The most famous use (or misuse) is from Star Wars: A New Hope. In the Mos Eisley Cantina, Han Solo refers to the Millennium Falcon as "the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs". It is not clear whether the unit is being used to measure time or distance in this context. However, later novels in this fictional universe attributed this claim to the ability of the Millennium Falcon to reach the planet Kessel in the shortest distance despite having to pass near a very dangerous region of space, The Maw, populated by numerous black holes. This shorter course would require them to cut closer to the black holes of The Maw, implying a higher ship speed to avoid the stronger gravitational forces involved in the route.

The Star Wars usage of parsec was parodied in the Family Guy episode "Blue Harvest" where Peter as Han Solo is questioned by Chris as Luke on whether it is, in fact, a measure of distance.

I am thinking about taking my monitor back......seriously....the color is crap for as much as they sell for. What a crock of shit. Stupid A model.

Tim: Follow. But. Follow only if ye be men of valour, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived. Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

OMG.
I should have don this loooong ago.

'With Van Sleeping Simulator' *looks at nin* QA Tester eh?

I'm at work, so I better not open that one, based on it's label.

4 days without food and 3 without water

I was not even able to hold two ounces of water down without throwing it up.

Warhawk: I hope that's not in a gay way.

Enahs: Hate?

I was concerned that it wouldn't output audio to my older 5.1 receiver AND output the video to my TV via HDMI

I use that kensington FM trans, it's pretty good.

What kind of receiver are you talking?

While waiting for the format war to work itself out, I picked up a cheapy HDMI upconverting DVD player.

I too wish they would just kill one

Paramount has denied reports claiming that it will be dropping support for HD DVD. Company spokeswoman Brenda Ciccone wrote in an email received by Bloomberg, “Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format.”

According to the report, Paramount has a clause in its contract with the HD DVD Group allowing it to back out from the agreement should Warner exclusively support Blu-ray Disc. Keisuke Ohmori, a spokesman for Toshiba, commented that the FT report was speculation.

While Paramount has denied that its current plan is to drop HD DVD support, the studio did not comment on its supposed contract clause. A similar response was received by High-Def Digest: “We are still supporting HD DVD,” a Paramount spokesperson told the website.

While HD DVD owners should take some solace in Paramount’s words, the studio is saying little else to reaffirm its future plans for the high-definition format – instead repeating that its current strategy is still status quo.

Warner’s announcement last week of Blu-ray Disc exclusivity had a ripple effect on more than just one home video company’s releases. Warner Home Video also distributes New Line, HBO and BBC Video products, leaving some to wonder if Blu-ray Disc just gained an entire stable of studio support.

According to Variety, New Line and HBO will follow Warner’s lead to side only with Blu-ray Disc. BBC Video, the company behind the popular high-definition nature documentary Planet Earth, has not yet publicly expressed its intentions with format exclusivity.

Perhaps the most important outcome of New Line's upcoming decision is that the studio owns the rights to The Lord of The Rings trilogy. Should the (second) most compelling motion picture trilogy hit high-definition home video, it’ll be on Blu-ray Disc.

The news just continues to sour for the HD DVD camp. Earlier today, DailyTech reported that Warner Bros. decided to go Blu-ray exclusive by the end of May 2008. Warner Bros. executives backed their decision by saying that the move was beneficial for consumers.

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," stated Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group President Kevin Tsujihara.

It looks as though the fallout from the Warner Bros. move is coming fast and furiously. The DailyTech inbox was just moments ago greeted with the following message from a Toshiba representative regarding CES press meetings and the scheduled HD DVD press conference:

Based on the timing of the Warner Home Video announcement today, the HD DVD Promotional Group has decided to cancel 1:1 press meetings at CES, in addition to the press conference that was scheduled for Sunday evening. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.