Fate

"Now I believe there comes a time when everyrhing just falls in line. We live and learn from our mistakes. The deepest cuts are healed by fate."
— Pat Benatar, All Fired Up

Evil rental car company

I got up at 4:30am this morning in KC so I could return my rental car and make my 6:45 flight home. Who had I rented from? Dollar Rent-a-car. I was already unhappy with them for their business practices when I picked up the car (they make it dificult to decline insurance if you weren't paying attention and no one's cars were ready so everying was offered to upgrade for a 'lower than normal' everyone,) so why should I have been surprised when I tried to return my car? I got to the building at 4:50 only to find the gates locked. Every other company was open but Dollar was not. So, I called the 800 number for some help. I'm told that they open at six, that there is no after hours drop off and that I'm responsible for the car until it is returned. As for making my flight: "We're sorry." Next call, Frontier to find out what I can do since I'm going to miss my flight. I'm told I can get on standby for the next flight, at 1:55pm! I'm now livid and stomp around the car for a half hour. At 5:30 a pickup pulls up. It's a Dollar employee getting into work early. He has me drive him, in the rental, to the terminal and he then takes the car away. Supposedly they'll be faxing me my receipt. I made my flight but I'll never be renting from Dollar ever again.

Quote for someone who'll understand

"The future has not been written. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."
— Kyle Reese to Sarah Connor in The Terminator

What Matters

Did you forget about the passion living day to day
You keep our dreams locked down inside
Choking on a lifetime of never take a chance
Wake up one day wishin you tried

It ain't about the money, it ain't about the time
It ain't about the love you lost or the things you think you left behind
It ain't about your losing streak, makes you feel like you're falling apart
What matters is the heart

Let's forget about the notion that we're not the same
My blood runs as red as yours
We all get angry, we've all been scared
We've all made big mistakes that can never be repaired

It ain't about the money, it ain't about the time
It ain't about the love you lost or the things you think you left behind
It ain't about your losing streak, makes you feel like you're falling apart
What matters is the heart

Look me in the eye and take my hand
We can make a difference
We can make a difference I know we can

You forgot about the passion living day to day
You keep our dreams locked down inside
Choking on a lifetime of never take a chance
Wake up one day wishin you tried

It ain't about the money, it ain't about the time
It ain't about the love you lost or the things you think you left behind
It ain't about your losing streak, makes you feel like you're falling apart
What matters is the heart

It ain't about the money, it ain't about the time
It ain't about the love you lost or the things you think you left behind
It ain't about your losing streak, makes you feel like you're falling apart
What matters, what really matters
is the heart

— Edwin McCain

When is optional not?

Obviously when you're in an airport. My last three time through airport security I've noticed a new sign regarding whether or not you need to remove your shoes. The sign clearly states that shoe removal is "optional". This means to me that it's my choice. It also warns that if you don't and the alarm is not trigg

One for laura: math and oragami

I still believe that paper doesn't fold "that way" but I guess this robot doesn't agree with me.

The airlines are on crack!

O.k. get this:

DEN-DSM-DEN $488.20
DEN-DSM-PHX-DEN $364.00

What's up with that?

When asked, Louise (my friend in Iowa) replied "I live in a black hole. Light does not escape..."

Cannonball

Still a little bit of your taste in my mouth
Still a little bit of you laced with my doubt
Still a little hard to say what's going on

Still a little bit of your ghost your witness
Still a little bit of your face I haven't kissed
You step a little closer each day
Still I can't say what's going on

Stones taught me to fly
Love taught me to lie
Life taught me to die
So it's not hard to fall
When you float like a cannonball

Still a little bit of your song in my ear
Still a little bit of your words I long to hear
You step a little closer to me
So close that I can't see what's going on

Stones taught me to fly
Love taught me to lie
Life taught me to die
So it's not hard to fall
When you float like a cannonball

Stones taught me to fly
Love taught me to cry
So come on courage!
Teach me to be shy
'Cause it's not hard to fall
And I don't wanna scare her
It's not hard to fall
And I don't wanna lose
It's not hard to grow
When you know that you just don't know

— Damien Rice

Dean koontz book update

It seems that Midnight has been released unabridged on CD this past February. I just discovered it while in Phoenix this past weekend. When I got home the Spring 2004 issue of Useless News was in my mailbox. The newsletter mentions Robot Santa, the sequel to Santa's Twin, which will be released on October 1st. Lastly, The Taking comes out tomorrow. This is an exciting Koontz week. (All of this of course will be promptly added to the book.)

From first poems

Understand, I'll slip quietly
away from the noisy crowd
when I see the pale
star rising, blooming, over the oaks
I'll pursue solitary pathways
through the pale twilit meadows,
with only this one dream:
You come too

— Rainer Maria Rilke

Borders discount

Are you an ALA member, librarian, library staff member, or library user? If you answered yes to part of thet question you can print out this coupon to get 10% off your borders purchase between June 4th and 6th.

The new alphabet

"The Board of Education has now determined that the alphabet previously used in western English is no longer culturally appropriate to contemporary society. Some schools may find that this will effect their teaching and learning to a small extent.
"The following summary of the New Alphabet is pre-released for your information."
from Warrior Librarian Weekly

Laura in love

This is the second photo of mine that's been featured as an Editor's Pick on the Textamerica site. It was taken this past Saturday afternoon in Scottsdale, AZ.

Days

Hold me tight
Keep me cool
Going mad
Don't know what to do
Do I need a friend?
Well, I need one now

All the days of my life
All the days of my life
All the days I owe you

All I've done
I've done for me
All you gave
You gave for free
I gave nothing in return
And there's little left of me

All the days of my life
All the days of my life
All the days I owe you

In red-eyed pain I'm knocking on your door again
My crazy brain in tangles
Pleading for your gentle voice
Those storms keep pounding through my head and heart
I pray you'll soothe my sorry soul

All the days of my life
All the days of my life
All the days I owe you
All the days of my life
All the days of my life
All the days I owe you

All the days of my life
All the days of my life
All the days I owe you

— David Bowie

"Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords."

Cameroon has arrested a Nigerian woman who was found carrying more than 200 dead parrots and rare Bannerman Turaco feathers, a customs official said on Tuesday.

And you thing you feel old.

The Universe could be a billion years older than was thought, according to Italian and German scientists.

Return to the land

It seems that Stephen R. Donaldson is going to publish four new books as "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Convenant". I'm not sure I can handle this concept.

Gadget

As someone who now uses a laptop for presenting I want one of these guys.

Spam labels

As part of the CANSPAM law, starting today the FTC rules that requires spam containing secually explicit images to include "SEXUALLY EXPLICIT" in the subject line goes into effect. Am I the only one who doesn't believe for one minute that this will actually work?

When Tomorrow Comes

Underneath your dreamlit eyes
Shades of sleep have driven you away.
The moon is pale outside
And you are far from here.
Breathing shifts your careless head
Untroubled by the chaos of our lives.
Another day - another night
Has taken you again my dear.
And you know that I'm gonna be the one
Who'll be there
When you need someone to depend upon
When tomorrow comes...
When tomorrow comes…

Wait till tomorrow comes - yea yea...
Wait till tomorrow comes - yea yea...

Last night while you were
Lying in my arms
And I was wondering where you were
You know you looked just like a baby
Fast asleep in this dangerous world.
Every star was shining brightly
Just like a million years before.
And we were feeling very small
Underneath the universe.
And you know that I'm gonna be the one
Who'll be there when you need
Someone to depend upon
When tomorrow comes...
When tomorrow comes…

— Eurythmics

More on the new seattle public library

It seems that this library was actually designed with the homeless in mind. Now there's progressive thinking.

This is not what i want to hear right now...

Departing flights were grounded at Denver International Airport for about an hour Wednesday evening when the airport's main radar failed.

Koontz book update

I've added a new review of Odd Thomas from the Williston Pioneer Sun News. (I know I keep mentioning piddley little things but until Dean get's back to me I can't do any major work.)

Virtual tour

The Seattle Times has posted three 360° tours of the new Seattle Public Library. O.k. there is a reason I'm looking forward to going out that way this summer.
QuickTime required

Take me seriously, please…

With a name like "Church of Fools" how could then not exepect to have problems? (Though the virtual smiting seems like a cool power to have.)

Amazon reviews

How exactly does one find the time to post more than 6900 reviews on Amazon.com?

I'll Be There for You

So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA
It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,
or even your year, but…

I'll be there with you...
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there with you...
Like I've been there before
I'll be there with you...
'Cause you're there with me too.

You're still in bed at ten, though work begins at eight,
You burned your breakfast, so far things are going great,
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these,
But she didn't tell you
when the world was brought down to your knees
that...

I'll be there with you...
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there with you...
Like I've been there before
I'll be there with you...
'Cause you're there with me too.

No one could ever know me. No one could ever see me.
Seems your the only one who knows what it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with.
Make it through all the mess with.
Someone I'll always laugh with.
Even at my worst, I'm best with....
you - yeah

It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,
or even your year, but...

I'll be there with you...
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there with you...
Like I've been there before
I'll be there with you...
'Cause you're there with me too...

— With apologies to The Rembrandts

Web design book update

The first draft was just sent off to my editor.

How grammactically sound are you?

I am a MASTER of the English language!

While my English is not exactly perfect,
I am still more grammatically correct than
just about every American. Still, there is
always room for improvement...

How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Major web design book update

The first full draft is done and will be turned in first thing tomorrow mornign to be sent off the to the tech editor. I think I need a vacation!

Star wars: episode iii

Here's one opinion on how to keep the next film from sucking too much.

Here's one to upset the anti-harry potter folks

It turns out that the Harry Potter books and the Left Behind books are more alike than anyone thought. Maybe if they had actually read both series they would have noticed.

Maybe i'm not willing to go to new mexico for a vacation after all

Here's a scary report of the principal of the largest public school in NM firing teachers and wanting certain posters and powety destroyed because they're critical of US policies regarding Iraq. What scares me the most is that the school has a "military liaison".

On big authors and signing events

Most authors are happy to sign and inscribe whatever you bring. John Sandford once signed 24 books for me. But what about when you're so huge that 700+ people show up? Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal about the issue.

Librarian role models

This morning Rosario, my boss, a woman, loaned me her copy of the latest Library Journal, on the cover is "Super Librarian". Here's the conversation that followed:

M: "Of course, Super Librarian had to be a woman."

R: "Well, duh. Why wouldn't she be?"

M: "Hey, we need more role models for us men in the library world."

R: "Why do you think she's a woman?"

Score, 15-Love, Rosario.

The Miracle Of Love

How many sorrows
Do you try to hide
In a world of illusion
That's covering your mind?
I'll show you something good
Oh I'll show you something good.
When you open your mind
You'll discover the sign
That there's something
You're longing to find…

The miracle of love
Will take away your pain
When the miracle of love
Comes your way again.

Cruel is the night
That covers up your fears.
Tender is the one
That wipes away your tears.
There must be a bitter breeze
To make you sting so viciously -
They say the greatest coward
Can hurt the most ferociously.
But I'll show you something good.
Oh I'll show you something good.
If you open your heart
You can make a new start
When your crumbling world falls apart.

The miracle of love
Will take away your pain
When the miracle of love
Comes your way again.

— Eurythmics

More from eats, shoots & leaves

"Yet there will always be a problem wiht getting rid of the hyphen: if it's not extra-marital sex (with a hyphen), it is perhaps extra marital sex, which is quite a different bunch of coconuts."

Dean koontz book update

I've added today's Q&A as posted on ABCNews.com.

But at least it's funny.

A spam I got today for male enlargement announced "Don't leave her hanging tonight."

From eats, shoots & leaves

"There are two dangers, however, associated with this quell-the-rampant-comma use. One is that, having embarked on a series of clarifying semicolons, the writer loses interest, or forgets, and lapses into a comma."

Web design book update

The introduction has been finished. All that's left is chapter 20: CSS Positioning. (Does anyone get the impression I've been avoiding writing this chapter?) As soon as that's done (God help me, tomorrow) I'll turn this darn first draft in and can forget about it for a few weeks.

Us Two

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.

— A.A. Milne

Web design book update

The chapter on the W3C validator and the appendix on converting from HTML to XHTML have been completed. Only the introduction and the chapter on CSS positioning are left to be completed. (I'm going to go watch an episode or two of The West Wing now.)

It's not a bug, it's a feature

In setting up for my presentation yesterday my 2 month old laptop decided that it no longer wanted to support any display other than 800x600 and as a result the on-screen display would no longer change orientation to match the swivel of the LCD screen. Turns out that my laptop is smart enough to notice that when it's hooked up to a projector that will only support 800x600 it will adjust itself to match. The moment I disconnected the projector everything went back to normal. Of course, this is after I did a system restore to undo some recent installs that I though might be causing the problem. Nice of the system to tell me what it's doing.

Hello

I'd like to send out a hello to the new reader that belives I'm devious.

Well, those who showed enjoyed it

My book collecting presentation yesterday and up being given to a total of two attendees. Like the title of this entry says, at least they enjoyed it. The funny thing is that the library has several phone calls that morning to confirm that the event was happening. What, "Oh good, it's on. Guess I won't go then"?

The art of book collecting for beginners

I'm off to give the fourth edition of this talk this afternoon at the new Talyn's Reach branch of the Aurora Public Library. I'm beginning to enjoy giving this talk despite not being paid for it ;-)

Photo

I was recently asked for an updated picture of myself. Will this do?

Web design book update

Appendix G: XHTML Element Reference has been finished. I've also found out that the book will be priced at $75.00.

One for laura

The Wardrobe Week game

Flow Gently Sweet Afton

Flow gently, sweet Afton,
amang thy green braes,
Flow gently, I'll sing thee
a song in thy praise;
My Mary's asleep
by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton,
disturb not her dream.

Thou stock dove whose echo
resounds thro' the glen,
Ye wild whistly blackbirds
in yon thorny den,
Thou green crested lapwing
thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not
my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton,
thy neighboring hills,
Far mark'd with the courses
of clear winding rills;
There daily I wander
as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary's
sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks
and green valleys below,
Where, wild in the woodlands,
the primroses blow;
There oft, as mild evening
weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades
my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton,
how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where
my Mary resides;
How wanton thy waters
her snowy feet lave,
As, gathering sweet flowerets,
she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton,
amang thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river,
the theme of my lays;
My Mary's asleep
by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton,
disturb not her dreams.

— Robert Burns

A most amazing find!

"Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the site of the Library of Alexandria, often described as the world's first major seat of learning."

AVP update

For those of you as excited as I am, there are two featurettes now online on the making of Alien vs. Predator. The first is on the making of the creatures (don't pick the large version, there's an error in the sound track) and the other is on the cast & characters. Enjoy!
(QuickTime required)

A quick followup:
In the cast & characters featurette you find out a little bit on how they're connecting this film to the continuity of the Alien franchise. Here's a teaser: you get to find out the orgins of Bishop and of the Wayland-Yutani corporation.

Iraq report

For those interested here's The "Taguba Report" On Treatment Of Abu Ghraib Prisoners In Iraq.

Dean koontz book update

The latest mailing from The Literary Guild contained a special flyer for The Taking and mentioned Dean on the envelope. This information has been added.

For those of you wondering, I'm still waiting for Dean's response to the last batch of questions I sent to him back in January. As soon as I receive his responses I should be able to finish the book and send it off to Cemetery Dance. Your patience during this time is appreciated.

I'm not sure how to react to this

It seems that Lu Yan of the Åbo Akademi University in Finland teaches a Web design class and uses XHTML Essentials as a text. Trouble is, at least three of the PPT files he uses in his lectures (one, three, and four) use text from my book word for word, without credit. On the one hand I'm flattered, on the other hand I'm somewhat upset. Should I mention this to him? What do you think?

Playtime with the plague

If these plush toys came from anywhere but judaism.com I'd think it was a joke.
Thanks L

Bitch, bitch, bitch

If you're not going to do something about it, you have not right to complain…
"With gasoline prices at record levels, everyone loves to complain about them. But at what point will American drivers do something – like trade in their SUV for a more fuel efficient car? Or carpool to work? Or move closer to their job?
But even after the recent run-up in pump prices, none of the motorists surveyed in March said they would consider trading in their cars for a higher-mileage model, and less than 5 percent said they would change their driving habits, according to CNW Marketing Research, which conducted the study."

We are each other

There's no more little secrets we haven't yet disclosed
We bore the living daylights of anyone too close
And all our cards at Christmas are written to us both
Count them up who's got the most?

Said we'd be close
Said we'd work perfectly
Said that we'd toast
Beautiful company

Closer than a sister to her baby brother
Closer than a cat to the child that she'll smother
It's too close for a lover
It's too close for a lover
We are each other
We are each other

We've been through all positions and this one's definitely best
You move Middle East and I'll move Wild West
What happened to our friendship we could easily have guessed
Add it up we're self-possessed

Said we'd be true
Said we'd be so so proud
Just me an you
We'd shout it out aloud

Closer than a sister to her baby brother
Closer than a cat to the child that she'll smother
It's too close for a lover
It's too close for a lover
We are each other
We are each other

Remember we went shopping and we went by piggyback
I shaved all my legs and you grew hairs upon your back
Well no-one's ever been since to this lover's shack
It's a cul-de-sac

Said we'd be close
Said we'd work perfectly
Said that we'd toast
Beautiful company

Said we'd be true
Said we'd be so so proud
Just me an you
We'd shout it out aloud

Closer than a sister to her baby brother
Closer than a secret agent working under cover
It's too close for a lover
It's too close for a lover
We are each other
We are each other

— Beautiful South

A fine spring morning

Yes folks, it's mid-May in Denver and the rain we has yesterday turned into snow last night. Check out the photoblog for proof.

Koontz book update

Today I added information on F. Paul Wilson's Midnight Mass (Dean is mentioned on the front cover), Christopher Moore's Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove (Dean's mentioned on the back of the trade paperback edition), and the re-release of the cassette version of The Paper Doorway at a cheaper price.

I've got to get me some of these!

These urban asshole notification cards allow you to leave a note to your neighborhood annoyance and tell them why you think what you think of them.

Web design book update

Chapter 13: Color, Units of Measurement, and URLs in CSS has been completed. Just two chapters (CSS & Lists and CSS Positioning) and the appendix on moving from HTML to XHTML are left to go. (The lists chapter is mostly written already but as articles I've written for BCR's newsletter. I just need to combine them and flesh them out.)

Web design book update

Chapter 2: Introduction to XHTML is done. Three to go...

More bunnies

From the folks that brought you "The Exorcist in 30 seconds with bunnies": The Shining in 30 seconds, re-enacted by bunnies.

Web design book update

I'm off today and tomorrow to try and get this darn book finished. I've just completed the Box Model chapter. Four chapters, the introduction, and an appendix to go. (I've promised my editor I'll send him a full draft one week from today but I'd like to get this done tomorrow.)

Worst romance covers, 2003

Those of you who know me will know why I find this page just hillarious.

Quote

"Working with a baby had its problems, but then I tried directing chickens."
— Jim Henson on the making of the film Labyrinth.

Have a little faith in me

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me
And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try
And have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

And when your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darling, from a whisper start
And have a little faith in me
And when your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you, you will see
I will catch you, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

'Cause I've been loving you, for such a long, long time
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
'Cause for us, there is no end
And all you gotta do, is have a little faith in me
I will hold you up, I will hold you up
And your love, gives me strength enough to
Have a little faith in me
Hey hey
All you gotta do for me girl
Is have a little faith in me

— John Hiatt

Banking from anywhere

This Treo thing is quite handy. I'm sitting outside my Starbucks before I go grocery shopping and realized that I'd not transferred the funds to pay for my groceries. Well, I just launched the Web browser, logged into my bank, and moved the money. How convienent is that?

Odometer

Well, went on a 24 mile bike ride this morning down to the Cherry Creek Res and back. That put the total mile on my bike this week at 102. Funny part is that in the same time I put only 47 miles on my car.

Dean koontz's odd thomas

I've taken a few pictures of the Charnel House lettered edition of Odd Thomas. The frist is of the book on its side showing the white gloves that came with the book. The second is of the book itself. The cover is quilted polished steel so it's reflecting my laptop which is outside of the picture.

Of blondes

"It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window."
— Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely

Of change and death

"All major changes are like death, you can not see to the other side until you are there."
— Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park

Of broken connections

"He missed her so profoundly that breaking the connection was a little bit like drawing a sharp knife across his own flesh."
— Dean Koontz, Shattered

Of knights and madmen

"Don Quixote was the last true knight. I'm just an ordinary madman."
— Brent Monahan, The Book of Common Dread

Lyrics excerpt

I tell myself too many times
Why don't you ever learn to keep your big mouth shut

— Annie Lennox, Why

Web design book update

Much to the excitement of my editor at Neal-Schuman, I've taken off today, tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday to finish the first full draft of my Web design book. I'll be then giving myself the next weekend to clean it up a bit and then turning it in on the 17th. (I was going to just take off next week to do all this but I'm teaching @ BCR on Wednesday and have a meeting I couln't reschedule on Thursday.)

Don't leave home

Like a ghost I'll need a key
I've come to thee
And please don't think of getting up for me
You don't even need to speak

When I've been here for just one day
you'll already miss me when I go away
So close the blinds and shut the door
You won't need other friends anymore

Oh, don't leave home
Oh, don't leave home

And if you're cold, I'll keep you warm
And if you're alone just hold on
cause I will be your safety

Oh, don't leave home

And I arrived when you were weak
I'll make you weaker, weaker still
Now all your love you give to me
when your heart is all I'll need

Oh, don't leave home
Oh, don't leave home

And if you're cold, I'll keep you warm
And if you're alone just hold on
cause I will be your safety

Oh, don't leave home

Oh how quiet, quiet the world can be
when it's just you and little me
Everything is clear; everything is new
So you won't be leaving

And if you're cold, I'll keep you warm
And if you're alone just hold on
cause I will be your safety

Oh, don't leave home
because I will be your safety
I will be your safety
I will be your safety
Oh, don't leave home

— Dido

Pro-filtering opinion

The problem with this article appears at the end of the second paragraph: "They should find the fact that federal funding will be jeopardized by their libraries unwillingness to cooperate with federal guidelines for the Children's Internet Protection Act [2000] in filtering obscenity out of both adult and children's terminals."

The assumption that CIPA specifies that only obscenity (which is clearly defined by law and illegal to begin with) be filtered and that filters only remove obscenity is patently wrong. Both CIPA and filters remove material that is "harmful to minors" which has no definition within the law.

Zen again, maybe not.

I'm not sure how or why I stumbled over this but I just found it so Zen since I doubt it was intentional.

Disney pulls michael moore's plug, but when

Yesterday Disney announced that it will not allow Mirimax to distribute Michael Moore's next film. Disney has responded that they told Moore of this decision more than a year ago and his bringing it up now is just a publicity stunt.

What Am I to You?

What am I to you
Tell me darling true
To me you are the sea
Vast as you can be
And deep the shade of blue

When your feeling low
Oh to whom else do you go
See I'd cry if you hurt
I'd give you my last shirt
because I love you so

Now if my sky should fall
Would you even call
I've opened up my heart
I never want to part
I'm giving you the ball

When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
I'll love you when your blue
But tell me darling true
What am I to you

Now if my sky should fall
Would you even call
I've opened up my heart
I never want to part
I'm giving you the ball

When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
But could you find the love in me
Would you carve me in a tree
Don't fill my heart with lies

I will love you when your blue
But tell me darling true
What am I to you

— Norah Jones

Concert in a jump

I love my 128MB jump drive. Plug it into a USB port, instant storage. Now there's a company offering to give you the concert you just heard in MP3 format on your jump drive immediately after the show, bypassing the whole CD burning bprocess.

But is it comfortable?

I saw a link to this on Jenny's site and I'm still not sure I can believe it. This "virtual keyboard" projects onto your desk and is able to tell what you're typing by the location of your fingers. They say it's compatible with the Treo600 but at $99.99 I need someone else to prove to me it works and your fingers won't get sore tapping on your desk before I shell out the bucks.

You see, there's this girl...

Yesterday I got home and opened my mailbox to see, on the top of the pile of mail, a envelope with some immediately recognizable handwriting on it. Laura, my best friend of 17 years, had sent me a card. For those of you that don't know, I love getting things in the mail. Call me a traditionalist but taking the time to write something and mail it just shows you care, especially these days. So anyway, I open it up and read the most perfect card:

Front:
"Every day seems like Wednesday when we're apart."
(with drawing of a depressed cat.)

Inside:
"Wednesday was broccoli night when I was a kid.
Miss you!"

In case you don't know I despise broccoli.

As perfect as this card was, the story gets better...

I spoke with Laura on the phone last night and thanked her for the card. She asked me if I knew how long ago she'd bought the card. I started off guessing weeks, then months, and gave up after thinking about a year-and-a-half ago. No, not Laura. Turns out that she bought this card in 1994! Now, most people would assume that she'd forgotten about the card in the meantime or lost it in a desk drawer somewhere. No, not Laura. Seems that she bought the card and had no intention of giving it to me until she'd head me mention broccoli on a Wednesday which, according to her, I did about two weeks ago. (As if I remember the actual conversation in which this occurred...)

How can anything be wrong in my world with a friend like this?

Words to live by...

"Saying something 'didn't work out' or was 'a bad match' is an excuse for saying you gave up. As long as someone is willing to spend the rest of his or her life working it out with you, what better match could there be?"

ALA poster

I've never been one to go for those ALA "Read" posters but they've just released a poster of Neil Gaiman and his recommended books. I want one!

The wisdom that is bowie

"If I'm going to do something that could be provocative or atristically relevant, I have to be prepared to put myself in a place where I feel unsafe, not completely in control. I have no fear of failure whatsoever, because often out of that uncertainty something is salvaged, something that is worthwhile comes about. There is no progress without failure. And each failure is a lesson learned. Unnecessary failures are the ones where an artist tries to second guess an audience's taste, and little comes out of that situation except a kind of inward humiliation."
— David Bowie, http://neverfollow.com/

Goodbye

As the sun hides its head
Another nights rest
And the wind sings
Its same old song

And you on the edge
Never close, never far
Always there when I needed a friend

But it’s hard living life
On this memory-go-round
Always up, always down
Spinning 'round and 'round and 'round

And all this could be
Such a dream, so it seems
I was never much good at goodbye

There once was a time
Never far from my mind
On the beach, on the 4th of July

I remember the sand
How you held out your hand
And we touched for what seemed a lifetime

But it's hard
Leaving all this behind me now
Like a schoolboy so lost
Never found until now

And all this could be
Such a dream, so it seems
I was never much good at goodbye

And it's hard
Living life on this memory-go round
Always up, always down
Spinning 'round and 'round and 'round

And all this could be
Such a dream' so it seems
I was never much good at goodbye

— Night Ranger

No more slug

My bike is out and on the road again. Fifteen miles today and one busted seat post. A replacement was promptly procured and I plan on biking to work tomorrow.

Two lip

I have a purple tulip in my back yard. Trouble is, I didn't plant any in my back yard...

Pull

Sometimes I look into your eyes
I’m trying to see the light that shines back at me
Sometimes there’s nothing there
Sometimes it’s hard to care
Sometimes I’m scared that I don’t know

What pulls you up
What pulls you down
What pulls you back to me my love
What makes you sing
What pulls your strings
From up above
What pulls you up

I wish it was just you and me
Like in our glory when we needed no one
Maybe another hand
Messed with our master plan
I guess we’ll never understand

What pulls us up
What pulls us down
What pulls us back again my love
What makes us sing
What pulls our strings
From up above
What pulls us up

Are we just happy puppets baby?
Can we make up our own minds?
Are we just happy puppets maybe
Probably

And now we’re just a mystery
And we will never know whodunit will we?
First time it’s just for fun
Next time repeat step
Then you’re done before you know
Before you know

What pulls you up
What pulls you down
What pulls you back again my love
What makes you sing
What pulls your strings
From up above
What pulls us up
What pulls us up
What pulls us up

Are we just happy puppets, maybe

— John Wesley Harding

Where's WiFi

I've started a basic page that keeps track of where I've found WiFi access and whether or not it's free. Contributions graciously accepted.

Microsoft grammar

Here's something I wrote in which Word can't make up its mind as whether or not a hyphen should appear between those two words. I think non-hyphenated is correct but I'm sure one or more of my readers will correct me if I'm wrong.