Monthly Archives: July 2001

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browsing the news, found some dandy queso.

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Talk about usability problems: the most recent RISKS Digest has a pretty funny story about a bunch of motorized shopping carts going haywire during a power outage. It turns out that the interface for charging the chairs involves plugging them in but then turning them on and placing the handle in the “forward” position — and then, when the power goes out to the outlet they’re plugged into, they surge forward and have to be chased down.

The New York Times has a pretty great article on the growing use of maternal-fetal surgery, and the recent shift towards performing the risky procedure not to correct potentially fatal intrauterine problems, but to improve the life of a baby with a non-life-threatening diagnosis. There are some good ethical questions embedded in this one.

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Yum.

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I’m in the mood for a strawberry/banana smoothie, after reading ‘s post.

Anyone want to join me? (and bring some bananas and strawberries? I have the Juice and yogurt! ) tasty, and packed with potassium!

Frozen Fruit Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 large banana – frozen
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 small carton vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fruit juice

Blend in blender. Serve immediately in stemmed glasses. Serves 2.

(or if you’re a piggie like me, it serves one. but I’ll make as much as need be to pass around)

You can leave out the yogurt if you don’t want dairy, or prefer less fat… I think it really adds a good bit to the mix, however. (if you leave out the vogurt, add more strawberries to make up the bulk. yum!)

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cool things about moving :#354 in a series.

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Closet space!!

Since I have more room as a whole, I can actually hang up my clothes in the closet.

Seriously.. between the full-sized fridge, extra room, real kitchen, and open lighting… it’s like I’ve been camping these last 5 years.

I can bake! I can make ice *and* have room for a box of freezer pops, *and* a load of food.

I can keep more than 2 gallons of stuff in the fridge!

I have a kitchen sink and a bathroom sink! (not just one that combines the two)

I have a landlord that has a nose, doesn’t live on the premises, and to the best of my knowledge isn’t armed and dangerous.

No more of the old landlords nosy, mean, and selfish girlfriend blowing my fuses.

I have a landlord that fixes things within a reasonable span of time!

Nobody goes through my mail, ‘accidentally brings it in’, and maybe never lets it get to me.

I pay my own power, so it won’t get shut off due to another person’s stupidity. (only myself to blame)

I’m happy about this move. He should’ve gone psycho a long time ago.

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speaking of gaming, and lead figs…

http://www.coolminiornot.com/

Who wants to judge cheesecake or beefcake or goths when you can rate cool painted leads! 🙂

Geez… I’m such a geek sometimes. I want to sew this patch onto my laptop bag, too.


eye in pyramid

I need to get my treats out to folks who mailed me goodies, too… That’ll probably happen by next week, midweek. I’m going to bed now. nigh-night!

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Oh good golly.

Tape is now the ALF cartoon.

Previously – Dr. Demento’s 1991 countdown. Wall of Voodoo, Mexican Radio and Up and Comer DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince with ‘Girls ain’t nuthin’ but trouble’… Camper Van Beethoven – Take the Skinheads bowling, Dead Milkmen with ‘Punk Rock Girl’.

Jinkies! I miss 1991’s tunes. 🙂

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Ah’m Back!

Went to pay my phone and power… I don’t want to take any chances with it turning off. I braved the rain for that, but the laundry will have to be done tomorrow. I hope it’s not raining as badly, then, otherwise, I’ll have to get some trash bags to cover my clothes with.

I’ve never paid cable before… AT&T wants to charge me $20 a month for basic… I figure that’s about right…All I want is Discovery, Nick, cartoon and history. (and maybe the few oddball pbs stations, and other minor ‘clickworthy channels’). Movie stations… bah. That’s what blockbuster Video is for, if I *must* Have it. (Plus, now if I rent a DVD, I can copy it to the vcr anyway… hooray for laptop!) I found myself wanting the soothing sounds of spongebob this morning, so I thin I’ll get it installed sometime soon. Cable is a *lot* less expensive than similar satillite.

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Chores update

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vcr tapes have switched to old episodes of maniac mansion, tiny toons and MTV’s Buzz

I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Landlord was by, and fixed the phone jack and toilet (sort of broke something else, though, so he’ll be back in a few to fix that. 🙂 )

It’s raining hard outside, so I’ll probably to my laundry after cleaning up the apartment, either tonight or tomorrow. Ack, sorting books, cd’s software, and assorted schtuff. My RP Gaming stuff is especially large and cumbersome, as is my programming pile. I thik I’ll have 2 or more long bookshelves of each. I’ve Rp’ed too many systems. each editition of Ars Magica, Call of Cthulhu, GURPS, Champions, and scads of supplements, plus all sorts of oddball systems that have snuck in here or there. Noticably abscent is AD&D…. I sold all of that stuff off at the local game store last time I moved. (made a pretty penny, too…) the only remaining vestige from that period is a few lead mini’s and some wacky high-impact plastic dice.

A *ton* of stuff… did I really have a time in my life when I was living out of a backpack?

I’m missing my sweetie! I wonder where she’s at… usually I get a good morning hello, but today she’s been offline so far. I hope she’s feeling good, and digging her chores. 🙂 I’m doing the snow-white ‘whistle while you work thing…’ I’m so goofy about being in love sometimes… but it’s ok, she doesn’t mind my mushitude when it comes to her. I love her so much, it’s cray-zee! *shouts it from the rooftops*.

Ah luv yew, baby bear! 🙂

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this sort of mystery is fun to solve.

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passing this note along. –

Help me Solve a 20-year Audio Mystery

Somewhere back in the mid-eighties, when I was in High School, I played around with tape recorders a lot, picking up stray sounds, trying to edit them into something weird / cool / funny. One good source was the radio, and one day, while recording a show on NPR, I picked up this song (short excerpt in MP3 format here – about 800k). The tape ran out before the announcer said what the song was, or who performed it, or anything. I know nothing about this song, but over the years, it’s come to mean a lot to me.

This recording (on a cheap cassette) has survived dozens of moves, boxes, tape players and neglect for nearly 20 years. Only recently I recorded it onto my PC (so the sound quality is poor). My request to you, if any of you can help, is to help me name this song / artist / album, since I would dearly love to buy a better quality recording, and hear more music like it.

My only clues are that it sounds like something performed by Stuart Dempster (but I don’t think it is), and that it’s performed with brass instrument(s), and that the release date is pre-1986. If you can help, or to get a link to the full MP3 version of the song (6mb), please send me a note. Thanks ever so much.

http://www.kokogiak.com/gedankengang/default.asp#07007200110

is the original article… if you do know it, let me know too! 🙂

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news, some evil, some not so evil

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Researchers in the UK have found that children who were exposed to music in the womb will recognize and prefer the songs after they are born.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010712/hl/womb.html

and…

According to a report, hundreds of hospitals around the U.S. have a violated a rule that requires them to provide emergency care to anyone, regardless of an ability to pay.
http://latimes.com/templates/misc/printstory.jsp?slug=la%2D000057449jul13

Police take sample of Condit’s DNA.
Lawyer says Condit passes polygraph.
Rep. Bob Barr calls for his resignation.
http://cnn.com/2001/US/07/13/intern.missing/index.html

Leaders from India and Pakistan hold talks for the first time in two years.
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=690621

BMWs that run on hydrogen.
http://cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/07/13/hydrogen.cars.ap/

A company is set to introduce perfume that can be worn both by cats and their owners. (Personally… I like the way Newt smells now.)
http://boston.com/news/daily/13/cat_perfume.htm

Researchers say the best way to preserve the quality of wine isn’t corks, it’s screwcaps. (Would the frog like to sniff the bottle cap?)
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010713/od/screwcaps_dc.html

my fave of the day –

— FREEZE OR I’LL HUMILIATE MYSELF

A man tried to rob an adult entertainment store by holding his finger in the position of a gun and pointing it at employees. Further evidence that one’s fantasy life is best left in a darkened corner of one’s own home.

http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/oregonwash_story.html?StoryID=22954

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I need mr sparkle to help me! he will banish dirt to the land of wind and ghosts! bleh. messy office. *makes a note – have the cleanstaff in here, and soon.

While we’re at it, lets spray for triffids.