There is a weird-ass precedent, but I think the fact that it's Star Trek may help make an argument for a special case. I can't think of another show that fills the same geeky hopes-and-dreams headspace.

eta: Ooooh, pretty number

Privately funded broadcast television. That seems not right.

Yeah. We'll end up with a bunch of shows that millionaires like.

Speaking of millionaires, "millionaire adventurer" Steve Fosset's flight may be in trouble. Currently, back-up sensors to the fuel gauges are showing his plane has 2,600 lbs of fuel less than expected (which is a big chunk of the total fuel). They think it's also possible the wrongness of the gauges resulted in 2,600 lbs of fuel not being loaded when the plane was fueled. He may stop in Hawaii. [link]

Remember how that bold magigian int he smurfs was going "I *hate* smurfs!"? Right now I'm him (minus the bold and the cat): "I *hate* computers!". In Hebrew, it even rhymes

This is my favorite image of Nilly EVER.

And what I hear about long-distance movers is that it will cost double the estimate, and take a couple more days than they say. The BAD movers cost even more, and take even longer.

TAR:

I can't help it, I'm adoring Rob and Amber

ME TOO! They were making me laugh the whole time. And whoever it was that described Rob as a complete idiot must not have watched that Survivor. He may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he's not a complete idiot, either.

I was really sad to see the hick friends go. They were entertaining as hell too. Even Phil seemed really bummed to have to let them go.

And what I hear about long-distance movers is that it will cost double the estimate, and take a couple more days than they say.

Did someone mention upthread that you can get an agreed-on price, rather than an estimate?

I had a car shipped 1,000 miles once. It arrived in much less time than they said it would, to the point where the car was ready for me to pick up at a depot but it had to sit there for half a week until I got the car insurance straightened out.

TAR: So happy I'm not the only one feeling the Rob + Ambah love.

They think it's also possible the wrongness of the gauges resulted in 2,600 lbs of fuel not being loaded when the plane was fueled.

Ouch. That's somehow so much worse than if there was some mechanical failure taking up more fuel than anticipated or something.

Gentle Giant I've moved with twice, and they've been so very excellent both times. Alas, I don't think they work beyond MA-adjacent states -- basically anywhere they can RT in a day.

A friend of mine just moved from TX to NH, and had a really excellent experience -- her stuff arrived before she did, so the landlord let them in and they left everything in the rooms they were marked for, et cetera. She'd previously had a movers-from-hell experience so she did a lot of homework of the same kind that Anne is doing.

Did someone mention upthread that you can get an agreed-on price, rather than an estimate?

Yep, Anne did, which gives me hope that I could someday move out of NYC without throwing away all my stuff. I am terrified by the stories I've heard of long-distance movers. Every time I've moved far in the past, I've done it myself, but never again.

Anne, I'll try to find the records from my last move (DC to Milwaukee). The people I used were actually the low price, and I was a little nervous, but they showed up on time, delivered at the early end of their window, and didn't tack anything extra on at the end.

The funniest part is how that kid thinks he's going to draw Rob into a fake alliance and then screw him over at the last minute. Dude, did you not watch All-Stars? Rob may come across as a big dumb guy, but if there's one thing he does well, it's getting people to trust him so he can screw them over later.