Great Rat Race
Evolution proceeds apace! The current standing, with handicap:
The guy you want to link vigorously: 114
The gals you'll delink right real soon now: 115
It's a horse race folks, but remember, I lose if I am not waaaaay ahead of them, or if they don't drop back to, say, 96 or fewer links in the next 7-8 days. Delink them for a day! Give me a chance here folks! No need to delink the evil rats forever.
Don't be a traitor. Do the right thing.
Thank you, everyone who's helped me get this far! I could neevr have done it without you. Literally.
Oh, I meant to not how cool it is that our current standings put us in Dawn Olsen, Dr. Frank, Jim Treacher, and Colby Cosh territory. Woohoo!
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Narnia
Jim S. mentions Narnia, which reminds me to gripe about something. I loved the books when I was younger. I even have the BBC movies of some of them on video, which aren't bad for low cost productions.
It irks me no end that the current publisher decided to change the order of the books. The Magician's Nephew is number six dammit, not number one. They also flipped two of the others to try to make the whole set chronological, rather than as intended by author.
Also, while I think it's cool that someone's working on Narnia movies, I worry about what kind of hack job they could end up doing.
Jim S. mentions Narnia, which reminds me to gripe about something. I loved the books when I was younger. I even have the BBC movies of some of them on video, which aren't bad for low cost productions.
It irks me no end that the current publisher decided to change the order of the books. The Magician's Nephew is number six dammit, not number one. They also flipped two of the others to try to make the whole set chronological, rather than as intended by author.
Also, while I think it's cool that someone's working on Narnia movies, I worry about what kind of hack job they could end up doing.
Argh
My toilet tank spung a slow, drippy leak where the water flows in. Unless I identify a quick and easy fix (maybe some silicone caulking or whatever, which come to think I may have kicking around), I'll need to have the landlord have someone take care of it. This means I'll have to clean the place enough to not be embarassed by such a visit. In short order.
I've been hoping the place would need no work before I move out of it. They'll gut the place at that point. I'm one of the last remaining tenants who predates the new owner. All of which goes into a not yet written, but thought about, post or posts about my apartment and my desire/need to move relatively soon.
The apartment below me got the most extensive renovations of any yet, almost to the point of being luxury. When they redo this one, here is approximately what they will do:
Tear out kitchen cabinets/counter completely.
Wall the open doorway from the kitchen to the computer room, so it only has one door, into the hall, making the place a true two bedroom.
Completely replace the cabinets/counter, which will take the entire, now doorless, wall except where appliances go.
Tear up the linoleum on the kitchen floor.
Possibly replace the kitchen floorboards and/or do whatever it takes to eliminate squeaky spots. Put down new floor covering, possible tiles (which they did on the first floor).
Reroute the gas to the opposite wall. Move the stove (maybe replace it). Move the refrigerator to opposite wall, probably replace it completely.
Add a dishwasher.
Replace ceiling fixture with light/ceiling fan unit.
Of course they'll paint the entire place presumably, especially if they don't want my rogue colors (topic of another post to explain that). Do something to not only paint the ceilings, but keep the paint on (ditto).
Tear up all carpet, fix floor for squeaks, refinish floor and/or put down more carpet. Tear up linoleum in bathroom and so forth.
Completely replace bathroom sink and toilet and minor fixtures.
Possibly replace tile on bathroom walls. At least regrout the part around tub. Replace tub faucet knob, possibly entire faucet and showerhead too.
Do some work on rotting wood around window frames.
If they have any sense, add another electrical circuit or two. The landlord already expressed a willingness to do that when I told him, mainly so he'd be aware of it, of the load problem on one of the circuits.
Probably a few other odds and ends; maybe plaster some wall cracks and such. Oh, make the bedroom door so it will close. Make the windows so they all can be opened.
Knowing all that will happen, I've figured why worry about little things I might otherwise have them fix. The kitchen faucet, for instance, drips if you don't turn it off just so. Its idea of "just so" is mutable.
Once the apartment is redone, they will rent it for, instead of the $900 I pay, which is $325 more than I paid before the new landlord bought it, a minimum of $1100, and as much as $1300. Ugh.
My toilet tank spung a slow, drippy leak where the water flows in. Unless I identify a quick and easy fix (maybe some silicone caulking or whatever, which come to think I may have kicking around), I'll need to have the landlord have someone take care of it. This means I'll have to clean the place enough to not be embarassed by such a visit. In short order.
I've been hoping the place would need no work before I move out of it. They'll gut the place at that point. I'm one of the last remaining tenants who predates the new owner. All of which goes into a not yet written, but thought about, post or posts about my apartment and my desire/need to move relatively soon.
The apartment below me got the most extensive renovations of any yet, almost to the point of being luxury. When they redo this one, here is approximately what they will do:
Tear out kitchen cabinets/counter completely.
Wall the open doorway from the kitchen to the computer room, so it only has one door, into the hall, making the place a true two bedroom.
Completely replace the cabinets/counter, which will take the entire, now doorless, wall except where appliances go.
Tear up the linoleum on the kitchen floor.
Possibly replace the kitchen floorboards and/or do whatever it takes to eliminate squeaky spots. Put down new floor covering, possible tiles (which they did on the first floor).
Reroute the gas to the opposite wall. Move the stove (maybe replace it). Move the refrigerator to opposite wall, probably replace it completely.
Add a dishwasher.
Replace ceiling fixture with light/ceiling fan unit.
Of course they'll paint the entire place presumably, especially if they don't want my rogue colors (topic of another post to explain that). Do something to not only paint the ceilings, but keep the paint on (ditto).
Tear up all carpet, fix floor for squeaks, refinish floor and/or put down more carpet. Tear up linoleum in bathroom and so forth.
Completely replace bathroom sink and toilet and minor fixtures.
Possibly replace tile on bathroom walls. At least regrout the part around tub. Replace tub faucet knob, possibly entire faucet and showerhead too.
Do some work on rotting wood around window frames.
If they have any sense, add another electrical circuit or two. The landlord already expressed a willingness to do that when I told him, mainly so he'd be aware of it, of the load problem on one of the circuits.
Probably a few other odds and ends; maybe plaster some wall cracks and such. Oh, make the bedroom door so it will close. Make the windows so they all can be opened.
Knowing all that will happen, I've figured why worry about little things I might otherwise have them fix. The kitchen faucet, for instance, drips if you don't turn it off just so. Its idea of "just so" is mutable.
Once the apartment is redone, they will rent it for, instead of the $900 I pay, which is $325 more than I paid before the new landlord bought it, a minimum of $1100, and as much as $1300. Ugh.
Dungeon Tour?
With Bear's New Blog Showcase, doing my Dungeon Blog Tours will never be quite the same, though I expect I will still try it. Tonight though, this post is for me to mention any of the Showcased blogs I appreciate as I look at the ones that grabbed me enough to click. Erm... I think he measure links by the post they submitted. If I love that post, I'll include it. If I merely want to honorably mention the blog as potential future blogrollee, I'll link only their main URL.
I do urge you all to check out the Showcase and if you're a blogger do the linking thing to "vote" for the favorite entries.
Anywho...
I agree with Rantdude's Ravings! I can't stand the damn Mazda "zoom zoom" commercials. As soon as i know that's what is I will change the channel or leave the room. I also adore banana cream pie.
I already linked to Giant City. The biggest reason why is on the strength of this post submitted to the showcase, called second-guessing the second amendment.
The Smallest Minority looks extremely promising, heavy of gun and self-defense issues. That's what his entry post was about; whether the government is responsible for your individual protection and can be legally liable for failure to achieve as much, and the implications for gun control. Aha! I knew this site was familiar. I links to another post on this site earlier. There you go; definitely belongs in the blogroll.
Trader Mike is focused on market analysis, perhaps a bit too hardcore for me, but no doubt of interest to some. He's the kind of site I'd check very infrequently to scan through and see if there's anything catchy.
That about covers it.
With Bear's New Blog Showcase, doing my Dungeon Blog Tours will never be quite the same, though I expect I will still try it. Tonight though, this post is for me to mention any of the Showcased blogs I appreciate as I look at the ones that grabbed me enough to click. Erm... I think he measure links by the post they submitted. If I love that post, I'll include it. If I merely want to honorably mention the blog as potential future blogrollee, I'll link only their main URL.
I do urge you all to check out the Showcase and if you're a blogger do the linking thing to "vote" for the favorite entries.
Anywho...
I agree with Rantdude's Ravings! I can't stand the damn Mazda "zoom zoom" commercials. As soon as i know that's what is I will change the channel or leave the room. I also adore banana cream pie.
I already linked to Giant City. The biggest reason why is on the strength of this post submitted to the showcase, called second-guessing the second amendment.
The Smallest Minority looks extremely promising, heavy of gun and self-defense issues. That's what his entry post was about; whether the government is responsible for your individual protection and can be legally liable for failure to achieve as much, and the implications for gun control. Aha! I knew this site was familiar. I links to another post on this site earlier. There you go; definitely belongs in the blogroll.
Trader Mike is focused on market analysis, perhaps a bit too hardcore for me, but no doubt of interest to some. He's the kind of site I'd check very infrequently to scan through and see if there's anything catchy.
That about covers it.
Geographica
She doesn't post often, but Mapchic at Geographica is one of my favorite writers when she does post. Plus she's into maps, which is always way cool.
When she first came on the scene, she made quite a splash, getting linked by some of the biggies right out of the gate, and becoming a contributor on Command Post. Perhaps part of it's the lack of need for more warblogging oriented material, as when she warned us at the start of the Iraq campaign to beware of bad map graphics on the news. I just know I wish she would post more. And not just mutual admiration posts where she tells people to read me; that's too easy.
What I'd love to see, in keeping with her handle, blog name, and specialty, is more stuff on geography, maps, etc. Random factoids. Brain teasing questions. Historical vignettes. That sort of thing. How about it, Mapchic? I know you can do it!
In any event, she's stuck at about 17 links. Her posts are intermittent, but she's linkworthy, and seems to reliably ping when updated, so you know she's come in from the garden and written something. Perhaps links will encourage her...
She doesn't post often, but Mapchic at Geographica is one of my favorite writers when she does post. Plus she's into maps, which is always way cool.
When she first came on the scene, she made quite a splash, getting linked by some of the biggies right out of the gate, and becoming a contributor on Command Post. Perhaps part of it's the lack of need for more warblogging oriented material, as when she warned us at the start of the Iraq campaign to beware of bad map graphics on the news. I just know I wish she would post more. And not just mutual admiration posts where she tells people to read me; that's too easy.
What I'd love to see, in keeping with her handle, blog name, and specialty, is more stuff on geography, maps, etc. Random factoids. Brain teasing questions. Historical vignettes. That sort of thing. How about it, Mapchic? I know you can do it!
In any event, she's stuck at about 17 links. Her posts are intermittent, but she's linkworthy, and seems to reliably ping when updated, so you know she's come in from the garden and written something. Perhaps links will encourage her...
Turkish DelightCoup
Chris Noble again! He has a commentary and a link on the military in Turkey stepping up to its defense of the secular constitution once again.
He also has an addendum to the first part of his investing-related series I mentioned earlier. Pretty much you should just go to the main page and look around. It's becoming increasingly clear this should be a regular activity in your busy blogsurfing routine. Just so you know.
Chris Noble again! He has a commentary and a link on the military in Turkey stepping up to its defense of the secular constitution once again.
He also has an addendum to the first part of his investing-related series I mentioned earlier. Pretty much you should just go to the main page and look around. It's becoming increasingly clear this should be a regular activity in your busy blogsurfing routine. Just so you know.
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Second Highest
Today has been my second highest hits in a day ever; 210 so far. 20 More hits in the next half hour or so would tie it, if I have the number for the highest day right, and more than that would make this my best day ever. That's unlikely, since the highest hour has been 17 today, but who know. Oddly, some of my highest hours of the day are typically between 10 PM and 1 AM eastern.
Anyway, more navel gazing for your [yawn...] enjoyment.
Today has been my second highest hits in a day ever; 210 so far. 20 More hits in the next half hour or so would tie it, if I have the number for the highest day right, and more than that would make this my best day ever. That's unlikely, since the highest hour has been 17 today, but who know. Oddly, some of my highest hours of the day are typically between 10 PM and 1 AM eastern.
Anyway, more navel gazing for your [yawn...] enjoyment.
Noble Investing and Economics
Chris Noble has posted the first part of a series on investing and the economy. The first part is an excellent piece on fundamental analysis, including many things people tend to overlook when considering a potential stock purchase. If you have any interest in this sort of thing, it's quality stuff worth reading. One eye-opener, which reminded me of what I've seen in tech support hiring, is how clueless some of the brokers they hire can be.
Check it out, and watch for the additional segments, which will be on "technical analysis, options, and an overview of how the economy and the market interact."
Chris Noble has posted the first part of a series on investing and the economy. The first part is an excellent piece on fundamental analysis, including many things people tend to overlook when considering a potential stock purchase. If you have any interest in this sort of thing, it's quality stuff worth reading. One eye-opener, which reminded me of what I've seen in tech support hiring, is how clueless some of the brokers they hire can be.
Check it out, and watch for the additional segments, which will be on "technical analysis, options, and an overview of how the economy and the market interact."
Those Goofy Quizzes
You are Morpheus, from "The Matrix." You
have strong faith in yourself and those around
you. A true leader, you are relentless in your
persuit.
What Matrix Persona Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Morpheus, from "The Matrix." You
have strong faith in yourself and those around
you. A true leader, you are relentless in your
persuit.
What Matrix Persona Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Jen Uncovers
Jen, of Jen Speaks, has been messing around with her template. Of course, some might say she should get off Blogspot first and play with templates later, but hey.
In the process, she has unveiled herself to the world, posting a very appealing, smiling picture of her visage. She insists it was not paintbrushed or otherwise doctored to make her look better.
Jen, of Jen Speaks, has been messing around with her template. Of course, some might say she should get off Blogspot first and play with templates later, but hey.
In the process, she has unveiled herself to the world, posting a very appealing, smiling picture of her visage. She insists it was not paintbrushed or otherwise doctored to make her look better.
Woohoo!
I just accidentally hit the Post & Publish button in w.bloggar when composing that previous post, and instead of barfing, it work! Quickly! And pinged! Woohoo!
I had been composing in w.bloggar and then pasting into Blogger, which actually isn't that bad, but this way I can have one less web site open at a time.
I just accidentally hit the Post & Publish button in w.bloggar when composing that previous post, and instead of barfing, it work! Quickly! And pinged! Woohoo!
I had been composing in w.bloggar and then pasting into Blogger, which actually isn't that bad, but this way I can have one less web site open at a time.
"Fair" Healthcare Report
Kevin at The Smallest Minority posts about a sad incident in which a man in New Zealand died waiting for heart surgery. Needlessly.
Kevin at The Smallest Minority posts about a sad incident in which a man in New Zealand died waiting for heart surgery. Needlessly.
I Obviously Post Too Much
Just for giggles, I pasted the entire main page of my blog into Word; 7 days worth of posts.
I cleaned up the fact that it put the blogroll and links in with everything else (which added 17 pages), and I came up with a document that is 52 pages long. Over 70,000 characters. Some 15,000 words.
Wow. I may as well be writing a book at this rate.
Just for giggles, I pasted the entire main page of my blog into Word; 7 days worth of posts.
I cleaned up the fact that it put the blogroll and links in with everything else (which added 17 pages), and I came up with a document that is 52 pages long. Over 70,000 characters. Some 15,000 words.
Wow. I may as well be writing a book at this rate.
Great Rat Race Scoreboard
Woohoo! Just about everyone but Glenn is back up and blogging. That includes Truth Laid Bear, and the Ecosystem, which still managed to updated today.
The good blog stands at 104 with handicap.
The bad blog stands at 112 with handicap.
Never fear, I am still underdog.
I'm impressed though, that I am in Large Mammal even without the handicap. There'd be a long way to go for either of us to be a prime mate, but that's not what the contest is about.
You know what this means! RWA is not only still ahead in linkage, but also has a day lead in the 10 days required to remain in Mammaland.* They need to lose links while I gain links. If I can wind up at higher links but a day behind, it's essentially a draw. If they get knocked down to Marsupial, and I stay steady or gain links, I win. So stop linking and knocking them up! Start delinking; knock them down instead.
Amazingly, I gained 14 versus their 13 since yesterday, despite their underhanded efforts to gain linkage.
Keep them links coming folks! But more importantly, get those delinks rolling. You can relink them when the contest is over, after all. It only hurts for a while.
* I heard from Maripat that this is a proposed new theme park featuring boobies.
Woohoo! Just about everyone but Glenn is back up and blogging. That includes Truth Laid Bear, and the Ecosystem, which still managed to updated today.
The good blog stands at 104 with handicap.
The bad blog stands at 112 with handicap.
Never fear, I am still underdog.
I'm impressed though, that I am in Large Mammal even without the handicap. There'd be a long way to go for either of us to be a prime mate, but that's not what the contest is about.
You know what this means! RWA is not only still ahead in linkage, but also has a day lead in the 10 days required to remain in Mammaland.* They need to lose links while I gain links. If I can wind up at higher links but a day behind, it's essentially a draw. If they get knocked down to Marsupial, and I stay steady or gain links, I win. So stop linking and knocking them up! Start delinking; knock them down instead.
Amazingly, I gained 14 versus their 13 since yesterday, despite their underhanded efforts to gain linkage.
Keep them links coming folks! But more importantly, get those delinks rolling. You can relink them when the contest is over, after all. It only hurts for a while.
* I heard from Maripat that this is a proposed new theme park featuring boobies.
Women
Steve has a fascinating, slightly long post on the topic of women; always an intriguing subject.
Of course, obviously this implies his site has come back up after todays blogosphere tragedy.
Steve has a fascinating, slightly long post on the topic of women; always an intriguing subject.
Of course, obviously this implies his site has come back up after todays blogosphere tragedy.
Mother May I Link With Treacher
Jim Treacher is the newest escapee!
Update links, yada yada. Didn't look to see if Kevin has this listed yet, but I figure he'll see this and the Ernie post anyway.
Jim Treacher is the newest escapee!
Update links, yada yada. Didn't look to see if Kevin has this listed yet, but I figure he'll see this and the Ernie post anyway.
Let's Change the Rules
Here's the deal. I don't like how the "link count" is turning out, so I want to change the standards, even though we're in the middle of the (Great Rat) race, with rules that have already been established.
Instead of the Ecosystem, we should go by the Technorati rankings! I know I agreed to race by the rules, seemingly in good faith, but now I have decided the rules shouldn't apply to me because the race isn't going my way. It's self-evident that I should be winning, and that I'm not means something is fishy.
So here it is, by the real rules of the race, my opponent of substandard merit, who can't possibly handle being winner, only comes out like this so far.
Contrast that with these results for me, the candidate who's wanted to be winner since he was a kid, and was raised and groomed to be a winner.
I should note that this link disparity means there were linking irregularities perpetrated by my opponent. Clearly there is link manipulation going on. I've heard some bloggers were prevented from linking at all, or were tricked into linking someone else.
Here's the deal. I don't like how the "link count" is turning out, so I want to change the standards, even though we're in the middle of the (Great Rat) race, with rules that have already been established.
Instead of the Ecosystem, we should go by the Technorati rankings! I know I agreed to race by the rules, seemingly in good faith, but now I have decided the rules shouldn't apply to me because the race isn't going my way. It's self-evident that I should be winning, and that I'm not means something is fishy.
So here it is, by the real rules of the race, my opponent of substandard merit, who can't possibly handle being winner, only comes out like this so far.
Contrast that with these results for me, the candidate who's wanted to be winner since he was a kid, and was raised and groomed to be a winner.
I should note that this link disparity means there were linking irregularities perpetrated by my opponent. Clearly there is link manipulation going on. I've heard some bloggers were prevented from linking at all, or were tricked into linking someone else.
When DNS resolves nothing...
It may be worth noting that Gut Rumbles, at least, remains available via the IP address URL:
http://64.21.37.2/~robsmith
Obviously it's only posts through last night, but hey, you can catch up if you hadn't been there lately.
If you feel like jumping through hoops, you can even get to comments. You just have to replace the gutrumbles.com part of the URL manually and put it in the browser address bar. While that might not normally be worthwhile, you may want to read the comments on the latest round of delinking Survivor:
http://64.21.37.2/~robsmith/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=2720
Enjoy! (Of course, by the time you see this things may be back, since ETA was an hour about 72 minutes ago...)
It may be worth noting that Gut Rumbles, at least, remains available via the IP address URL:
http://64.21.37.2/~robsmith
Obviously it's only posts through last night, but hey, you can catch up if you hadn't been there lately.
If you feel like jumping through hoops, you can even get to comments. You just have to replace the gutrumbles.com part of the URL manually and put it in the browser address bar. While that might not normally be worthwhile, you may want to read the comments on the latest round of delinking Survivor:
http://64.21.37.2/~robsmith/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=2720
Enjoy! (Of course, by the time you see this things may be back, since ETA was an hour about 72 minutes ago...)
Ernie
Ernie the Attorney has some good stuff posted in the past day, including news of a couple more blogs that have moved.
Ernie the Attorney has some good stuff posted in the past day, including news of a couple more blogs that have moved.
Caption Contest
James Joyner has a particularly cool caption contest on a pair of pictures this week. There's still a little time to enter before he announces that I have won. Er, I mean, announces the winner.
James Joyner has a particularly cool caption contest on a pair of pictures this week. There's still a little time to enter before he announces that I have won. Er, I mean, announces the winner.
Dean Is Back
Dean Esmay is one of the fortunate sites that is now back online. This is significant as he has this weeks Carnival of the Vanities. I was lame and didn't get in a submission. I would probably have submitted the Dean Esmay song, too, appropriately.
Someone else submitted a song though. There are now two Instapundit songs! That I know of. Here is the mtpolitics.net one, which I think is great, here.
For new readers who might have missed it, I'll paste mine here rather than finding the old post and risking a link to it. Ah, here it is, from original post on May 14th:
Indeed Instapundit Man
(Inspired by Mr. Tambourine Man, with apologies to The Byrds)
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
I need linking and there
Ain't no blog I'd rather woo
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
Every single waking morning
I'll come clicking to you
Take me for a trip
Among your expert linksmanship
Idiotarians have been whipped
And they all should get a grip
And realize they're all wet
Finally throwing off the boot heels
Of mind laundering
I'm ready to click anywhere
I've really got it made
With your great link parade
Cast you linking spell my way
I never had an Instalanche
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
I need linking and there
Ain't no blog I'd rather woo
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
Every single waking morning
I'll come clicking to you
Unlike my rendition of "Mr. Gut Rumbles," the above got no real reaction from anyone. At all. Not even a "that's silly" or "that's lame, I'd have done this instead." Oh well. Enjoy!
Dean Esmay is one of the fortunate sites that is now back online. This is significant as he has this weeks Carnival of the Vanities. I was lame and didn't get in a submission. I would probably have submitted the Dean Esmay song, too, appropriately.
Someone else submitted a song though. There are now two Instapundit songs! That I know of. Here is the mtpolitics.net one, which I think is great, here.
For new readers who might have missed it, I'll paste mine here rather than finding the old post and risking a link to it. Ah, here it is, from original post on May 14th:
Indeed Instapundit Man
(Inspired by Mr. Tambourine Man, with apologies to The Byrds)
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
I need linking and there
Ain't no blog I'd rather woo
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
Every single waking morning
I'll come clicking to you
Take me for a trip
Among your expert linksmanship
Idiotarians have been whipped
And they all should get a grip
And realize they're all wet
Finally throwing off the boot heels
Of mind laundering
I'm ready to click anywhere
I've really got it made
With your great link parade
Cast you linking spell my way
I never had an Instalanche
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
I need linking and there
Ain't no blog I'd rather woo
Indeed, Instapundit man
Writes a blog for me
Every single waking morning
I'll come clicking to you
Unlike my rendition of "Mr. Gut Rumbles," the above got no real reaction from anyone. At all. Not even a "that's silly" or "that's lame, I'd have done this instead." Oh well. Enjoy!
It's MY Data
Pet peeve of mine.
You buy a program; say, something for time and billing for a business or, say, a law firm. It uses a database backend of some kind; say, Access or MSDE or (gack!) bTrieve.
The program doesn't matter. The database doesn't matter. I buy and run that program. I generate that data. That data is MINE. I will damn well query it and report on it any which way I want.
So do not password it, or if you do, let me have the password. Don't hide it. Don't obfuscate it. Don't give me a password that only allows me to query a little playpen portion of the data. Give me all the warnings you want about it being my ass if I screw up the integrity of the data, but let me access it readily if desired.
And while I am at it, learn to design a database properly. Self-documenting, logical table and field names. Primary and foreign key relationships that are clear. Little things like that, thank you.
That is all.
Pet peeve of mine.
You buy a program; say, something for time and billing for a business or, say, a law firm. It uses a database backend of some kind; say, Access or MSDE or (gack!) bTrieve.
The program doesn't matter. The database doesn't matter. I buy and run that program. I generate that data. That data is MINE. I will damn well query it and report on it any which way I want.
So do not password it, or if you do, let me have the password. Don't hide it. Don't obfuscate it. Don't give me a password that only allows me to query a little playpen portion of the data. Give me all the warnings you want about it being my ass if I screw up the integrity of the data, but let me access it readily if desired.
And while I am at it, learn to design a database properly. Self-documenting, logical table and field names. Primary and foreign key relationships that are clear. Little things like that, thank you.
That is all.
American Sleepers
Spiced Sass has a really cool, inspiring post about American Sleepers, trained from birth, ready to do their thing.
Spiced Sass has a really cool, inspiring post about American Sleepers, trained from birth, ready to do their thing.
Hosting Matters Sites Outage News
Kathy Kinsley has the scoop on why certain sites are down. There was a fire!
Update:
I see Michelle has posted a reference back to Kathy's scoop too. Cool; that'll get word out way better than on my modest blog.
Kathy Kinsley has the scoop on why certain sites are down. There was a fire!
Update:
I see Michelle has posted a reference back to Kathy's scoop too. Cool; that'll get word out way better than on my modest blog.
They Like Me! They Really Really Like Me!
I have made number three in Technorati's ever changing list of Top 50 Interesting Blogs. Woohoo!
I have made number three in Technorati's ever changing list of Top 50 Interesting Blogs. Woohoo!
Over The Top or Under The bottom?
A Reasonable Man poses a question about doing the right thing with toilet paper. Again, this is via the new Showcase.
This inspires me to ask a question, which you, dear readers, may feel free to discuss, opine, rant and debate about in the comments. It's a classic! Should the toilet paper roll be mounted such that it winds off the roll over the top? Or should it wind off the roll under the bottom, against the wall, the incorrect way? Alternatively, should we leave the roll off the roll holder completely, perhaps waiting for the person who emptied it without refilling to be compelled to refill the dispenser by the negative vibes they're feeling?
What do you think, gentle readers? Comment away!
A Reasonable Man poses a question about doing the right thing with toilet paper. Again, this is via the new Showcase.
This inspires me to ask a question, which you, dear readers, may feel free to discuss, opine, rant and debate about in the comments. It's a classic! Should the toilet paper roll be mounted such that it winds off the roll over the top? Or should it wind off the roll under the bottom, against the wall, the incorrect way? Alternatively, should we leave the roll off the roll holder completely, perhaps waiting for the person who emptied it without refilling to be compelled to refill the dispenser by the negative vibes they're feeling?
What do you think, gentle readers? Comment away!
This sounds cool
Media PC Dream at Technically Speaking, a great new tech blog that's participating in this week's Ecosystem Showcase
Media PC Dream at Technically Speaking, a great new tech blog that's participating in this week's Ecosystem Showcase
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Do Not Visit Maripat & Lori Now
They have a post up that is just terrible. It's not remotely funny. It's unreadable. You won't howl with laughter, or even guffaw. There is no promise of anything droolworthy in an effort to gain your linkage.
So take my advice. Stay away from there. Go visit here, here, here, here, or this pretty place instead. Just whatever you do, don't go visit the über-rats, even though there's a link over on my blogroll you could easily use. It's just not worth the horror of what you'll see there.
They have a post up that is just terrible. It's not remotely funny. It's unreadable. You won't howl with laughter, or even guffaw. There is no promise of anything droolworthy in an effort to gain your linkage.
So take my advice. Stay away from there. Go visit here, here, here, here, or this pretty place instead. Just whatever you do, don't go visit the über-rats, even though there's a link over on my blogroll you could easily use. It's just not worth the horror of what you'll see there.
eBay Verdict
I suspect this is probably the wrong result on the face of it, but I don't really know any more than what it says in the article, and that business process patents are not necessarily a Good Thing, and that it sounds like the jury disregarded prior art in rendering a decision.
I'll be interested in seeing what the various legal bloggers and tech sites have to say.
I suspect this is probably the wrong result on the face of it, but I don't really know any more than what it says in the article, and that business process patents are not necessarily a Good Thing, and that it sounds like the jury disregarded prior art in rendering a decision.
I'll be interested in seeing what the various legal bloggers and tech sites have to say.
Fun Ahead
My client/beta site in Fall River called today to arrange to have me setup a computer for a new secretary. That'll be something different next week. The tricky part is the beta they are using is fairly old, and I don't know if we have code or a distribution for that version, or if we'll upgrade all four people to a new beta (that would be a good thing in my opinion). Running that by my partner who's writing most of it.
In a way it's not much of a beta test. The partially complete version they're using just works. There are never errors. There are never problems. They only suggested changes when they first started using it. I'd say it's time they had a newer version with added features and more chance of breakage. It needs to be tested sometime.
I also think we need to try creating a cleaner distribution; something anyone ought to be able to install. This could be a test run for that. The initial install of the beta was a bit tricky to say the least.
This'll be a little more exciting than the ordinary routine.
My client/beta site in Fall River called today to arrange to have me setup a computer for a new secretary. That'll be something different next week. The tricky part is the beta they are using is fairly old, and I don't know if we have code or a distribution for that version, or if we'll upgrade all four people to a new beta (that would be a good thing in my opinion). Running that by my partner who's writing most of it.
In a way it's not much of a beta test. The partially complete version they're using just works. There are never errors. There are never problems. They only suggested changes when they first started using it. I'd say it's time they had a newer version with added features and more chance of breakage. It needs to be tested sometime.
I also think we need to try creating a cleaner distribution; something anyone ought to be able to install. This could be a test run for that. The initial install of the beta was a bit tricky to say the least.
This'll be a little more exciting than the ordinary routine.
Blogroll
I know most of you probably come here for the writing, unpredictably variable topic, links within posts, and entertaining pleas for links so I can show Maripat who is the big mammal on campus.
However, I should point out that I have a wonderful list of links over on the left, mainly in the blogroll proper. What's more, I have added a ton of interesting blogs to it in the past couple days, including, most recently, Zogby Blog, which I had seen before, but somehow never linked.
Then again, I have tons I have seen and not linked. Here's how it usually works:
I go to a site from a link somewhere else, often as not in comments at someone's site. I look briefly, and unless I am repulsed, I add it to favorite in IE (bookmark it). A few months ago I started putting these in a folder under favorites called "AAA Link These." AAA so it's be at the top for my convenience. The links in there overlap partially between home and work, but not completely. At work there are 161 links in that folder. Maybe 20-30 of them are ones I have subsequently linked on the blog but not yet moved out of what amounts to the pending bin.
Periodically I'll revisit some of them, and at that point decide link it or put it in a wait folder. I haven't done that as much as I should have.
All of this doesn't count the blogs I saved under "publications" or "publications & blogs" (depending which machine) in favorites, before I started the new location. Many of them overlap neither the "link me" folder nor what I have linked on the blog. I could probably have a blogroll of 400-500 links even after ditching the ones I decide on a second look I really don't like.
For now though, I have what I have, and there's a lot of variety and a lot to like. For instance, the legal blogs aren't going to appeal to all. They should probably get their own planet when I reorganize.
Speaking of which, I really will finish that eventually. I keep trying to figure what type of blog, if any, to associate with each planet or moon. Some are going to be arbitrary, but I'd like to categorize as much as possible, as I did by putting humor blogs under Jovians.
Check out the links on the left if you get bored or run out of reading here. They're what I read, so how bad could they be?
I know most of you probably come here for the writing, unpredictably variable topic, links within posts, and entertaining pleas for links so I can show Maripat who is the big mammal on campus.
However, I should point out that I have a wonderful list of links over on the left, mainly in the blogroll proper. What's more, I have added a ton of interesting blogs to it in the past couple days, including, most recently, Zogby Blog, which I had seen before, but somehow never linked.
Then again, I have tons I have seen and not linked. Here's how it usually works:
I go to a site from a link somewhere else, often as not in comments at someone's site. I look briefly, and unless I am repulsed, I add it to favorite in IE (bookmark it). A few months ago I started putting these in a folder under favorites called "AAA Link These." AAA so it's be at the top for my convenience. The links in there overlap partially between home and work, but not completely. At work there are 161 links in that folder. Maybe 20-30 of them are ones I have subsequently linked on the blog but not yet moved out of what amounts to the pending bin.
Periodically I'll revisit some of them, and at that point decide link it or put it in a wait folder. I haven't done that as much as I should have.
All of this doesn't count the blogs I saved under "publications" or "publications & blogs" (depending which machine) in favorites, before I started the new location. Many of them overlap neither the "link me" folder nor what I have linked on the blog. I could probably have a blogroll of 400-500 links even after ditching the ones I decide on a second look I really don't like.
For now though, I have what I have, and there's a lot of variety and a lot to like. For instance, the legal blogs aren't going to appeal to all. They should probably get their own planet when I reorganize.
Speaking of which, I really will finish that eventually. I keep trying to figure what type of blog, if any, to associate with each planet or moon. Some are going to be arbitrary, but I'd like to categorize as much as possible, as I did by putting humor blogs under Jovians.
Check out the links on the left if you get bored or run out of reading here. They're what I read, so how bad could they be?
Blogosphere Story Dynamics
John Hawkins has the real scoop on the dynamics of a story as it progresses through the blogosphere. It's quite hysterical in my opinion.
John Hawkins has the real scoop on the dynamics of a story as it progresses through the blogosphere. It's quite hysterical in my opinion.
Frank Answers Are Up
Which would have limited significance, except one of my questions was answered, disproving the theory that Frank hates me and pointedly avoids my submissions. It's also particularly funny today.
Which would have limited significance, except one of my questions was answered, disproving the theory that Frank hates me and pointedly avoids my submissions. It's also particularly funny today.
Hey!
Ecosystem has been updated.
I am at a measly 84, which means 90 with the handicap, so I am still in Marsupial territory.
Right We Are! is! at! 99! so they are up into Large Mammal territory. For now. We need to do something about these people who are misguided in their linkage.
Oh well. At least I have the support of these totally cool people.
I will definitely have to take measures. Mutate suddenly in an evolutionarily advantaged way. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Ecosystem has been updated.
I am at a measly 84, which means 90 with the handicap, so I am still in Marsupial territory.
Right We Are! is! at! 99! so they are up into Large Mammal territory. For now. We need to do something about these people who are misguided in their linkage.
Oh well. At least I have the support of these totally cool people.
I will definitely have to take measures. Mutate suddenly in an evolutionarily advantaged way. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Not Happy!
The new computer that's been sitting around waiting to be installed fully...
It had the registry corrupt and wouldn't repair so I did a side by side install of Win2k.
It flaked out as I got it most of the way setup and files copied under the new install, so I decided to fdisk.
I grabbed a different copy of Win2k, just in case it was a bad one (which I ran into once last year; weird, inexplicable problems with no solution even after essentially replacing all hardware and reinstalling from that original Win2k CD, solved by wiping and reinstalling from different media - weird), deleted the partition and installed fresh.
Somewhere during or after the "identifying networking components" part, while I wasn't looking, it blue screened spectacularly. Houston, we have a problem.
Trouble is... what is the problem? Hard drive? RAM? CPU? Motherboard? RAM is easiest; either I'll borrow some from another machine for a little while, or wait until I can buy more. Then I'll try a different drive. Then I guess I'll have to try the CPU. At which point I've got most of a replacement computer...
But it'll have to wait until next week. Argh. Installing things on the computer was a perfect task to intersperse will billing.
The new computer that's been sitting around waiting to be installed fully...
It had the registry corrupt and wouldn't repair so I did a side by side install of Win2k.
It flaked out as I got it most of the way setup and files copied under the new install, so I decided to fdisk.
I grabbed a different copy of Win2k, just in case it was a bad one (which I ran into once last year; weird, inexplicable problems with no solution even after essentially replacing all hardware and reinstalling from that original Win2k CD, solved by wiping and reinstalling from different media - weird), deleted the partition and installed fresh.
Somewhere during or after the "identifying networking components" part, while I wasn't looking, it blue screened spectacularly. Houston, we have a problem.
Trouble is... what is the problem? Hard drive? RAM? CPU? Motherboard? RAM is easiest; either I'll borrow some from another machine for a little while, or wait until I can buy more. Then I'll try a different drive. Then I guess I'll have to try the CPU. At which point I've got most of a replacement computer...
But it'll have to wait until next week. Argh. Installing things on the computer was a perfect task to intersperse will billing.
Antiques Roadshow
Chuck asks a great question I have also wondered. You've just been told this bowl is worth umpteen grand. You leave the auditorium. In the parking lot you experience a sudden, involuntary transfer of ownership of said valuable. Do they have security to prevent that?
I also watch this sometimes. Usually enjoy it very much, except I can't stand the smarmy, fake host.
Speaking of old coots keeling over in shock, there was one episode that stunned me. An old guy brought in a simple, frankly unappealing to me, old Indian blanket.
It was worth at least $500,000 and, in the opinion of the appraiser who could barely contain his excitement, should be in the Smithsonian. Imagine that kind of shock.
$500,000
For a historically antique blanket.
Wow...
Chuck asks a great question I have also wondered. You've just been told this bowl is worth umpteen grand. You leave the auditorium. In the parking lot you experience a sudden, involuntary transfer of ownership of said valuable. Do they have security to prevent that?
I also watch this sometimes. Usually enjoy it very much, except I can't stand the smarmy, fake host.
Speaking of old coots keeling over in shock, there was one episode that stunned me. An old guy brought in a simple, frankly unappealing to me, old Indian blanket.
It was worth at least $500,000 and, in the opinion of the appraiser who could barely contain his excitement, should be in the Smithsonian. Imagine that kind of shock.
$500,000
For a historically antique blanket.
Wow...
Oldie but Goodie
Jim as JimSpot is in angst over certain neobloggers having way more links than him, however richly deserved they may be in my case (compared, for instance, with that other Rat Race site).
He is also eager to get up to 30,000 hits! That will take some doing, but Jim's site is quite enjoyable. Visit sometime! Plus he's a local guy, right over the border in Roe Die Lin.
I've always especially liked his tagline:
Everyone is entitled to an opinion.... The one you are entitled to is MINE!
Jim as JimSpot is in angst over certain neobloggers having way more links than him, however richly deserved they may be in my case (compared, for instance, with that other Rat Race site).
He is also eager to get up to 30,000 hits! That will take some doing, but Jim's site is quite enjoyable. Visit sometime! Plus he's a local guy, right over the border in Roe Die Lin.
I've always especially liked his tagline:
Everyone is entitled to an opinion.... The one you are entitled to is MINE!
It's a Rat Eat Rat Blogosphere*
The Ecosystem hasn't been updated yet today, so it's too early to see where the Great Rat Race stands after a day. I'll post standings daily as they're available.
Meanwhile, don't forget to link me, while trying to avoid linking those other cool rats over at that competing site. We all know they are destined to lose anyway, so why prolong it by teasing them with spurious links? Plus a speedy victory should be better for my blood pressure.
Even if it's not a permalink, or if you already gave me one of those (thank you!), you can probably find something here to link to in a post. If not, stay tuned and I may actually write something inspiring before the race is over. Ooooh.
* We just have to hope this doesn't spread Mad Rat Disease.
The Ecosystem hasn't been updated yet today, so it's too early to see where the Great Rat Race stands after a day. I'll post standings daily as they're available.
Meanwhile, don't forget to link me, while trying to avoid linking those other cool rats over at that competing site. We all know they are destined to lose anyway, so why prolong it by teasing them with spurious links? Plus a speedy victory should be better for my blood pressure.
Even if it's not a permalink, or if you already gave me one of those (thank you!), you can probably find something here to link to in a post. If not, stay tuned and I may actually write something inspiring before the race is over. Ooooh.
* We just have to hope this doesn't spread Mad Rat Disease.
Mouse Rash?
Has anyone ever had or heard of someone having a rash or eczema-like condition on the palm of the mousing hand as a result of using a specific mouse, or mice in general?
I have this in a big way. "Just use some over the counter hydrocortisone" is what the doctor says; nothing serious.
I'm increasingly suspicious that it's caused by my mouse at home, which was newly acquired sometime before the breakout. I don't recall how long before. I should replace it, since I prefer the cheaper mice anyway and it makes my fingers hurt after a while.
Has anyone ever had or heard of someone having a rash or eczema-like condition on the palm of the mousing hand as a result of using a specific mouse, or mice in general?
I have this in a big way. "Just use some over the counter hydrocortisone" is what the doctor says; nothing serious.
I'm increasingly suspicious that it's caused by my mouse at home, which was newly acquired sometime before the breakout. I don't recall how long before. I should replace it, since I prefer the cheaper mice anyway and it makes my fingers hurt after a while.
Another Side of Spam
Most people receive spam in their inbox, delete it, block it, use filtering tools, or whatever, and that's annoying enough due to the volume, nature and repetition of it.
I get to look at server logs and see the periodic "refused to relay for [some domain, usually in China]" items. Generally one here and there; they probe and when it doesn't work they try another IP address. I have relaying turned off in an RFC compliant way. Learned about that very quickly!
Well, Saturday someone tried to pound through 54 consecutive e-mails. While they didn't relay, that's annoying. It's traffic on the server. Enough thousands of them would bog things down, presumably, even if no relaying happens. If relaying is turned on, things get crazy.
Then there's the fact that the spammers have no clue when an address is no longer valid, because there's not a valid reply-to address. So when someone at my main client leaves, spam keeps coming in. (As well as mail from legitimate lists, etc., which also tend not to process bounces and drop the address.) Usually for a time their mail comes to me after they leave, in case anything important comes in, so I get the spam. If an address is no longer valid, or never was, I get notification that the spam came in and bounced. When the bounce bounces because the spammer's alleged reply-to address is invalid, I get that too. I eventually setup a "user" named Spam Trap and assigned all the long departed e-mail addresses to that so I wouldn't see the spam.
Every spam, every bounce to a spammer, every bounce from a spammer; these all take IT resources. Not a lot each. As Jerry Pournelle might say, it's like getting pecked to death by ducks. I can only imagine what it's like for large ISPs that get spam coming in for accounts that no longer exist, or never did.
Apart from noting the impact of spam most people don't see, in four days I have received 238 spams, between various account, not counting some admin bounces of spam. That's just insane.
Most people receive spam in their inbox, delete it, block it, use filtering tools, or whatever, and that's annoying enough due to the volume, nature and repetition of it.
I get to look at server logs and see the periodic "refused to relay for [some domain, usually in China]" items. Generally one here and there; they probe and when it doesn't work they try another IP address. I have relaying turned off in an RFC compliant way. Learned about that very quickly!
Well, Saturday someone tried to pound through 54 consecutive e-mails. While they didn't relay, that's annoying. It's traffic on the server. Enough thousands of them would bog things down, presumably, even if no relaying happens. If relaying is turned on, things get crazy.
Then there's the fact that the spammers have no clue when an address is no longer valid, because there's not a valid reply-to address. So when someone at my main client leaves, spam keeps coming in. (As well as mail from legitimate lists, etc., which also tend not to process bounces and drop the address.) Usually for a time their mail comes to me after they leave, in case anything important comes in, so I get the spam. If an address is no longer valid, or never was, I get notification that the spam came in and bounced. When the bounce bounces because the spammer's alleged reply-to address is invalid, I get that too. I eventually setup a "user" named Spam Trap and assigned all the long departed e-mail addresses to that so I wouldn't see the spam.
Every spam, every bounce to a spammer, every bounce from a spammer; these all take IT resources. Not a lot each. As Jerry Pournelle might say, it's like getting pecked to death by ducks. I can only imagine what it's like for large ISPs that get spam coming in for accounts that no longer exist, or never did.
Apart from noting the impact of spam most people don't see, in four days I have received 238 spams, between various account, not counting some admin bounces of spam. That's just insane.
I Have The Strangest Dreams
I had a dream in which I was at a beach somewhere, with lots of other people, as ships loaded with troops were about to go by. Most of the people drifted away, except one girl and me. She stayed on the beach, while I walked almost zombie-like out onto a long pier.As the ships came close enough, the troops (or sailors?) were visible, lined up on the side at attention and saluting. The girl and I both saluted, as they went by, but the salutes were the outstretched arm you would see in Nazi Germany, which as I dreamed it felt disturbing.
As the ships passed on by, I wondered to myself how the water was, having the inexplicable urge to jump it. I was thinking it was way too cold, but I gritted my teeth and jumped anyway, to the great alarm of the girl on the beach. To my amazement, the ocean water was lukewarm. She frantically came out after me, and I guess I woke out of it at that point.
I had a dream in which I was at a beach somewhere, with lots of other people, as ships loaded with troops were about to go by. Most of the people drifted away, except one girl and me. She stayed on the beach, while I walked almost zombie-like out onto a long pier.As the ships came close enough, the troops (or sailors?) were visible, lined up on the side at attention and saluting. The girl and I both saluted, as they went by, but the salutes were the outstretched arm you would see in Nazi Germany, which as I dreamed it felt disturbing.
As the ships passed on by, I wondered to myself how the water was, having the inexplicable urge to jump it. I was thinking it was way too cold, but I gritted my teeth and jumped anyway, to the great alarm of the girl on the beach. To my amazement, the ocean water was lukewarm. She frantically came out after me, and I guess I woke out of it at that point.
Monday, May 26, 2003
Running List of BlogSpot Defectors
Kevin Aylward of Wizbang is maintaining a running list of BlogSpot defectors!
What he needs is our help finding out about new defections as they happen. Please feel free to publicize this effort, and to inform him in a comment or e-mail about any new defectors so they can be listed.
I am thinking it might be cool for there to be a central repository of advice on leaving BlogSpot too, for people who might have no clue where to begin. List of free/cheap alternatives, list of reputable, blogging-friendly domain hosts with inexpensive plans, list of tools, and a couple step by step examples of the process, depending which options you take to get off BlogSpot. Anyone want to start this? We'd probably need a few contributors who can give firsthand knowledge. I'll happily link and publicize it as best I can.
Kevin Aylward of Wizbang is maintaining a running list of BlogSpot defectors!
What he needs is our help finding out about new defections as they happen. Please feel free to publicize this effort, and to inform him in a comment or e-mail about any new defectors so they can be listed.
I am thinking it might be cool for there to be a central repository of advice on leaving BlogSpot too, for people who might have no clue where to begin. List of free/cheap alternatives, list of reputable, blogging-friendly domain hosts with inexpensive plans, list of tools, and a couple step by step examples of the process, depending which options you take to get off BlogSpot. Anyone want to start this? We'd probably need a few contributors who can give firsthand knowledge. I'll happily link and publicize it as best I can.
The Great Rat Race
Symbiotic relationships can be an evolutionary advantage. An example of this is when you add a permalink to me if you lack one already, I evolve. But then when I add a link to you, you benefit too! Is that not cool?
None of this is relevant, of course, if you have no blog. Perhaps you have blogging friends you could encourage though. Or you visit other blogs and could report to them interesting stuff seen her that they should link to. Nothing in it for you, except helping defeat the infidels over at Right We Are!.
Plus, if you don't have a blog presently, what are you waiting for? Get one and then you can link to me. Oh, hi Bob. Remember to register your blog with the Ecosystem as soon as you have one. That's kind of like registering to vote. Wouldn't want there to be "election fraud" in the form of your not being allowed to vote because you're not properly registered, allowing the "wrong candidate" to win.
Be sure to report attempts at symbiotic reciprocity linkage to me.
Symbiotic relationships can be an evolutionary advantage. An example of this is when you add a permalink to me if you lack one already, I evolve. But then when I add a link to you, you benefit too! Is that not cool?
None of this is relevant, of course, if you have no blog. Perhaps you have blogging friends you could encourage though. Or you visit other blogs and could report to them interesting stuff seen her that they should link to. Nothing in it for you, except helping defeat the infidels over at Right We Are!.
Plus, if you don't have a blog presently, what are you waiting for? Get one and then you can link to me. Oh, hi Bob. Remember to register your blog with the Ecosystem as soon as you have one. That's kind of like registering to vote. Wouldn't want there to be "election fraud" in the form of your not being allowed to vote because you're not properly registered, allowing the "wrong candidate" to win.
Be sure to report attempts at symbiotic reciprocity linkage to me.
Speaking of Wrongo...
I agree completely with Glenn's conclusion about how things should be handled in no-knock raids. There is no excuse for this sort of thing.
I agree completely with Glenn's conclusion about how things should be handled in no-knock raids. There is no excuse for this sort of thing.
BlogSplat Loses Another
Velociman escaped the Twilight Zone of Blogging and is in a new location. Woohoo! He was here but is now at velociworld.com.
Still getting settled in, but it'll be far more pleasant to pay him a visit. No more slow, abortive loads (his site for some reason seemed far worse even than mine for that), and presumably no more total lack of indication that he has updated. Right Kim? As the song doesn't go, "blogs will be pinging..."
Velociman escaped the Twilight Zone of Blogging and is in a new location. Woohoo! He was here but is now at velociworld.com.
Still getting settled in, but it'll be far more pleasant to pay him a visit. No more slow, abortive loads (his site for some reason seemed far worse even than mine for that), and presumably no more total lack of indication that he has updated. Right Kim? As the song doesn't go, "blogs will be pinging..."
American Nationalism
Weekend Pundit has an enlightening post on the American Paradox, and how our nationalism, and other things, are different from that of other countries.
Weekend Pundit has an enlightening post on the American Paradox, and how our nationalism, and other things, are different from that of other countries.
The Great Rat Race
Link to me early and often!
So here's the deal with the earlier announcement of this. The idea is for lots of bloggers to link to me, with links that stay current long enough, to move me from 82 links up to roughly 90 links or more and keep me there for at least 10 days. That needs to happen before Maripat and Lori atRightWrong We Are! gain links enough to have and keep 96 or so for at least 10 days.
They already have a leg up, because they have an untapped source of a few links right off the bat, if they figure out what they've overlooked.
All links are equal, too! Instapundit or Joe Newbie's Blog and Grille are all the same to the Ecosystem.
So if you like me, link to Jay Solo. If you prefer Right We Are! then by all mean remain neutral and link to neither of us.
Thank you for your support!
Link to me early and often!
So here's the deal with the earlier announcement of this. The idea is for lots of bloggers to link to me, with links that stay current long enough, to move me from 82 links up to roughly 90 links or more and keep me there for at least 10 days. That needs to happen before Maripat and Lori at
They already have a leg up, because they have an untapped source of a few links right off the bat, if they figure out what they've overlooked.
All links are equal, too! Instapundit or Joe Newbie's Blog and Grille are all the same to the Ecosystem.
So if you like me, link to Jay Solo. If you prefer Right We Are! then by all mean remain neutral and link to neither of us.
Thank you for your support!
The Great Rat Race!
Think of it as Evolution In Action.
Right We Are! and Jay Solo are embarking on a quest for our missing links.
That's right, it's an evolutionary race. Here are the details:
Currently the two blogs are both Marauding Marsupials in the Blogosphere Ecosystem, and have generally ranked near each other in links. Currently Right We Are! is at 88 and Jay Solo is at 82.
There will be a handicap of 6 for Jay Solo, to make it an even start.
The winner will be the first to evolve into a Large Mammal, and remain one for ten days without devolving to a lower life form.
It's that simple! Your links determine who evolves faster, so long as you are part of the evolutionary chain yourself. If you haven't, you'll want to list your blog with the Ecosystem so your link will count.
Think of it as Evolution In Action.
Right We Are! and Jay Solo are embarking on a quest for our missing links.
That's right, it's an evolutionary race. Here are the details:
Currently the two blogs are both Marauding Marsupials in the Blogosphere Ecosystem, and have generally ranked near each other in links. Currently Right We Are! is at 88 and Jay Solo is at 82.
There will be a handicap of 6 for Jay Solo, to make it an even start.
The winner will be the first to evolve into a Large Mammal, and remain one for ten days without devolving to a lower life form.
It's that simple! Your links determine who evolves faster, so long as you are part of the evolutionary chain yourself. If you haven't, you'll want to list your blog with the Ecosystem so your link will count.
Girls! Girls! Girls!
Looks like the recruiting of new posters for the all girls blog went very well indeed.
Looks like the recruiting of new posters for the all girls blog went very well indeed.
The Bear Adopts Dungeon Tour and Improves On It
N.Z. Bear has created a new promo program for the Insignificant Microbes of the world to gain so recognition. It's called Microbes on Parade. You can read about it in this post.
It's an excellent idea, and has potential for exposure that my rather selective Dungeon Tours do not. You should all check it out; enter if you're a microbe, read the entries and vote even if you're not. The winner each week gets above Glenn placement for a week on the Ecosystem.
N.Z. Bear has created a new promo program for the Insignificant Microbes of the world to gain so recognition. It's called Microbes on Parade. You can read about it in this post.
It's an excellent idea, and has potential for exposure that my rather selective Dungeon Tours do not. You should all check it out; enter if you're a microbe, read the entries and vote even if you're not. The winner each week gets above Glenn placement for a week on the Ecosystem.
5000
Woohoo! 5000 hits it is. Number 5000 was referred by Aubrey Turner, is at a fixed IP address, is in the central time zone, uses Netscape 5.0 on Linux, and arrived at 11:58:35 eastern time. As I type this, that visitor is one of five who are looking at my site.
Next: Doubling my hits in the next month.
(Yeah, right...)
Woohoo! 5000 hits it is. Number 5000 was referred by Aubrey Turner, is at a fixed IP address, is in the central time zone, uses Netscape 5.0 on Linux, and arrived at 11:58:35 eastern time. As I type this, that visitor is one of five who are looking at my site.
Next: Doubling my hits in the next month.
(Yeah, right...)
Memorial Day Again
Kim du Toit has a wonderful, moving story about his grandfather.
Kate also has a wonderful reminder of what Memorial Day is all about.
Kim du Toit has a wonderful, moving story about his grandfather.
Kate also has a wonderful reminder of what Memorial Day is all about.
Space: The Excluded Frontier
I've been seeing the news about the U.S. policy becoming one that excludes others from using space for intelligence purposes. Winds of Change comments on the matter and points to this post on Boomshock.
Unilateral control of space. Well, the notion is understandable, even desirable, but I have some thoughts and questions, partially lifted straight from comments I left at Winds of Change.
It seems to me there's a current disconnet between what we can do in space, and what this policy would imply. It'll be interesting to see what concrete impact there is on space policy and infrastructure. Will NASA get a boost? Private firms? Will the military create a more independent presence? And if we're denying near earth space to other countries, what impact does that have on development of private launch firms anyway?
Of course, I wrote "denying near earth space" but if they're only really denying use of it as an intelligence tool, what does that imply and how do you do that without excluding launches entirely, or inspecting everything that gets launched and disabling what offends you?
I think it will be fascinating to see how this falls out, as far as overall space policy, spending, and so forth.
I've been seeing the news about the U.S. policy becoming one that excludes others from using space for intelligence purposes. Winds of Change comments on the matter and points to this post on Boomshock.
Unilateral control of space. Well, the notion is understandable, even desirable, but I have some thoughts and questions, partially lifted straight from comments I left at Winds of Change.
It seems to me there's a current disconnet between what we can do in space, and what this policy would imply. It'll be interesting to see what concrete impact there is on space policy and infrastructure. Will NASA get a boost? Private firms? Will the military create a more independent presence? And if we're denying near earth space to other countries, what impact does that have on development of private launch firms anyway?
Of course, I wrote "denying near earth space" but if they're only really denying use of it as an intelligence tool, what does that imply and how do you do that without excluding launches entirely, or inspecting everything that gets launched and disabling what offends you?
I think it will be fascinating to see how this falls out, as far as overall space policy, spending, and so forth.
Memorial Day
Michele made me cry with her tribute. But then, I tend to have trouble keeping it in when I see the cemetary pictures that are everywhere.
What I particularly note on Michele's post is the first of the two quotes. It sums up nicely what I was thinking of posting. I like to think that maybe having a special day isn't so important as always remembering, as I do regularly, especially in these times.
Michele made me cry with her tribute. But then, I tend to have trouble keeping it in when I see the cemetary pictures that are everywhere.
What I particularly note on Michele's post is the first of the two quotes. It sums up nicely what I was thinking of posting. I like to think that maybe having a special day isn't so important as always remembering, as I do regularly, especially in these times.
Universal
This is fine as a movie studio name. This is fine for suffrage and literacy.
When they start whipping out "universal" and pairing it with "healthcare," that gets scary.
Do I like what I pay for insurance and how lousy the coverage is? No. Do I like the level of service available to me? Absolutely! And in a pinch, if I were a total pauper, could I still get better treatment than in much of the world? Sure.
Why would I want to change things so that doctors are all but enslaved, there's even less incentive to be a doctor than there is now, the government gets even more say in what I can get for treatment, and I might have to wait a life-threateningly long time for procedures?
I don't. I wouldn't. And I don't think "universal" healthcare is any more of an electable issue than it's been in the past. So shush.
This is fine as a movie studio name. This is fine for suffrage and literacy.
When they start whipping out "universal" and pairing it with "healthcare," that gets scary.
Do I like what I pay for insurance and how lousy the coverage is? No. Do I like the level of service available to me? Absolutely! And in a pinch, if I were a total pauper, could I still get better treatment than in much of the world? Sure.
Why would I want to change things so that doctors are all but enslaved, there's even less incentive to be a doctor than there is now, the government gets even more say in what I can get for treatment, and I might have to wait a life-threateningly long time for procedures?
I don't. I wouldn't. And I don't think "universal" healthcare is any more of an electable issue than it's been in the past. So shush.
That was fast!
Michael Moore's site is back. Darn! I thought they would take a while fixing it, holiday and all. Screenshots are all over though, apart from mine a couple posts ago.
Of course, normally I'd be saying the hackers were vermin and applauding the dedicated IT guys who got it back to normal so quickly, but this is Michael Moore we're talking about.
Michael Moore's site is back. Darn! I thought they would take a while fixing it, holiday and all. Screenshots are all over though, apart from mine a couple posts ago.
Of course, normally I'd be saying the hackers were vermin and applauding the dedicated IT guys who got it back to normal so quickly, but this is Michael Moore we're talking about.
An API Shouldn't Arbitrarily Change
I use w.bloggar, which is absolutely wonderful. I can post like a madman with it, because it's vastly easier to create and edit posts than it is using the Blogger web interface or, in my one post done with it so far, the Movable Type web interface, though MT is fuller featured.
So Blogger has updated me to their new version. In the process, they break their own API and w.bloggar no longer works correctly. I've been composing in w.bloggar, then copying and pasting into Blogger to post and publish the entries. It's just that I keep forgetting, so I'll hit the Post & Publish button in w.bloggar, then have to wait for the http post or timeout error before I can copy. Habits die hard.
I just love being able to hit ctrl-b for bold, ctrl-i for italics, ctlr-l to insert a URL - including the ability to set the target without doing it manually, ctrl-j to block quote selected text, and push easy buttons or menu commands for other things. I may as well be in Word, it's that easy to type, format, edit and preview.
It appears w.bloggar will be updated. I was excited to see it'll be able to work with Movable Type, which will abolish that concern about possible switching. I love having the option of a web interface as needed. I hate using a web interface as the status quo for anything. Which is why I can never understand people using something like Hotmail as their one and only e-mail account/client. Those are great fallbacks and alternates, but why would you not prefer a real mail account and a real mail client to connect to it? But I digress.
I use w.bloggar, which is absolutely wonderful. I can post like a madman with it, because it's vastly easier to create and edit posts than it is using the Blogger web interface or, in my one post done with it so far, the Movable Type web interface, though MT is fuller featured.
So Blogger has updated me to their new version. In the process, they break their own API and w.bloggar no longer works correctly. I've been composing in w.bloggar, then copying and pasting into Blogger to post and publish the entries. It's just that I keep forgetting, so I'll hit the Post & Publish button in w.bloggar, then have to wait for the http post or timeout error before I can copy. Habits die hard.
I just love being able to hit ctrl-b for bold, ctrl-i for italics, ctlr-l to insert a URL - including the ability to set the target without doing it manually, ctrl-j to block quote selected text, and push easy buttons or menu commands for other things. I may as well be in Word, it's that easy to type, format, edit and preview.
It appears w.bloggar will be updated. I was excited to see it'll be able to work with Movable Type, which will abolish that concern about possible switching. I love having the option of a web interface as needed. I hate using a web interface as the status quo for anything. Which is why I can never understand people using something like Hotmail as their one and only e-mail account/client. Those are great fallbacks and alternates, but why would you not prefer a real mail account and a real mail client to connect to it? But I digress.
Welcome One and All
I'm getting an amazing amount of traffic! Welcome everyone; hope you enjoy. Here it is, after 1:30 AM and three visitors are on. Moments ago there were six on at once.
I regret that tomorrow, or later today I should say, there will no doubt be posts, but possibly not many. Certainly nothing like the past day or two for volume. I may do another post or two tonight though.
Looks like I have a mere 60 to go to reach 5000. It's entirely possible it will happen while I'm sleeping, at the rate the counter is spinning. Very cool, either way.
I'm getting an amazing amount of traffic! Welcome everyone; hope you enjoy. Here it is, after 1:30 AM and three visitors are on. Moments ago there were six on at once.
I regret that tomorrow, or later today I should say, there will no doubt be posts, but possibly not many. Certainly nothing like the past day or two for volume. I may do another post or two tonight though.
Looks like I have a mere 60 to go to reach 5000. It's entirely possible it will happen while I'm sleeping, at the rate the counter is spinning. Very cool, either way.
"Dennis Miller Meets Xavier Hollander in Rivendell"
A friend of mine sent out this funny link several hours ago, but I just got around to reading it. The post title was his ultimate description of it.
Warning, not for your kids. I thought it was quite amusing, and many of you will enjoy reading about the internet coming to Rivendell and the people there seeing what's online.
His warnings in the e-mail, which I think were excessive but YMMV, were:
Enjoy!
A friend of mine sent out this funny link several hours ago, but I just got around to reading it. The post title was his ultimate description of it.
Warning, not for your kids. I thought it was quite amusing, and many of you will enjoy reading about the internet coming to Rivendell and the people there seeing what's online.
His warnings in the e-mail, which I think were excessive but YMMV, were:
This is, I believe, one of the sickest and funniest things I have ever read. If you are reading this at work please forward it to your home email and accept my apologies.
Advisory Notice - how to prepare yourself:
Be sure you are sitting down.
Wear comfortable, loose clothing.
Have kleenex or other nose-rags handy for when your eyes run with tears.
Have water available for end of reading.
But most of all ... BE SURE YOU HAVE PEED!!!!
Enjoy!
Michael Moore's Site Hacked!
Go there quick!
This news courtesy of Eric
If you miss it, I can post a link to a screenshot later.
Update:
Screenshot trimmed down to the part that had text can be found here
The sites mentioned in the hack, if you miss them, are Revoke the Oscar, this article, this column, and David Hary's Truth about Bowling for Columbine.
Go there quick!
This news courtesy of Eric
If you miss it, I can post a link to a screenshot later.
Update:
Screenshot trimmed down to the part that had text can be found here
The sites mentioned in the hack, if you miss them, are Revoke the Oscar, this article, this column, and David Hary's Truth about Bowling for Columbine.
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Non-Current Currency
I keep seeing posts here and there about the new, more colorized $20 bills. I am the first one I know of who posted about it, back on May 13, so it always surprises me to see it mentioned again now.
Since I think some may have missed it, but I was quite pleased with myself more spoofing Scrappleface while making fun of the new currency, the rapidity of currency redesign lately, and Canada at the same time.
So for those who are new here and curious, my post about the new currency is here.
The archive link does currently work and should not give a Blogspot not found error. If it gives a more generic, DNS-like error, try refresh. I have had to do that a lot with Blogspot sites. The other trick is if you have waited a long time and a Blogspot (or other!) site seems to want to load and just sits there almost blank, hit stop. It may give you a blank page, but more often it will abruptly render whatever has so far loaded in the background, including the most recent posts. But I digress.
I keep seeing posts here and there about the new, more colorized $20 bills. I am the first one I know of who posted about it, back on May 13, so it always surprises me to see it mentioned again now.
Since I think some may have missed it, but I was quite pleased with myself more spoofing Scrappleface while making fun of the new currency, the rapidity of currency redesign lately, and Canada at the same time.
So for those who are new here and curious, my post about the new currency is here.
The archive link does currently work and should not give a Blogspot not found error. If it gives a more generic, DNS-like error, try refresh. I have had to do that a lot with Blogspot sites. The other trick is if you have waited a long time and a Blogspot (or other!) site seems to want to load and just sits there almost blank, hit stop. It may give you a blank page, but more often it will abruptly render whatever has so far loaded in the background, including the most recent posts. But I digress.
Oh My
Perhaps Mapchic is right to describe me as "a blogging maniac!" I have made 28 posts this day. This will be my 29th. Not counting the one I am working on for my department at the Slutertarians, which I keep drifting away from to go back to my own blog.
I hope people get here and read more than the most recent post or two! It looked like there was someone earlier who either went through all my archives, or hit refresh a lot. That's cool.
All I can say is... enjoy!
Perhaps Mapchic is right to describe me as "a blogging maniac!" I have made 28 posts this day. This will be my 29th. Not counting the one I am working on for my department at the Slutertarians, which I keep drifting away from to go back to my own blog.
I hope people get here and read more than the most recent post or two! It looked like there was someone earlier who either went through all my archives, or hit refresh a lot. That's cool.
All I can say is... enjoy!
Kids and Worry
I received the following in e-mail from my father a short time ago. Decided to clean it up and post it. It's an above average one of those e-mails people pass around.
I received the following in e-mail from my father a short time ago. Decided to clean it up and post it. It's an above average one of those e-mails people pass around.
Is there a magic cutoff period when offspring become accountable for their own actions?
Is there a wonderful moment when parents can become detached spectators in the lives of their children and shrug, "It's their life," and feel nothing?
When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital corridor waiting for doctors to put a few stitches in my son's head. I asked, "When do you stop worrying?" The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage."
My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.
When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked incessantly, disrupted the class, and was headed for a career making license plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher said, "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them."
My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.
When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, "They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry, in a few years, youcan stop worrying. They'll be adults."
My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.
By the time I was 50, I was sick & tired of being vulnerable. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle and there was nothing I could do about it.
My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.
I continued to anguish over their failures, be tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in their disappointments. My friends said that when my kids got married I could stop worrying and lead my own life.
I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted by my mother's warm smile and her occasional, "You look pale. Are you all right? Call me the minute you get home. Are you depressed about something?"
Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of human frailties and the fears of the unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue that elevates us to the highest form of life?
One of my children became quite irritable recently, saying to me,"Where were you? I've been calling for 3 days, and no one answered. I was worried."
I smiled a warm smile.
The torch has been passed.
PASS IT ON TO OTHER PARENTS
(And also to your children. That's the fun part.)
Eeewww List
Muffet's Mom has a fascinating yet disgusting list here. I found the 11 women versus 6 men stat interesting.
Muffet's Mom has a fascinating yet disgusting list here. I found the 11 women versus 6 men stat interesting.
120 To Go!
I'm at 4880, so 120 to hit 5000. While it doesn't look like it'll happen today, on my quarter-blogiversary, barring divine intervention or something, there's a good chance I'll hit 5k tomorrow. Woohoo!
I'm at 4880, so 120 to hit 5000. While it doesn't look like it'll happen today, on my quarter-blogiversary, barring divine intervention or something, there's a good chance I'll hit 5k tomorrow. Woohoo!
Campground Blues
Scott Chafin is having the campground business blues this weekend, due to people being scum about reservations. Two words: unrefundable deposit. Okay, so that might drive away enough people to be counterproductive.
He's looking for ideas! Any suggestions? Head on over, read and comment. After all, the campground isn't keeping him busy enough this weekend. You may as well give him something to keep him entertained.
I must say, his brother sounds a bit like my friend Bob's brother...
Scott Chafin is having the campground business blues this weekend, due to people being scum about reservations. Two words: unrefundable deposit. Okay, so that might drive away enough people to be counterproductive.
He's looking for ideas! Any suggestions? Head on over, read and comment. After all, the campground isn't keeping him busy enough this weekend. You may as well give him something to keep him entertained.
I must say, his brother sounds a bit like my friend Bob's brother...
Courtney Does Her Part
Courtney, she of extreme cuteness and even sexual favors for Frank, has done her part in the "Warm Fuzzies to Georgia" project. There's even pictures!
Don't forget to do your part in sweetening upthe old fartAcidman
Courtney, she of extreme cuteness and even sexual favors for Frank, has done her part in the "Warm Fuzzies to Georgia" project. There's even pictures!
Don't forget to do your part in sweetening up
I Love My UPS! (And I don't mean "Brown.")
In 1999 I went from a Pentium 200, which is now in my bedroom running voicemail software, to a Pentium III 500. I built the 500 to pretty good specs for the time, so it was more costly than it needed to be.
Then two things happened to it...
The power in my apartment sucks. There are two circuit breakers for the four rooms. I have the microwave plugged in in the living room, which with the bedroom is on on circuit, because if it and the toaster over ran at the same time in the kitchen, the breaker flipped. Guaranteed. In the kitchen and computer room half of the apartment, the power seems especially prone to fluctuation if something major happens on power usage in the building. Overall, there are routinely mini outages where power blinks for a second, and brownouts when everything dims. On this I had my computer.
The computer was made with one of the run of cases that had junk power supplies. Every single one that I purchased or know of that was purchased during a period of about 18 months, no matter where it was plugged in, fried. But being on bad power just helps it along.
After being plugged in here for close to a year, the power supply fried. Lucky me, I got one of the spectacular fryings, in which multiple components were toast. So I ended up spending close to $2000 replacing it, with even more topnotch specs than I had before. So that made it a Pentium III 1 GHz when 1 GHz was about as good as you could get. 7200x drive when that was a new thing, and 40 GB when that was monstrous. (Sadly, the IBM drive proved not worthy, in addition to being overly loud, and has been replaced since.) The good thing about going all out was it's still a nice computer.
I was not going through that crap again, so for the computer I bought a $300 APC UPS. Not a cheapo household one. Not merely a good surge protector. A real one.
I am reminded how much I love the UPS and how good an investment it was when, as happened a few minutes ago, the power blips off for a second out of the blue. The only impact on me was a single squeal from the UPS, and the sound of the air purifier winding down, then back up again. No loss of anything. No damage to the computer. Woohoo!
In 1999 I went from a Pentium 200, which is now in my bedroom running voicemail software, to a Pentium III 500. I built the 500 to pretty good specs for the time, so it was more costly than it needed to be.
Then two things happened to it...
The power in my apartment sucks. There are two circuit breakers for the four rooms. I have the microwave plugged in in the living room, which with the bedroom is on on circuit, because if it and the toaster over ran at the same time in the kitchen, the breaker flipped. Guaranteed. In the kitchen and computer room half of the apartment, the power seems especially prone to fluctuation if something major happens on power usage in the building. Overall, there are routinely mini outages where power blinks for a second, and brownouts when everything dims. On this I had my computer.
The computer was made with one of the run of cases that had junk power supplies. Every single one that I purchased or know of that was purchased during a period of about 18 months, no matter where it was plugged in, fried. But being on bad power just helps it along.
After being plugged in here for close to a year, the power supply fried. Lucky me, I got one of the spectacular fryings, in which multiple components were toast. So I ended up spending close to $2000 replacing it, with even more topnotch specs than I had before. So that made it a Pentium III 1 GHz when 1 GHz was about as good as you could get. 7200x drive when that was a new thing, and 40 GB when that was monstrous. (Sadly, the IBM drive proved not worthy, in addition to being overly loud, and has been replaced since.) The good thing about going all out was it's still a nice computer.
I was not going through that crap again, so for the computer I bought a $300 APC UPS. Not a cheapo household one. Not merely a good surge protector. A real one.
I am reminded how much I love the UPS and how good an investment it was when, as happened a few minutes ago, the power blips off for a second out of the blue. The only impact on me was a single squeal from the UPS, and the sound of the air purifier winding down, then back up again. No loss of anything. No damage to the computer. Woohoo!
Too Hot to Cover Up
Iranian Girl is not too happy with the latest in women's clothing crackdowns in Iran. I would think the government there would be more concerned with its impending removal from power.
Iranian Girl is not too happy with the latest in women's clothing crackdowns in Iran. I would think the government there would be more concerned with its impending removal from power.
Law By Bureaucracy
Alex Knapp over at Heretical Ideas has a post on the oddity that is force of law rules being imposed on us by entrenched bureaucrats, whose goals remain the same across administrations. He asks if this bothers anyone but him. It has always bothered me.
I also agree that cutting off contact with Iran is not necessarily the right thing to do.
Alex Knapp over at Heretical Ideas has a post on the oddity that is force of law rules being imposed on us by entrenched bureaucrats, whose goals remain the same across administrations. He asks if this bothers anyone but him. It has always bothered me.
I also agree that cutting off contact with Iran is not necessarily the right thing to do.
Cannibalism, Kuru, Scrapie, and Mad Cow
MSNBC has a good article that represents a detailed introduction to Mad Cow's history and related topics. In the beginning it trends somewhat sensational and tries to panic people, but overall it's a great write-up if you'd like to know more.
MSNBC has a good article that represents a detailed introduction to Mad Cow's history and related topics. In the beginning it trends somewhat sensational and tries to panic people, but overall it's a great write-up if you'd like to know more.
100 Things About Kate
Kate caved in and did a tasty list of 100 things about her, which will make you feel all toasty inside.
Kate caved in and did a tasty list of 100 things about her, which will make you feel all toasty inside.
Send Acidman Warm Fuzzies!
Across the Atlantic has the plan. The acidic one needs a little balancing, so the idea is to flood him with sappy sentiment while he is off camping.
See the details and updates from first to most recent post:
Here
Here
and Here
Or just go to Across the Atlantic and look for the posts on the main page that are titled "Warm and Fuzzies to Georgia."
Go! Participate! Be sure to let them know you're part of it.
Across the Atlantic has the plan. The acidic one needs a little balancing, so the idea is to flood him with sappy sentiment while he is off camping.
See the details and updates from first to most recent post:
Here
Here
and Here
Or just go to Across the Atlantic and look for the posts on the main page that are titled "Warm and Fuzzies to Georgia."
Go! Participate! Be sure to let them know you're part of it.
Filibuster Politics
Lawrence at Legal Theory Blog has an excellent. detailed discussion and analysis of the constitutionality and politics of the Senate filibuster being used to block court nominee confirmations.
For what it's worth, I consider it as sleazy as what the Texas dems did, leaving the state to prevent a quorum from being possible.
Lawrence at Legal Theory Blog has an excellent. detailed discussion and analysis of the constitutionality and politics of the Senate filibuster being used to block court nominee confirmations.
For what it's worth, I consider it as sleazy as what the Texas dems did, leaving the state to prevent a quorum from being possible.
Continuity in Disaster
Another one via Betsy, this time on a potential new Amendment.
I have to say, I am surprised this hasn't been acted upon faster post-9/11. I also have to say I don't like the idea of two little detail in the Amendment, but it ought to allow some flexibility for the unanticipated.
Unless something's very wrong with it as written, it ought to pass the state ratification process quickly.
Another one via Betsy, this time on a potential new Amendment.
I have to say, I am surprised this hasn't been acted upon faster post-9/11. I also have to say I don't like the idea of two little detail in the Amendment, but it ought to allow some flexibility for the unanticipated.
Unless something's very wrong with it as written, it ought to pass the state ratification process quickly.
Touching Story
A Life-Affirming Prom, via Betsy Newmark.
(Note: "touching" and "moving" for me are like saying "tissue alert.")
A Life-Affirming Prom, via Betsy Newmark.
(Note: "touching" and "moving" for me are like saying "tissue alert.")
Uncle Billy
My uncle Billy didn't die in combat, but he did serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and could easily have been killed. He used to volunteer for dangerous, secret convoy missions, for which there was bonus pay he sent home to his wife.
His was the one military funeral I've attended. For obvious reasons, I am remembering him this weekend. It was also the biggest funeral I've ever been to.
He and his brother, Richard, better known to us as Dickie, drowned while out lobstering off Marshfield somewhere (if I recall all this correctly) in the spring of 1975. At that point, the water is too cold to survive long. As near as they could piece together, Dickie got tangled up in lobster pot rope and went over the side. Billy jumped in after him, indicated by how he was dressed when his body washed up, and the fact that he turned up and Dickie was never found. It was one of those cases where you're glad someone at least died doing what they loved, but it remains sad.
Another of my uncles, Donald, was also in the military, in communications. He served in Libya, and I believe elsewhere. Most recently he was called up during Desert Storm to help man one of the bases here and load supplies going over there.
My grandfather was funny, trying twice to sign up for World War II, despite having a wife and kids. The second time they turned him away, they told him his company had him down as a "key man." So he went and demanded more money! Got it, too. He was a supervisor at a shoe factory. Had such a good reputation that others would try to recruit him away. That's how he ended up working in Syracuse for two years, away from the family. He told me no amount of extra money was worth that.
Anyway, this was supposed to be about one Uncle. Billy, I'm thinking about you this weekend.
My uncle Billy didn't die in combat, but he did serve in both Korea and Vietnam, and could easily have been killed. He used to volunteer for dangerous, secret convoy missions, for which there was bonus pay he sent home to his wife.
His was the one military funeral I've attended. For obvious reasons, I am remembering him this weekend. It was also the biggest funeral I've ever been to.
He and his brother, Richard, better known to us as Dickie, drowned while out lobstering off Marshfield somewhere (if I recall all this correctly) in the spring of 1975. At that point, the water is too cold to survive long. As near as they could piece together, Dickie got tangled up in lobster pot rope and went over the side. Billy jumped in after him, indicated by how he was dressed when his body washed up, and the fact that he turned up and Dickie was never found. It was one of those cases where you're glad someone at least died doing what they loved, but it remains sad.
Another of my uncles, Donald, was also in the military, in communications. He served in Libya, and I believe elsewhere. Most recently he was called up during Desert Storm to help man one of the bases here and load supplies going over there.
My grandfather was funny, trying twice to sign up for World War II, despite having a wife and kids. The second time they turned him away, they told him his company had him down as a "key man." So he went and demanded more money! Got it, too. He was a supervisor at a shoe factory. Had such a good reputation that others would try to recruit him away. That's how he ended up working in Syracuse for two years, away from the family. He told me no amount of extra money was worth that.
Anyway, this was supposed to be about one Uncle. Billy, I'm thinking about you this weekend.
Brazil
I have always thought, for as long as I can remember, that Brazil would be the next sleeping giant to awaken. Comment inspired by this article. Of course, the above statement is almost oxymoronic, because it implies that I thought it could have happened anywhere along the line in the past, say, 30 years, and it's still in the future.
I have always thought, for as long as I can remember, that Brazil would be the next sleeping giant to awaken. Comment inspired by this article. Of course, the above statement is almost oxymoronic, because it implies that I thought it could have happened anywhere along the line in the past, say, 30 years, and it's still in the future.
Shuttle Quagmire
I was reading this article today, and fuming again. I have worked places with management like this. I have seen the kind of proverbial ostrich-like behavior that was involved in actively avoiding "knowing" that a rescue/don't rescue decision was needed. If NASA is reduced to this kind of management, it's in more trouble than it already was just by being NASA and not private companies.
Why not enough extra extra expendables for any given shuttle launch to get stck in orbit for at least a couple extra weeks? $10,000 a pound is not an excuse. Whether it ought to be so costly is another question entirely.
Why not always the ability to spacewalk, just in case? Duh.
Why cancel the frikken space station lifeboats that were such a tiny part of the cost overall? Okay, not directly about the shuttle, but the same kind of thinking by NASA management and... dare I say?... Congress.
Why are we stuck with one mode of transportation, both truck and people mover? Sometimes you need a car or a van. Sometimes you need a semi. Why are we stuck with a panel truck that has a few extra passenger seats as the only way? Utterly moronic.
The agency needs money and recognition! Even just to stay alive! Can you imagine the positive spin of a rescue, even if it meant losing a shuttle? Or showing that an attempted rescue might have been possible, even if on a closer look Columbia had been safe to land (we know it wasn't now; this is a what-if)? Where did "we can do it" go?
Rutan, Bezos, et all will be the next thing. Period. NASA can go away, or go to cutting edge studies and science; far probes, Hubble, breakthrough technologies, that sort of thing. It's all so obvious.
Anyway, Steve comments about the falure to inspect and then follows up. I think I may also have seen it in either view or mail over at Jerry Pournelle's, and no doubt the usual suspects have commented or will comment, if you're interested in poking around.
I was reading this article today, and fuming again. I have worked places with management like this. I have seen the kind of proverbial ostrich-like behavior that was involved in actively avoiding "knowing" that a rescue/don't rescue decision was needed. If NASA is reduced to this kind of management, it's in more trouble than it already was just by being NASA and not private companies.
Why not enough extra extra expendables for any given shuttle launch to get stck in orbit for at least a couple extra weeks? $10,000 a pound is not an excuse. Whether it ought to be so costly is another question entirely.
Why not always the ability to spacewalk, just in case? Duh.
Why cancel the frikken space station lifeboats that were such a tiny part of the cost overall? Okay, not directly about the shuttle, but the same kind of thinking by NASA management and... dare I say?... Congress.
Why are we stuck with one mode of transportation, both truck and people mover? Sometimes you need a car or a van. Sometimes you need a semi. Why are we stuck with a panel truck that has a few extra passenger seats as the only way? Utterly moronic.
The agency needs money and recognition! Even just to stay alive! Can you imagine the positive spin of a rescue, even if it meant losing a shuttle? Or showing that an attempted rescue might have been possible, even if on a closer look Columbia had been safe to land (we know it wasn't now; this is a what-if)? Where did "we can do it" go?
Rutan, Bezos, et all will be the next thing. Period. NASA can go away, or go to cutting edge studies and science; far probes, Hubble, breakthrough technologies, that sort of thing. It's all so obvious.
Anyway, Steve comments about the falure to inspect and then follows up. I think I may also have seen it in either view or mail over at Jerry Pournelle's, and no doubt the usual suspects have commented or will comment, if you're interested in poking around.
Matrix Reloaded
Kieran Healy disliked it. What's more, he makes some interesting points I hadn't seen before. I have to agree with at least this sentiment: "Why are future societies always managed by Grand Councils?" There's more food for thought too, even if you rabidly loved the movie.
Kieran Healy disliked it. What's more, he makes some interesting points I hadn't seen before. I have to agree with at least this sentiment: "Why are future societies always managed by Grand Councils?" There's more food for thought too, even if you rabidly loved the movie.
World War IV
Carl at Between The Coasts excerpts, comments briefly on, and links to an excellent Washington Times commentary about the War on Terrorism.
He's also proud to be a Google search result for "Leftist scum Satire."
Carl at Between The Coasts excerpts, comments briefly on, and links to an excellent Washington Times commentary about the War on Terrorism.
He's also proud to be a Google search result for "Leftist scum Satire."
Alien Dreams
As regular readers know, I've had dreams with aliens or space scenarios in them before. Last night I was part of a small crew of people making exploratory moves toward settling and coexisting on a planet that already had an indigenous population. The ordinary people there didn't seem to notice we even existed.
There was some kind of a monster present that kept trying to attack and wipe us out. In the end we were working on fleeing to a safer place. For some reason, being a psychologist was incredibly important to the mission, and at least two people were; one an upstart and one at a more advanced level.
Wish I remembered more detail.
As regular readers know, I've had dreams with aliens or space scenarios in them before. Last night I was part of a small crew of people making exploratory moves toward settling and coexisting on a planet that already had an indigenous population. The ordinary people there didn't seem to notice we even existed.
There was some kind of a monster present that kept trying to attack and wipe us out. In the end we were working on fleeing to a safer place. For some reason, being a psychologist was incredibly important to the mission, and at least two people were; one an upstart and one at a more advanced level.
Wish I remembered more detail.
Hmmm
Blogger is working like a champ, posting and publishing faster than I have ever seen it, from their interface. But if I try to post with w.bloggar I get an http post error and it doesn't even post (which it almost always does even when it can't publish). I wonder if this is merely transient, or due to their changes.
Blogger is working like a champ, posting and publishing faster than I have ever seen it, from their interface. But if I try to post with w.bloggar I get an http post error and it doesn't even post (which it almost always does even when it can't publish). I wonder if this is merely transient, or due to their changes.
No Win Situations
Laurence Simon makes a good point about the Indy 500 in comparison to life in general.
Laurence Simon makes a good point about the Indy 500 in comparison to life in general.
Bringing this out of the comments...
Velociman posted a question in response to my rushed post pointing to the Opinionjournal writeup on the mad cow disease incident in Canada, and the appropriate level of non-panic that ought to ensue here. Since I replied at such length, pretending to sound clueful, I thought I'd share it in a post in case Enetation goes down or lots of people skip the comments. As I noted at the end of my reply, this is totally offhand from memory. What we'll really want is for one or the other of the medical bloggers to chime in at some point.
Here's Velociman:
Here's what I typed in reply:
Perhaps this will evoke comments from people who know more than I do on the topic...
Velociman posted a question in response to my rushed post pointing to the Opinionjournal writeup on the mad cow disease incident in Canada, and the appropriate level of non-panic that ought to ensue here. Since I replied at such length, pretending to sound clueful, I thought I'd share it in a post in case Enetation goes down or lots of people skip the comments. As I noted at the end of my reply, this is totally offhand from memory. What we'll really want is for one or the other of the medical bloggers to chime in at some point.
Here's Velociman:
Mad Cow Disease isn't particularly harmful to humans, is it? I thought it was more of a perception thing.
Here's what I typed in reply:
Oh yeah, it's harmful. At least, they seem to believe it's connected with CJD, the human variant. Makes the brain get holes like a sponge.
The weird thing is we barely understand proteins and protein folding and such, compared even to how we understand DNA, and proteins are about as important.
The variants of this appear to be caused by prions, basically corrupted proteins, but they don't understand the mechanism for how it spreads; how a few bad apples start the spoilage spreading wider.
Some of it in Europe may have been spread by medical instruments. Nothing is yet known to clean instruments of prions enough to make ones used on CJD patients reusable on other patients.
Nobody knows how much consumption of meat from infected animals it takes to get it, or why some might not get it as readily. IIRC there was at least one death from a guy eating modest amounts of venison.
It's rare enough to make it a little less of a concern than it could be. It looks like the sheep variant, scrapie, moved into cattle through the bizarre feed practices. The disease that can arise from eating people is apparently similar. It seems more likely you'd get it by eating brains, since that's the locus of prion activity.
And any of the above might be innacurate, since it's entirely off the cuff from memory of things I have read or seen.
Perhaps this will evoke comments from people who know more than I do on the topic...
Madness on the Hoof
Erm, um... hasn't it turned up in this country already.... in deer? Not exactly the same, I know, but no panic ensued for that, as well it could have.
Erm, um... hasn't it turned up in this country already.... in deer? Not exactly the same, I know, but no panic ensued for that, as well it could have.
Joe Versus The Volcano
Inspired by the comments I got when I watched When Harry Met Sally, I popped in my tape of Joe Versus The Volcano tonight.
It's just so funny! I'm not sure I noticed before that the path up the volcano was the same pattern as the company logo, which was the same as the walkway to the company door, which of course was a stylized representation of the bowels in keeping with their products.
The people on the island primping the two of them made me keep thinking the Wizard of Oz.
Meg was too cute for words when she was younger. Not just being pretty and blond, but the expressions she makes and the way she says things. She did a great job playing three distinct roles in that movie.
And of course it's such a nice, romantic, dreamily happy ending, even if it's high on the comedic scale among romantic comedies. I always appreciate that, since it's the whole point of the genre.
Now to catch part of The Outer Limits after my next, speedy post. Assuming it's on and not an unengrossing repeat I've seen before.
Inspired by the comments I got when I watched When Harry Met Sally, I popped in my tape of Joe Versus The Volcano tonight.
It's just so funny! I'm not sure I noticed before that the path up the volcano was the same pattern as the company logo, which was the same as the walkway to the company door, which of course was a stylized representation of the bowels in keeping with their products.
The people on the island primping the two of them made me keep thinking the Wizard of Oz.
Meg was too cute for words when she was younger. Not just being pretty and blond, but the expressions she makes and the way she says things. She did a great job playing three distinct roles in that movie.
And of course it's such a nice, romantic, dreamily happy ending, even if it's high on the comedic scale among romantic comedies. I always appreciate that, since it's the whole point of the genre.
Now to catch part of The Outer Limits after my next, speedy post. Assuming it's on and not an unengrossing repeat I've seen before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)