Continuing the tradition, here’s Katherine’s First Day of School, Fall 2004, official photos. And, yes, she is looking a tad ruddy from the sun she took over the weekend. Rumor…
Continuing the tradition, here’s Katherine’s First Day of School, Fall 2004, official photos.
And, yes, she is looking a tad ruddy from the sun she took over the weekend.
Rumor has it she had a great time in the Brown Room, learning about sentences and other esoteric trivia. Nifty.
A particularly pessimistic compilation of tales where Bright Shiny Electronic Voting Machines have turned out to have not only had errors, but had errors of a magnitude such that the…
A particularly pessimistic compilation of tales where Bright Shiny Electronic Voting Machines have turned out to have not only had errors, but had errors of a magnitude such that the results of the issue or race at hand was backwards.
How do voting-machine makers respond to these reports? With shrugs. They indicate that their miscounts are nothing to be concerned about. One of their favorite phrases is: “It didn’t change the result.”
Except, of course, when it did.
Should be required reading. I like the idea of Bright Shiny Electronic Voting Machines, but I’m in the software biz — I know how errors can creep in, or not be discovered until stuff is in production. Which means some sort of non-computerized audit trail for these voting systems is absolutely essential.
(via RISKS)
Folks have long drawn a parallel between Superman and Christ — the strange visitor from above, the all-powerful yet humble man, sent by a distant father to grow up among…
Folks have long drawn a parallel between Superman and Christ — the strange visitor from above, the all-powerful yet humble man, sent by a distant father to grow up among humans and save them from themselves …
I guess the very strong rumor that Jim Caviezel (Jesus in The Passion of the Christ) has been cast in the upcoming Superman flick meams that parallel will be aaaaalll over the media now.
The Do-Not-Call List is a Godsend, which is why telemarketers are doing their dangdest to find ways around it. The newest twist is establishing a business relationship in the fine…
The Do-Not-Call List is a Godsend, which is why telemarketers are doing their dangdest to find ways around it. The newest twist is establishing a business relationship in the fine print when you go to a “free prizes” website:
A reader recently pointed out some interesting language in the privacy policy of a “free sweepstakes” website that a friend of his had been foolish enough to join. By registering with the site, the privacy policy stated that one was agreeing that “such act constitutes an inquiry and/or application for purposes of the Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 CFR §310 et seq. (the “Rule”). Notwithstanding that your telephone number may be listed on the Federal Trade Commission’s Do-Not-Call List, … (the sweepstakes company) retains the right to contact you via telemarketing in accordance with the Rule.”
There is that loophole, of course, and it makes sense. If you’ve applied for something with a company, or done business with them, they should be able to call you without worrying that the Feds are going to bust their behind.
By slipstreaming that relationship into fine print, though, these “free sweepstakes” and “free prizes” sites are using that loophole to their own advantage.
Remember: there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. And nobody’s going to let you enter a prize drawing without getting something in return.
SixApart has formally launched MT 3.1, the Just Plain Folks Edition. Hot ticket items include: Dynamic Pages: I’m looking at this one to resolve some performance problems. I can seriously…
SixApart has formally launched MT 3.1, the Just Plain Folks Edition.
Hot ticket items include:
6A has done a good job, IMO, of overcoming its original MT3 announcement and pricing debacle. The current pricing structure is a far piece from free, but is definitely within the world of reason, especially since I have at least one Recently Updated key to trade in.
That all said … as much as I’d love to download that puppy and run with it Right Now, I think I’ll hold off until after the holiday weekend. Not only are things pretty busy right at this second, with no free time in sight over the holiday, but it will be a good opportunity to sit back and let other, braver folks dive in and identify the gotchas.
But within a week or two — yeah, I see it happening.
So I have a Gmail (Google Mail) beta account. Now what? Actually, I’ve had it since right before the Comic-Con (thanks again, Fred), but only now went back to it….
So I have a Gmail (Google Mail) beta account.
Now what?
Actually, I’ve had it since right before the Comic-Con (thanks again, Fred), but only now went back to it. Problem, is, I’m not sure what I want to do with it.
I like having my own domain mail. I have no desire to get rid of that. Heck, I have no desire, when not at the office, to use a browser-based client rather than a local client program. There are times when I want to look at my mail when I’m offline, and with Gmail that isn’t possible.
On the other hand, the Gmail interface is a lot nicer than, say, Mail2web.
What would be keen would be a way in Gmail to pull all my messages in and use it as the reader of my POP account, but also use my PC-based client, too, as the “true” copy. There doesn’t seem to be a way to do that, though.
Harumph.
Just not sure what I’m going to do with the thing.
Author John Scalzi is soliciting from folks their votes for the Fifty Most Significant SF Films. As some of you know, I’m currently writing The Rough Guide to Science Fiction…
Author John Scalzi is soliciting from folks their votes for the Fifty Most Significant SF Films.
As some of you know, I’m currently writing The Rough Guide to Science Fiction Film, which will be a general overview of the history of Science Fiction in films, with chapters on some various themes (science in science fiction, SF film icons, crossover subgenres, etc) and so on. The heart of the book, however, will be the Science Fiction Film Canon: The 50 classic Science Fiction films. In my own brain, I see this list as the list of the most significant science fiction films, as opposed to the “best” or the most financially successful. This gives me latitude to, say, include films that are influential on science fiction filmmakers, but not necessarily the audience (or, vice versa, as the case may be).
He’s done some initial vetting of the list, but is open to suggestions and refinements. A lengthy and interesting set of comments ensues, worth reading even if you don’t have anything to contribute. (Everything I could think of was already listed by one or more, usually more, people.)
(via BoingBoing)
I’m by no means a big fan of “outing” closeted gays. After all, if nothing else, the whole idea of “what someone does behind closed doors is their own business”…
I’m by no means a big fan of “outing” closeted gays. After all, if nothing else, the whole idea of “what someone does behind closed doors is their own business” is part and parcel of the gay rights movement.
That said, hypocrisy is an even worse sin, in my book, which makes the potential outing of an ultra-conservative congressman and his abrupt pulling out of the November election an alloyed but overall good piece of news
Schrock, 63, cited unspecified allegations in a statement he released Monday as the reason he decided not to seek a third term for Congress. He said the claims “have called into question my ability to represent the citizens of Virginia’s Second Congressional District.”
The release said Schrock, a retired Navy officer and Vietnam veteran, would not comment further on his decision, nor did he comment specifically on the claims.
Claims that Schrock is gay were posted on a Web log Aug. 19 by Michael Rogers, who said his blog is aimed at exposing “hypocrites” in Congress.
Schrock was a co-sponsor of the FMA, and actively campaigned against extending job discrimination laws to gays. He got top marks from the Christian Coalition. That was his day job. In the evening, the married Schrock was evidently calling gay sex lines and hooking up with dates there.
As I said, I’m not happy with the privacy invasion of Rep. Schrock — let’s face it, I don’t think any of us would like to have our own phone calls (or kinks) aired for public display, and I certainly don’t want to see an escalation of those sorts of dirty tricks, whether by campaigns or by other private individuals.
But whether Schrock was a manipulative hypocrite in his strong opposition to gay rights, or whether he was acting out of some self-loathing for his own impulses (cue Judge Turpin), there’s certainly some ironic justice to his being forced out of his job now that the truth about him is out.
In a conversation with someone over the past week or so, I mentioned a term I’d run across when I was doing support work for our office in Los Alamos,…
In a conversation with someone over the past week or so, I mentioned a term I’d run across when I was doing support work for our office in Los Alamos, regarding data that was, piece by piece, not classified, but which was classified in aggregate (e.g., these three pieces of paper were individually not dangerous to leak into the wrong hands, but if all three did, it constituted a security breach), and which thus required special handling.
The term I couldn’t remember was “UCNI” (Unclassified Nuclear Information) (and pronounced “ucknee”).
I can’t remember now who I was chatting with about it, but odds are good they read my blog on occasion, so …
At least, not while I was in hearing range. Ah, the loss of culture between generations … (via the Flea)…
At least, not while I was in hearing range. Ah, the loss of culture between generations …
(via the Flea)
Want an exciting job in law enforcement, but afraid that your pr0n addiction might get in the way? If you’re Canadian, join the Customs and Revenue Agency, and sign up…
Want an exciting job in law enforcement, but afraid that your pr0n addiction might get in the way? If you’re Canadian, join the Customs and Revenue Agency, and sign up for the Prohibited Importations Unit. You’ll get to see everything you want and decide if your fellow Canadians should, too.
Looking at the (lengthy, lengthy) list, it’s certainly a truism that you can’t tell a book — or at least the anticipated Prohibited/Admissible status — by its cover.
The task force set up by Episcopal Bp. Ron O’Neill to try and determine the “common ground” within the diocese on same-sex issues has come up with a suggested compromise,…
The task force set up by Episcopal Bp. Ron O’Neill to try and determine the “common ground” within the diocese on same-sex issues has come up with a suggested compromise, which, all indications are, will be adopted by the bishop.
What the “liberals” give on this compromise:
What the “conservatives” give:
In other words, return to the Spring 2003 status quo, but with, perhaps, clearer rules on what the diocese is doing.
The Usual Suspect is not amused.
But the recommendations outraged the Rev. Don Armstrong of Colorado Springs. He is a member of the standing committee, the bishop’s advisory body, and pastor of one of the largest parishes in Colorado. He called the suggested compromises “a ploy.”
“So Rob (O’Neill) gets his money, conservative clergy fund him and the gay clergy get to do what they want,” Armstrong said Monday. “He’s trying to get us to sit still while everybody gets used to having practicing gay clergy in the diocese. This will push us to redouble our efforts to get others to restrict giving and seek episcopal oversight.”
Ah, Don, you old charmer.
The task force includes other recommendations. Among them, it asks that the concept of same sex blessings be submitted to “solid theological work” by church experts and not be considered only as a “social justice” issue, Huffman said.
He said O’Neill also insisted that the task force include one bedrock principle in its report: that the Colorado diocese would never be “separated from Canterbury,” a reference to the London headquarters of the Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church USA is one of 38 provinces.
The outstanding questions are whether the compromise will hold up within the diocese (with or without Rev. Armstrong’s help — and it’s worth noting that Ascension has been notorious for not contributing to the diocese even before this year), and, if it does, then what happens when Canterbury issues its own decisions on the matter in October, or when the GC meets again in 2006.
Heck, what’s going to happen at the diocesan convention here in Colorado in a month or so?
I’m torn over this issue, obviously. Part of me thinks it’s just another delay, another luke-warm neither-fish-nor-fowl moment, wherein the church declines, once more, to take a stand. How far does one compromise on conviction in the name of unity? Or, conversely, how much should one compromise on unity in the name of conviction? In being Christlike (as one would hope a Christian church would be), does one seek to bring all to the Father, or take on the role of a divider of houses?
I know that this particular compromise will hurt a number of people, on both sides of the aisle, so to speak, without actually resolving anything. Is a resolution possible? Or even desirable? Can we remain in a theological limbo indefinitely?
We’ll see.
Scott (once again) reminds me to take the Political Compass test, as much to see if I’ve changed since the last time. DateEconomicLeft/RightLibertarian/Authoritarian 12/2001-1.13-3.13 5/2003-2.13-3.54 8/2004-0.75-3.13 Which all puts me…
Scott (once again) reminds me to take the Political Compass test, as much to see if I’ve changed since the last time.
| Date | Economic Left/Right | Libertarian/ Authoritarian |
| 12/2001 | -1.13 | -3.13 |
| 5/2003 | -2.13 | -3.54 |
| 8/2004 | -0.75 | -3.13 |
Which all puts me about the same mildly libertarian, but much closer to economic center than before.
Whatever that means. Part of the drift may come from “Well, yeah, but …” answers to too many of the questions. Still, it’s probably more indicative than, say simple Left/Right, Liberal/Conservative, or Dem/GOP labels.
Though it still comes up with some interesting analyses. For example, looking at the Primaries results would lead one to believe that John Edwards should actually be George W. Bush’s veep candidate, not John Kerry’s. And it would indicate that I should be far more enthusiastic about Kerry (or even Kucinich or Braun — and I suspect that the Kerry folk would not appreciate being told that he’s further left, economically, than Carol Mosley Braun). Which means that there are other elements to the political decision than just these two axes — specific issues, perhaps (e.g., the national/transnational axis) or perceptions of personality, or something.
From Top5’s Little Fiver Food list for 26 August … The Top 9 Things Every Kindergartner Knows About Food 9. If it tastes really yucky, the teacher knows a song…
From Top5‘s Little Fiver Food list for 26 August …
The Top 9 Things Every Kindergartner Knows About Food
9. If it tastes really yucky, the teacher knows a song about how great it is!
8. In a pinch, glue is an acceptable condiment.
7. Absolutely everything tastes better with chocolate syrup or ketchup on it.
6. Most blue food you find in the fridge will make the puppy sick.
5. Mom’s M&M cookies are worth two sandwiches and a dead frog.
4. Dr. Pepper supplies the best on-demand burps.
3. Homogenize is what happens when it comes out your nose.
2. Your dog, your cat and your one-year-old brother all look the same eating peanut butter.
… and the Number 1 Thing Every Kindergartner Knows About Food …
1. Happy Meal french fries last longer than the Happy Meal toys. But the toys taste better.
via Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL (1), Ken Stone, San Jose, CA (2), Jeff Morris, South Salem, NY (3), Kevin van Houten, The Colony, TX (4, 5), Christa Grunewald, Manhattan, KS (6, 8), Judith Cottrill, Bronx, NY (7), Bill Ervin, Tigard, OR (7), Sue Raskin, Palm Harbor, FL (9), Kim Walker-Daniels, Sun Prairie, WI (Wearer of the Big White Hat)
And, of course, there are the runners up and honorable mentions:
Somehow eating all the food on your plate helps those starving kids overseas. (Sue Raskin, Palm Harbor, FL)
Plain peas suck. Peas mixed with gravy and pudding ROCK! (Mark Sweatt, Marietta, GA)
Gravity is stronger when the juice you’re drinking will stain the rug. (James Knowles, Bellingham, WA)
If you EVER eat anything a girl has touched you’ll DIE! A lot! (Jim Bannon, Simian Hill, MD)
Most foods can be used as fingerpaints when necessary. (Rabbi Crut, Bowling Green, OH)
How much you want to eat an item of food is inversely proportional to how much your parents want you to eat it. (Johan Dartarus, Chapel Hill, NC; Joe Terranova, Lake Orion, MI)
Nothing contaminates your meal more than putting broccoli on the plate, because broccoli is the tool of the devil. (Judith Cottrill, Bronx, NY; Rabbi Crut, Bowling Green, OH)
Mashed potatoes are the best food fight food. (Judith Cottrill, Bronx, NY)
Peanut butter and hair don’t mix well. Unless you’re using the peanut butter to get bubble gum out of your sister’s hair. In that case, science rules! (Mary Ann McDonald, Sacramento, CA)
Paste at home is gross, yet paste at school is tasty. I guess Mom’s right — it is more fun to eat out. (Bill Ervin, Tigard, OR)
If it comes from home or the cafeteria don’t eat it. If it comes from art class, the ground or your friend’s lunch bag, it’s okay! (Steve Lunetta, Tucson, AZ)
… is having brought to my attention how much I still lust after a TiVo. Not that it would make my life any less stressful — probably the opposite –…
… is having brought to my attention how much I still lust after a TiVo.
Not that it would make my life any less stressful — probably the opposite — but …
The good news is, everyone on the Search Committee thought the parish profile, as hammered together by me (with lots of the leg work done by the previous folk), was…
The good news is, everyone on the Search Committee thought the parish profile, as hammered together by me (with lots of the leg work done by the previous folk), was faboo. I got a formal note from the committee with phrases like “express our appreciation for the work you have done” and “the product looks great” and “thank you for your work and gift to this committee.” W00t!
The bad news is, I have to incorporate and blend the (inevitable) changes and comments from the committee members into another draft by Wednesday night.
The ugly news is, that gives me an excuse to blow off another meeting Tuesday night whilst working on that; what makes it ugly is that it’s a meeting I really should be at, as much as one more meeting is going to make little bursts of steam blow out of the seams in my head.
Once this is all finished, I’ll be sure and drop the URL here.
Nor of biology, alas. James “Scotty” Doohan gave his last con appearance over the weekend, and Tuesday will mark his final planned public appearance, as he accepts a star on…
Nor of biology, alas. James “Scotty” Doohan gave his last con appearance over the weekend, and Tuesday will mark his final planned public appearance, as he accepts a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The 84-year-old actor, who played “Scotty” on the ’60s TV series, decided to retire after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease several months ago. He blew kisses to a crowd of Trekkie faithful gathered at Sunday’s finale of a two-day tribute held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.
Doohan, who also has Parkinson’s disease and diabetes, mingled with fans at the convention and spoke at a news conference between Scotty impersonation contests and a panel discussion titled, “The Influence of Scotty on Society.”
Scotty was always one of my favorites, too often pushed out of the spotlight by the Big Three, but, on those occasions when he got to be in charge, or got a good line — “Wolf in the Fold,” “The Trouble with Tribbles,” “Mirror, Mirror,” “Friday’s Child” come immediately to mind — always showing fiery determination, an effacing sense of humor, and a deep loyalty to Star Fleet, his ship, and his Captain. That was Doohan’s doing, and he was a fine character actor and, from all I’ve read, quite a nice fellow. He’ll be missed.
I have no idea if “Will Life Be Worth Living In 2,000AD?” is authentic (why retype the article text but keep the already-clear images of the adverts?), but, if so,…
I have no idea if “Will Life Be Worth Living In 2,000AD?” is authentic (why retype the article text but keep the already-clear images of the adverts?), but, if so, this 1961 Australian article is less interesting for what it predicts dead wrong — floating houses, space holidays, 24-hour work weeks — as what it identifies correctly …
You’ll have a home control room – an electronics centre, where messages will be recorded when you’re away from home. This will play back when you return, and also give you up-to-the minute world news, and transcribe your latest mail.
[…] The status symbol of the year 2000 will be the home computer help, which will help mother tend the children, cook the meals and issue reminders of appointments.
[…] Mail and newspapers will be reproduced instantly anywhere in the world by facsimile. There will be machines doing the work of clerks, shorthand writers and translators. Machines will “talk” to each other.
Indeed, there’s enough accurate here, amidst the food pills, cures for mental illness, and monorail systems, to make me more than a bit suspicious. Still, the ads are amusing enough for the price of admission.
(via Uncle Bear)
Kid lives in Hempstead, New York, a Long Island town. He owns a shirt, “Hempstead, NY 516,” the latter being the area code for town. School officials in his new…
Kid lives in Hempstead, New York, a Long Island town. He owns a shirt, “Hempstead, NY 516,” the latter being the area code for town.
School officials in his new home are not amused.
According to Jones’ family, which moved from Hempstead to the Atlanta suburb, the school thought the shirt referred to marijuana. Jones wasn’t allowed to return to class until he persuaded school officials to search the Internet for the town name.
“We don’t understand this here kid slang stuff, with all their ‘hep’ lingo and all, but, by cracky, we won’t have no mention of their ‘hemp’ or secret codes in this here school!”
(via Dvorak)
Get free access to a collection of aerial/satellite/map renditions of your home address. Keen stuff. The pic to the right is our house (in the upper center) in April 2002….
Get free access to a collection of aerial/satellite/map renditions of your home address. Keen stuff.
The pic to the right is our house (in the upper center) in April 2002. From this you can tell that (a) we hadn’t put in the new fence yet, (b) our lawn was a neighborhood disgrace even then, and (c) traffic on our street is made much more difficult by the giant red-and-white push-pin out in front.