Today I tried to update my information on Google Checkout. After working on it for a half hour, I realized I needed to contact tech support to answer a question of mine.

I went through the help section but did not answer my own question. I then attempted to email them but discovered that the email sent are auto-generated based on your question, thus not actually asking the question I needed to ask.

I then found Google's phone number and I proceeded to call. First off, I've never called Google before, I felt honored. Of course Google has an automated answering service with a labyrinth of menu options. After five minutes of going through menu after menu, I end up with a prerecorded message instructing me to go to their website and that Google does not employ customer service representatives.

Google must really feel confident about their help and support page. Needless to say it is impossible to contact Google in person.

For those of you not into infomercials, Billy Mays died on June 28th. As you remember, Billy Mays was the infomercial guy who was always smiling and screaming and who absolutely could not believe how well this detergent got stains out. Billy's sales pitch was simple, yell loud enough and people will buy your product. For some reason, this made him lots of money. He eventually died of a swollen heart due to some self medication.

Well the blood test for Billy Mays came in and surprisingly it consisted of all my favorite drugs. Mays blood contain heavy traces of: Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Oxycodone (painkiller), Alprazolam (Xanax), Nordiazepam (Valium), Temazepam (anti-anxiety), alcohol and Benzoylecgonine (a byproduct of cocaine).

With stuff like that going through his body, it's no wonder he got so excited about laundry soap.

Finally it has come to pass, the Walt Disney Company has purchased the Marvel Group for $4 Billion. This was a quasi-surprising move for both companies. Both have been going downhill for years and of course they would decide to merge. Traditionally I suppose it is a best practice taught in business school to buy a failing company when your own company is failing to stay in business. Look how well that worked for Ames when they bought Hills...

Anyways, Marvel's logic used to justify being bought by Disney was that sales were down. Its no wonder: they nuked Spider-man, X-Men, Iron Man, and literally killed off Captain America. When your main titles suck consistently for years, then your sales will go down.

With the deal, the rights to any Marvel movies were not transfered meaning X-Men, Spider-Man, Punisher, and others not done by Marvel Studios will not be done by Disney's movie divisions. Basically only the comics were acquired by Disney and that cannot stay the same due to family oriented image Disney presents. The MAX universe cannot remain due to its graphic nature and I expect to see obscure crossovers such as the Incredible Hulk and Goofy Christmas Special.

On the other hand, DC has been under the umbrella of Warner Bros. for years and has not had too many problems. Time will tell I suppose.

I was walking through Walmart the other day and decided to stroll through the magazine and book department. While looking at the unlimited supply of Twilight books, I stumbled upon several gems I just had to share.

Everyone remembers the Harlequin novels, those cheap romance novels that lack any realistic plot and always had very hot covers on them showing most of the sexy scenarios that I will never encounter, but they are cheap to buy.

I came across a new section of these books, NASCAR romance novels. Come on, seriously? I continued my investigation into this matter and read the back. Jim is a lonely crew chief and believes that there is no room in his career-driven live for romance. Then he meets Jill, could she be the one?? Really, do women like this stuff or is it geared towards selling romance novels to men? I just don't know.

For those of you not paying attention to sports stuff, the world of adolescent boys was rocked when Erin Andrews was found to be naked in a video released on the internet recently.

Erin Andrews is an attractive sportscaster for ESPN2 and reports on various sports on the network. She has been idolized by teenage and not-so-teenage sports fans across the globe.

The Pirates Constructible Strategy Game is a tabletop game from (the now defunct) Wiz Kids where the players each build a fleet consisting of ships, sea monsters, crew, and equipment and then battle for treasure spread across the islands in the ocean.