LCD Monitor Failure

This morning, after a software update and reboot, one of my LCD monitors went all white. This is the second time since 2009 started that this has happened to me. Both monitors were 2 years old or more and had almost daily use, but it seems strange that they have both failed within a few months of each other.

Both have failed since I installed my new EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR 8600GT 256M video card, and since I’ve been running a dual monitor linux setup. The monitors have been tested in multiple environments, so I’m confident it’s a monitor problem, and not a graphics card or other issue.

If this is just the natural lifecycle of the monitor, this is a serious step back in technology. CRTs would last many years. If LCDs fail in 2-4 years, they aren’t exactly an improvement.

Music Pick of the Week – Shiny Toy Guns cover Major Tom

If you watch TV (and don’t fast forward through the commercials with your TIVO), you may have noticed an ad for the Lincoln MKZ featuring a cover of Peter Schilling’s Major Tom.

This excellent cover is performed by Shiny Toy Guns, and is available as a free download! How awesome is that?

If you are interested in more from Shiny Toy Guns, you might check out their latest album.

New girl at The Office – Ellie Kemper

If you are a fan of “The Office” and didn’t see last night’s episodes, warning, there might be spoilers.

If you did see last night’s episode, you noticed we have a new receptionist. Yes, Pam quit her job to join the Michael Scott Paper Company. Of course Dunder Mifflen’s Scranton Branch can’t do without a receptionist (or a new love interest for Dwight and Andy) so Kelly “Erin” Hannon, played by Ellie Kemper, has been hired to replace Beasley.

Ellie Kemper has a history in comedy including performing with the Upright Citizens Brigade and writing for the Onion, so she may be more than just a temp. Based on her performance in last night’s episodes, I think she will be a great addition to the cast.

Easter Breakfast Ham?

I may have unwittingly started an Easter tradition. My great-grandmother was German. Her family were German colonists in Russia in the 19th century. When the Czar started kicking them out, they decided to come to America and settled in Colorado. My grandfather grew up with German food, and one of these dishes was Blinna, a thin German pancake. Grandma used to make these quite often, but in recent years hasn’t so much – I think it just got to be too difficult to feed the whole family.

Last year for Easter we decided to surprise everyone and make Blinna for Easter dinner. This was a huge success. So huge in fact, we are doing it again this year.

To accompany the Blinna, it’s been decided we will also prepare a ham, at least partially to placate my mother who wants a traditional Easter dinner. My sister has said we should make ‘breakfast ham’. So my question to you is, what is ‘breakfast ham’? How does it differ from a traditional baked Easter ham? Any ideas?

We need a new environmental disaster movie!

Global catastrophe always makes for a good thrillers. Radioactive spiders, thermonuclear war or even global warming as in 2004′s The Day After Tomorrow. Know it looks like the Obama administration is writing the script for a brand new film – hopefully we will all be around to watch this one.

President Obama’s science advisor, John Holdren, says the White House has discussed plans for ‘geoengineering’ to stop global warming. Options include shooting sulphur into the upper atmosphere to simulate a volcanic eruption and building giant towers to such the CO2 out of the atmosphere. Seriously? Have these guys never watched an environmental disaster movie? Isn’t it fairly obvious that mucking around with the environment is probably a bad idea? What’s next, Skynet? I hope somebody makes this movie, I just hope it isn’t a documentary…