1/14    Is there a way to actually contact a live person either via email or
        phone at Yahoo? The link to submit something to Customer Care at the
        bottom of their Help pages simply generates automated replies.
        \_ Walk in to their corporate office.  Remember to dress up as a postal
           worker.
           \_ Get a Krinkov off the blackmarket and hide it in the mail bag
                        \_ ?
        \_ are you going to complain about their stupid bulk mail filter
           against CSUA?
           \_ i was going to, yeah.
              \_ I've been writing to mail@yahoo-inc.com.  They wrote me back
                 saying, "We would like to reassure you that we are
                 investigating the problem you reported. We apologize for
                 any inconvenience, and appreciate your patience and
                 understanding on this matter."  Whatever that means.
                 \_ It means that your mail is being promptly forwarded
                    to /dev/null.
        \_ Actually, if you have (or pretend to have) Yahoo!/SBC DSL, you can
           get a support person to help you on online chat. My friend had his
           Yahoo mail account hacked (ie someone guessed his dog's name) and
           used to sell bogus items on eBay. He used the support channel to
           get the security guy (apparently, they have one guy down in a
           basement handling all of these issues) to reset his password.

1/14    http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=1821&sequence=0
        \_ Yes, we all know this.  Your point?
           \_ How would you like to pay it off?  3.5 G$ debt, 10,000 per capita!
              \_ We'll use the Mary Carey plan: tax breast implants!
              \_ bzzzzz. 95% of the wealth is owned by 5% of the population.
                 Sorry IT workers, you don't belong to that 5%. At any rate,
                 if you can get that 5% to contribute a little bit more,
                 that's less that 10,000 per capita

1/14    As the "chemical weapons vans" went, so do the "poison mortar shells"
        http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/01/14/shells/index.html
        (thanks for the deletion asshole.  BTW this is an AP wire)
        \_ Trusting George Bush is not a matter of "facts" or "evidence"
        \_ Thrusting George Bush is not a matter of "facts" or "evidence"
           it is a matter of faith. You just have to Believe. Something
           agnostics will never understand.
           \_ You just have to Believe that the liberals will screw you over
              more.  That's not too hard.
              \_ "The liberals are coming!  The liberals are coming!"
                 \_ Emehrjensee, emehrjensee, everyone to get from street.
              \_ You misspelled "Godless America-hating communists".
        \_ "Since the war ended, the U.S.-led coalition has found
           several caches that tested positive for mustard gas but
           later turned out to contain missile fuel or other chemicals."
           You'd think they'd have a better test.
           \_ The war ended?
           \_ Well, it makes sense to equip troops in the field with a cheap,
              fast and sensitive test for preliminary warnings.  The problem
              is that you should follow up with a reliable test and not say
              "OMG WMD WTF!!!" when all you have to go on is the quickie test.

1/14    No such thing as racism!
        http://www.bet.com/articles/1,,c1gb7953-8798,00.html
        \_ Racism aside, this is messed up.  If it's consensual sex between
           two high school kids, child molestation and statutory rape should
           not pertain.
        \_ Oh my!
        \_ There may be racism in the sentencing but he did commit the crime.
           Their law says under-16 is off-limits, and he was over 18.
           \_ Maybe not even in the sentencing:
              'The latter charge, even without claims of aggravation, provided
              for a lengthy sentence, under Georgia's child protection laws.
              "The judge doesn't have an option" on the aggravated child
              molestation, Simpson (the defense attorney) told the Atlantic
              Journal Constitution. "His hands are tied. I have never seen this
              before, and I've tried hundreds of sex-related cases."'

1/14    Anybody have problems with having given their checking acc't info to
        EBay in order to sell stuff?
        \_ Yes, especially considering this:
                Server: Microsoft-IIS/4.0
                Content-Location: http://ebay.com/index.html
        \_ I did it about a year ago and so far no problems. -ausman

1/14    How gay.
        http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/01/14/reckless.driver.ap/index.html
        \_ '"That's where she put him -- in a casket. That's what she did
            for him. I'd just shut my mouth if I was her," [the victim's
            mother] said.'  Me, I think we should beat her with a baseball
            bat until she has brain damage. That would send the right message.
        \_ Only 30 days in jail for killing someone and putting another one in
           coma?  What justice is that?
           \_ She will also have financial repercussions for a long time.
              Read up on DUI enforcement.

1/13    What is it about cold weather that facilitates the transmission of
        cold and flu? Do viruses in general reproduce faster when it is
        colder? Is it because the extra energy is used to heat up the body
        instead of the immune system? Or something else?
        \_ moisture in the air and probably weaker immune systems
                \_ bzzzz. winter air is actually dryer. it is perceived
                   wetter due to a lower dew point, but the actual moisture
                   per cubic volume in Alaska winter is actually lower than
                   say warm tropical weather.
                   \_ whatever.  I'm not talking about freezing cold like in
                      Alaska or in the northeast.  It rains more in winter
                      months than other months, and things get wet.  Anyhow,
                      perhaps cold weather also makes people more likely to
                      stay indoors and to be in closer proximity to other
                      people?
        \_ I always thought cold temperatures just generally weakened
           people's immune systems. Prolonged exposure to cold requires
           more energy exertion from your body just to maintain the
           correct temperature, and thus less energy dedicated to fighthing
           viruses. ?? just a guess
        \_ Cold weather makes it more difficult for your respiratory
           system to push mucus out, so maybe as a result virii can
           accumulate more easily?
        \_ Current research suggests that cold weather does not suppress the
           immune system but that colder temperatures enable bacteria to live
           longer on their own on non-organic surfaces such as doorknobs,
           keyboards, and chairs.  The best way to catch a cold is to wash
           your hands frequently.  http://csua.org/u/5jr
           \_ "catch a cold" -> "avoid catching a cold"
              \_ Doh.  Yes, you are correct.  Thank you.
                  \_ s/bacteria/viruses. AFAIK viruses should be pretty hardy,
                     so the bit about temp affecting viruses on nonorganics
                     seems like hand waving. The protein capsid would only
                     be affected by extreme heat or cold.
                     \_ viruses are much smaller than bacteria and have less
                        capacity for self-restoration. so afaik, most are
                        actually kinda fragile. e.g., they won't survive long
                        on surfaces exposed to sunlight.
        \_ Cold weather keeps people indoors. Lots of people in an enclosed
           space makes transmission of virii that much easier.
           \_ I seconded.
        \_ Its virUSES people. The plural is viruses.
           \_ There is no Latin plural of virus, so the only options are by
              analogy with Latin (virii) or analogy with English (viruses).
              \_ "virii" is not analogy with Latin.  At best, that would be
                 the Latin plural of the non-existent word "virius".
                 \_ dict sulcus
                    From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :
                    Sulcus \Sul"cus\, n.; pl. {Sulci}. [L., a furrow.]
                    \_ and?  "virii" has two i's, "sulci" does not.  That's
                       exactly why "virii" would be the plural of the word
                       "virius".
              \_ http://www.perl.com/language/misc/virus.html
              \_ Let me summarize: there is no Latin plural of virus, but there
                 *IS* an English plural of virus. And it's not virii.
                 \_ virora!

1/13    So I put "blacklist_from mailbride.ru" and it's still getting through,
        and spam assassin didn't treat it any different (the point system
        didn't change). What's up with that?
        \_ you didn't RTFM.
    # Whitelist and blacklist addresses are now file-glob-style patterns, so
    # "friend@somewhere.com", "*@isp.com", or "*.domain.net" will all work.

1/13    What is the best way to upgrade from FreeBSD 5.2-RC2 to Release?
        Should I just check out /usr/src and make world or is there a
        better (less time consuming) way? tia.
        \_ Use make world. Worked great for me.
        \_ The recommended way is "make buildworld; make buildkernel;
           make installkernel; make installworld; reboot; mergemaster"

1/13    Crossbow or Bowflex?
        \_ windsor pilates.
        \_ Get a bench and some free weights. Cheaper and better.
           \_ Don't want/can't get a spotter when I'm working out at home.

1/13    Can anyone recommend a good introductory book on fuzzy sets/logic?
        \_ "Fuzzy theory is wrong, wrong, and pernicious.
            What we need is more logical thinking, not less.
            The danger of fuzzy logic is that it will encourage
            the sort of imprecise thinking that has brought us
            so much trouble.  Fuzzy logic is the cocaine of science."
               -William Kahan
        \_ any book will do. but once you read the book, read some papers
           that explain why fuzzy logic is an inconsistent calculus of belief.
           -ali

1/13    I just bought a house. I'm gutting the walls right now. I'm debating
        2 in-wall speakers vs 4 normal speakers. Pros vs Cons? Where my TV is,
        I'm going to do 5+1 surround, this is for the more formal living room.
        \_ Is it a pre-1970 house (lead paint=>lead dust contamination)?
           \_ yes. pre-WWII.
              \_ Hmmmm, well children are more susceptible to lead
                 poisoning, so if yer worried, get tested. A normal
                 vacuum won't work for cleanup (lead dust is too fine
                 to be caught by normal filters - I think you may need
                 a HEPA filter). Just an FYI in case it interests ya.
                 \_ thanks. you have to sign a million disclosure acceptances
                    when buying an older home. once the house is repainted,
                    are there still hazards (i only skimmed teh disclosures).
        \_ very soon, half of the responses below will be posted by jealous
           poornuts who will tell you that it's stupid to buy a house in the
           Bay Area
           \_ still can't get over it, eh?
           \_ i don't live in the bay area
        \_ it's so stupid to buy a house in the bay area!  i'm doing much
           better renting and voting for people that will write and strictly
           enforce draconian rent control laws which lower the quality of
           rental housing while reducing availability!  so take that! you
           evil and foolish home owner!  hah!
           \_ did i say anything about the bay area or CA for that matter?
              \_  try posting a random string of ASCII characters, and see
                  how long it takes to turn into a Bay Area housing flame
                  war.  of course, what people on both sides refuse to
                  acknowlege is that the common denominator of crapulence
                  is the Bay Area, not renting or owning.  I'd rather
                  own *or* rent anywhere but the Bay Area than own *or*
                  rent in the Bay Area.  You've all fucked yourselves with
                  your communal idiocy on renatl policy, and yes, the
                  price of housing is a ridiculous bubble in the bay area.
        \_ Are you gutting plaster walls and replacing with dry wall? I
           wouldn't. As for speakers, WTF do you want them in the wall?
           They are going to be as useful as the intercoms that people
           used to love to install.
        \_ in-wall vs "box" speakers is a waf question, imo.  in the past,
           i've found in-wall speakers acoustically compromised.  if you
           openning walls and laying in wires, why limit yourself to 5.1?
        \_ Your question boils down easily:  How much do you value the
           aesthetics of in-wall speakers?  That's a question motd can't
           answer for you.  As far as convenience, normal speakers
           are better: easier to upgrade, easier to install.  As far as
           sound quality, normal speakers are better: speakers require
           a cushion of air behind them to correctly spatialize the
           sound.  The only advantage in-wall speakers have is aesthetics.
           Also, if you don't like cables everywhere, consider just
           in-walling your cables, and feed them through a jack.  -nivra
           \_ perfect answer, thanks.

1/13    Is there anyway I can get a copy of the full length CBS 60 minutes
        interview with Paul O'Neill?  I am outside the USA and I would like
        to watch it somehow.  I tried to look for it in emule and nothing
        turned up.  thanks
        \_ the shows often sell transcripts or tapes.  call the station,
           don't be a pirate.
           \_ If you do decide to be a pirate, do it like a real man: steal
              a sailing ship, and prowl around the LA marinas with some sword
              packing thugs, then attack the yacht of a CBS executive, kill
              everyone on board and take all their tapes.
           \_ What he said, also, why would P2P people bother to capture and
              encode 60 Minutes?  It has almost no replay value 99% of the time
              \_ Aaarrrr.  He speaks truth matey!  I have competition enough.
                 Arrrr.
                 \_ Beggin' yer pardon, cap'n, but when be the next Talk Like
                    A Pirate Day?
                    \_ rstfwr

1/13    Windows network driver/NDIS senior developer, 5 years experience
        needed.  Mail wck@genp.com (recruiter).
        \_ Uh...  What the FUCK is recruiter scum doing on the motd?

1/14    I thought everyone in the bay area knows about pho:
        http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/14/FDGSV467631.DTL
        \_ careful, Mad Cow'd soup bones where used by Vietnamese Restaurants
           in Bay Area
        \_ I didn't know about them until I started working at a mostly
           Vietnamese company about three years back.
        \_ I didn't know about them until I started working at a mostly
           Vietnamese company about three years back.
                \_ I don't like Viets but I must say Pho is one of those few
                   cool things they have contributed to this society.
        \_ This place down the street from my place is called PHO KING.  I
                went in thinking I was going to get some sucky sucky from some
                nice slender Viet girl, but to my surprise all they were
                selling was some big bowls of noodles and beef.
           \_ racist joke
           \_ How do you pronounce PHO KING? FUH-KING?
              \_ Assuming you're being serious, Fo King
           \_ There is a place in Milpitas or so called "Pho Kim Long"
                 \_ Little do you know, it is actually pronounced like "fuh".
                    http://mlug.missouri.edu/~markrages/static/pho/phopage.html
                    \_ fuhk.
              \_ you're so clever, you got the joke!
           \_ There is a place in Milpitas or so called "Pho Kim Long"

1/14    1 Terabyte HD now available for ~$1200.  http://slashdot.org
        \_ And predictably the slashdorks are whining that 1TB is 2^40 bytes
           \_ that's a tebibyte!
                \_That's tebible.
        \_ it's not a single disk.  it's an array of disks.
           \_ now you can spend 3 days copying all your image files to a
                single drive.
                \_ imagine a beowolf cluster of these!

1/14    Study shatters internet geek image:
        http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/14/geek.study.reut/index.html