Last night, I was pleased to see that The Wicker Man was on television, so I had something nice to play in the background as I read. (I had some trouble drifting off, and it really did the trick.)

Set and made in the 70’s staring Edward Woodward (Equalizer) on an Island owned by a wealthy Christopher Lee (Gormanghast/Sauruman LOTR 2001). Woodward is a English police officer responding to a murder. Denial, cults, a tavern set – it was great! The only difficult item was the message music similar to 70’s movie Silent Running. That’s all I am going to say, except rent it on a dark, rainy night when you’re by yourself. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Ah, my. Monday again. What happened to the long weekend? Back to work, soon… this morning’s walkies were nice, a light cool rain came down and made it even more comfortable. The urge to get a digicam tugs everytime I go outside… I really want to add more images to my entries and my general collection, too. I hope this week goes well… Dale’s taking off on Friday for 2 week in Jamacia, leaving Karen and myself to pick up his slack in the meantime. (He certainly deserves the break, mind you. He works hard…. I’m just not looking forward to doing more work while he’s gone.) I think this week will consist of him training Karen in what he does, and my getting a refresher, since I haven’t diddled with it since his last time away.

U.S. Can Now Prosecute Hackers Outside Borders
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The Justice Department, using the recently approved anti-terrorism law, can now prosecute foreign hackers when they attack computers in their own or other countries outside the United States.

Critics said this week that the change could make the United States the world’s Internet policeman and set a precedent that would apply American values to the worldwide network.

Mullah Omar Knows What Is Important.
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IN a typically eccentric rallying cry to his Taliban forces, Mullah Mohammed Omar has issued an edict to his officials and soldiers demanding that they wear their turbans straight.

Turbans, which the Taliban require all men to wear or face a beating, are not be worn to one side or too far back, he ruled. To do so is “vulgar and un-Islamic”…

His notorious bans on leather jackets, white paper bags (in case they were made with pages of the Koran), music and kite-flying still apply in provinces under Taliban control.

Mom’s in Labor as Dad Steals a Stereo
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When a Reserve man took his pregnant wife to River Parishes Hospital on Wednesday, he decided he would go home with more than a baby.

Mickey Hewitt, 21, of 399 Homewood Place, was booked with simple burglary of a vehicle after he broke into a car and stole some stereo equipment, authorities said.

Dude, I Thought You Were Man’s Best Friend And Stuff
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A whimpering hunting dog seems to have turned in his owner.

Police in Clinton Township in suburban Columbus said that they received a 911 cellular call Thursday from what sounded like a whimpering woman.

Officers visited the home of the cell phone’s owner.

They found no emergency, but they found 150 marijuana plants in the basement.

Procrustean (pro-KRUS-tee-uhn) adjective

Producing conformity using harsh means.

After Procrustes, a giant in Greek mythology, who stretched or cut his victims to make them fit his bed.

I’m listening to “Texas Rangers” on shoutcast OTR. In tonight’s episode, Jas and Leeds are tracking down an escaped killer. dun dunnnn DUNNN!

The Rangers are informed by a guy talking through a tube that the killer has only one known acquaintance, a woman that, ahem, he is not married to. She’s not at her last known address and left no forwarding information. So, Jas, knowing the best way to find a woman, gives the order:

“Check any cosmetics mail-order suppliers for her name.”

Well, of course.

So they find her and intimidate her into letting them search her apartment. Inside they find candy wrappers, and sweets are a known habit of the killer. Lifesavers were stolen from a nearby gas station.

“It ain’t no crime eatin’ candy,” says the woman.

“Yeah,” says Jas, “but you’ve got a 30-day diet tacked to the wall over there, and from the looks of your figure, you’ve been followin’ it.” The dame folds like a wet paper napkin.

I don’t think it was satire.

There are many reasons the proposed SSSCA is an astoundingly bad idea. But would it kill the open source movement? It’s not obvious. In fact, it’s possible we’re being played for fools.
Continue reading Is the Open Source movement being suckered by the SSSCA? →

Sweetheart’s draw – The Magician — This card represents the ability to turn ideas into actions, handle problems, and control one’s life. It indicates a mastery of psychic abilities and their correct use. It can also show that a new project is beginning.

Well, hey! ok!

for myself – QUEEN OF WANDS — Represents the watery part of Fire. A woman of adaptability, persistent energy, calm authority, with great power to attract, generous but impatient of opposition. She is loving and kind to all. May also show success in business or finances.

I’m all for that, too. 🙂 Looka the cute little black cat she has!

Sweetheart’s draw – The Magician — This card represents the ability to turn ideas into actions, handle problems, and control one’s life. It indicates a mastery of psychic abilities and their correct use. It can also show that a new project is beginning.

Well, hey! ok!

for myself – QUEEN OF WANDS — Represents the watery part of Fire. A woman of adaptability, persistent energy, calm authority, with great power to attract, generous but impatient of opposition. She is loving and kind to all. May also show success in business or finances.

I’m all for that, too. 🙂 Looka the cute little black cat she has!

abed uh-BED, adverb:

In bed.

“When I lay abed as a boy in our ranch house, listening to those trucks growl their way up highway 281, the sound of those motors came to seem as organic as the sounds of the various birds and animals who were apt to make noises in the night.”
–Larry McMurtry, Roads: Driving America’s Great Highways

Abed is the prefix a-, “in, on” (from Old English an) + bed (from Old English bedd).

Now, to shower!

Bad artists always admire each others work
-Oscar Wilde

Trying is the first step towards failure
-Homer Simpson

Time Flies like an arrow. Fruit Flies like a banana
-Groucho Marx

A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money
-WC Fields

Don’t let schooling interfere with your education
-Mark Twain

Why ruin a good story with the truth?
-Woody Allen

One man gathers what another man spills
-Jerry Garcia

2001/11/24 – 11:09:33 – Arrived at the fair. Discovered it doesn’t open until noon. Carny-folk living up to the stereotype… drunken bikers and temp hired hoboes seem to be the rule, with the occasional retiree working in the ticket box, which they wouldn’t open to sell me an entry pass yet, so I’m standing in the parking lot, looking at the trailer for the broward county sheriff’s mobile command post. They look ready for anything…two large vans, five golf carts, and who knows what inside the 16 wheeler… not tomention the buckets of police cruisers all ove rthe place. Other sights include the bloodmobile, the pompano racetrack grandstand entrance, tops of some of the larger rides. (single and double ferris wheel, supaloop, giant slide) and the 4-h exhibit tent.

It’s now 11:26:26 – and still no sign of the rest of the gang yet… to be expected, as they’re tardy folk by nature. A mockingbird just landed to my right , head feathers so fine as to look like a fuzzy afro of hair. A few other fairgoers have arrived and the all seem pretty bright-eyed. A mom and dad (I assume) with about six girls in tow, of varying ages, from about 12 down to infant., drinink water by the car…. a middle-aged couple hanging out by the ticket booth… maybe a half dozen migrant workers standing next to the bellsouth “free 10 min long distance call” booth, not yet open. I wonder if they’re going to be telephoning friends back hopme, or just taking advantage of the shade there.

11:36:57 – a lot more folk have arrived, a veritable herd of excited children. 🙂 Lining up at the entrance, the box is still closed… update, got my ticket, and am now waiting for the gates to open up and the gang to arrive. the time is now 11:56:59, light breeze, mostly cloudless sky. getting a little thirsty…can hardly wait for the gate to open so I can grab a lemonade. The cops are now out in full force. Ah! as I write this, there’s Tarpo and Isis now. will return with updates.

Addendum – current time, abut 3:40- had a nice time with them, sis and brother in law and aunt. ride the ferris wheel, fun house, gravitar… had a load of lemonade, and a new (to me anyway) fair food atrocity… Cheese on a stick For you folks that don’t like corn dogs, now they replace the weiner with melted cheese. good, fatty goodness. (I also swiped a few of Rob’s kettle chips).

For my sweetheart –

SEVEN OF WANDS: VALOR — Energy feels itself at last grasp. Struggles. Possible victory. Obstacles and difficulties yet courage to meet them. Victory in small things. May indicate discussions, wordy strife. Additionally, it may signify success. (I hope it means the success and victory side, certainly. 🙂 )

And for myself –

KING OF SWORDS — Represents the fiery part of Air. A man, active, skillful and clever, fierce, delicate and courageous but often unreflective. Power, authority, militant intelligence. Indicates good advice, determination, productivity and caution. (Hmm.. not sure what to make of that. I’ll reflect on it a bit more as I get ready for the fair.)

For my sweetheart –

SEVEN OF WANDS: VALOR — Energy feels itself at last grasp. Struggles. Possible victory. Obstacles and difficulties yet courage to meet them. Victory in small things. May indicate discussions, wordy strife. Additionally, it may signify success. (I hope it means the success and victory side, certainly. 🙂 )

And for myself –

KING OF SWORDS — Represents the fiery part of Air. A man, active, skillful and clever, fierce, delicate and courageous but often unreflective. Power, authority, militant intelligence. Indicates good advice, determination, productivity and caution. (Hmm.. not sure what to make of that. I’ll reflect on it a bit more as I get ready for the fair.)

Happy Birfday !

Big & great wishes for the caregiver to the feline anti-crime league, from Newt and me.

Up and at ’em!

Off to the fair with and this morning… They’re bringing her sister and brother-in-law, and I’ll be taking my sweetie along (in spirit). 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve been to one… I think it’ll be fun.

Got together with my little brother yesterday…had a nice time gabbing with him…got a bite to eat and just sort of shot the breeze. (we missed seeing each other at thanksgiving.)

I could not disagree with Alan Cooper any more on his advice to Microsoft to dump the browser. His reasoning is that browsers are like remote interfaces to distant server-based applications… and that this is somehow a bad thing. That’s precisely the thing I love most about the web. If I program my app correctly, I don’t have to worry about different platforms or different versions of an operating system. Ganted, web-based apps aren’t right for everything, but they’re perfect for a huge chunk of the things that people need to do on computers these days. Could you imagine if Travelocity wanted you to use some custom application to interface with their sales engine? Or if you had to have eBay‘s client on your computer in order to participate in an auction? Heck, web-based email alone is a great example of the goodness of the browser.

Anyhoo… Hope everyone has a lovely day, and I’ll get back to y’all later.