I Have Needs, People! Needs, I Say!

    Hey all!  Remember that wonderful new indestructible hinge I told you about a while back?  Yeah. The one that should be in the space program? 

    Well, it snapped.  It's a cast alloy hinge, and it just snapped like a Wheat Thin.  And it didn't just snap lightly, mind you.  Nope.  This thing pretty much exploded under some unseen tension, and as a result of such stress, it sent little tiny shards all over the place.  I mean, it even woke Deaf Cat up in a hail of shrapnel.  God knows what kind of panic attack that sent her into.

    Unfortunately, it's now locked in a position where it can't be closed for fear of putting too much stress on the other hinge which is made of typical plastic, and when that thing goes, it's not going to be pretty.  It's pointing right at me, and it's groaning...  angrily.  I fear...

    Anyway, it's clear I need a new laptop before this one kills me.  We're talking about shards of Japanese plastic tearing through my body. 

    The thing is, I don't know what to get, so I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations.  I love this beat-up Sony Vaio I've got.  It's logged lots of miles with me, and hasn't really failed me until recently.  It even fell out of my Jeep in Moab, Utah when I was challenged by a rather confrontational boulder that was begging to be climbed.  I thought it was dead, but when I yanked it from its satchel and hit the power button, it fired up just like new. 

    Unfortunately, it's really heavy, and I'm a weak bastard.  It's like carrying around an anethestetized, really square toddler with pokey corners.  And, like a toddler, the accessories are ALSO a hassle to lug around.  

    Anyway, I was thinking about maybe a Dell, but I've heard good and bad things.  But, mostly, I'm just looking for ideas.  I'll consider anything except for any Apple related projects.  After an event in my college Physics' lab involving an Apple computer that my lawyers suggest I not discuss in public, I've boycotted all things Apple --yes.  Even pie. 

    Plus, there's that whole exploding battery thing.  I mean, I'd like to have kids someday, and the last thing I need is to have my man-parts coated in any sort of lithium-ion slag  --but, nickle-plated would be pretty cool, huh?  Hmmm...  Might have to look into the cheaper batteries, I think.  But, I digress...

    So, those of you who have laptops out there, what would you recommend?  

-DP