Monday, June 30, 2003

OrlandoSentinel.com: Space: "The agency had adhered to environmental restrictions and phased out the Freon gas used to make foam expand in a way similar to what happens when shaving cream is sprayed from a can. The replacement gas lessened the foam's ability to adhere."

So, phasing out Freon could be one of the many steps that lead to the Columbia disaster.
Palladium rears it's ugly head in a NYTimes article. Being one to throw gasoline on fire, as opposed to oil on water here is some more information on it (just go to google and look up MS Palladium - I think MS has dropped Palladium as a descriptor, because they want to "forget" the (negative) information that has been written about it).

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2002/jul02/0724palladiumwp.asp

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/25852.html

http://www.epic.org/privacy/consumer/microsoft/palladium.html

http://www.counterpane.com/crypto-gram-0208.html

http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/1378731

Friday, June 27, 2003

Google Toolbar Installed This is a test of the Blogger/Google integration with Google 2.0 toolbar.
Online Privacy
A new survey says that people who use the internet are ignorant. Here is a quote from the article:

...57 percent of the adults surveyed who use the Internet at home told researchers they believed incorrectly that when a Web site publishes a privacy policy, it will not share their personal information with other Web sites or companies.

The report is titled: Americans and Online Privacy The System is Broken by Joseph Turow June 2003.

Thursday, June 26, 2003

This one is laugh out loud funny - here is the headline in the TechWeb Today Security & Privacy newsletter dated Wednesday, June 25, 2003:


TODAY'S NEWS
3. Gates Talks Spam In Bulk E-Mail
A message to 75,000 customers outlines Microsoft's battle plans against junk e-mail.
http://update.techweb.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eMcO0FGn2U0CLf0B2v60Az

If you'd like to subscribe go here. I like getting the news from them, especially keeping track of SCO's wailing in the wilderness.

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

I cannot belive that this was said:

"He [Clarence Thomas] knew that he could not make a powerful legal argument against racial preferences, given the fact that he got into Yale Law School and got picked for the Supreme Court thanks to his race."

And republicans are racist?

Read the rest - because I can't.
Oh, yeah. I have returned to the office - isn't that exciting? I know that I'm thrilled down to my toes.

If anyone is interested:

A good article about google.

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

Ah, well. I'm sick today (out of the office and everything). I'm not which is making me feel worse, being sick, or not being in the office. :(

Monday, June 23, 2003

Orrin Hatch is embarrassing. While the questions of vigilantism, and due process are lightly skipped across; his website was using pirated software.

If they go ahead with this "risky scheme" to deny people due process I'd feel *real* bad for the people who are responsible for computer security at companies like Geffen and the RIAA.
Matt Drudge - he could almost be an urban legend.

Here we go - the EU is now out to make (more) money off of e-commerce. Oh well.

Monday, June 16, 2003

Woo hoo! Never heard of www.aberzombie.com before - but I'm glad that I've heard of it now (if they are really selling t-shirts I will buy one).

And to think I'd of never heard of this site except that Abercrombie & Fitch pitched a fit (how dare you make fun of ME!!!).

And Lost......



I found something sneaky to do with my FlexStand on Friday. It is set up at a funny bend right now, and when I swung it around, guess what? I was looking in Tony's office, and caught him napping on the couch. I took some pictures, but then I was advised that publication of said pictures could result in deleterious effects to my person.

Friday, June 13, 2003

A good word, and describes how I feel about blogging:

Main Entry: am·biv·a·lence
Pronunciation: am-'bi-v&-l&n(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
Date: 1918
1 : simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action
2 a : continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite) b : uncertainty as to which approach to follow
- am·biv·a·lent /-l&nt/ adjective
- am·biv·a·lent·ly adverb
Which OS are You?
"You are Apple Dos. Simple and primitive with a good understanding of the common man. You're still a work in progress, but a good start."


How exciting. Since I didn't get WinME, I'm happy.

Thursday, June 12, 2003

Mugging: Main Entry: 3mug
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): mugged; mug·ging
Etymology: probably from earlier mug to strike in the face, perhaps from 1mug
Date: circa 1864
: to assault usually with intent to rob
(courtesy of www.m-w.com)

On March 24, 2003 - my purse was snatched while leaving the movie theatre after watching "The Fellowship of the Ring." Apparently it was well thought out because there wasn't anyone there except me and my daughter in the parking lot (and I have to confess that it was my inattention that probably made me appealing - talking on a cell phone while walking to the car). So anyway, he snags my purse and we fight over it for a couple of seconds and I think "ok, here is this stocky black guy who *really* wants my purse and I've got my kid here, and what happens if he decides to hurt me?" so I let go and chase him through the parking lot to the get away car.

So I'm all shaking and pissed, and looking for my kid (who shows up quickly) and then on the phone to 911 to report it. We wander back to the theatre and tell them what happened, they get the security guard involved, I call my (at the time ex) boyfriend to give him a heads up (I had a business CC & one of his cards in my wallet). So the cops show, take my statement give me a little scrap of paper with the incident number on it. So I retire to my ex's house (he lived close to the theater at the time) and start calling credit card companies. This literally took hours. I worked the land line and my cell, while my daughter watched TV and wondered what happened.

Just thinking about this pisses me off. I'm done for now.

So, I was at Starbucks this morning, feeling inhuman before my coffee, and I suddenly had an irrational urge to kick the guy standing in front of me in the back of the knee. But then I thought that that would probly cause more problems than it was worth and decided not to. People who stand with one leg bent and the other knee locked need to be aware, that if someone is behind you, and pushes / kicks the locked knee from the back - you are going down (don't believe me? Find a soft place to fall and do it to someone).

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Dilbert I love Scott Adams. He is on my list of brilliantly funny people. Toward the end anyway. The above link is littered with pop up stuff...just so you know.
Best Places for Singles (Forbes.com)
Well - I guess Houston just isn't attracting enough artistic singles to qualify - but GO
AUSTIN & DALLAS!

(apparently the people in Houston are evil smokers while Austin & Dallas only attract non-smoking alcoholics)
Where I work

The FlexStand is perfection. A low tech solution to a (perceived) high tech problem. There are other things on the market - a camera that incorporates a moving base, a base that moves the camera, and a camera that is not automated, but has a flexible arm.

What makes the FlexStand different? If you own a camera, you don't end up buying a second one. If the camera you have breaks, or you decide to upgrade - you can still use the FlexStand, and finally - height variation....the automated bases, can't do anything about how high your webcam is from a surface - you still need to get it up on to a shelf or the (groan) top of your monitor.

Sure, the automated bases allow a remote user to move the camera - but that only works in certain situations - not while you are chatting on Yahoo! or MSN. So you are in the same old, immobile camera boat. The FlexStand puts the control in the your hands - literally. And when all is said and done - just push it toward the wall, or somewhere else while you pick your nose....and then move it back when you are ready to go back on camera.
Moore's Law

"The basic rule--which states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every 24 months--has been the guiding principle of the high tech industry since it was coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965.

It predicts technological progress and explains why the computer industry has been able consistently to come out with products that are smaller, more powerful and less expensive than their predecessors--a dynamic curve that other industries can't match. "


Absolutly boggles the mind doesn't it? I still fondly remember my Commodore 64, plugged in to the black and white TV in the spare bedroom.
  • Article text


  • Page that shows before and after redesign.


  • This is about Administaff's redesign of their "marketing" website. A website that is content driven to get return hits while warming the customer to the idea of out-sourcing HR.

    Interesting stuff.

    Monday, June 09, 2003

    Well, this will most likely be the last post for the day. So, please allow me to mention some stuff that I will be bringing up here. My experience w/ a purse snatching (frustrating). My job (a joy). My daughter (a joy). Life in general. Philosophical thoughts that pop into my head at random, and should be tied down somewhere, so they can't bother anyone else.
    First off I guess it would be best to say something anonymous about myself, while giving details about myself...

    I am a huge Dave Matthews Band fan.
    I love Monty Python.
    Terry Pratchett rules.

    There you go.

    oh - and I've been diagnosed as an InTP.

    That about sums it up. So, hopefully you now have a point of reference when reading me. :)
    And so, I jump in to the blog hysteria. The only question I have is - if a flea jumps into a pool - does it make a splash, or does it not even break through the surface tension?