bissextile: [bahy-seks-til, -tahyl, bi-] adj, "containing or noting the extra day of leap year: The years 1980 and 1984 were both bissextile."

(Thanks to Eugene Volokh.)

"Hi, I'm Tamara, and I'm asking people, 'Who did you exploit today?' on Wall Street."

Pure genius.

Video opens in a separate tab.

EDIT, 8/2/09: The video is no longer available!

Hat tip: machfive.

The socially awkward are happier and more committed in romantic relationships than are socially-adjusted people, according to a recent Northwestern University study. "High self-monitors" are aware of how their behavior affects others and adjust accordingly. They are cool people. "Low self-monitors" are oblivious and do what they please. They are nerds.

Here's the author of the study (link).

All that I ever wanted was to be cool. Now it turns out that nerds are happier? I'm so confused.

Then again, I can think of other explanations for the study.

• The study could be biased. Roloff sounds like a nerd. Maybe he has a pro-nerd agenda.
• Maybe nerds who are dating are just really really happy to be in any relationship at all. It's easy to be committed when you know you'll never do any better.

But the truly important inference is this: selfish people are happier. You always knew it, didn't you? Somewhere deep in your heart?

You might wonder about the romantic partners in the study. How happy were they? Well, Roloff didn't monitor them. He was oblivious! That's right. He's a nerd.

Everyone knows what a Rice Krispie treat is. But only in Tunica, Mississippi have I seen a Froot Loop treat.

Who was the chef who tasted a Rice Krispie treat and said, "the problem with this dessert is that it is not sweet enough?"
I want to shake his hand. He gave me a full day's supply of Vitamin C.

I really enjoyed this film, a documentary. It follows the world champion Donkey Kong player
(set the record in the 80s, now the owner of Florida's biggest hot sauce company) and the sweet, sad-sack Washington
state middle school teacher who challenges the record in order to find himself after being laid off from his prior job.

The
action takes place at their hometowns, as well as a couple of retro video
game competitions where the players gather. The
director was lucky to find a true villain in the world champion --
arrogant, manipulative and deceitful, and the film becomes a showdown
of good vs evil. Along the way, the film also pokes a few laughs at arcade geek culture. I felt 50% less nerdy by the time the credits rolled.

After I watched the film, I visited the site which maintains the
world records for retro video games. They had an interview with a third Donkey Kong champion.

The
pathos and unintentional humor of this quote are typical of the film. Dude, "The Simpsons" is a cartoon! Lighten up. What kind of
person watches that and then searches his soul?

In case it helps, he is citing the episode featuring Frank
"Grimey" Grimes. That's my brother's all-time favorite episode, which makes the quote all the funnier to me. Also, only a true nerd would tell us that the episode is from "season 8." That's helpful, thanks!

The King of Kong is a good movie. Watch it and support independent filmmaking. After all, bloated blockbusters can get a person very cynical.

From a conversation with my friend Yong Doo:

Mark: Some friends want to set me up on dates.
YD: It would look good if you got a job.
M: I guess. On the other hand, if I were unemployed and we kept dating, then I would know that she likes me for who I am!

M: So I got this advice about talking to girls. Apparently you're supposed to ask open-ended questions, not close-ended ones. And you should make a lot of statements from the 'I' perspective about how you feel about things, so she can get to know you and so the conversation is balanced.
YD: What did you do before?
M: I dunno. I guess I asked some questions and made a lot of jokes.
YD: Don't make jokes.
M: Why not?
YD: Well, your sense of humor is different from a lot of people.
M: Wait, what are you saying?

People tell me, "on a date, don't do all the talking." But what if I don't care about anything she has to say?

I just went there with three_five, gokingsgo, and machfive.

Bachelor parties: 1

Nights spent: 5

Roller coasters ridden: 1

Hotels stayed at: 3 (Monte Carlo, Wynn, Bellagio)

Alcoholic drinks consumed: 2.3

Alcoholic drinks consumed on Saturday night: 1.3

Times puked on Saturday night: 1

Stakes played: 1-2, 1-3, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20 no-limit

All-in 6-high straight flush draw semibluff raises vs machfive: 1

Successes: 1

Money won: who cares?

This book is an excellent and clear presentation of many of the core concepts around no-limit holdem. The first half of the book describes the fundamentals and the three-stage REM thought process required to maximize profit versus your opponent's range of possible hands.

The second half of the book is truly groundbreaking information that has never before seen in print. It provides a framework for answering the most difficult and critical question of no-limit: do I want to get all my money in with this hand?

PNLHE also describes how to plan the entire hand from the earliest streets of play. Most players fail to do this, which leads them to situations where they face big bets with marginal hands, not knowing whether to fold or shove. The authors describe how to avoid this so that your opponents make mistakes, not you.

The authors are friends of mine, and I reviewed an early draft of PNLHE prior to publication. (I have also read the published book.) Now, months later, the way that I approach a no-limit hand is very different, and I win more money.

edit: Also, dapperscoo is cited in the acknowledgments of this book. His computer simulation work will be used in volume 2.

Last week, I stayed at Bellagio with a friend. I usually stay there because of their discount rates for poker players, and everything was the same as on my previous stays. In the bathroom were the standard amenities: soap, shampoo, et cetera.

The next morning, I wanted to tip the maid five dollars, but my
smallest bill was a ten. So I left it behind, planning to
average it out by leaving nothing the next day.

That evening I returned and walked into the bathroom. Inside was a surprise.

Whoa! I guess she liked the tip. Well, now I couldn't really
stiff her for the second day, could I? I didn't need all that stuff of course,
but I bagged it all up just the same.

So the next morning, I found the maid a few doors down. We exchanged
pleasantries, and she thanked me for yesterday's tip. I asked her not to stop by until late afternoon, and tipped her another
eight dollars in person.

That night I returned to the room.

Edit: mjpark asked what the bottles were. I got shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, a shower cap, toothbrushes with tiny toothpaste tubes, shaving gel, shaving razors, hairspray, mouthwash, facial soap, bath soap, bath gel, bath salt, and a loofah. I wish I had gotten some whiskey though!