MSN's quote of the day
"I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version."
Don DeLillo
Don DeLillo
Buffy/Dr. Horrible note
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blueeowyn and I are in the midst of Buffy, season 6. We just watched episode 5, in which three inept nerds use inventions and magic to try to take down the slayer. As I was watching, I couldn't help but notice similarities between this plot and Dr. Horrible. All it needed was singing!Chess humor!
Wikipedia has an entry for Chess humor that has some absolutely wonderful chess in-jokes. Especially the two chess endings under the "Offbeat interpretations" section.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Gah, Internet Explorer go 'splody!
What the heck is going on with Internet Explorer? I've had this problem for a few days now, on multiple computers, and it seems to be getting worse. I get error messages and then IE closes. I don't even know if I'll be able to finish this message.
Yes, I know there are other browsers, but I'm stuck with IE at work -- no downloads allowed, yadda yadda.
Gah.
EDIT: OK, it seems to only happen when I go to MSN's home page. If I go to msn.com by hitting back, home, or typing in the url, it gives the same error each time. So I'll avoid MSN today. Maybe better for my overall health anyway.
Yes, I know there are other browsers, but I'm stuck with IE at work -- no downloads allowed, yadda yadda.
Gah.
EDIT: OK, it seems to only happen when I go to MSN's home page. If I go to msn.com by hitting back, home, or typing in the url, it gives the same error each time. So I'll avoid MSN today. Maybe better for my overall health anyway.
Mini-laptops
There are a lot of mini-laptops popping up nowadays, and many of them use solid-state memory instead of traditional hard drives. Kind of like an on-the-mobo flash drive. The problem is that such "hard drives" are limited in size. Can a modern PC really function on 16GB of hard drive? Once you've loaded XP and Office and auntie Virus (she's a sweet old lady), is there any room for anything else?
Yes, I know that full installs of xp and office are about 1.5 and 3 GB, respectively, and I can do the math.
But is 16GB really enough for anything other than running a browser and checking e-mail?
Yes, I know that full installs of xp and office are about 1.5 and 3 GB, respectively, and I can do the math.
But is 16GB really enough for anything other than running a browser and checking e-mail?
Cops can seize your money?
In a recent response, acroyear70 pointed out that during a routine traffic stop, cops can confiscate large sums of cash, to investigate whether it is "drug money" -- and even if they never charge you with a crime, you may never get your money back.
A very scary thought, and worthy of examples and details. So here, some bedtime reading to give you nightmares.
acroyear70 pointed out that during a routine traffic stop, cops can confiscate large sums of cash, to investigate whether it is "drug money" -- and even if they never charge you with a crime, you may never get your money back.A very scary thought, and worthy of examples and details. So here, some bedtime reading to give you nightmares.
New car: Cash or loan?
A friend asked me for advice, and I have no idea. So I'm asking you guys.
Will car dealers change a car's price if they know you'll be paying cash instead of taking a loan?
Will car dealers change a car's price if they know you'll be paying cash instead of taking a loan?
Expensive Albannach CD
Why is Albannach charging $20 at Fest for their live CD? It's cheaper (including shipping) to get it on their web site...
Campaign lies article
Slate article about campaign lies -- warning, this may make you weep for our country.
Of course, why should we trust Slate any more than anyone else?
Of course, why should we trust Slate any more than anyone else?
Daughters and Games
If you have a daughter, how do you test suitors for worthiness?
Here's a great way for board gamers to do this!
Here's a great way for board gamers to do this!
I never went, I guess I never will
Apparently, Astroland, on Coney Island, New York, is closing for good.
Details
The Cyclone roller coaster, and the big Ferris wheel have different owners and will not be affected.
Details
The Cyclone roller coaster, and the big Ferris wheel have different owners and will not be affected.
Fat fee in Alabama
According to this MSN article, severely obese government workers in Alabama will have to pay a $25 fat fee each month towards their health insurance, unless they can show significant improvement.
If you take these arthritis drugs...
If you take any of the following drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, read this article and talk to your doctor:
Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel and Remicade
WTOP News article
Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel and Remicade
WTOP News article
Death by chocolate--it could happen to you!
Yes, it seems true that you can die from eating too much chocolate.
We've all heard that you shouldn't feed dogs chocolate, that it makes them sick and can kill them. What I didn't know is that cats are even more sensative to chocolate than dogs are!
Here's the really wacky part that I just learned: it's not an issue with cats because they don't usually like chocolate -- they have no sweet receptors! Wacky, I tell you! Just plain wacky!
The problem for dogs and cats (and horses and some other animals) is an inability to metabolize theobromine, a major chemical component of chocolate. Even humans can die from eating too much, overwhelming the body's theobromine metabolism. But don't worry -- the amount for humans is about 22 pounds in one sitting.
Check out the Wikipedia page on Theobromine poisoning for more information.
We've all heard that you shouldn't feed dogs chocolate, that it makes them sick and can kill them. What I didn't know is that cats are even more sensative to chocolate than dogs are!
Here's the really wacky part that I just learned: it's not an issue with cats because they don't usually like chocolate -- they have no sweet receptors! Wacky, I tell you! Just plain wacky!
The problem for dogs and cats (and horses and some other animals) is an inability to metabolize theobromine, a major chemical component of chocolate. Even humans can die from eating too much, overwhelming the body's theobromine metabolism. But don't worry -- the amount for humans is about 22 pounds in one sitting.
Check out the Wikipedia page on Theobromine poisoning for more information.
Dilbert Page-a-Day
Dilbert's page-a-day calendar from Wednesday:
Dogbert talking to Dilbert:
I decided to start a new religion. The tithing would only be 5% and I'd let people sin as much as they wanted. The only problem is that I don't want to spend time with anyone who would join that sort of religion.
Dogbert talking to Dilbert:
I decided to start a new religion. The tithing would only be 5% and I'd let people sin as much as they wanted. The only problem is that I don't want to spend time with anyone who would join that sort of religion.
BSOD at Beijing Opening Ceremony?
Apparently this is for real. Can't believe I'm just now reading about it. One of the big screens at the birdnest for the Olymipic Opening Ceremony went frakky, and the audience was treated to the Blue Screen of Death.
gizmodo link
gizmodo link
Diebold back in the news...
OK, they're not Diebold anymore. Those sly bass-turds changed their name to Premiere Election Systems to avoid bad name recognition. But I digress.
I learned about the current issue through a recent XKCD comic strip. It turns out that PES machines (or is that PEZ?) were used in about half of Ohio's counties for this year's primary. In eleven counties, the machines "dropped votes." Once the problem was discovered, the votes were somehow found, and recounted.
What was the problem? An antivirus conflict in the machines. Of course, this begs the question, why do you need antivirus software on a stand-alone machine being used for one purpose only?
How many ways did this go wrong?
A nice article about the issue and an pending lawsuit
I learned about the current issue through a recent XKCD comic strip. It turns out that PES machines (or is that PEZ?) were used in about half of Ohio's counties for this year's primary. In eleven counties, the machines "dropped votes." Once the problem was discovered, the votes were somehow found, and recounted.
What was the problem? An antivirus conflict in the machines. Of course, this begs the question, why do you need antivirus software on a stand-alone machine being used for one purpose only?
How many ways did this go wrong?
A nice article about the issue and an pending lawsuit