Podcast - This Is Only a Test
Episode 39 – The City on the Edge of Fuck You – 12/02/2010
This week Will, Norm, and Gary talk about TV Quest 2010, network neutrality, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Plus, fake outtakes and pie!
Comments (33)
This week Will, Norm, and Gary talk about TV Quest 2010, network neutrality, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Plus, fake outtakes and pie!
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Thanks,
Tested
Yay.
May podcast be with you.
good
I also ordered my TV online , but I’ve bought mine from Amazon. Since I have Amazon Prime I got free shipping from CEVA.
EDIT: I use the internet for all my tv/movies so no cable for me 🙂
I saw a special a few weeks ago about who is the best Star Trek captain, and they talked about the original Voyager actress. They said she quit because she couldn’t handle the work hours of a weekly TV show. Kate Mulgrew also talked about her boobs constantly being adjusted between takes. Apparently they had to make sure they weren’t pointing towards the stars.
So according go Gary, if I saw Patrick Stewart performing Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company, it would be perfectly fine to go up to him afterwards and say “there are four lights!” Good to know.
And I can’t say I have any geeky habits. Well, sometimes I scour the Internet trying to figure out how to scientifically explain some superhero powers, and getting mad if it makes no sense. To this day, I still can’t figure how Superman flies. Telekinesis? Warping gravity? It makes no sense!
I was very rude to a TV guy at Futureshop one time. My dad was buying a TV, he’s not that into tech so I went to help him, and this guy would not let up. My dad, being a excellent negotiator, got him to drop the price a bit and throw in a couple blu-rays which is all fine and good but than the pitches started. The guy was telling my dad he woud have to buy a $100 HDMI cable, a cleaning kit, extended warranty, a new blu-ray etc. I intervened and said that wouldn’t be necessary. The guy ignored me and continued to talk to my father. I got between them, looked him right in the eye and said,” Listen buddy that crap might work on people that don’t know anything about technology but it doesn’t work on me. Not only do I know about TVs I think I know a hell of a lot more than some random guy who attended a company meeting telling everyone to try and sell anything and everything without knowing anything. Ring up the TV and we’ll be on our way, if you say one more word were gone.” He did and we left.
I got a $99 HDMI cable for $5.80 because my friend got me his employee discount which is cost + 5%. The mark up is insane, but still $5.80 for a 12ft gold plated hdmi cable is good, regardless of brand name. I got it from FutureShop, which is basically BestBuy with commission.
I work at best buy and I can say nobody in best buy (including Magnolia) selling consumer electronics make commission or bonus’ at all. A pat on the back maybe but that lasts all of 1 minute. Also that “I’ll buy two” line I hear about 15 times a day and it never works trust me. And people asking for discounts got old two weeks after I started working there. Though I don’t work in Home Theater/Magnolia.
I can’t say that everybody that works at best buy is honest, but when people come in I don’t bullshit them I’m honest with them. Generally speaking, GENERALLY, in store plans are less of a hassle. But as a consumer I always look at how much percentage wise the plan costs vs the TV.
Also 99% of people who shop for TVs have no idea what they’re talking about. As opposed to Computers where 99% of people have no idea what they’re talking about but will swear they’re smarter then you. And more memory (regardless of processor) = more power.
I haven’t had cable for years and I don’t miss it. I don’t see a reason to pay $50 a month for something I rarely watch, or rather for less then ten channels that I care about.
I finally got glasses after giving into the squinting and small type of my terminals. I didn’t think it would work but I ended up going with the exact same model of the ones that Stanley Tucci wears in ‘Devil Wears Prada’ and love them.
Go thick frame a la NASA Scientist from the 50s-60s.
Oh you did not just call Welsh and English the same did you, Will?
I was going to make a joke about Gary growing up on Doctor Who Christmas specials (they’ve only done them the last five years) but then he mentioned them. I will say the special this year is airing in the US on BBC America on Christmas day so we don’t have to wait two weeks or a month like for the regular episodes.
And yes, the people out for Black Friday will be the first zombies turned. Fortunately, not every retail store gives in to Black Friday. It was usually one of our weaker sales mornings until about 1 PM, when the early bird sales were ended and people were going home. They would then shop where they actually wanted and spend money. And it’s funny the day is called Black Friday since the joke is most companies with huge sales never see the black since they are selling big items at below cost.
For surge protectors I use these that my roommate gets from work. They load him up with equipment in case he needs it while out installing things until his box in his car is overflowing so then he tosses the box in the house. We have four boxes full of junk now.
And yes, the PS3 is still a top of the line Blu-Ray player. I hate when associates get pushy that way by lying to you. Them getting pushy with selling certain things like warranties I can accept, but when they lie to you about how you won’t keep using your PS3 or you need these $200 Monster Cables or the picture will be crap. I bought my MacBook from a Best Buy, and I scared off the associate who walked over to me to try to sell me on a Windows laptop instead. But then when buying the computer he asked if I wanted any software for it, like anti-virus software. He then laughed and said “Probably not” since it was a Mac.
I did once put everything down including DVDs, walked to the customer service desk, and asked for the manager, and then told the manager why I was not buying any of the items I had planned to buy from the store that day because the associate was being obnoxious trying to sell me extra crap and would not just give me the item I was trying to buy. I spent ten minutes arguing with the guy over a TV because he was trying to sell me a 42″ 720p while I was shopping a 46″ 1080p (this was 4 1/2 years ago). There was also once at Best Buy on a Tuesday I was buying that week’s new releases. This was around a decade ago and I can’t remember what was out but it was a large selection of good movies out. And while walking with what would be my purchases I was browsing the aisles and noticed an employee following me at the ends of the aisles. Now, I was in that store every few days because it was right beside my university and I spent over $100 every week in there. To the point that the security guy in the front once asked where I had been because I hadn’t shopped the store for a few weeks one time. So, seeing this employee I decided to catch them. I turned, walked one step towards the next aisle, then turned around, walked two steps, then turned towards the aisle. I watched the employee try to follow me, turn to catch up to me, then realize what I was doing. So, I walked to the front, handed the DVDs to an employee there and said this was what i was going to purchase, but I’m not now since that guy was blatantly watching me and doing a real poor job of it.
On the bit about black bars, my mother has spent far too much time watching standard content on her LCD that there are lines where the edges of the black bars are. Which I noticed while watching USA Network in HD on her TV. There are little brown lines running down her TV denoting where the bars usually meet the picture. But that is because she has spent two years watching standard TV on this TV. There are only two shows I watch in standard because those channels are in standard and not in HD yet. But I always watch everything in its proper aspect ratio, black bars on the sides or top and bottom depending.
i do the Spider-Man thing but how would you swing here, from tree to tree?
The last time I went to the optometrist they used a fancy computer system to check my eyes which does not require dilation. And then I was told my eye sight had improved. But then, my eye sight is just slightly off, so I only wear glasses while driving (mainly for night driving) and when at the movie theater.
And “I love you in Multimedia Celebrity Poker” is a line I will use if I ever have the chance to greet Frakes.
Great podcast. I can’t believe you guys bought 3D TVs, and huge ones too. That seems crazy but I guess Will really needed one since he didn’t have a TV anymore. So do you think I can still call my 42″ a big screen TV in 2010? Or is it closer to being a computer monitor than anything now.
Personally, I would’ve gone with the How to Train Your Dragon bundle…
great podcast, enjoyed the hdtv purchasing discussion.
Thanks for sharing your TV experience.
Good idea on picking out your glasses!
Two thousand ten.
Strange…music at the end of the podcast?
Dude… tvs are confusing…
Bundlefuck: My new favorite word.
Hey will, I’m not sure what its like in the states, but here at a Canadian best buy the only incentives we get for selling service plans and geek squad is keeping our jobs and not having to be re-trained.
I liked Clockstoppers when I was ten, partly because it was filmed in my hometown where I went to school from kindergarten until sophomore year. Old Town Orange is pretty cool.
Also, I hate Best Buy, the people are generally douchebags in my experience.
Pipe down, Whitta. “Twenty-ten” is definitely the way to go. In fact, the person who got us all saying “two-thousand-and…” to begin with needs to be hunted down and brought to justice.
Motherfuckin’ THIS!
As a Best Buy for over three years, The second salesperson to contact Gary and sounds like an asshole. I’m glad I’m not like that and that I don’t work with anyone like that at my store. He couldn’t ask a set of his own questions to find out how knowledgable some customers, who weren’t even his to begin with, are?
Why didn’t Gary and let the second sales person know they were already being helped? Asking a manager about bringing the price down more when unsure is normal.
When I was selling on the floor we were told REPEATEDLY to get customers what what fits their needs. Recently, however, a manager used the analogy “If Henry Ford had asked the people what they wanted. They would have said faster horses.”
Regarding black friday, I’ve worked 3 so far and they are not so bad. One thing retailers are doing to prevent “door busting” and loss of life is to give out tickets to people in like for whatever “door buster” item that they are looking to get, based on where they are in front of the store. Some retailers still make you wait in line and others you need to claim and pay for your item by noon that day. This way no one needs to rush in to the store KILLING EACH OTHER IN THE PROCESS.
Paul Schrader is in A Charlie Brown Christmas? Whoa!
46″ on a dolly. I’ll put a 32″ on a dolly for a carry-out. It’s just easier. Earlier this afternoon, I wheeled a 65″ plasma on a dolly. That sucker was heavy.
Yep. Same here in the Great White North of the USA. No magical bonuses or anything. There is something I’ve only heard of but never seen. I think it’s called. Blue Crew Bucks… I think I have a better chance of seeing a fucking unicorn than Blue Crew Bucks.
The talk about whether the newest generation could survive in a post-apocalyptic world sounds like an excellent premise for a movie. I can even see the conversation about bagged salad being the beginning of the end being in the movie verbatim. Start working on it Gary!
i love maria bamford. she’s so freaking adorable
OMG, we want a proof of the Levar photobomb!
http://yfrog.com/mhe7oj
Awesome hahaha
I have a friend who was an assistant manager of a Best Buy for a few years and he was telling me that they don’t make commission on anything but they do make their profits on things like cables, warranties, etc.
He was telling me that for large items (like TVs) that they usually sell them for a minimal profit and during big sale times, sometimes even at a loss with the hope/expectation to make their money on the upsellng of premium cables, warranties, installation, etc.
He told me the smartest thing you can do is do your research ahead of time, go to Best Buy during a sale when the TV you want it at it’s cheapest and only buy the TV. Then buy your cables at monoprice. The managers won’t like you but they’ll also never know you and the sales guy on the floor generally doesn’t give a shit. The sales guys that are sleazy and try and upsell you are the ones trying to get in the good graces of the managers because they think they’ll get a raise or something.
I can kind of attest to this sort of behaviour, and what other people have been saying about commission within another industry – banking. There was absolutely no commission for landing big deposits/bonds or loans, but showing that you’re making a constant effort to get these ‘sales’ is how you climb the ladder (ironically to positions where you’ll have to do less direct selling). Every morning we would have a meeting and be reminded that simply doing your job wasn’t enough, and that you had to ask every single customer if they were interested in this, that or the other, even if they were just making a simple deposit or withdrawal. Our manager wasn’t as strict as they come, but I can imagine some managers making you feel like your job was on the line if you didn’t make this concerted effort to sell at every opportunity. I can also see this applying to the folks at Best-Buy, trying to impress the higher-ups in an attempt to get out of their current sales position.
marina sirtis played demona, and i’m sure colm meany was in an episode as well. loved the hell out of that show.