Two real-world items that I fully expect to show up in the next James Bond movie:
The Skyray and the Aquada Bond.
Blog
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You might be from the Northwest…
I found this document from February 2000 when going through some old files on the computer and thought it was funny; I think it originally came from some email humor.
You might be from the Pacific Northwest if you…
1. Feel guilty about throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash.
2. Use the expression “sun break” and know what it means.
3. Know more than 10 ways to order coffee.
4. Know more people who own boats than air conditioners.
5. Feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.
6. Stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the “WALK” signal.
7. Are amazed by accurate weather forecasts.
8. Consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it’s not a real mountain.
9. Complain about Californians, as you sell your house for twice its value to one.
10. Know the difference between Chinook, Coho and Sockeye salmon.
11. Know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Issaquah and Oregon.
12. Consider swimming an indoor sport.
13. See your golf ball bounce, you know immediately that you’ve hit the cart path and not the fairway.
14. Can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese and Thai food.
15. In winter, go to work in the dark and come home in the dark—while only working 8-hour days.
16. Obey all traffic laws except “Keep right except to pass.”
17. Never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.
18. Are not fazed by “Today’s forecast: showers followed by rain,” or “Tomorrow’s forecast: rain followed by showers.”
19. Can’t wait for a day with “Showers and sun breaks.”
20. Have no concept of humidity without precipitation.
21. Can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Veneto’s.
22. Know that Boring is a town in Oregon and not just a state of mind.
23. Can point to at least two volcanoes, even if you can’t see through the cloud cover.
24. Say “The mountain is out” when it’s a pretty day and you can actually see it.
25. Have more rain gear in your golf bag than golf balls.
26. Put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wear your hiking boots and parka.
27. Switch to your sandals when it gets above 60, but keep the socks on.
28. Have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.
29. Have a heater in your golf cart.
30. Think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.
31. Knew immediately that the view outside of Frasier’s window was fake.AND…..
32. You know you’re from the NW if you buy new sunglasses every year because you can’t find the old ones after not having used them for such a long time….
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So Long Sobig
I checked my email this morning and not a single Sobig-infected message came through.
Not one.
Just as quickly as it started, it’s over. Very odd. The only thing that makes sense is that there was only one computer infected with Sobig that had my email address on it, and when that user finally patched their computer, it stopped sending to me.
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New Ebooks!
On my ebooks page I’ve just linked up two new, modern Palm Reader ebooks by Rob Callahan, who is generously offering these up for free (under the Creative Commons license) on his site, and was nice enough to email me to let me know. Awesome! The more there are current books that can be freely downloaded (like what Cory Doctorow is also doing), the more everybody benefits.
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Worm Food
Well, it took longer than most cases I’ve heard of, but I’m finally getting deluged with the Sobig email worm. Started yesterday.
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MySQL’s SET
I was just thinking today that MySQL’s SET datatype has to be the most underused feature of MySQL, and how I could implement a multiple category system for my ebooks using it, when I got the MySQL AB Newsletter and lo and behold, it has an article on using SET.
I love fun coincidences like that.
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New Urban Legend
We got an email this evening from a friend, one of those types of emails that has been forwarded something like 5 times or more, warning of a serial killer that lures women out of their houses by playing a recording of a crying baby. Something about the way it was written made me think “urban legend,” so I dug around a little bit on the Web.
It is an urban legend; the Snopes page debunking it is here. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen an urban legend so new that it’s practically gestating; interestingly, the text of the email we received has some slight variations on the one posted by Snopes. Urban legend evolution?
Here’s the full text of the one we were emailed, the only thing I edited out was the annoying >’s from all the forwarding:
***VERY IMPORTANT*PLEASE READ***
This is scary!
Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on
her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.The police told her, “Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, “We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and is using it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby.He said they have not verified it, but! t have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home alone at night.
Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying
baby. This email should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America’s Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.PLEASE send this to friends and family.
Note the variations from the Snopes version; the most interesting addition to the one we received was the bit about America’s Most Wanted. Designed to give a bit more authenticity, perhaps?
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Towel Amnesty Day
Am I just cynical? Holiday Inn is declaring today Towel Amnesty Day in which anyone who has ever stolen a towel (or anything else, I imagine) from a hotel can tell their story, and Holiday Inn will donate $1.00 to charity (plus 25 lucky people will “win” a souvenir towel). You know what I see when I look at this? A “Towel Information Awareness” (take that, TIA!) database that Holiday Inn can then use to red-flag future customers. “Even stolen a towel? They did? Charge them an extra $10 for this room.”
Don’t think so? Why else would their entry form ask for your full name, address, phone number and email?
Cynical, indeed.
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Black Butte Porter
I always (usually) (sometimes) take notice when someone mentions some of our fine local beers; so my attention was grabbed when I read that Tim Bray enjoyed a Black Butte Porter while waiting for a flight home today. Good choice, Tim.
Black Butte Porter is not only the flagship beer from Deschutes Brewery, but also I think of Bend. It’s definitely one of the things we’re known for in some circles. In fact, if you ever visit Bend, you must go to the Deschutes Brewery and your first beer must be a Black Butte Porter, it’s that good (especially on tap at the source). Should you do so, let me know and I’ll join you. I might even buy the first round.
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S.W.A.T.
Saw S.W.A.T. on Saturday, and it’s a pretty good movie. Most surprisingly, to me, was that it was directed by Clark Johnson, an old “Homicide” alum (who also has a small part in the movie, along with another ex-Homicider, Reed Diamond).
(“Homicide” was one of those rare gems of a television show that, when I got into it, I would go out of my way to watch. When it was good, it was the best show on TV, period.)
I had already recognized Clark Johnson (he plays LL Cool J’s partner early on), but was totally surprised to find out he had directed the movie; I had no idea he’d jumped to the big leagues. That’s cool.