nerd, I am very curious about your music organization habits.

Poll #844086 SUPER BONUS FRIDAY ULTRA MEGA GEEK POLL
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 68

Do you have any mp3 playlist software (iTunes, WinAmp, etc.)?

View Answers
Yes I surely do
65(95.6%)
No I surely don't
2(2.9%)
I don't know
0(0.0%)
What's an mp3?
0(0.0%)
One time I ate a chicken and fish
1(1.5%)

Do you maintain the ID3 tags/labels on songs you import (song title, album, performer, etc.)?

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You bet I do
49(72.1%)
You bet I don't
11(16.2%)
I don't know
2(2.9%)
What on God's green are you talking about?
6(8.8%)
That ID4, what with Will Smith, that was a good movie for it where was
0(0.0%)

Do you eliminate words like "the" or "a" at the beginning of song or album titles

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I'm just that kinda geek
5(7.4%)
I'm not that kinda geek
39(57.4%)
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't
17(25.0%)
Never before did I suspect the depths of your loserhood
5(7.4%)
My teacher says I need rubber pants
2(2.9%)

What about foreign equivalents of those words, like "la" or "un"? Do you take those out?

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In for a penny, in for a pound
4(5.9%)
I don't do either
42(61.8%)
I take out the English, but not the foreign
8(11.8%)
Oh my God, LAAAAAAME
8(11.8%)
Pennies have the beard man who looks the other way
6(8.8%)

Do you lower-case common words within a song or album name? For example, how would you enter "House of the Rising Sun"?

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"House of the Rising Sun"
45(66.2%)
"House Of The Rising Sun"
5(7.4%)
Who cares?
6(8.8%)
No, seriously, WHO GIVES A FUCK?
7(10.3%)
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy, and Lord, you know I'm one.
5(7.4%)

How would you alphabetize, for example, "Elliott Smith"?

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Under 'E' ("Elliott Smith")
30(44.1%)
Under 'S' ("Smith, Elliott")
25(36.8%)
I don't own any Elliott Smith and also I am a big schmuck
2(2.9%)
I don't alphabetize my music, or I do whatever my player's default is
9(13.2%)
Is that the guy who stabbed himself in the heart? HA HA, SUCKS TO BE U
2(2.9%)

Do you digitize every CD you get?

View Answers
Yep
27(39.7%)
Nope
16(23.5%)
I would like to, but storage space is an issue
4(5.9%)
I pick and choose
20(29.4%)
These joke answers keep getting lamer and lamer
1(1.5%)

Do you rate the songs on your mp3 player?

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Fuck yeah
8(11.8%)
Fuck no
35(51.5%)
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't
11(16.2%)
My player doesn't have that feature
2(2.9%)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAWDRY JONES!
12(17.6%)

How would you alphabetize a song, album or performer that started with a number, like, say, 10,000 Maniacs?

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Before the letter 'A'
34(50.0%)
After the letter 'Z'
0(0.0%)
As if it were spelled out as "ten thousand", so under 'T'
9(13.2%)
I don't alphebetize/I don't care/I let the player do it
18(26.5%)
That's an awful lot of maniacs
7(10.3%)

What information do you routinely enter and/or display for your songs and albums?

View Answers
Song name
0(0.0%)
Performer
1(1.6%)
Album title
0(0.0%)
Year
0(0.0%)
Genre
0(0.0%)
Rating
0(0.0%)
Playing time
0(0.0%)
Track number
0(0.0%)
Date added
0(0.0%)
Beats per minute
0(0.0%)
Composer (as distinct from Performer)
0(0.0%)
Comments
0(0.0%)
Bit rate
0(0.0%)
Equalizer setting
0(0.0%)
Other (see Comments)
1(1.6%)
naked and ashamed

Like you're really WORKING on Friday afternoon

Even I can't believe I did this.

Poll #844194 You...you just suck, Leonard.
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 58

When alphabetizing, do "Dr." or "Mr." go under 'd-o-c' and 'm-i-s' or 'd-r' and 'm-r'?

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The former.
16(28.6%)
The latter.
21(37.5%)
I don't care.
7(12.5%)
I can't believe you actually made another fucking poll about this.
11(19.6%)
D-O-C is the name.
1(1.8%)

How many different genre tags do you use for your mp3 collection?

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Less than 10.
6(10.5%)
Between 10 and 30.
14(24.6%)
More than 30.
6(10.5%)
I don't use genre tags.
27(47.4%)
I wear a nametag at my job.
4(7.0%)

Who goes under "Artist" for classical music?

View Answers
The composer (e.g., Beethoven).
33(57.9%)
The perfomer (e.g., the London Symphony Orchestra).
13(22.8%)
The conductor (e.g., Herbert von Karajan).
0(0.0%)
I don't care/I don't have any classical music.
7(12.3%)
Pablo Picasso.
4(7.0%)

Do you use accent marks for foreign performers or titles?

View Answers
Ja.
23(40.4%)
Nein.
7(12.3%)
Was?
0(0.0%)
Not unless my software does it for me.
25(43.9%)
MEIN LEBEN!
2(3.5%)

On songs featuring a guest star (e.g., "Mos Def feat. Busta Rhymes", how do you label the artist?

View Answers
Main artist only ("Mos Def").
15(26.3%)
Main artist and guest ("Mos Def feat. Busta Rhymes").
29(50.9%)
Other (see comments).
2(3.5%)
I don't care.
6(10.5%)
For that matter, does "Busta Rhymes" go under B or R?
5(8.8%)

Choose your naming convention for albums featuring multiple performers (compilations, sountracks, etc.).

View Answers
Single performer ("Various Artists", "OST", "Cast Recording", etc.)
12(21.1%)
Performer: listed out by each individual performer.
27(47.4%)
It depends.
12(21.1%)
I don't care.
5(8.8%)
Did you ever see that one movie, "Boulevard Nights"? That was awesome.
1(1.8%)

MC Chris & DJ Krush.

View Answers
They go under 'M' and 'D'.
40(71.4%)
They go under 'C' and 'K'.
4(7.1%)
It depends.
2(3.6%)
I don't care.
5(8.9%)
You gotta get out of the house more, man, for real.
5(8.9%)

Elvis Costello & the Attractions.

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Yes, that's right.
12(21.1%)
Ahem, that's Elvis Costello AND the Attractions.
3(5.3%)
It all goes under Elvis Costello regardless of what he's calling his sidemen this week.
39(68.4%)
I don't care.
1(1.8%)
The amazing thing is, I can probably think of at least ten more questions to put in this poll.
2(3.5%)

Chuck D; Booker T. & the MGs.

View Answers
Under 'D' and 'T'.
6(10.3%)
Under 'C' and 'B'.
36(62.1%)
They're different naming conventions for each.
8(13.8%)
I don't care.
3(5.2%)
When will this all end?
5(8.6%)

Do you use the "Comments" tag for anything? If so, what?

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