5/31/2006

Something you should read….

How many of you came to the Internet before it was “The World Wide Web” or “The Internet”? How many remember bulletin boards - and no GUI’s? How many remembering chatting before there was IM, AIM, or Messenger?

If you’re like me - it was during the college years, when things like Linux were practically 1.0 and downloaded in chunks from other sites. What would have happened in those days if all of that had been controlled by Ma Bell (or some other company)? What if Ma Bell controlled things and decided that you couldn’t have access to sites like that because one of their major sponsors/partners was Microsoft?

Now - what if today you couldn’t get to Apple.com for the same reason? Think it couldn’t happen? The Internet is a free and open space, right? Well, if some large companies get what they want, it won’t be. It’ll be free and open as they see fit. So, if one of their sponsors is Microsoft - suddenly Apple links might not work any more - unless, of course, Apple is a partner, too. But what about the little guys? The little networks - the little shops - you and me?

Here are some links:

It’s Our Net
Wikipedia entry
Tim Wu and Lawrence Lessig’s Letter to the FCC

Now - I’m linking to this one just as a side/counter-point. See, even within the “Keep Big Business Away From the Internet” groups, there are differing opinion. It seems that the S.T.I. folks want to regulate net neutrality, whereas the others want no regulations of any kind. If you give the government the power to meddle now - even if it accomplishes a goal you’re aiming for - trust me, they will meddle later, and more than likely, not in a way you want. Still, to be thorough:

Save the Internet

And beware of Astroturf campaigns - this one is put together by telecom interests who say Hands Off the Internet - but what they mean is “don’t pass any laws that will prevent us from carving up the Internet”. Another one is at Don’t Regulate
.

sparta at 1:54 pm

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Are you a Firefly fan?

In an amazing fan-fiction project, the folks over at Virtual Firefly have been busy. The idea is that Season One needed more episodes - and the whole thing needed more seasons. :-)

The writing is pretty good - you can definitely tell the people writing these love the show and know the characters. A lot of fan-fic is, well, kind of creepy, to be honest. And yes, a lot of it is written for certain, uhem, tastes on the internet. But Virtual Firefly is different. These people are taking the scripts seriously, very seriously, and I could easily see some of these going straight to production “as-is”.

I don’t know if Joss Whedon has been there - I don’t know if he’s read through them or not - but I would like to think he’d be impressed.

Anyway, go, enjoy - spread the word - and if you can, participate in Serenity Day. What would happen if suddenly on one day there was a HUGE spike in sales of a particular movie? Well, these guys are hoping to find out. I already have a copy, but might participate anyway, just on principle. See also: Brown Coat Signal Corps and Can’t Stop the Serenity.

sparta at 10:30 am

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5/30/2006

Criminals = dumb

Boy, were they wrong. A group tried to rob an ex-Marine. Granted, they didn’t know he was an ex-Marine….but still…it just goes to show that you never know who will be an easy target and who won’t. Uhem. Link: Muggers attempt to rob ex-Marine.

sparta at 11:15 am

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5/25/2006

What a strange noise…..

So, I’m sitting here in the office. Reading the ka-billion blogs I check each day, answering e-mails, etc. When I hear this odd noise. Now, I may have grown up in suburbia, but I’ve been to the farm, and I know a tractor when I hear one. But…this is for all intents and purposes, suburbia, so why does it sound like there’s a tractor outside my window?

Because there is! A few of you will at least understand this when I explain, because you live in or have visited California often enough. For others, well, we’ll see. Our house, while in a subdivision, is right next to a park. It’s an odd park - the parky parts are at the other end from us, but we have a nice paved trail to walk on … right behind our house. The thing is that the part of the park where we are - which is a part of the “wild” section that makes up 75% of the whole park - has lots of grass and trees. We’re talking plains grass, and they don’t water it. This is the kind of grass that gets very, very dry when it isn’t watered and starts brush fires. Fire near house = bad.

So, there’s a guy on a tractor out tilling over the grasses in the park. It makes it kind of ugly, to be honest, but I know it’s in our best interests that the grass not stay the way it is…for several reasons. (1) Kids set off fireworks in this park sometimes (dry grass + fireworks = bad situation) and (2) brush fires can start just because the sun makes the grass too warm (eep! And who do you charge with arson in that case, the sun?).

I imagine he’ll be finished soon - this is a big tractor! And then I’ll be able to hear other noises - like my neighbor’s nephew cranking up bad rap music on his stereo. Because after all … tractors and urban rap aside … this is still the suburbs.

sparta at 1:39 pm

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5/21/2006

Movie: Over The Hedge


So, this evening, the boys, AJ, and I went to see Over The Hedge. Regardless of the sourpuss reviews you might read, we thought this movie was great. And everyone in the theatre with us thought so, too. We were all laughing, and at the end, we all clapped. When you have an audience clapping, spontaneously, all together - you have a pretty good movie. WARNING: If you are purposely avoiding ANY information about this movie, please don’t read the rest. I am not going to give away any plot points, but if you want to avoid ANY information - like what actors play what, for example, don’t read. I remember Ripley! ;-)
more ยป

sparta at 7:48 pm

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5/19/2006

NSFW: Joke from an ENT

Doug Hoffman has posted an ENT joke. Just click where it says “Play this audio post”. Mentions male genitalia - so might not be safe for work (or around kids for that matter).

sparta at 5:45 pm

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Why I love my hubby: Reason #3a

They may have found Jimmy Hoffa. When I mentioned this to my husband, his eyes widened with mild (and I think) feigned panic.

“What about all the jokes?” he asked. “If they actually find him, it’ll ruin everything.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“I guess they’ll come up with new ones.”

He protested. “We need to dig up a bunch of bones and air drop them on the dig site. Then they’ll give up.” I saw several flaws in this plan.

“Um. It’s the FBI. Don’t you think their forensics people will be able to tell “fresh” bones from ones that have been down in…?” He waved his hand to stop me.

“Okay, Plan B. We put them all in a rocket and ballistically pound them into the ground.” Again, I could see a problem.

“Again…FBI. Wouldn’t the bones from the rocket have some kind of shrapnel or residue…? Again, he stopped me.

“Fine. Plan C. We nuke the area with, say, a 100 megaton warhead. End of problem.” He seemed confident in this plan.

“Yep. That would pretty much do it. No more bones.” A grin spread on his face.

“Yeah, and no more horses [author’s note: the search is taking place on a horse farm]. And those FBI guys would be dead.” He tilted his head. “A bit excessive just to save a joke, huh?” I nodded.

“Just a bit.” We were both quiet for a moment. Then something occurred to him.

“You know,” he said, “in fifty years no one will care. They won’t probably remember who Hoffa was. Why can’t they just wait and dig his ass up then. Well, after twenty years it would just be bones, so….”

“His ass bones,” I volunteered. We cracked up. ^_^

This is one of the reasons why I love my husband. We never know where a conversation will lead us. Somone once accused us of living in a sitcom. I think we’re better than that (although, Seinfeld comes close), but I can see what they mean.

Thank goodness we don’t have a laugh track to contend with. Those things never work right.

sparta at 11:31 am

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5/18/2006

I’m a Guest Blogger

Demented Michelle is away in Europe for a while - and she asked little ol’ me to help keep her spot on the Internet warm for her! I share this honor with several others, so come on over and join us!

While Michelle’s away, the Guests will play!

sparta at 5:37 pm

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5/15/2006

Every little bit helps

I don’t know if any/many of you have seen these sites, but I thought that considering summer travel season is coming up - this information might help. These sites are supposed to list both the lowest and highest gas prices in an area. (And check this out!)

For my friends in Indiana.

For my friends in California.

For everyone else, you can pretty much substitute your state for the ones listed and it will bring up the appropriate page.

:-) Happy hunting!

sparta at 1:49 pm

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5/10/2006

Have you read this?

Check out this letter to Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA).

sparta at 5:30 pm

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Interesting link: Cornered Cat

Through various clicks, I came across The Cornered Cat. This site’s focus is Women and Guns. And their kids and guns. And so on. She has many articles left to fill in, but the ones she’s completed are straight-forward, honest, and well-written.

So go check it out.

~PJ~

sparta at 5:08 pm

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5/8/2006

Filler post

This post is a filler post. I had another post I was going to put here, but decided against it for several reasons.

Let me just say, I’m sort of amazed at how quiet everyone is lately. I guess winter is finally over just about everywhere. And if you think people are blogging less now, just wait until summer really hits.

Ah, well, everything seems to have a season - even blogging.

~PJ~

sparta at 6:03 pm

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BSG meets the Simpsons

Artwork created by a fan (?).

WARNING: Viewing these pics could reveal things. In other words: SPOILERS. If you haven’t seen the whole series - or want to watch it with no hints - beware….

—>LINK< ---

sparta at 11:10 am

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Something else to waste time on

Try your skills at Etymologic.

Lifted from PBW….

~PJ~

sparta at 11:00 am

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5/6/2006

Having trouble making a decision?

Let the Universal Decision Maker do it for you.

sparta at 1:12 pm

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Ninjas Gone Wild

1. Ask A Ninja | You Got Questions, Ninja Got Answers. I can’t explain it. I find these hilarious! I hope you find them funny, too. Oh, and see this cartoon from Doogtoons.

2. Voted for the “Worst Cartoon Short Soundtrack Ever”: Ninja Squirrels 2

3. In the “WTF Files” we have this - Ninja Wars: Episode II (Warning: It’s long - and um - I didn’t even have to get past the first 5 minutes to know I wanted that 5 minutes of my life back. If anyone watches this all the way through, please -um- keep that to yourself.)

4. Ninja / Rocky crossover!

5. Ninja Training is hard!

6. Look out! It’s Star Wars Ninja Kid!

7. Hey, kids, it’s the Olde Timey Ninja Funnies 1, Olde Timey Ninja Funnies 2, and Olde Timey Ninja Funnies 3.

8. No list would be complete without Ninja Bloopers.

9. Even ninjas have bad days. See this guy.

10. Who says ninjas aren’t musical? Ninja Rap!

Have any you’d like to add? Post the links below!

sparta at 12:36 am

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5/5/2006

Yay! It’s Friday!

That’s really all that I had to say. Things here are just moving along with the daily routine. AJ goes to work; we stay home and do schoolwork, run errands, and play.

Any big plans for your weekend?

We’re sleepin’ in and hitting Free Comic Book Day. But that’s about all.

sparta at 8:44 am

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5/2/2006

Well said

From the blogSmoke on the Water.

sparta at 3:50 pm

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Hmmm - almost right

Michale Trei almost has it right.

In this article, he gives the following 5 things you should never buy:

    1. Refurbished computers
    2. Extended warranties
    3. Dubious cell phone accessories
    4. Overpriced cables
    5. Floor models

Well, #3 and #4 I can’t really argue with, but as for #1, #2, and #5, I don’t think that never applies. There are times when it’s okay.

1. Refurbished anything: If you know that you’re buying a re-furb, your livelihood doesn’t depend on whatever piece of equipment this is, and the cost is right, I say - go for it! Some companies will even honor a limited warranty. It’s the price and dependability factors that have to come into play here.

I’ve seen DVD players for as low as $23.99. Buying a re-furb’d DVD player just seems silly when you go out and buy a new one for as little as that to as much as you’re willing to spend. Buying a re-furb’d camcorder, however, can make sense IF the model you’re getting is normally very expensive (read out-of-your-range), it fits your needs better than a cheaper one, and the company is pretty reputable.

2. Extended warranties: AH! These used to be considered scams by companies just to get free money on every sale. Some, I will admit, are so NOT worth it. (Warranties on DVDs? Come on! They’re only $20!) However, before saying “No” out of hand (or habit), ask what the warranty entails, how long it lasts, and if it runs concurrently or consecutively with the manufacturer’s limited warranty.

For example, Apple’s AppleCare is an extended warranty, and it’s definitely worth it. It covers so many things - and kicks in after Apple’s 1 year warranty. So, you get 3 years coverage - not 1, and for things as expensive as $2-3,000 laptops, the $349 price tag is a fantastic deal. They cover everything from the laptops down to the iPod shuffles (the costs are scaled accordingly). The keyboard on my iBook became stinky, so I called up Apple; they said to send it in; and viola! No more stinky keyboard! When you consider the costs of shipping, parts, and labor OR the cost of total replacement … and the multitude of things that can go wrong with any computer … whether or not to get that extended warranty becomes an easy question to answer.

Again, it stems from being informed. If the warranty is in addition to the 3-, 6-, 9-, or 12-month warranty already provided, and/or it covers a variety of repairs and problems, you’re probably safe moving on to the next level. Weigh the cost of the warranty vs. the cost of the item; the cost of a repair or replacement vs. the cost of the warranty, and the likelihood of such an event; and last but not least, your dependancy on the item. If it breaks down, how long can you wait to buy a new one or find someone to fix it.

5. Floor models: Actually, my comment on this is pretty similar to the previous two. I wouldn’t say “never”; I would say, “What do you need it for?” I would shy away from dinged, dented, or scratched items - unless it’s for a college student who really doesn’t care. Obviously, broken merchandise should be passed on - UNLESS: you have the time, materials, resources, etc. to fix it yourself. I bought a skirt with a broken zipper; with a little time, patience, and advice from a seamstress I know (uhem), I fixed it myself. Value of skirt: $60; cost of skirt: $5. It was the right color, size, and style…so it was worth the effort. However, just because a model is about to be updated, doesn’t mean that the model on the floor right now won’t suit your needs.

Again, do your homework. If you’ve researched a particular model, and you know it does what you need it to do, and you know that support will be limited because the new model is already out (or out soon), but darn it, the new one doesn’t fit some requirement, and the price is outstanding - I say: take advantage of the bargain!

Everyone wants to push the latest, newest, bleeding-edge whats-it on the consumer, but sometimes that’s not what the consumer needs. I have a Treo 650. Yes, the Treo 700P is coming. But you know what? The 650 does what I need it to do. And if they were side-by-side on the display when I was shopping, the chances are high that I still would have chosen it over the 700.

I figure what’s really missing today is good ol’ fashioned Consumer Education. When I was in high school, all freshman took a business class called Consumer Education. A lot of people (myself included at times) laughed at this class because it all seemed so simple and obvious, but I think that it also taught a lot of people new ways to look at shopping and spending money. They would never admit it then, of course, but I would bet it did. I was lucky enough to have a mother who really taught me those things at home - before freshman year - but the lessons there certainly confirmed my mom knew her stuff!

It all comes down to doing your homework, a little research, a cost-benefit analysis…. Sometimes a $23.99 DVD player is the best fit, and sometimes it just goes to keep the trash guys in business.

Shop wisely,

~PJ~

sparta at 1:38 pm

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Free Comic Book Day!

Need any more be said?

:-)

sparta at 12:17 pm

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