Not a problem? That's A Problem!

What's this sudden use of “no problem” or “not a problem” instead of a simple “your're welcome”? I suddenly realized that people (mostly young) are using this expression more and more. It's not quite right. In fact it's worse than that.

You order coffee at the drive through. You get the order feedback and the total. You say “Thanks!” They say, “No problem.” Well, I didn't think it was a problem! I didn't think I was putting them out of their way to take my order.

I ask a receptionist at an office for help. She's very helpful and gives me the information I need. I say, “Thank you,” and she responds, “ Not a problem.” Is the subtle message here, Well it may look like you completely made me go out of my way to help you, but is really was no problem at all? I could buy that idea if I just randomly wandered off a hallway into someone's office and asked for help. But a receptionist? That's a stretch. And at the drive-through? “Oh, it's no problem that you completely interrupted my train of throught while I was sitting here in this window waiting to take your order. Don't worry about it.”

Am I the only one bugged by this? I haven't seen anyone else mention it.

I'm really curious about how this particular usage originated. I can't help but feel there's an important and disturbing message buried in there somewhere. Is it part of the communication protocol between a person and someone who's 25 or 30 years older—just another strange and mystifying part of the senior citizen's benefit package?

This really is a problem!

Now the response would make sense if I had said, “Thanks for going to all the trouble to help. I really appreciate it.” Is that the message that's sent now by a simple “Thanks”? Maybe no one says thank you any more, so when you do, it's so shocking to the other party that they are compelled to assure you that it was no problem for them, really.

A couple of days ago I ordered coffee, got the usual “No problem,” drove around to the window to be told that they didn't have what I ordered after all, and was asked if a substitute would be okay. I said, fine. They apologized for the trouble. I said, “Not a problem.”

The IT Crowd

It was a few months ago that Mike told me about The IT Crowd which was one of the funniest TV shows I've seen in a long while. There were about six episodes on-line.

However, it looks like it's being re-produced for NBC and I'm not sure I'm enthusiastic about that. I expect that I'll much prefer the British version.

BTW, most of the on-line versions seem to have been pulled. This is very disappointing.

What does CHKDSK do?

Bah! Okay I have a hard drive going bad so I'm running Windows XP CHKDSK on it. While I'm staring at the little green bar and the announcement of which phase it's on, I was wondereing what each phase did.

Here's a nice like to a MS explanation of CHKDSK phases, and what it does, and how to estimate how long it will take!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314835

Here's a short version.

• Phase 1 - Checking files
• Phase 2 - Checking indices
• Phase 3 - Checking security descriptors
• Phase 4 - Checking sectors

Happy Summer Solstice!

I just missed it. The summer solstice is at 18:06 UT / 14:06 EDT Today 21 June 2007, just a few minutes ago.

New ELP Videos on YouTube

Here are some great, new ELP videos on YouTube.

Tarkus in 1997 at Montreax

This is very much like the concert I saw at the Hi-Fi Buys amphitheatre here around that time. And, yep, the old Moog is still there! 8-)

This was the piece the opened with. Note that, in the middle, Tarkus transitions to Pictures at an Exhibition. I thought that was pretty cool.

Rehearsing Karn Evil 9

And more KE9 rehearsal

Wow! Studio footage of rehearsal, presumably during recording of KE9 on BSS (which was released in 1972 I believe).

The Barbarian

A at best fair copy of The Barbarian. This looks like it was videotaped from a TV screen. Still, it's from the early 70s.

Emerson on the Letterman 1986

Playing Coming to America, which was one of the staples of The Nice (before ELP).