Monthly Archives: October 2005

pnsl

Ernie observes that some essential infrastructure is being restored in New Orleans. I have a strong sense that the one piece of infrastructure that the politicians (with help from the feeble-minded press) are trying to re-establish most quickly is the … Continue reading →

The following procedure requires administrative privileges. The instructions are specific to NTFS filesystems; Windows operating systems using the FAT filesystem store user-specific waste in RECYCLED. All operations, unless otherwise specified, take place at the command prompt.

Hey, Jenett‘s got the jackass where he lives too!

I’m turning off comments and trackbacks for the moment. My apologies for the inconvenience to those of you who want to add your pithy thoughts to my brilliance, but this spam crap is ridiculous &mdash and it will stay so … Continue reading →

Power failed in Yorktown over the weekend. Among other side-effects, it hurt my uptime. # last reboot reboot system boot 2.2.15-4mdksecur Sun Oct 16 14:41 (2+01:15) reboot system boot 2.2.15-4mdksecur Sun Oct 16 14:10 (2+01:46) reboot system boot 2.2.15-4mdksecur Wed … Continue reading →

With a lot of talk on NPR recently about the proposed Iraqi Constitution, I figured I should have a look at it to see where they failed. At least it isn’t 485 pages like the European monstrousity. I might not … Continue reading →

Thanks, Rick, for pointing to Erik Heel’s astute observation. It followed to this impassioned plea to FOX Sports to just tell Tim McCarver to shut up. I’d like to second that, and ask that they gag Joe Buck while they’re … Continue reading →

Forgetting for the moment about the tiny screen and low resolutions even on the desktop, it seems somewhat crazy and counter-intuitive to give up several dozen channels of cable television for less than a couple-dozen hours of programming. But I’d … Continue reading →

Gillen pointed out that everything sounds like Coldplay now. Then I heard the review of Laura Viers on All Things Considered last night, and damn if he‘s not right. (And, apparently, Mitch Benn never went through a Smiths phase.)

Today’s the 60th anniversary of IBM Research. Fred Brooks and other luminaries are over at the T. J. Watson Research Center here in Yorktown. IBM Research publishes a number of journals in addition to performing actual research work. Some are … Continue reading →

Have you noticed that DisneyWorld‘s resorts are priced on their proximity to (non-bus) mass transit, to the parks, and to after-hours entertainment? Check out the map. You trade time for money.

The cost of switching between Web services is very low, almost miniscule, so providers of Web applications must be constantly on their toes, and provide an excellent, superb, easy-to-use product. It took me about two minutes to switch between Bloglines … Continue reading →

Hey there, reference librariansHey there, rare book antiquariansHey there, octogenarians, answers, pleaseWhat will I do with these flowers and gems?To whom will I recite these wretched poems?How can I live in a world without them?Where have the women all gone? … Continue reading →

War may be Hell, but it sure is good for business. — The Association of Merchants, Manufacturers, and Morticians

There’s a lot of neat stuff going out there in the wide, wide world. Some just makes you go, “Wow.” And then envy sets in. For your envious enjoyment, I present ChicagoCrime.org, Ning, the JavaScript Archive Network, Wikiwyg, Copilot, Writely, … Continue reading →

I’ve installed Ubuntu Breezy Badger on my desk. From a GUI perspective it’s just another GNOME. From a system administration perspective, it’s Debian. From an included packages perspective, it’s free software, which means you have to intentionally install unfree features. … Continue reading →

I’ve noticed over the past few days that traditional media outlets, such as Ziff-Davis c|net and other fine purveyors of re-written press releases, have begun to cite “bloggers” instead of “analysts.” Next thing you know The Associated Press will be … Continue reading →

Your capital goes home at night and looks for another job because it is no fun to be a cog in the machine.