Well that was a nice long refreshing break of a month. I've been in and out a lot this month, and the Site Journal apparently got put by the wayside. But I'm back now, and I slipped another August entry in just in time to post this final answer to the question from last month -- which is better, peaches or a film projector?

• From Sara H.: "I have just read today's journal entry and am ashamed that no one mentioned one of the best applications of projector technology: wasting time!! I know that the actual watching of certain movies qualifies for that activity. However, do not forget your childhoods! How many hours did we spend writing notes, throwing erasers, and generally goofing off while our lost teachers tried to use the "fine focus" knob? And don't forget the snacking, note passing, and playing of football (I can't be the only one who can fold a sheet of paper correctly) that occurred when those underpaid teachers went in search of help from the librarian. We never got that kind of quality free time from peaches. The little cans actually cost time to open during lunch. Heaven help you if the ring broke off. My vote is definitely for the projectors."

And there you have it.

Answers to the previous reader question, "Which is better, peaches or film projectors?" follow. Again, I received many good answers and could not post them all -- thanks to everyone for contributing, quoted or not.

• From Markus: "Peaches. Most definetely peaches. After all, you can't eat a film projector with cream and sugar. (And if you did, you'd most certainly end up in a place with no sharp edges.)"

• From "Scaarge": "Well, I don't like peaches so I guess I'd (personally) pick the film projector, though I'd check with whoever else might be around to see if they had a preference. I note that it doesn't say 'film projector with a bunch of movies' so I assume that it's just the projector itself. No matter. You could still fire it up, and do a shadow-puppet version of The Tragedy of Macbeth by W. Shakespeare. Hours of entertainment guarenteed."

• From Shawn A.: "Hm. Sort of depends upon one's needs, I suppose. This requires further analysis...I shall assume both peach and film projector are in proper working order and therefore at the peak of potential usefulness.

  "Let's start with showing films. The peach lacks certain essential systems, such as an internal light source, a place to put the film, and a lens through which to project. The average peach is even far too small to be used as a screen. Of course, if it is a truly bad movie, this may not prove problematic, and the peach juice staining the film may even be an improvement. Rotting peaches may also be thrown at bad movies, but I digress.

  "The film projector clearly has the advantage when it comes to showing movies. Unlike the peach, it does usually have an internal light source, a place to put the film, a take-up roll, a lens, and numerous other bits that all contribute to the successful showing of a film.

  "So for purposes of showing films, I should say the movie projector is the clear winner.

  "And now eating. Many would consider the peach a delightful sort of eating, while finding a film projector lacking a certain something in that regard (like edibility). I, however, am deathly allergic to peaches. To eat a peach would mean for me instant discomfort culminating in a terminal lack of ability to breathe. To eat a film projector, though...well, I may end up with an awful stomach ache and possibly require surgery in the end, but stomach aches and surgery beat death by anaphylaxis every time in my book, so for purposes of eating I'd have to say the film projector wins this round as well.

  "There you have it, then. The film projector is clearly the superior item."

• From Mike L.: "Just picked up some dynamite peaches at a roadside fruit stand on the way home from a vacation in Vegas. They're the kind where you have to go outside to avoid getting juice all over everything as you bite into them. I vote for the peaches."

• From "Darien": "I think that whether a peach or a movie projector is better would depend on what I was after. For example, if I were ravenously hungry, the best bet would be the projector, since I could tinker with it and see how it works, thus taking my mind off of my hunger. Yet if I didn't want to do anything, but rather just wanted to sit and watch something, I'd rather have the peaches. There's an endless array of things to explore about peaches; one could arrange them different ways and judge which was the most aesthetically pleasing, or one could break them open and watch them glisten as the fresh juice drips slowly down the sides. Truly marvellous."

• From Dagmar N.: "Peaches are better at being SLIMY. Film projectors are better at being IN MOVIE THEATERS."

• From "scArA": "Well I've noticed you used my Site Journal Question. I should do the "Sam Used My Site Journal Question Dance," except I don't know how that goes. Anyway, I wrote it because it's been a while since the last one. I just felt a need. Why peaches? Why projectors? They're the first two objects that popped into my mind. And, to be quite honest, I didn't really give it much thought beforehand.

  "Anyway. Peaches, projectors. Projectors, peaches. Well you can't watch movies with a peach, and you can't eat films. Unless, of course, you're working for the Film Anti-Preservation Society, as seen on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Man, am I ever going to miss that show. I've also noticed that I give too much thought to these questions.

  "Projectors are more wide-spread. You see them in theaters, schools, and, on occasion, homes, whereas you can only find peaches at food markets. But peaches taste so darn good, so I'm going to have to go with the peaches."

• From Stephen K.: "Peaches are better simply because they are more versatile. Let's take a look at possible uses for a film projector:
  1. Project film.
  2. See 1.

  "As for peaches, you've got a nice long list. They are edible and tasty. They can be thrown easily and effectively. They have a nice mushy quality to them that means if you put a bunch of them in a sack, they'll make a good pillow. They can be juiced. The pits can be used to grow more peaches. The pits also make good things to throw. And those are just things off the top of my head. Personally, I think the government needs to give me about a million dollars in grant money to find more uses. Think about all the good I could do the world."