4/22    What's the stupidest thing you've ever seen?
        \_ G. W. Bush
        \_ /etc/motd
           \_ :O
              \_ Incredibly, I think the motd has become quite a bit more
                 stupid since I joined the csua in '97.  At that time, it
                 was already the most stupid thing ever.  Maybe it will
                 eventually wrap around some kind of singularity and become
                 really witty.
                 \_ ...but this wasn't it.
        \_ The species known as Homo Sapiens
           \_ you said homo.
        \_ For contrast, I'll post some of the best.  During the
           Carter-Reagan Pres. debates:
           Jimmy Carter (after some Reagan comment): "Look, Mr. Reagan
           doesn't even know the difference between a recession
           and a depression."
           Ronald Reagan: "If the president wants a definition of
           these concepts, then I will give him one. A recession is when
           your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when
           you lose your job. And recovery will be when
           Jimmy Carter loses his."
           Coincident with the '68 Democrat Covention (read Chicago riots)
           where attendees were waving VietCong flags and such.
           Gore Vidal: "That statement you made makes you
           sound like a crypto-Nazi."
           William F. Buckley Jr.: "Now you listen to me,
           you goddamn faggot. If you call me a crypto-Nazi one
           more time, I'm gonna punch you in your goddamn face and you'll
           stay plastered!"
           \_ motd censor censor was here

4/22    motd's been pretty tame/boring in the past few years. What are some
        of the most memorable motd controversies in the past 10 years? I
        will start:
        1995    tawei/benco thing
        1994    tom's stupid twink points

4/23    The following dating simulation may be useful to sodans:
        http://philip.greenspun.com/dating
        \_ I feel like I'm reading his tcl tutorial - danh
        \_ Where's your pride, man?  Surely a Sodan can write a better
           (and more witty) dating simulation than those MIT twits!
           \_ ED!
           \_ And to top it off, it's from Greenspun. Somehow that guy
              has an uncanny ability to get under my skin. I just read
              something he wrote on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict
              that had a level of insight, analysis, and self-confidence
              I'd expect from a 15 year old. Everything I encounter from
              that guy manages to annoy the hell out of me.
              \_ This http://philip.greenspun.com/politics/israel you mean?
                 Not only is it well written but it's backed by facts, quotes,
                 links, numbers, and historical context.  Things that would
                 piss off the typical anti-Israeli motd poster.
                 \_ There's plenty of stuff in that article to piss
                    off the typical pro-Israeli motd poster. - danh
        \_ she is ugly
           \_ Why is this such a common theme?  Seems like people set
              expectations very high in this regard.
                \_ because CSUA geeks are the epitome of male beauty.  -tom
                   \_ especially raytrace... --scotsman
           \_ At worst she's simply not your standard over inflated http://pr0n.net
              whore.  She's a reasonably attractive white chick who hasn't had
              artificial 'enhancements'.  She's also at MIT.  She also gets
              laid.  In summary, she's more attractive than you, smarter than
              you and has better sex than you (anything is better than none).
              She's got my vote.

4/23    C++/Oracle programming job located in SF:
        /csua/pub/jobs/wsa

4/23    What's a good program that can split 1 mpg into 2 or concat 2 into 1?
        \_ mplayer has something to do this, I think, but I've never used it.
        \_ head/tail and cat
        \_ QuickTime Pro.
        \_ tail/head and cat  (and free unlike QTpro)
           \_ this is a horrible method.  You'll end up with files that have
              bad headers and that aren't cut on frame boundaries.  It /may/
              work in some players if you're lucky, but you shouldn't rely on
              it.  Use a tool designed for this sort of thing.  If you're
              using Windows, use Tmpgenc http://www.tmpgenc.net.  It's
              the best free (as in beer) MPEG1 encoder around, and it has
              splicing tools. --jameslin
              \_ Nonsense.  I only use GPL OSS or nothing.
              \_ HA, HA!  You got trolled!
                 \_ I guess, but there really are people who try to join
                    MPEG files by directly concatenating the files together.
                    --jameslin
                    \_ He wasn't trolled.  It was a joke.  He was self-trolled.
                       Not my fault.  --tail/head/cat guy
        \_ dd

4/23    I bought a used Bel 855STi radar detector. But didn't get the
        manual. Does someone have it in electronic format? Or can I
        borrow a paper version for a short time? -- sagarwal
        \_ Hope you're not using it in CA.  Not only is it illegal but the
           cops here don't use that much radar anyway.  I got picked up by a
           \_ You're 0 for 2.  It's legal, and while the CHP don't use it
              that much, the local PDs do.
           cop on 580W who spotted me and correctly pegged my speed from more
           than a mile back without any gear.  He was polite about it and let
           me off with a warning, thank god, but the cops here don't need the
           radar to bust you with a pricey ticket.  My new rule of the road is
           simply, "never be the fastest car out there".  Haven't been picked
           up since yet still get where I'm going plenty fast in second place.
              \- hello, what kind of car where you driving, what was your
                 speed and what was the speed limit. i think anytime someone
                 gets a speeding ticket they should post these details in the
                 motd [along with location]. ok tnx --psb
                 \_ Honda civic, 85 in 65, where 580 meets 238 going west.
              \_ If you get picked up without radar, take it to court.
                 You can much easier fight a ticket when there's no
                 radar report. It's probably the reason why you got off
                 with a warning. I've fought off tickets before, so
                 I'm speaking from 1st person experience. Not fun.
                 \_ Since I didn't get the ticket there was nothing to fight.
                    Most of my tickets have been for red light running and
                    illegal turns so radar isn't an issue.
           \_ http://www.ncsl.org/programs/esnr/radar.htm
              They aren't illegal, except for commercial vehicles.
              \_ Maybe so, but still won't save you from tickets.
                 \_ As far as I know, CHP sometimes use radar to detect, but
                    always paces for a mile for confirmation (and to keep the
                    judge happy).

4/23    I'm planning on spending some time travelling up & down the
        west coast. Is there a list of motels that offer Internet
        connectivity (wireless preferred) that I can choose from? -- lawragas
        \_ They all have phone lines.
                \_ Umm, yeah. I meant somewhat high speed.
        \_ check out the chains and research them.  Motel 6, Howard Johnson
           (unlikely?), Marriot (the cheaper version)

4/23    I need a cell phone for a month or so, but in a couple months i'm
        going where i won't be taking a cell so i don't want to get locked
        into any year contracts.  What are cost-effective options?
        (I have an old phone that is no longer connected but the providers
        i've been to say they can't connect it and have no "prepaid" plans).
        \_ if you dont mind putting out a little cash.. maybe buy a phone
           for use w/ metropcs or virginmobile... then try to sell it on
                                   \_ is this a sodan cruising for a date?
           craigslist afterwards.
        \_ Go into Best Buy.  They sell prepaid phones for teens so parents
           don't see $850 phone bills after a month.
        \_ Get one, use it for the 30 day trial period, and then tell them
           their service sucks and cancel it, get your money back.
           \_ Good luck.

4/23    All trolls are created equal.  But some are more equal than others.
        \_ that is BS. All trolls are equal, period.
           \_ that is BS.  I'm way more equal than you!

4/22    Is it wrong for me to be together with a married woman?
        \_ are you an idiot?
        \_ It depends.  Are you married to her?
        \_ No, not really.  Your LTR odds are about zero.  Your disease risks
           are lower than normal but not much lower.  Your parenting risks are
           as high or higher than a single woman.  Your risk of death or
           serious bodily injury is much higher.
        \_ Is she in an open marriage?
        \_ [stupid post of some drivel from alt.erotica circa 1989 deleted]
           \_ My cuddle mate's cuddling heat fills me with awe and
              makes me feel how so female I am aside him.  But because he
              is bigger, more intelligent and stronger,
              his power is intimidating when I am shy.
              \_ WTF?  I've been here a long time and all I can say to this
                 is WTF?
                 \_ Very clearly not long enough.  If you have to ask, you
                    don't know. -phillip
        \_ it depends on whether her husband is an angry guy who needs to
           go to an anger management class and if he has a shotgun, and it
           depends on whether you guys are in Utah or not.
           \_ Being in Utah won't help.  Also if you're the kind of guy who
              gets cuckolded and doesn't get mad then you're an idiot.  Is
              your wife hot?  I could use an easy lay on Mon/Wed/Fri noonish.

4/23    Does google analyze people's search behavior and which link they
        click in order to determine which link should come up first?  Like
        if a lot of people search for C++ STL library and always click on
        the third link first, then in the future the third link will move
        up and become the first link.  Does that sort of thing happen?
        \_ does their description of PageRank help any?  I think it is
           public knowledge (they wrote about it).  It is mainly based on
           the way the web is structured and not on the behavior of google
           users.
        \_ Yes, by slamming a particular link in google you can directly
           changing your pr0n site's ranking.  Yup, sure.
           change your pr0n site's ranking.  Yup, sure.

4/23    An analysis of Netflix's DVD allocation system
        http://dvd-rent-test.dreamhost.com
        \_ Yeah like everyone else hadn't figured it out 2 years ago that
           newer customers get priority.
           \_ I found this useful. I was considering getting Netflix but
              I will stick with the local video store after reading the
              article since our use would be very high.
              \_ Uhm, yeah, two years ago, etc, etc.
              \_ No, you don't understand.  dim said you'd be a goober if
                 you paid attention to that site.  Your only hope is to go
                 strong with Netflix if you want to be redeemed in the eye
                 of dim.
           \_ You're still a customer after 2 years?
              \_ Never was a customer but even so I still knew two years ago
                 that netflix was heavily weighted to newer customers.
           \_ there's more of interest there than just this.  It was a
              very interesting site, and explains a lot about why
              I had so many movies on long waits.  (i rented MANY movies).
              to TOP, thanks.
              \_ No there isn't.  The fact is new = get more films faster,
                 old = get films slower.  Two years, etc, etc, etc.
                 \_ Your comment implies that you didn't actually read the
                    article.
                    \_ reading is unnecessary.  the dim has already spoken.
                    \_ what's to read?  it's a fucking dotcom scam job that'll
                       be gone when the vc runs out and everyone catches on to
                       the new-customers-get-movies-first scam.  I worked for
                       a few dotcoms, a few of which had a better scam than
                       netflix yet they're gone now.  there can't possibly be
                       anything interesting in an article on some dotcom.
              \_ The guy who did that site is a goober and by extension
                 so are you. --dim
                  \_ awww, shucks.
                 \_ We should all go home and hang ourselves now.  The dim
                    has spoken.
                    \_ I'm already hung.
                       \_ Like a horse, a bear, a gorilla or a mouse?
                          \_ like a tree.  "grab the lowest branch and
                             climb on up..."
                             \_ whoa baby!  got pics?!
                                \_ http://journalism.berkeley.edu/graphics/campanile.jpg

4/23    Do you recommend SpyBot?  CNBC had a feature on SpyWare.
         \_What's wrong with AdAware? Didn't SpyBot rather
         ironically install ads on your computer after it removes
         spyware?
           \_ Really?  More info, please.
              \_ not the one who posted the comment above but --
                 the CNBC feature mentioned that irony at the end of
                 their televised piece on SpyBot.