Ricky Gervais

No, this is not a tribute. He's not dead or sumthin'.

Amazon.com today, I find out, recommended me "1 Pregnancy Test Strip" because I bought BBC's "The Office" DVD a while back.

This sitcom mock-umentary master stroke from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, packed with laughs, couldn't offer any more pleasing commentary of the powers-that-be, like that within my Silicon Valley cubicle life ("the office," get it?), than it could in its sweet and perfect two-season run. Then, some power-at-be at Amazon.com had somehow managed to rally up some holiday cheer with an out-of-this world correlation that 'I may be pregnant, check it with these strips' because I bought the DVD.

Or perhaps they may be on to something?

Isn't it not conceivable that watching David Brent (Ricky's "watch me, I'm funny" head-of-The-Office persona) mislead a cast of honest-living, working class paper-salesmen through the ups and downs of corporate life, have an effect on the viewers' living habits? May viewers cap the day with extra-curricular activities before bedtime, after having watched episodes of the show?

It is a comedy. Just a comedy. It's set-up like a documentary through an office space of very nice people, less the dysfunctional middle-management topped by Brent. It is rather extremely funny:

David Brent, during one philosophical exchange: "If you want the rainbow, you've gotta put up with the rain - do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton. And people say she's just a big pair of t***.

It had a very **spoiler alert** tear-jerking conclusion (The Office Special). Perhaps that'll do it.

OK. OK. Enough of this. If I go on, you might think I'm trying to sell my DVDs for the best bid.

But, remember this: Nine months after one big New York City blackout, there was a baby boom. I may have heard the same story regarding the San Francisco Bay Area after the Loma Prieta quake. Not sure about 9/11.

But, really, I was paid to advertise "The Office." Not from NBC, but from the BBC. I look forward to Rick and Stephen when I finally get DVDs of their next effort, "Extras." Cameos of your celebs, like Ben Stiller, questioned about his conquests:

Ben: I've kissed Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore! I've slapped Jennifer Aniston's a**!
Interviewer: Yeah, in films.
Ben: It still counts! It still counts...


- Mic.

Disclaimer: My choice of quotes does not always include bleep-ed out words.

iPod Video - what would I download?

I got nothing much else to do with my new 5G video iPod that I haven't done before with my 40GB brickpod. Ahh...video.

But for now, iTunes has got for me episodes of Lost, Desperate Housewives, and some sitcom. And Music TV. And upcoming movie trailers????

Crap. Bunch of arse. I'll be visiting the hack-ze-ipod forums for some value-add.

I'm looking for hard-to-find gems like Miami Vice's Calderon blowing up Tubb's girlfriend to Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight." Tour of Duty's Assault on Firebase Alpha. Magic Johnson's 1980 NBA Championship Game 6. The A-Team's opening sequence. Mitch Hedberg. The Twilight Zone where aliens threatened to wipe out earthlings, and in an act of desperation, earthlings created a plan for peace, only to be told that the aliens were actually looking for warriors. Dumb peace-loving earthlings. And if I knew the episode's name, I would have made this post shorter. But...sorry, dumb earthlings.

Sweet screen. Nice little thin package. White. Fifth-generation indeed. Scratch-resistant. I lie 20% of the time.

No carrying case or sports strap available yet. If you want a review, check forums elsewhere.

Lastly, why don't you have an iPod yet?

My review of Aphex Twin's "Flim" (1997)

Nah... I don't make reviews of anything. Just smart-ass comments...

But while listening to "Flim" this afternoon, coming to a stop light along Steven's Creek, someone compliments me next lane with "Who's that in your CD player?"

" Aphex Twin's 'Flim' "

Grandma in her red Ford Escort happily drove away, no doubt to check it out on Amazon.com. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hooked up Ms. Daisy with a sweet little instrumental ambient beat. I'm sure she'll be shocked when she sees the CD artwork.

To save yourself the trouble, check it out on iTunes.

(This space has been paid for by Amazon.com, Apple and Aphex Twin)