If you’re like me, you’re the geek in the family and in charge of keeping everybody’s machines up and running. Sadly, if you’re like me, you’ll be spending part of this holiday fixing said family’s computer. It sounds like it just needs to be cleaned up a bit, and I’ve got a USB Pen Drive, so I’ll be loading it with a bunch of the software that is listed here (most of it I already have, but some of them were ideas I didn’t think of). Thanks Neil for the link.
Month: November 2004
Man Records Porn Over Library Videos
There is a reason I tend to get DVDs at the library versus VHS tapes. I just know that I’ll stick in a VHS tape of what I think is the Wiggles and end up with something that wiggles far more than it should. Full Story
(Yes, it’s an old story, but I’m cleaning out my backlog of links).
Someone Needs A Hobby
A 38-year-old with degrees in psychology, education and computer science needed only 11.8 seconds to calculate the 13th root of a 100-digit number in his head, setting a new record. Freak.
Isn’t That What They’re Supposed To Do?
It’s a strip club, and they got shut down for allowing nude dancing. Huh?
Funny Money Bites Back
A crook went into a Wal-Mart, paid with counterfeit bills. Thinking he’d pulled of a pretty good crime, he went back to return the merchandise he “bought,” and he got his counterfeit cash back in his refund. Full Story.
(Yes, it’s an old story, but I’m cleaning out my backlog of links).
If You’re Going To Get Drunk and Rowdy…
…don’t do it on a plane full of rugby players. Idiot.
Is Anybody Else Working Today?
I have to go out to Sunriver to work for a few hours later today. It will totally dead, but somebody has to be there to make sure phones get answered, guest complaints (most of which think we’ll be closed), etc… are all taken care of. Last year when I worked on Thanksgiving, there were maybe two calls.
My boss was nice enough to basically tell everybody who had to work today (her included) to just make sure the phones get answered — nothing else needs to be accomplished. So if we want to sit and read the paper, surf the Web, etc…, to feel free. So expect some blogging later as I plow through my flagged links.
Oh, and happy Thanksgiving.
Albany Man Slows Down Traffic
This story is pretty dang funny, especially considering how cheesy the sign looks, thought it does makes me wish I could do something equivalent in my neighborhood:
With the help of a local sign company, [Rick] Pyburn constructed a two-dimensional plywood Benton County sheriff’s car, well, the front half of one anyway.
After setting the decoy up in some bushes near the road, Pyburn saw a marked improvement.
“Once I placed that on the highway, it was amazing,” he said. “The traffic immediately slowed down.”
Pyburn realizes the plywood car is not all that realistic looking, and that commuters on the route may realize it’s a fake, but just a glimpse of the silhouette has a psychological impact on drivers, he said.
I remember driving through Southeast Oregon one time (on my way towards Tahoe) and running through a small town that kept a dummy police car on the edge of town to slow down speeders. I know I slammed on my brakes. The only reason I knew it wasn’t a real car was because the locals were laughing at me and told me the story about it. Apparently they move the car periodically to keep folks on their toes. I just wish I could remember where I saw that (will have to go dig up my Oregon atlas later).
Microsoft Uses Firefox
In some marketing material with a screen shot of the new MSN Search (which will help you with your algebra homework), the browser being used in the screenshot is Firefox. They even give a link to download Firefox on Microsoft’s Windows Catalog site. Honestly, I’m sure many folks in Redmond use Firefox.
Blonde Jokes to Be Banned
Blonde jokes are set to be banned in Hungary after blonde women staged an angry protest outside parliament. Full Story.
So I guess we just need to start making fun of everybody else now. Oh wait, we already are.
Thanks Barney for the news story link.