How to buy the Beats by Dre ControlTalk cord only

I did it. I beat the Internet. In August of 2010, I scoured the Internet to buy this cord only. I didn't want the headphones. I just wanted the male-to-male cord that has the play/pause and the volume up/down control (aka ControlTalk) that comes with the Beats by Dre Solo and Solo HD headphones.



After a hard target search, I reached out to Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and even the Nerdist forum. No one knew how to buy this thing.

Well I figured it out. If you want to buy the Monster Beats by Dre ControlTalk cord only, just ...

1. Call Monster at 1 877 800-8989
2. Press 2 for Customer Service
3. Press 1 for Headphones
4. Press 2 to be connected to Sales
5. Tell the sales person that eventually picks up that you want a replacement ControlTalk cord

The cord costs about $35 plus shipping and ships from California. Apparently you can only order by phone at the moment - so much for the decade of the Internet, eh?

You're welcome.

The Bachelor Diaries: Big Swayze Actually Picks a Girl

I can't remember a more polarizing final pair of contestants. I still really can't figure out what Brad sees in Chantel. Let's find out who he freaks out about less. It better be Emily.

• South Africa photographs well.
• Brad's crying. Was it The Chad? The Chad. The Chad.
• Brad standing next to Chad is a weird experiment in working out and not working out. It's like if P90x before and after photos could hug each other.
• I really wanted Brad to introduce Chantel as Chantel O.
• Chantel "just knew" when she first saw Brad? Was this before or after slapping him in the face?
• Wes is the younger brother? He doesn't look it or sound it at all.
• Chantel: "I do honestly feel in my heart of hearts that at the end of the day Brad and I will be together." Uuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh.
• I get why Emily's history has come up so often, but she's not the only one that used to have a husband. Why does Chantel's history come up so little?
• The Chad: "Emily is poised. She is extremely poised."
• Emily is clearly winning the meet-the-family round. I don't think I remember such a one-sided opinion at this stage of the last episode.
• Shark swimming time. I wonder if Chantel thinks sharks are afraid of cleavage.
• 
• Spoiler alert! The sharks kill no one. Especially Chantel.
• Is Chantel a cartographer? That is a really good looking map.
• Chantel just did 2 things. 1) She said "I choose you." 2) She cheered her own love letter. Allow me to retort. 1) No shit you choose Brad. He is THE Bachelor. There is no one else to choose. 2) Booooooooooooooooooo!
• Hey Brad, FYI I'd be fine with you never calling Chantel "Channy" again.
• Oh thank God. 70 minutes in and we hadn't had a helicopter ride. I was starting to twitch.
• F you, Dr. Scholls!
• Emily wins. What a cutie pie.
• 
• Oh no. She's grilling Brad about Riki. Not good. Even with her cute face.
• Defeated. Huh. Well that went ... not goodly.
• It's time the curtain opening / leaning on balcony / staring longingly into the ocean / walk across the hotel property montage.
• Crap. He's picking Chantel, isn't he?
• If "amazing" means "gaudy", then yes that ring is amazing, Brad.
• Chantel holds the dress on the hanger in front of her body. Good call, Chantel. Wouldn't want to just put that dress on willy nilly. PS there's a peacock on your right shoulder.
• How will they play it this year? Chantel is first out of the limo, but there's no telling what that means.
• He's starting his Chantel speech on the positive tip ... usually not good for ending on the positive tip.
• He skips "... but" and goes for "... and here's where it gets tough." Ouch. I might actually feel bad for Chantel right now.
• Lesson learned, ladies: don't give it up in an open air bedroom in the middle of a South African safari.
• 14 year age difference between these love birds. Wild.
• I think Big Swayze just pulled the same tie adjustment move with Emily as he did on the last final rose ceremony with Newnan and what's her face. Odd.
• Well done, you two. You steered through a lot of crazy chicks and drama to get here.

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Big Swayze. And Little Riki Swayze. Adios, amigo! I'll catch up on after the final rose here shortly.

The Bachelor Diaries: Big Swayze Tells All

Let's get through the awkward interviews so we can jump to the finale. Head down. Power through!

• Apparently Harrison has to whistle and snap at the ladies like they're dogs in order to get them to stop berating Michelle. Awesome.
• The setting for Brad and Harrison's interview is fantastic. The fire in the background is more romantic than anything I've ever done in my life.
• Madison was affectionately called "Fangs" across the country? I can think of about four things wrong with that last sentence.
• I'll go on Shawntel's awkward dinner conversation date any time. Or any date with Shawntel ... awkward or otherwise.
• Craziest parties ever: Bachelor reunions. I almost believe you, Chris.
• Did I just see Vienna flirt with Guard and Protect Your Heart?
• Roslyn. Good times. If she's hooking up with the help, imagine how many peeps she's hooking up with at these parties.
• Vienna: "I get along with the guys really well." Isn't that girl code for "females tend to hate me?" Also I can think of one guy she did not get along with well at all.
• Ali and Roberto are still together. Color me surprised.
• I like that Ashley H dyed her face the same color as her hair.
• Who is this giant necklaced girl defending Michelle?
• Wow, these girls have imagined and rehearsed what they're saying in this moment for a long long time.
• Harrison enjoys cat fights.
• 
• Fangs' time off has treated her well. She's looking foxy or fangy or ... something.
• Wait. Melissa is from Florida? Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhocking. Vienna must be proud.
• Melissa and Rachel are both insane, but I don't see how anyone considers Melissa to be the instigator in this cat fight.
• Rachel pulls out the blow-hardiest of blow-hard moves ... using the word sorry while not actually apologizing for anything. As in ... "Of course I'm sorry ... sorry I let Melissa's pizza breath affect me. Sorry I got kicked off the show because of Melissa. And sorry I didn't punch her in the face on my way out."
• Michelle's crying before she even sits down.
• "I was there for the right reasons" and "I left my daughter at home" count is at 3 and 3 already.
• Jackie's one small eye, one big eye face has to be how she lands all the guys.
• 
• Right reasons count is up to 4. Where was her daughter during the show again? I can't remember.
• And we're tied 4-4. She left her daughter at home! Reasons!
• Michelle: "I can't even breathe." Audience: applause break. "Maybe if we clap, she'll start breathing."
• Would these girls be ripping into Emily about leaving her daughter (at home I would imagine, but I can't say for sure) if she were here?
• I forgot that Ashley S was the kicked in the heart/stomach/face girl. Still sounds painful. And difficult to execute.
• Harrison's best interview killer question of the night so far: "Do you think you deserve to be happy?" Chris, the interview kiiiiiiller!!
• And Harrison ups the ante with Ashley H: "Do you think YOU ruined this relationship?" Chris, the interview kiiiiiiiiiller!!
• Ashley says "brunettes have more fun." What is the deal with proving how much fun you have and then crediting your hair color for said fun? Are you having fun? Good. Let's leave it at that and be happy.
• Big Swayze gets a standing O from the crowd. Weird.
• Thanks to their sponsorship of abc.com, I will never buy a Dr. Scholl's product ever. Advertising sometimes has the opposite effect they're going for.
• Blooper reel. Good times. All these contestants are actually real people. Who knew?

No regrets. Texas forever. Let's finish this season.

The Bachelor Diaries: Big Swayze Returns! Episode 9

Nine? Nine episodes? I feel we've come so ... what's the opposite of far? Well once again I'm playing catch up and let's see if I can jog my memory. The girl I loved and the girl I loved to hate both got the boot leaving ... the girl I seriously dislike, the girl who is probably too good for Brad and ... someone else.

• South Africa! Yowwwwwww! Partaaayyyyyyyy! Has anyone ever said that before?
• Apparently the big cliff hanger this week will be "can I talk to you for a sec?" uttered during the rose ceremony. Hold onto your hats, everybody! There's going to be talking.
• Brad travels with two roller suitcases AND a duffel bag ... which he simply carries with one hand or the other. Get a strap or a backpack or something, dude.
• Chantel recap ... cry, cry, barf. Barf, barf, hug. Hug, cry, barf.
• Ashley recap ... fun, fun, mess. Awkward, awkward, cry. Mess, insecure, awkward.
• Emily recap ... wonderful, awesome, awesome. Nice, normal, nice. Weirded, out, Brad.
• Safari time, Chantel. Sorry, though. No helicopter this time. I'll understand if you cry. Or barf.
• Brad in a safari hat / tevas and Chantel in her jean shorts / cons. Perfect couple.
• Chantel just quoted Boston and I don't think she meant to and/or noticed. "Love is more than a feeling. I close my eyes and I drift awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy!" Okay maybe she only quoted the first part.
• Oh yeah! Overnight dates! The first euphemism for sex today courtesy of Chantel: "... and hoping that he's gonna want me to hang out a little later tonight than the normal dinner."
• Why does Chris get dragged into all these overnight date cards?
• So so so many cliches that I hate coming from these two: "It is what it is." "Your word is your word." "What happens in the fantasy suite stays in the fantasy suite." "Barf barf barf barf."
• These two are gonna bone in this tree house? They really might be in love.
• Yay, Emily! Welcome to the non-barf segment of this episode.
• He was in the tree house last night? Man, Brad, you are a dog. Or a hyena ... or some other Africa-appropriate animal.
• Still can't believe Emily is 24. Twenty four!
• All these elephants remind me ... If we're ever hanging out, be sure to ask me about my cousin Jake's time with some elephants in Thailand. The story involves elephant soccer and elephant painting. How's that for a tease?
• Dinner time. Emily. So likeable. So attractive. But seriously I would never be able to hang out with her and think she's younger than me. However, I would be able to not totally lose my cool around her ... unlike Brad. What happened to Big Swayze?
• Does Harrison actually hand write these fantasy suite cards? If so, how bizarre.
• The first fantasy suite denial in Bachelor history? Almost. But Emily is able to say "no boning" in an amazingly classy way. I expected nothing less from her.
• You know else loves jean shorts? Ashley. Hers are shorter though ... and rippy-er.
• If helicopters scare you this badly, I think there's about a billion other reality shows you should try out for before you try The Bachelor. Wipeout. Survivor. Fear Factor.
• Brad says "This is beautiful. It is by all definitions 'God's Window.'" How many definitions for God's Window are there, Brad?
• Dinner time. Brad's in on flannel friday.
• Has anyone else noticed that Ashley does this a lot?
• 
• I can't tell you how many great dates I've been on where I did this:
• 
• Not looking good, Ash.
• Chris said "welcome to the amazing country of South Africa" on all three cards. I'm starting to question that he wrote these himself.
• I really could have handled more euphemisms for sex tonight. Like 10 more ... instead of just the 1 I got from Chantel.
• So there's a decent chance that Chantel was the only girl that gave it up. Swayze is really off his game.
• Huge is back. This week was a huge week apparently.
• Harrison and Brad rebound greatly this week ... suit wise. Well done, both.
• "Evening" seems to be very bright in South Africa. It's like the opposite of Alaska ... except it's the same ... cuz it's on the other hemisphere.
• Emily looks wonderful as always and is patenting the double crossed hands stance. Stop copying her, Chantel!
• 
• Talk time with Ashley. Is he considering Ashley over Chantel? Or is he bypassing the rose ceremony entirely? Brad hates rules!
• Rose ceremony be damned! You should have answered those questions, Ashley. Can't quite figure out what "those questions" were/are because Brad refuses to ask them, but still big mistake not answering them, Ash.
• Good call, Brad. You totally stole Chris' last rose thunder with the early dismissal of Ashley. Brad hates rules!
• And the most awkward toast of the season is actually handled pretty well by Swayze. Well played, Brad.

Next week, we get to meet Brad's family in their home to--no, wait. Scratch that. We get to meet Brad's family in Cape Town. It'll be just like home, I'm sure. Scratch THAT even. Women tall all next week. Especially Michelle, I'm sure.