The highly evolved James Rummel tells us about the Chinese navy, image manipulation, lunar colonies and teaching women how to shoot.
David Janes offers deep thoughts.
Myria has some history with solar photovoltaics (PV), and lots of other stuff too.
Of my permanent links on the left, Dave Tepper is the one most likely to point me to something I haven't seen before. Just don't ask him any embarrassing questions.
Friday, May 24, 2002
Attention older women - (over 35)
Hey, that's not my definition - I just heard it on TechTV. Personally I prefer "crone"...
Anyway, I'm still ripping off TechTV, which tells us that y'all are flocking to GameHouse. (Have you ever seen a popup ad for "Depends"?). It has a number of games for sale, or you can play them there if you're not spending enough time reading charming blogs like this one.
Anyway, I'm still ripping off TechTV, which tells us that y'all are flocking to GameHouse. (Have you ever seen a popup ad for "Depends"?). It has a number of games for sale, or you can play them there if you're not spending enough time reading charming blogs like this one.
Handy utility
I've lived in a bunch of places where I couldn't or wouldn't have cable TV or a satellite dish around, which deprives me of TechTV. When I think of all the poor souls out there with Internet access but no TechTV - oh the humanity! So as a public service I'll tell you about some of what you're missing.
IMO the best show is The ScreenSavers. It's a 90 minute bull session for geeks with product demos, short interviews with people like Willie Nelson and Kevin Mitnick, news, polls, user call-in, babes whose names give me Google hits in conjunction with "nude", and occasional fights among people dressed in Star Wars outfits.
Tonight Megan Morrone demonstrated this neato toolbar I'm experimenting with now. You put it on your Win98 or higher toolbar and it gives you a text entry box and an icon to click for a menu.
Enter some text and instantly it fires up Google with the results. Enter an equal sign and a mathematical expression and it'll calculate it. Enter a period (or cnn) and an expression and it'll look for that keyword on CNN. And so on for dozens of options such as Ebay, Merriam-Webster, Amazon, weather, the Bible, Daypop, Jeeves, the CIA World Factbook, AIM, ascii conversions, hex conversions, alarms, timers, program launching, phone lookups and even a word unscrambler for cheating at Scrabble. You can download it here, and it's open source, so you can finagle with it if it suits you. I'm not through reviewing it yet but it looks terrific so far - check it out.
IMO the best show is The ScreenSavers. It's a 90 minute bull session for geeks with product demos, short interviews with people like Willie Nelson and Kevin Mitnick, news, polls, user call-in, babes whose names give me Google hits in conjunction with "nude", and occasional fights among people dressed in Star Wars outfits.
Tonight Megan Morrone demonstrated this neato toolbar I'm experimenting with now. You put it on your Win98 or higher toolbar and it gives you a text entry box and an icon to click for a menu.
Enter some text and instantly it fires up Google with the results. Enter an equal sign and a mathematical expression and it'll calculate it. Enter a period (or cnn) and an expression and it'll look for that keyword on CNN. And so on for dozens of options such as Ebay, Merriam-Webster, Amazon, weather, the Bible, Daypop, Jeeves, the CIA World Factbook, AIM, ascii conversions, hex conversions, alarms, timers, program launching, phone lookups and even a word unscrambler for cheating at Scrabble. You can download it here, and it's open source, so you can finagle with it if it suits you. I'm not through reviewing it yet but it looks terrific so far - check it out.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Call me "George"
Again the limited size of comments fails me, so I'll address this here.
Now Mr. Den Beste takes issue with me, aka "George". Why?
Two posts down you'll see a post entitled "Snuffing the candle at both ends". This is the original version:
But the original post was more heated than what I usually write, and I took another look after I had sent the email. Then I recognized the faulty parallel, which had been my inspiration for proposing an apology. So I took the post back down, noted it as having been changed to what you see in the previous post, and reposted it. Whoops, I guess I shouldn't have sent the courtesy email.
Then I checked my email. SDB had written a calm, reasoned email that noted a couple of things I had written. Crap - he'd already seen the original version. I replied that I had revised and reposted, and but for an innocuous title change (I think the original was "Let's put this one to rest") the post has remained the same since.
I went on to something else, then about 10 or so I picked up email #2 asking me who I was to ask for an apology, etc. Yes, the tone had changed. What I didn't know at the time was that subsequently he had also replied on his blog at greater length.
In reply I noted that we had crossed in the mail and I had already told him about the recall. Then I got his 3rd reply, which directed me to his post without comment. I had just come back from that when I saw the comment to the previous post where Godless Capitalist figured out who "George" was.
I leave it to the reader to determine the accuracy of Mr. Den Beste's characterization of my initial post, which in any case had been withdrawn well before his post appeared (note that he's in San Diego, CA, 2 hours behind me), and he had also been notified of this.
I must say, I learned a lot about myself. For one, I'm pretentious. Also, I'm trying to suppress alternate points of view (where have I heard that line before?).
On the other hand, who else can claim that Mr. Den Beste has mentioned their bodily orifices on his blog? Do you suppose I could sell pictures of them?
C'est la vie. We've all learned something new now, haven't we?
Now Mr. Den Beste takes issue with me, aka "George". Why?
Two posts down you'll see a post entitled "Snuffing the candle at both ends". This is the original version:
You'd better not disagree with Steven Den Beste. You'll find yourself in elite company, such as with the creeps that killed Daniel Pearl.I have a problem with drawing parallels between those creeps and people who oppose euthanasia (between cold-blooded killers and those who oppose it no less), just like some people don't like constant invocations of Hitler. Anyway, although I've seen him here from time to time, I sent an email to Mr. Den Beste as a courtesy.
The only real solution for such people is to have their faces rubbed in the reality implicit in their attitudes. Anyone who opposes fetal cell research should spend a day helping to care for someone who suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease, for instance. Anyone who opposes physician-aided euthanasia should watch the documentary prepared in the UK which showed what Diane Pretty's life was like before she finally died the horrible death she most feared.
And people who try to claim moral equivalence between the US and the Islamic Fundamentalists we face should watch the video of Daniel Pearl having his throat cut and then being brutally decapitated. Then they should be asked to explain just how it was really America's fault that he died.
Do people who oppose fetal stem cell research cause Parkinson's disease? His parallel doesn't hold otherwise - it's between them and the guys who cut Daniel Pearl's throat on videotape. That is totally out of bounds.
Yeah, let's put euthanasia in play, so you can browbeat possibly curable people into suicide because Junior wants all of his inheritance ("Here Doc, I'll split it with you"). Let's put pressure on doctors to contain costs by pulling more plugs. Let's establish a market in human life ("But honey, if you say OK, the insurance company offered us a lot of money!"). Let's start down the mother of all slippery slopes...
I have a better idea. Let's start with an apology for one of the most asinine parallels ever. And I'll challenge Mr. Den Beste to see if he can identify any potential downside to euthanasia.
But the original post was more heated than what I usually write, and I took another look after I had sent the email. Then I recognized the faulty parallel, which had been my inspiration for proposing an apology. So I took the post back down, noted it as having been changed to what you see in the previous post, and reposted it. Whoops, I guess I shouldn't have sent the courtesy email.
Then I checked my email. SDB had written a calm, reasoned email that noted a couple of things I had written. Crap - he'd already seen the original version. I replied that I had revised and reposted, and but for an innocuous title change (I think the original was "Let's put this one to rest") the post has remained the same since.
I went on to something else, then about 10 or so I picked up email #2 asking me who I was to ask for an apology, etc. Yes, the tone had changed. What I didn't know at the time was that subsequently he had also replied on his blog at greater length.
In reply I noted that we had crossed in the mail and I had already told him about the recall. Then I got his 3rd reply, which directed me to his post without comment. I had just come back from that when I saw the comment to the previous post where Godless Capitalist figured out who "George" was.
I leave it to the reader to determine the accuracy of Mr. Den Beste's characterization of my initial post, which in any case had been withdrawn well before his post appeared (note that he's in San Diego, CA, 2 hours behind me), and he had also been notified of this.
I must say, I learned a lot about myself. For one, I'm pretentious. Also, I'm trying to suppress alternate points of view (where have I heard that line before?).
On the other hand, who else can claim that Mr. Den Beste has mentioned their bodily orifices on his blog? Do you suppose I could sell pictures of them?
C'est la vie. We've all learned something new now, haven't we?
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
The real story on radwaste
But for one minor quibble, I can give this no higher compliment than "I wish I had written it".
Snuffing the candle at both ends
I take issue with the following from Steven Den Beste:
Yeah, let's put euthanasia in play, so you can browbeat possibly curable people into suicide because Junior wants all of his inheritance ("Here Doc, I'll split it with you"). Let's put pressure on doctors to contain costs by pulling more plugs. Let's establish a market in human life ("But honey, if you say OK, the insurance company/guy who needs the liver/hospital administrator/VA bureaucrat will give us a lot of money!"). Let's start down the mother of all slippery slopes...
I'll challenge Mr. Den Beste to see if he can identify any potential downside to euthanasia.
(This post has been modified)
The only real solution for such people is to have their faces rubbed in the reality implicit in their attitudes. Anyone who opposes fetal cell research should spend a day helping to care for someone who suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease, for instance. Anyone who opposes physician-aided euthanasia should watch the documentary prepared in the UK which showed what Diane Pretty's life was like before she finally died the horrible death she most feared.Do people who oppose fetal stem cell research cause Parkinson's disease? If the cure already exists, give it to them - if it doesn't, then how do you know it ever will? All we know for sure is that embryos are being consumed (a nice word for it) prospectively while there is much unheralded promise in adult stem cell research.
And people who try to claim moral equivalence between the US and the Islamic Fundamentalists we face should watch the video of Daniel Pearl having his throat cut and then being brutally decapitated. Then they should be asked to explain just how it was really America's fault that he died.
Yeah, let's put euthanasia in play, so you can browbeat possibly curable people into suicide because Junior wants all of his inheritance ("Here Doc, I'll split it with you"). Let's put pressure on doctors to contain costs by pulling more plugs. Let's establish a market in human life ("But honey, if you say OK, the insurance company/guy who needs the liver/hospital administrator/VA bureaucrat will give us a lot of money!"). Let's start down the mother of all slippery slopes...
I'll challenge Mr. Den Beste to see if he can identify any potential downside to euthanasia.
(This post has been modified)
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
Republish!
This morning I checked this blog and got "page not found". I checked Instapundit and he said "republish". I did, and now you can see this.
So who likes Cornerhost? Any other recommendations?
So who likes Cornerhost? Any other recommendations?
More urban legends
Nobody but a knee-jerk say-anything liberal believes this crapola about advance knowledge of the events of 9/11. If you believe it, go away - I don't have time for you.
Unless we're talking about Bill Gates... Look at this too.
Wanna waste an afternoon? Conjure the Sage of Seattle! (just don't call him the oracle). Just fire up the Windows Notepad, WordPad, Word, or some other GUI editor. Try writing your name, your blog's name, your Email address, etc, in a big font, then change the font to WingDings or WebDings. Try it in all caps too. Add in the recreational chemicals of your choice, wrap a rag around your head and let the spirits speak!
I like what you get with Yasser Arafat's initials. Use all caps with WingDings.
Unless we're talking about Bill Gates... Look at this too.
Wanna waste an afternoon? Conjure the Sage of Seattle! (just don't call him the oracle). Just fire up the Windows Notepad, WordPad, Word, or some other GUI editor. Try writing your name, your blog's name, your Email address, etc, in a big font, then change the font to WingDings or WebDings. Try it in all caps too. Add in the recreational chemicals of your choice, wrap a rag around your head and let the spirits speak!
I like what you get with Yasser Arafat's initials. Use all caps with WingDings.
Monday, May 20, 2002
Changing your Blogger password
From Ev's help system:
Question
How do I change my Blogger password?
Answer
To change your password, from the Blogger home page, sign in, and click on one of your blogs. Then click the Team button.
Then click on your name, then click [Edit My Profile]. From there, you can change any of your user information, including your password.
Question
How do I change my Blogger password?
Answer
To change your password, from the Blogger home page, sign in, and click on one of your blogs. Then click the Team button.
Then click on your name, then click [Edit My Profile]. From there, you can change any of your user information, including your password.
I own James Lileks
What's more, it was easy. All I had to do was put some money in his tip jar, and now he dances to my tune.
You don't believe me? Explain it to the campaign-finance reform crowd. They'll tell you at great length that I would only have left money because I have nefarious designs on his site.
They're right of course. Jasperwood? My idea. That matchbook thing? I outdo myself sometimes. The Gnat movies? What else could have inspired him? And he's powerless to protest - he's under strict orders.
Just to prove it to you, I'll even make a prediction - he'll write something clever about the Middle East in the next few weeks. Remember, you heard it here first...
Under the logic of campaign finance reform, I couldn't possibly have done it because I like Lileks's writing or his site. Never mind the hard link that has been here since day 1 of this blog - I'm still one of the few who hasn't ever linked to one of his Bleats or Screeds.
Suddenly I got an even better idea - what if I send some money to the campaign finance reformers and just tell them to drop their campaign. Surely they will - if they don't, they'll disprove their entire program.
You don't believe me? Explain it to the campaign-finance reform crowd. They'll tell you at great length that I would only have left money because I have nefarious designs on his site.
They're right of course. Jasperwood? My idea. That matchbook thing? I outdo myself sometimes. The Gnat movies? What else could have inspired him? And he's powerless to protest - he's under strict orders.
Just to prove it to you, I'll even make a prediction - he'll write something clever about the Middle East in the next few weeks. Remember, you heard it here first...
Under the logic of campaign finance reform, I couldn't possibly have done it because I like Lileks's writing or his site. Never mind the hard link that has been here since day 1 of this blog - I'm still one of the few who hasn't ever linked to one of his Bleats or Screeds.
Suddenly I got an even better idea - what if I send some money to the campaign finance reformers and just tell them to drop their campaign. Surely they will - if they don't, they'll disprove their entire program.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
About those priests
I've been trying to look some of this stuff up with little luck. Maybe some of the rest of you can help.
1) How often are priests busted for messing with girls?
2) We're calling these creeps 'pedophiles', which implies desiring sex with children. But these 'children' appear to be exclusively boys.
3) Do gays and non-gays sexually abuse children at the same rates? For instance, if straight men are X times more common than gay men, then I would expect that roughly X times as many girls would be sexually abused by men than there would be boys sexually abused by men. Is this true, or is one kind disproportionately more prevalent than the other?
4) Are there differences in reporting rates? That is, who's more likely to tell - the boys or the girls?
1) How often are priests busted for messing with girls?
2) We're calling these creeps 'pedophiles', which implies desiring sex with children. But these 'children' appear to be exclusively boys.
3) Do gays and non-gays sexually abuse children at the same rates? For instance, if straight men are X times more common than gay men, then I would expect that roughly X times as many girls would be sexually abused by men than there would be boys sexually abused by men. Is this true, or is one kind disproportionately more prevalent than the other?
4) Are there differences in reporting rates? That is, who's more likely to tell - the boys or the girls?
Problems with Blogger/Blogger Pro
If you have posted recently with Blogger Pro, take a good look at your site. See if it didn't foul up in rendering something about your posts. It did for me, and I think I've seen at least one more example. Check it now!
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