then bought an instrument, and tried not to feel too alone.
(amazing photo by mira)
humblest appologies
there hasn’t been much happening except bugging out around here lately due to a much needed switch away from the user-spiteful iPowerWeb hosting service, who ultimately caused a lot more problems than the switch.
I am now with a company called Dreamhost, who I heard are good and am looking forward to dealing with (also looking forward to all the extra tools I now have).
If you host stuff with me or blogs or whatever and are feeling a problem give me a shout (jer[at]simianuprising.com) and i’ll do what I can.
Regularly scheduled programming will resume shortly.
Engrish Ukulele lessons: “Sing Loudly”
Seeking internet help with my new instrument I found this friendly and adorably Japanese online lesson. It’s loaded with both usefull tips and eastern-style positive thinking.
If your family and friends’ faces turn bitter, you don’t have to worry. If you are a poor player, just back up slowly and fade away…
When you begin, nobody will come to hear you play, unless you are Eric Clapton, which would be an exception…
Ukulele is the miracle music instrument.The ukulele sound won’t interrupt the talking of business or the whisper of lovers.
Remember:
- Difficult chords can be changed to easy chords.
- If you can’t play a part, you can skip it. (see Chapter 6)
- Sing loudly
I am so ready.
Comeau v. Microsoft
Joey Comeau, of A Softer World fame has just written a new Overqualified (fictional and fantastic cover letters that he sends to the relevant companies) dealing with issues of love, programming, home appliances and platforms. Like the best things in life it’s short and amazing.
June 14 2004 – March 10 2005
Kentucky proves once again that just about anything would be better than living in the U.S. ESPECIALLY zombie attacks.
When William Poole’s grandparents found a notebook filled with death and murder and high school in their 18 year old charge’s room they must not have known what to do. Talk to him about it? Try to understand him? Respect his privacy?
…call the police?
Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole’s home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.
Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.
Well, it must have been a horific and realistic story involving real people and potentially occurring events to be used as evidence of terrorism right?
“the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies.”
Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. “Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it’s a felony in the state of Kentucky,” said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.
1. This cop is an idiot, “matter involving a school or function”!?
2. The writing of anything (including, as Joey points out “I want to assassinate the president” over and over), let alone science-fiction, in one’s private residence is not only completely legal under any human rights respecting constitution, but a necessary component of any functioning society.
You have a problem America. You are broken, and you will have to admit it before anything can change.
[EDIT]
There is some reasonable talk going on concerning the varied and conflicting interpretations existing between the story Poole tells and that of the police.
There is some reasonable talk going on concerning the varied and conflicting interpretations existing between the story Poole tells and that of the police.
On a blog post not unlike mine in intent an anonymous commenter claimed to be a student at the school in question. They said that Poole was arrested before for threatening to kill someone (during a physical fight) and that the town as a whole has been plagued by other teen violence (to which they attribute the local police’s sensitivity to the journal situation).
The author of the blog post also acknowledges that there really is only the two (the second, vaguer than the first can be found here) articles with very few details, and that it i s possible that the quotes about zombie stories could be A) a red herring from Poole, perhaps there was a zombie story as well as terrorist plans, B) A stupid stupid lie on Poole’s part, which is unlikely to have happened if he spoke with a lawyer before speaking but impossible to disprove until further reports are filed or the court documents are released, or a combination of both.
Still though, fuck Kentucky.
giant televisions installed throughout metro system…
Remarkably, this new means of dissemination proves that public can in fact be cowed further.
[EDIT]
From the press release.
From the press release.
Métrovision, in collaboration with the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM), is inaugurating this highly innovative medium, which meets a concrete need for information for public transit riders.
…
According to a survey of regular Métro clients conducted by Descarie & Complice, 90% intend to consult the screens.
1. replace “information” with “data” and qualify it as “stm sponsored” and you get a better idea of the programming (the example in the picture is a rare piece of actual news, though of course insufficient unless you understand the background)
2. I’ve always questioned the validity of a research firm with “complice” in it’s name. Really, even french people think it makes them sound like burglars. (hint: I’ve unnofficially worked for a lot of different research firms) Of course, the 90% stat is definitely accurate, I mean, why would people wait to get home?
From the hour
All content will be in French with subtitles (there is no sound), and advertising will make up 50 per cent of programming time, according to company officials.
30 second review of Webroot’s Pop Up Washer
Found this at Future Shop today and thought I’d mention it. Here’s a careful comparison with Mozilla Firefox»
 |
 |
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| packaging: | Attractive green glossy box. Probably made of plastic. Exciting sticker saying “stops popups COLD” or something. | No packaging, just download and install |
| popup blocking: | May or may not stop popups, I imagine it probably does. | Stops popups cold. I never knew freedom (Windoze freedom, Safari also does a good job) until I started using this browser. |
| openness: | “All rights reserved.” You are protecting yourself with something you do not, and can not understand. By law. | A defining member of the open-source movement. Developed with the help of a community of programmers and testers donating their time to make the best product possible. |
| cost: | $39.99 c.a.d. | FREE |
VERDICT: Someone at Future Shop should be fired.
surge
foolproof
