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- Wed, 15:28: Send help! I opened a link to TV Tropes! #Doomed #fb
- Wed, 17:11: Worst Star-Spangled Banner performance I've heard in a while. #SFGiants #fb
- Wed, 19:50: The Wave, Cardinals fans? Really? What's next, beachballs? #SFGiants #fb
$%&$%^&%$!!!!!!
Apr. 23rd, 2011 02:54 pmMy Google account was hacked. Ignore any spam you get from me. Changing passwords all over the place.
A couple of reviews.
Apr. 8th, 2011 04:26 pmA Talent For War - Jack McDevitt
A couple of years ago I picked up Seeker, which is the third Alex Benedict novel. Really enjoyed that one, and was pleased to learn it was a series. A Talent For War is the first book in the series, and is a joy to read. Alex, the protagonist, is an antiquities dealer living about 9,000 years from now in a galaxy of loosely-allied human worlds. When he learns that his uncle has perished in the disappearance of an interstellar liner, he is charged with finishing his uncles last archaeological quest.. What makes this book great is it takes a very human approach to investigating a mystery. Alex doesn't even know what he's looking for, and has to piece together his uncle's actions, do research, quiz people, and all along you are drawn into the action. A parallel story is that of Christopher Sims, legendary leader of the Resistance during a war 200 years ago. His story is revealed through Alex's investigations, and it becomes clear that whatever Alex is after, it has to do with the near-myth of Christopher Sims and his ship. To say more would spoil things. This isn't so much a science-fiction novel but a mystery novel in a SF setting. Excellent, engaging, and the revelations at the end are satisfying. This is a book for people who enjoy heroes who solve problems with brain power and methodical work and preparations, rather than their fists. Five penguins.
Cyber Clean Electronics Cleaning Putty
If you're like me, you live in front of a computer. Especially now that I'm on disability, I tend to spend a lot of time camped out in the Command Papasan. I eat here, scratch my beard here, sneeze and cough here.. which means my keyboard is a mess a lot of the time. Compressed air and wipes work OK, but I wanted something to really get the crap out from between the keys. Order thi9s stuff from ThinkGeek. Out of the jar, it looks like it should be starring in a 50s SciFi shlock monster movie. But it works wonders. Press it into the keyboard, pull it up, and all the crap comes right off with no residue. The surface doesn't even feel damp or tacky. I've used it to get the last bits of dust off the monitor as well. Very useful, and worth the price. Especially if you use your GeekPoints to get it. Four penguins
A couple of years ago I picked up Seeker, which is the third Alex Benedict novel. Really enjoyed that one, and was pleased to learn it was a series. A Talent For War is the first book in the series, and is a joy to read. Alex, the protagonist, is an antiquities dealer living about 9,000 years from now in a galaxy of loosely-allied human worlds. When he learns that his uncle has perished in the disappearance of an interstellar liner, he is charged with finishing his uncles last archaeological quest.. What makes this book great is it takes a very human approach to investigating a mystery. Alex doesn't even know what he's looking for, and has to piece together his uncle's actions, do research, quiz people, and all along you are drawn into the action. A parallel story is that of Christopher Sims, legendary leader of the Resistance during a war 200 years ago. His story is revealed through Alex's investigations, and it becomes clear that whatever Alex is after, it has to do with the near-myth of Christopher Sims and his ship. To say more would spoil things. This isn't so much a science-fiction novel but a mystery novel in a SF setting. Excellent, engaging, and the revelations at the end are satisfying. This is a book for people who enjoy heroes who solve problems with brain power and methodical work and preparations, rather than their fists. Five penguins.
Cyber Clean Electronics Cleaning Putty
If you're like me, you live in front of a computer. Especially now that I'm on disability, I tend to spend a lot of time camped out in the Command Papasan. I eat here, scratch my beard here, sneeze and cough here.. which means my keyboard is a mess a lot of the time. Compressed air and wipes work OK, but I wanted something to really get the crap out from between the keys. Order thi9s stuff from ThinkGeek. Out of the jar, it looks like it should be starring in a 50s SciFi shlock monster movie. But it works wonders. Press it into the keyboard, pull it up, and all the crap comes right off with no residue. The surface doesn't even feel damp or tacky. I've used it to get the last bits of dust off the monitor as well. Very useful, and worth the price. Especially if you use your GeekPoints to get it. Four penguins
Hunkering down.
Apr. 1st, 2011 12:33 pmI avoid the net on April 1st. Not just because it's a traditional date for viruses to go active, but because I find April Fool's Day to be extremely annoying. 90% of the jokes are just frakking idiotic, and I'm not in the mood to wade through several thousand lame attempts at humor. To wit; what NationStates did this morning. They thought it would be hilarious to make it look like all our accounts had been hacked, and went so far as to post insultiung messages under our accounts on regional forums. When people complained, we were told to "grow a sense of humor."
Because of this, I'm deleting my account. I have a sense of humor. I've made money with my sense of humor. Stealing my online identity on a site where I've worked hard to establish a good reputation and playing games with it is not funny.
So I'm spending the day playing games and watching DVDs. I'll be back when the crazy stops.
Because of this, I'm deleting my account. I have a sense of humor. I've made money with my sense of humor. Stealing my online identity on a site where I've worked hard to establish a good reputation and playing games with it is not funny.
So I'm spending the day playing games and watching DVDs. I'll be back when the crazy stops.
Let there be songs to fill the air.
Mar. 19th, 2011 05:15 pm- Discovered this morning that my computer's speakers were dying faster than I am. Lots of really bad drop outs when I adjusted the volume, and just poor quality across the board. I'm not surprised, since the stuff was close to a decade old and had been in almost daily use. But considering how important music and watching TV & movies on the computer has been to my sanity, a solution was needed, ASAP.
-
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kshandra needed to go out and run a few errands anyway, and agreed to stop at Staples to look at speakers. We ended up with the Logitech Z313. Even got 'em on sale. - Kirsten has gone for a bit of a nap, so I can't really test them yet. That's coming Monday. I have some good music to see just how good these really are. But right now, the sound quality is sharp.
- In other news I've been off oxygen all day with no perceptible drop in my blood oxygen. Still worried that this is an artifact of the Prednisone. We'll see. But it is nice not to have two bit of medical plastic up my nose.
- The really good news is my last two Coumadin levels were where the clinic wants them to be. I get a whole week between blood draws!
- Giants won. We're looking really good for the opener except for one thing.
- Our closer, Brian Wilson, has strained his oblique. Or his beard, the Tweet wasn't clear.
- Anyway, he's questionable for the opener. Boo.
- Nice thing about a papsan? If you decide that a nap is a good idea, you don't need to go anywhere.
- zzzzzz.....
Deciphering last night's cryptic message
Mar. 15th, 2011 08:08 amIf you follow me on Twitter, or read my Facebook, last night you saw a rather strange post go up.
Gosh, the crickets are lovely tonight. #eastcoastbaseballbias #KOingKO
( There's a story here. )
Gosh, the crickets are lovely tonight. #eastcoastbaseballbias #KOingKO
( There's a story here. )
Necessity is the mother of comfort
Feb. 3rd, 2011 08:55 pmI've been ordered to put my feet up. I want to be in front of my computer. I am a tool-using primate!
Needs a few tweaks, but I'm actually pretty comfortable. The only problem is the extension of my legs, which is a bit unnatural. The wireless keyboard and mouse work just fine. I may well keep this set up after the current crisis has passed. Eventually pick up the papasan footstool and slide that under the desk.
I feel like a slacker Bond villain.
Needs a few tweaks, but I'm actually pretty comfortable. The only problem is the extension of my legs, which is a bit unnatural. The wireless keyboard and mouse work just fine. I may well keep this set up after the current crisis has passed. Eventually pick up the papasan footstool and slide that under the desk.
I feel like a slacker Bond villain.
Oh, internet, how I love you!
Jan. 17th, 2011 03:23 amFirst of all, I'm awake at 0315 because I went to take a nap yesterday at around 1500 and fell dead asleep. Oops.
But anyway. Yesterday, Kirsten and I were snarking about Furcon. You saw my "five million hairs" post, yes? We do this every year. I tweeted the following:
"I am not allowed to go to Furcon naked. Nor in a thong. But a full scuba suit is acceptable. I can work with this."
Amusement was had. Suggestions were made. Time marches on.
Sit down to check my mail this morning, and what do I see?
"Scuba Diving Store is now following you on Twitter!"
Let's be clear. I've never gone scuba diving in my life. I suffer from Thalassophobia, I absolutely freak out at the thought of getting into water where I can't see the bottom. Even if I could afford the gear and training, I suffer from severe asthma.. not something you want to have hit you while 20m beneath the surface!
But because I tweeted the words "scuba suit" their bot found me.
Makes me wonder who else I can dragnet for with key words.
But anyway. Yesterday, Kirsten and I were snarking about Furcon. You saw my "five million hairs" post, yes? We do this every year. I tweeted the following:
"I am not allowed to go to Furcon naked. Nor in a thong. But a full scuba suit is acceptable. I can work with this."
Amusement was had. Suggestions were made. Time marches on.
Sit down to check my mail this morning, and what do I see?
"Scuba Diving Store is now following you on Twitter!"
Let's be clear. I've never gone scuba diving in my life. I suffer from Thalassophobia, I absolutely freak out at the thought of getting into water where I can't see the bottom. Even if I could afford the gear and training, I suffer from severe asthma.. not something you want to have hit you while 20m beneath the surface!
But because I tweeted the words "scuba suit" their bot found me.
Makes me wonder who else I can dragnet for with key words.
and this is why we loved them
Dec. 30th, 2010 12:19 pmI'm listening to the Grateful Dead live at the Henry J. Kaiser, 14 FEB 86, on archive.org. One of my favorite song combinations, Lost Sailor/Saint of Circumstance comes up. The band completely manages to forget how to play SoC. So what do they do? Muddle through, improvise, and get to the coda as fast as possible. And it worked.
Incredible show. The second set alone:
First Set
Feel Like A Stranger
Cold Rain & Snow
Mama Tried>
Big River
West LA Fadeaway
Looks Like Rain
Brown Eyed Women
Let It Grow
Second Set
Keep on Growing
Lost Sailor>
Saint of Circumstance>
Terrapin Station>
Drumz>
Space>
Wharf Rat>
Throwing Stones>
Lovelight
Encore
Brokedown Palace
Incredible show. The second set alone:
First Set
Feel Like A Stranger
Cold Rain & Snow
Mama Tried>
Big River
West LA Fadeaway
Looks Like Rain
Brown Eyed Women
Let It Grow
Second Set
Keep on Growing
Lost Sailor>
Saint of Circumstance>
Terrapin Station>
Drumz>
Space>
Wharf Rat>
Throwing Stones>
Lovelight
Encore
Brokedown Palace
Set the TARDIS for 1996!
Dec. 29th, 2010 04:12 pmThe original website for the movie Space Jam is still up. And evidently untouched in the intervening 14 years.
Frames, tiled background image, it has it all!
Frames, tiled background image, it has it all!
Reboot, indeed!
Dec. 18th, 2010 07:31 amRising from the murky depths of computer history, the Commodore 64 rides again!
kshandra and I had a C64 back in the day (which meant we ended up with boxes and boxes of other peoples' Commodore junk) and enjoyed it. Owning a C64 was like owning a VW Microbus. It was cranky, didn't use any standard parts, required constant care and fine-tuning, but owning one made you part of the cult.
I still remember running the SSI Gold Box AD&D games on that machine. Several times I would have a combat encounter start, order a pizza, and the pizza would arrive before the combat had finished loading. Good times.
Tip of the floppy disk tofilkertom for the link.
kshandra and I had a C64 back in the day (which meant we ended up with boxes and boxes of other peoples' Commodore junk) and enjoyed it. Owning a C64 was like owning a VW Microbus. It was cranky, didn't use any standard parts, required constant care and fine-tuning, but owning one made you part of the cult. I still remember running the SSI Gold Box AD&D games on that machine. Several times I would have a combat encounter start, order a pizza, and the pizza would arrive before the combat had finished loading. Good times.
Tip of the floppy disk to
filkertom for the link.
Dear Windows.
Dec. 15th, 2010 07:05 amDie in a fire. I was having the best game of Civ IV I've had in weeks when you suddenly decided it was time to upload those "critical updates" I told you to put off until tomorrow. Game gone, no save.
I learned everything I need to know about reprogramming you in Combat Demolitions. Got it?
I learned everything I need to know about reprogramming you in Combat Demolitions. Got it?
Massive advertising fail.
Dec. 2nd, 2010 05:11 amFrom an AT&T radio spot I hear at least 20 times a day:
"The internet was originally called the World Wide Web."
Excuse me, I have to do some Gopher searches of FTP sites for a way to express just how utterly wrong this is on every level. Shouldn't take long, I have a 56.6K modem!
"The internet was originally called the World Wide Web."
Excuse me, I have to do some Gopher searches of FTP sites for a way to express just how utterly wrong this is on every level. Shouldn't take long, I have a 56.6K modem!
OK, this is getting frustrating.
Nov. 20th, 2010 07:10 pmI have updated everything; browser, definitions, Windows updates, even made sure that my device drivers are up to date. I have optimized my system until it squeaks. I run a virus scan daily. I've uninstalled anything that might be trying to hog bandwidth. And still we're dealing with horrendously slow net speeds. I just tested on four sites. The average results?
Download: 1.3875 Mbps
Upload: 0.4675 Mbps
Compared with other AT&T customers in our area, that's terrible.
Download: 1.3875 Mbps
Upload: 0.4675 Mbps
Compared with other AT&T customers in our area, that's terrible.
I've discovered Torrent.
I swear, I'll only use my powers for good*
*Good, in this case, being defined as anything that makes me happy, more comfortable, or causes pain and suffering to my enemies.
I swear, I'll only use my powers for good*
*Good, in this case, being defined as anything that makes me happy, more comfortable, or causes pain and suffering to my enemies.
- How was your Sunday?
- Going in reverse order, johnnyeponymous sent out a call for people to be interviewed. I volunteered. We agreed to meet today at his place of work.
- He works at one of the most awesome places on Earth.
- C'mon, they have a working Difference Engine!
- I got the grand tour. Since much of the museum is closed for renovations, this meant a lot of areas not accessible to the public.
- Including the storerooms. Holy crap.
- isomeme, they have a Vax. They have the Pong prototype. They have so many Cray supercomputers they've turned one into a couch.
- Box after amazing box. And on one shelf, boxes containing the LM flight computer from Apollo 12.
- I got to touch it. Geekgasm!
- What else... Google's very first server, a ticker-tape machine from circa 1890, a Univac control station.. it was overwhelming.
- The actual interview was about gaming, and went very well.
- Luckily, I was missing the 49ers get pounded into snail snot for the third week in a row.
- Can we just declare this season done?
- But my Giants? A complete game from Matt Cain leads to a 4-2 victory over the rapidly deflating Colorado Rockies.
- Atlanta lost, and the Padres are down 12-2 to the Reds in the 9th, so it looks like our magic number is going to drop big time, and we'll be in the lead for the Wild Card should that be required.
- Need to do laundry now.
- I touched something that went to the Moon.
Pretty poor excuse for a Labor Day...
Sep. 6th, 2010 11:59 am- I'm sitting at home ripping CDs.
- I've also emptied several of the damn boxes, which is how I found the CDs that needed to be ripped.
- Out of beer, and can't muster the energy to go buy more.
- Doing laundry is the highlight of my day so far.
- Decided that we could really use a kitchen island, a small one, for more work space in our kitchen.
- Luckily, Ikea has several good ones.
- We so need a storage unit.
- Man, I love the Grateful Dead.
- The CD currently being ripped has four songs on it.. 14:20, 16:37, 13:11, and 17:54.
- Not even a concert from the trippy 70s. Hartford, Connecticut, 14 OCT 83
- The CD in question was the first four songs of the second set.
- This is all part of my usual "Kirsten isn't here" funk. Happens every time she goes away for more than a few days, especially to Burning Man where's there is little or no contact.
- Last night I found myself having bizarre military dreams. Woke up to the sound of distant artillery.
- Actually, we're close enough the Great America that I could hear their fireworks display.
- Didn't bother to put on clothes to go out and check if it was visible from our place.
- Seriously considering skipping Baycon next year and flying to New York for a party in Queens.
- OK, need to eat something. Everyone in a two-mile radius has the grill going!
