Some guy just sold a Nintendo GameCube box for $160 on eBay . Here's the description that accompanied the sale:

You are bidding on a brand new Nintendo black GameCube box, it does not contain the system, this is just the box and is for collectors only. This is the original box that that the system shipped in, it's is not a promotional display; the box actually contained a GameCube unit. Once again for the really thick headed out there, this is just the box, the system is not inside.

There were at least four cancelled bids, with explanations like "I didn't realize it was just the box!", and I have a feeling that whoever the lucky winner was is proably expected to get the whole system for his money. Gotta love dense people...

Our secret inside source in the graduate office has revealed that there will be cuts in graduate tuition waivers next semester. Instead of covering 12 credits, we're only getting 9 credits paid for, and the rest we have to pay for at cost. I'd say they should cover the difference by firing all the useless people, but that probably includes me at this juncture.

Only nine more days of classes left in the semester. I probably won't be able to get a lot of writing done at home, but it'll be good to see the home-fires again. I haven't started on the history paper yet, but I've put the finishing touches on my enharmonic modulation pedagogy presentation. I'll post a copy of it here after I present on December 6.

Reporter: "Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?"
Ringo: "He's great. Especially his poetry."