Nukes to Pluto
I don't know about nuking the moon, but Stryker has an excellent post about a new nuclear power unit for missions to the outer planets.
Saturday, June 14, 2003
Music and Memories
Weekend Pundit joins the chorus and chimes in about music and the memory associations it triggers.
Weekend Pundit joins the chorus and chimes in about music and the memory associations it triggers.
Tiger Reviews
This is a cool thing to have done. Tiger reviewed in detail every entry in the Showcase for last week. Ah, and now I see he's done it again! Cool.
This is a cool thing to have done. Tiger reviewed in detail every entry in the Showcase for last week. Ah, and now I see he's done it again! Cool.
Poliblegger
Poliblogger needs our help! It's that 4 month blogiversary/get a certain number of hits/get mammalized thing going on. Sound familiar?
So consider linking to this purty, nifty blog, and visit there early and often in the next day. Only 103 visits to go, to make 10,000. Only something like 14 needed to make mammal, and this only needs to be temporary. You're free to stop linking and reading after the milestone has been achieved. Heh.
You want more convincing? Consider the benefits. You have posts like:
Venemous Kate is expecting. Yay Kate!
Commander of Iraqi Air Force Captured
Link to Frank J.'s tips for blogging and courting Courtney (okay, I made up that last part)
Free trade in the Americas
Amazing composite Earth picture, alone worth the visit
The whacky, confused economy and consumers who dis it
A diet post, on losing and regaining fat
Something else to blame on Ashcroft
A blogging farce
River-swimming rodents
And much more! So click on over. Link away. It's easy, and so good for you. Er, well, good for Poliblogger. You gain nothing except a few shining moments of fellow blogger gratitude.
Poliblogger needs our help! It's that 4 month blogiversary/get a certain number of hits/get mammalized thing going on. Sound familiar?
So consider linking to this purty, nifty blog, and visit there early and often in the next day. Only 103 visits to go, to make 10,000. Only something like 14 needed to make mammal, and this only needs to be temporary. You're free to stop linking and reading after the milestone has been achieved. Heh.
You want more convincing? Consider the benefits. You have posts like:
Venemous Kate is expecting. Yay Kate!
Commander of Iraqi Air Force Captured
Link to Frank J.'s tips for blogging and courting Courtney (okay, I made up that last part)
Free trade in the Americas
Amazing composite Earth picture, alone worth the visit
The whacky, confused economy and consumers who dis it
A diet post, on losing and regaining fat
Something else to blame on Ashcroft
A blogging farce
River-swimming rodents
And much more! So click on over. Link away. It's easy, and so good for you. Er, well, good for Poliblogger. You gain nothing except a few shining moments of fellow blogger gratitude.
Flag Day
Mapchic has an awesome Flag Day post over at Geographica. Chart a path on over there to read it.
Mapchic has an awesome Flag Day post over at Geographica. Chart a path on over there to read it.
Ballad of Paul Krugman
Viking Pundit, on June 13, has a song for Krugman. It's most amusing, quite well done.
Viking Pundit, on June 13, has a song for Krugman. It's most amusing, quite well done.
Ads
I usually don't even look twice at ads on web sites, never mind click through.
However, in an example of how to be appealing, Dogpile had the cutest ad on Site Meter today, in the right column. It was their mascot dog, on top of a pile of assorted other dogs, with, if you looked, some funny looks on their faces. Very funny, appealing ad. Nice job, marketing people!
So I clicked through, did some searches, found the bone, and entered in their "win $13,000" contest. Not that I'll win, but it'd sure help. I could pay off the IRS with room to spare. Actually no; I could pay the IRS plus the taxes on the prize, and probably have nothing left. But I'd be better off.
I always liked Dogpile. Haven't really used it since Google came along though.
I usually don't even look twice at ads on web sites, never mind click through.
However, in an example of how to be appealing, Dogpile had the cutest ad on Site Meter today, in the right column. It was their mascot dog, on top of a pile of assorted other dogs, with, if you looked, some funny looks on their faces. Very funny, appealing ad. Nice job, marketing people!
So I clicked through, did some searches, found the bone, and entered in their "win $13,000" contest. Not that I'll win, but it'd sure help. I could pay off the IRS with room to spare. Actually no; I could pay the IRS plus the taxes on the prize, and probably have nothing left. But I'd be better off.
I always liked Dogpile. Haven't really used it since Google came along though.
Catching Up
Well, it doesn't always happen, but I seem to have caught up on sleep! Nine hours, with one quick break after the first six. I was having some of the most bizarre dreams ever, which if I remembered coherently and they made sense, I would describe. Imagine, though, visiting a union/mob office and taking all their Playboys, then having to get down to the floor and crawl out of the room to avoid gunfire coming in from outside. Imagine being on a yacht, zooming across the ocean in search of something indeterminate (or that I can't remember, but I think it was someone's brother, on an island), and with a couple of other guys on the trip, giving an interview in a large main room on the boat, then finding yourself imagining water spilling in the door and sinking the boat, making you feel kind of panicky. Later the yacht is riding on top of a tidal wave that's blasting down the street of a city, while you watch it from a distance. Basically it was that kind of series of things.
Now I don't really care if I do anything all day. There's a graduation party I'm supposed to attend, running from 1:00 to 5:00, for my biggest client's son. He's the one whose computer died, then I rebuilt it, then it kept refusing to work with video editing software without frame drops. It finally started working at the last minute before the video (for a philosophy class) was due, when he'd gone and finished it on a Mac.
I hate going to this sort of thing. At least, I don't like the anticipation, the nervousness at having to be social at the time and place of someone else's choosing, in large crowds of people I may or may not know. But I'll live. Most of them I actually will know, which is helpful. Plus I really like the people in question. It just makes me feel so pressured and nervous.
Which is strange, because I sometimes revel at being in a big group, or being the center of attention. And when I'm in a group situation, I have an automatic tendency to assume leadership, unless I pointedly avoid doing so. I mean, doing so is like breathing, and not doing so requires effort.
Oh well. If I keep blogging, I'll never make it there, and I also need to go to the office. Maybe I'll get more done than when I wasn't awake.
Well, it doesn't always happen, but I seem to have caught up on sleep! Nine hours, with one quick break after the first six. I was having some of the most bizarre dreams ever, which if I remembered coherently and they made sense, I would describe. Imagine, though, visiting a union/mob office and taking all their Playboys, then having to get down to the floor and crawl out of the room to avoid gunfire coming in from outside. Imagine being on a yacht, zooming across the ocean in search of something indeterminate (or that I can't remember, but I think it was someone's brother, on an island), and with a couple of other guys on the trip, giving an interview in a large main room on the boat, then finding yourself imagining water spilling in the door and sinking the boat, making you feel kind of panicky. Later the yacht is riding on top of a tidal wave that's blasting down the street of a city, while you watch it from a distance. Basically it was that kind of series of things.
Now I don't really care if I do anything all day. There's a graduation party I'm supposed to attend, running from 1:00 to 5:00, for my biggest client's son. He's the one whose computer died, then I rebuilt it, then it kept refusing to work with video editing software without frame drops. It finally started working at the last minute before the video (for a philosophy class) was due, when he'd gone and finished it on a Mac.
I hate going to this sort of thing. At least, I don't like the anticipation, the nervousness at having to be social at the time and place of someone else's choosing, in large crowds of people I may or may not know. But I'll live. Most of them I actually will know, which is helpful. Plus I really like the people in question. It just makes me feel so pressured and nervous.
Which is strange, because I sometimes revel at being in a big group, or being the center of attention. And when I'm in a group situation, I have an automatic tendency to assume leadership, unless I pointedly avoid doing so. I mean, doing so is like breathing, and not doing so requires effort.
Oh well. If I keep blogging, I'll never make it there, and I also need to go to the office. Maybe I'll get more done than when I wasn't awake.
I Must Be Crazy
Those of you following along at home will recall that I woke up at 6:30 AM and spent pretty much the entire day marginally functional and needing sleep.
So here it is, 2:43 AM, and I haven't been to sleep yet. Instead I've been making my new blog look like the previously mentioned test page, only more so. I learn fast enough that from a day ago to now there's a night and day difference in my grasp of what the CSS and PHP files are doing.
The question is going to be whether to unveil and change over when it's all perfect, or while it's still under construction. Probably the latter. Sooner would appear to be better, seeing how Blogger won't speak with w.bloggar again, as happens periodically for no reason.
The main page is most of the way there. I have to decide if I want to try porting from Blogspot, and whether that's possible or practical. The main page needs tweaking; how archives are handled, decisions on what to show, links added, line up the top of the left column and the main column, etc. And the fonts are being stubborn. I thought I changed everywhere that might control the font color, but it is still the basic black pMachine defaults you to.
Comments open in their own window. I need to re-eliminate the location box. I need to make the comments page title show what post the comments are for if I can. I assume so, based on what I know of how things work.
Archive pages can wait for redesign. So perhaps the beginning of the week it'll be up and running. Last but not least, I have to make it respond to the URL of my choice, rather than www.blahblah/blah/pMachineFree2.2.1/wblog.php. Don't want to have some stupidly convoluted URL, especially only to change it later.
I may also decide to put a narrow right column. The thing is, I never used that on BlogSpot, and I don't think I'll need to here either.
Now, time to sleep! Naturally I am still rather coherently awake.
Those of you following along at home will recall that I woke up at 6:30 AM and spent pretty much the entire day marginally functional and needing sleep.
So here it is, 2:43 AM, and I haven't been to sleep yet. Instead I've been making my new blog look like the previously mentioned test page, only more so. I learn fast enough that from a day ago to now there's a night and day difference in my grasp of what the CSS and PHP files are doing.
The question is going to be whether to unveil and change over when it's all perfect, or while it's still under construction. Probably the latter. Sooner would appear to be better, seeing how Blogger won't speak with w.bloggar again, as happens periodically for no reason.
The main page is most of the way there. I have to decide if I want to try porting from Blogspot, and whether that's possible or practical. The main page needs tweaking; how archives are handled, decisions on what to show, links added, line up the top of the left column and the main column, etc. And the fonts are being stubborn. I thought I changed everywhere that might control the font color, but it is still the basic black pMachine defaults you to.
Comments open in their own window. I need to re-eliminate the location box. I need to make the comments page title show what post the comments are for if I can. I assume so, based on what I know of how things work.
Archive pages can wait for redesign. So perhaps the beginning of the week it'll be up and running. Last but not least, I have to make it respond to the URL of my choice, rather than www.blahblah/blah/pMachineFree2.2.1/wblog.php. Don't want to have some stupidly convoluted URL, especially only to change it later.
I may also decide to put a narrow right column. The thing is, I never used that on BlogSpot, and I don't think I'll need to here either.
Now, time to sleep! Naturally I am still rather coherently awake.
Inland Tsunami Anyone?
Conrad posts about the pending demise of the Three Gorges Dam. Yeah, that new one.
Conrad posts about the pending demise of the Three Gorges Dam. Yeah, that new one.
Friday, June 13, 2003
Just Messing Around...
This is a quick, potential look I goofed around and came up with, for when the blog relocates. I set out first playing with colors for the text area. They ought to look familiar. Then I added the elephant. Then I started creating a "Jay Solo" graphic to go on the opposite side of the top of the page from the elephant. I ended up creating a good watermark graphic in the process, and ended up with what you see as a rough scheme.
I may decided tomorrow that I don't like it. Or you might all tell me it looks lousy or loads too slow. We'll see. What do you think?
This is a quick, potential look I goofed around and came up with, for when the blog relocates. I set out first playing with colors for the text area. They ought to look familiar. Then I added the elephant. Then I started creating a "Jay Solo" graphic to go on the opposite side of the top of the page from the elephant. I ended up creating a good watermark graphic in the process, and ended up with what you see as a rough scheme.
I may decided tomorrow that I don't like it. Or you might all tell me it looks lousy or loads too slow. We'll see. What do you think?
Forking Up Big Time
Here is a pictorial at Midwest Pundits on something not to do with forklifts. I have driven forklifts in a couple of different jobs, even became quite good at it. I can't imagine trying this
Here is a pictorial at Midwest Pundits on something not to do with forklifts. I have driven forklifts in a couple of different jobs, even became quite good at it. I can't imagine trying this
Hulk Smash
Tony writes an anticipatory post regarding the big green dude, coming to theaters Real Soon Now.
I've always been a Hulk fan. I've even been known to have a Hulk-like temper, compared to my normally Bruce Banner-like amiability.
Tony writes an anticipatory post regarding the big green dude, coming to theaters Real Soon Now.
I've always been a Hulk fan. I've even been known to have a Hulk-like temper, compared to my normally Bruce Banner-like amiability.
Fridge as Trademark Dilution
Using the word "fridge" in the previous post reminded me of when I used to subscribe to Writer's Digest years ago. The biggest source of ads in the magazine was companies reminding writers about their trademarks. There were some cool ads, strange as that may sound, and I thought it was a useful venue and means of getting the word out. For instance, tissues, unless you mean Kleenex brand, in which case it's Kleenex, not "kleenex." That kind of thing.
I recall Frigidaire having ads that said not to use the word "fridge," because that might confuse people.
My thought went something like "excuse me? It's fridge as in refrigerator. Re-fridge-uh-rator. Fridge." I never could understand how they thought the use of fridge, which has been used as a generic word for refrigerator for at least my entire life, could confuse people with, or dilute, Frigidaire.
All the other such ads made sense to me. That one was nuts. Am I wrong?
Apparently not! I just thought to check dictionary.com to see if it's officially a word, or if it makes any reference to a specific company. It is. It doesn't.
Then again, this was long enough ago that they could have been making a last ditch effort at that time, and since given up. We're talking 13-15 years ago.
Using the word "fridge" in the previous post reminded me of when I used to subscribe to Writer's Digest years ago. The biggest source of ads in the magazine was companies reminding writers about their trademarks. There were some cool ads, strange as that may sound, and I thought it was a useful venue and means of getting the word out. For instance, tissues, unless you mean Kleenex brand, in which case it's Kleenex, not "kleenex." That kind of thing.
I recall Frigidaire having ads that said not to use the word "fridge," because that might confuse people.
My thought went something like "excuse me? It's fridge as in refrigerator. Re-fridge-uh-rator. Fridge." I never could understand how they thought the use of fridge, which has been used as a generic word for refrigerator for at least my entire life, could confuse people with, or dilute, Frigidaire.
All the other such ads made sense to me. That one was nuts. Am I wrong?
Apparently not! I just thought to check dictionary.com to see if it's officially a word, or if it makes any reference to a specific company. It is. It doesn't.
Then again, this was long enough ago that they could have been making a last ditch effort at that time, and since given up. We're talking 13-15 years ago.
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