12/27   # cdrecord -scanbus
        Cdrecord 2.0 (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2002 Jrg Schilling
        cdrecord: No such file or directory. Cannot open '/dev/pg*'. Cannot open SCSI driver.
        cdrecord: For possible targets try 'cdrecord -scanbus'. Make sure you are root.
        cdrecord: For possible transport specifiers try 'cdrecord dev=help'.
        WTF is this about?
        \_ why are you so surprised? as root, did you modprobe your SCSI
           device. what SCSI card do you have?
           \_ You have to admit that any command that suggests running the
              exact command you just ran as a solution is lame.
                \_ "Make sure you are root" is always a helpful reminder.
        \_ Why does it require you to be root to use the cdr?  Why can't this
           stuff just work?
           \_ get mac. or chmod the cdrom device, or put yourself
              in the group with rwite access to the cdrom.
              or use "sudo shell" where shell is your shell.
              \_ like I said, why can't this just work?
                 \_ Are you asking for help, or just complaining?
                 \_ Just login as root then it will just work.
                    Don't let people tell you its not safe, they
                    say that about NT and ADMINISTRATOR as well.

12/28   Bush has proof, the mad cow was from Canada:
        http://csua.org/u/5dq
        \_ here's why I don't give a shit where this particular cow was from:
           http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/28/national/28COW.html
           I'm not eating any meat where I don't know the person who killed
           the animal.  The meat industry in this country is run by fucking
           jackasses with no respect for public health or even their own long
           term profits--just short-term profits.
        \_ So which American industry that has respect for public health and
           is striving for long-term profits?  Yes, this is slightly sarcastic
           statement, but it's not even close to 100% sarcastic.
           \_ It's a matter of degree.  In this particular set of issues,
              the fast food chains have shown more respect for public health
              than the meat producers.  They refuse to use meat from downed
              cows even though the meat industry has resisted all efforts
              to stop this practice.  I think a pretty direct comparison can
              be made to show that the fast food industry is a lot more decent
              than the cattle industry overall.  Which is not suprising,
              given that they tend to be publicly traded companies while
              the cattle industry is made up of privately held companies
              run by fucking troglodites from Texas.  Having worked in the
              fishing idustry, i think it's also a lot better.  I eat fish.
              \_ You were doing ok until you went all knee-jerk on Texans.
                 That isn't cattle country anymore.  And it's ironic that
                 you're willing to eat fish given the very recent news about
                 dangerously high levels of mercury in that department.  Maybe
                 you've had too much fish?
                 \_ well, I have personal reasons to like the fishing industry
                    and hate Texas.
                    \_ It's telling that Texans don't hate Californians.
                       Who is really the troglodyte?
                       \_ I'm not a Californian.
                       \_ While it's mostly true that Texans don't hate
                          Californians, they certainly have some *strange*
                          ideas about them.
                       \_ CALIFORNIA BAD!
                          \- When I was operating out of the IBM Almaden
                             Research Lab, we took some visiting colleagues
                             from Texas out to a reasonably fancy place on
                             the company tab. My boss ordered quail. The
                             Texans seemed shocked that anybody would *eat*
                             quail and announced, "In Texas we just shoot'em!"
                                                            --psb
                             \_ Heh, yeah.  Most of the people from Texas I've
                                known or been related to seem to be deeply
                                amused by the notion of playing up their
                                reputation to out-of-staters.

12/28   A La Carte Restaurant on Dwight near Sacramento: Been there?  Any
        good?  Still open?
        \_ I have been living there for three years. Never heard of that one
           before. The two restaurants I know there are "Breads of India" and
           "Mehak Cusine", both Indian. The later is pretty good but I haven't
           been at "Breads of India" yet.
           \- Breads of India is often described by white people as
              "a good and cheap hole in the wall". the most true part
              of that description is "hole in the wall". you can look
              for my "cognitive dissonance theory of BoI" on ba.food.
              I didnt think A La Carte was anything special then again/that
              is why I havent been there for +1yr. --psb
              \_ I've never understood why race somehow gives one credentials
                 to judge food.  I don't go to a restraunt to study what
                 authentic cuisine some some culture or another is, I go
                 there to eat.
                        \_ You can bring a whore to culture, but you can't
                           make her think.
                           \_ was that your idea of 'deep though'?  keep at it.
                 \- it's not a matter of judging authenticity in this case.
                    in fact authetnticity is BoI's strong point to some
                    extent. but going to an indian restaurant is a different
                    experience for "white people" than someone who grew up
                    eating indian food. i am sure dim sum is a different
                    experience for someone who gre up in HKG vs someone
                    who never went to dimsum until they moved to califonria
                    from the midwest to do their master's degree. e.g. it
                    doesnt bother my HKG associate to yell across the
                    restaurant in cantonese to get a water refill, while
                    whitey or psb might consider that bad service.
                    i'll give you one funny example: the last 3-4 times i
                    have ordered a mango lassi in the evening, it has been
                    spoiled. this is really obvious ... it's like drinking
                    sour milk. i have never seen a white person complain
                    about this. also white people and indian people have
                    different "population distribution properties" in terms
                    of hotness. etc. --psb
                    \_ there are so many idiotic aspects to your blather
                       i don't know where to start so i'll stick with a minor
                       one.  It's funny how your definition of white is
                       "not from india".  I had no idea there were so many
                       white people in China and Africa.
                       \- by "white people" i actually meant people not from
                          india, pakistan, sri lanka, pela, bhutan, sikkim
                          and afganistan and not a uighur. --psb
                    \_ Partha, you are one hot Indian. I've thought so
                       for many years, you neo-hindu-con hottie!!
                   \_ Hey partha can you write up an essay on the food
                      preferences of other people, too?  Did you start that
                      ba.food about black people and watermelon?  That was
                      a classic!  Oh yeah, like you, I also have black friends
                      so it's ok, right?
                      \- how long did you have to rub your two neurons
                         together to come up with that? --psb
                         \_ racism is as racism does (or posts threads).  your
                            post was really sickening.
                            \_ Seconded. Painful to read and psb should know
                               better.
                         \_ I pity the liberalPC-on-the-brain fool who mistakes
                            factual honesty with racism.
                            \_ I'll bet you have a black friend, too.
                      \- do black people like cheeseboard? --psb
              \_ Partha, it sounds like you've been to A La Carte. Do you
                 know if it still exists?  I'm looking for a cajun/creole
                 fix, and the rabbit at Gingerbread House still has pellets
                 in it. --op
                 \- i was forced to go to the gingerbread house ...
                    i dont think it does well in price/performance.
                    but then again i dont like the complicated cajun/creole
                    dishes. you should have gone to gravy's while they were
                    still around. soul bros kitchen might still have alligator
                    on the menu. [not that exciting]. --psb
                    \_ It should be noted, however, that alligator does not,
                       in fact, taste like chicken.  It tastes like fish.
                       \_ Best dish I had in New Orleans: shrimp and alligator
                          sausage cheesecake at Jacque-Imo's.
                          \_ That would make my taste-buds explode.
                          \_ What's a "sausage cheesecake"?  I'm having trouble
                             with the visual.
                             \_ It was kind of like quiche, actually.
                \_  The Gingerbread House is crap.  Sadly, pickings for
                    cajun/creole are slim around here.  Tropix on Piedmont
                    Ave. is okay though.  And I think Soul Brothers Kitchen is
                    now an Ethiopian restaurant. --chris
                    \_ We ended up going to Tropix.  It was exquisite.  My
                       wife had the gumbo, and I had the jerk chicken, and
                       we were both well contented.  And while I'm not usually
                       partial to beer cocktails, their Bul was the perfect
                       drink to go along with the spicy food.  We have a new
                       favorite place to take visitors. --op
                       \_  Glad you enjoyed Tropix.  My husband is from
                           Louisiana, it's the only place he feels has
                           "decent" cajun/creole around here.  We have had
                           better, but it has all been in the South.  --chris