7/10    why the spammers are ahead:
        http://cockeyed.com/lessons/viagra/viagra.html
        \_ boring

7/10    anyone figure out the google challenge?
        \_ what's that?
           \_ {first 10-digit prime found in consecutive digits e}.com
        \_ I got 7427466391 for phase 2. Did anyone else get this?
           Err, sorry, nevermind. I figured it out though.
        \_ http://tinyurl.com/2mxgn
        \_ it's kinda lame, actually.
        \_ Yes.  They call that a challenge?

7/10    Republicans Give to Nader Campaign
        http://csua.org/u/854

7/10    Does anyone have a good stock letter for how to ask for more money?
        My boss wants me to write him a letter saying "I'm the shit!" so
        that he can take it to management...
        \_ To Whom It May Concern:
                I'm the shit, so pony up the cash.

                Sincerely,

                J. Loser
                \_ "Click click, gimme yo shit" worked for me.  -John
        \_ Generally, this is a list of your fantastic accomplishments that
           would justify your new salary as compared to the market and the
           fantastic job market for qualified candidates right now.  You
           should ask your boss if this is the concept he's looking for.
           He'll explain if he isn't an asshole.
           \_ Addendum: why isn't your boss supporting you on this?  Why
              can't your boss write this letter?  He should know what your
              accomplishments are and be able to make the case for your
              increased salary if he felt you really earned one.  It sounds
              like your boss doesn't support you or really give a shit and
              doesn't want you to get any more and is using this letter to
              the higher ups thing as a scam to cover his ass with you for
              later so he can say, "sorry jonny but the higher ups didn't
              think your letter was enough".  If I'm right you need a new
              job or at least a new boss.
              \_ If the letter is required by the higher ups, the boss
                 may not feel like writing it himself.  It makes more sense
                 to have the guy asking for the raise towrite the letter and
                 the boss to look it over, make sure it looks reasonable,
                 and pass it on above.  This shit happens all the time, haven't
                 you ever written your own recomendation letters and had a boss
                 or coworker sign them?

7/10    People don't want to put their camera/film through the X-ray
        machines at the airport because the film could get damaged.  With
        digital cameras, is there any reason to want to avoid the camera
        doing through the X-ray machines at the airport?
        \_ No. Also, I'm somewhat skeptical about the X-Ray/Film thing.
           If the X-Rays were that powerful I wouldn't want to stand
           next to the thing.
           \_ obrepomanreference
           \_ Well, even if x-rays don't ruin your photo's, they can still
              cloud them. Especially, as you go thru more than one x-ray
              machine during your vacation or business trip.
           \_ depend upon the film too.  If you use ISO 1600, you probably
              want to ask the customs to hand-check the canister.
              \_ Good luck. Security isn't too sympathetic these days.
                 \_ There's a federal regulation that you can read off of
                    the transportation agency website that says that you
                    are entitled to a hand check for any professional grade
                    films above certain ISO(maybe 800?).  This is only in US,
                    btw.  As for X-ray fogging films: *never* check any films
                    as they use more powerful x-ray on checked baggage, and
                    these WILL fog your film.  The ones next to the security
                    checkpoint are weaker, and ISO400 films can usually go
                    through them about 4 times without any noticeable fogging.
                    slower films can go through them more.  This is all for
                    any unprocessed films.  So you may consider processing your
                    films before coming back from your trip if they're
                    important enough for you.
                 \_ Government staff, government wages, government quality.
                    \_ right.  i'm sure they'd be much better if they made
                       minimum wage and had no benefits or job security.
                       Ever been to a walgreens?
                       \_ You get what you pay for.  I don't pay walgreens
                          $50,000 a year in taxes.  For what I pay the
                          government every year, every time I make a
                          purchase, every time I cross a bridge, and every
                          time I sneeze, I should get better service than
                          Walgreens.  Have you ever paid $50,000 for service
                          and got government quality effort for it?  There is
                          a reason why one of the Big Lies is "I'm from the
                          government and I'm here to help".
                          \_ That's a bogus argument.  You are not entitled to
                             much better government service just because you
                             pay more taxes.  The average American (a bad
                             example, I know) pays ~$6000 per year in taxes.
                             Considering all the social services, civic
                             infrastructure, and massive military, that's not
                             a terrible value.
                             \_ Please highlight where he says he should get
                                better service than someone who pays less
                                taxes?  He is rightfully irritated that he
                                gets shitty government service period.  The
                                point is that _someone_ is paying 50k in
                                taxes, and the govt. is not delivering.
                                \_ He never said it, but it was implied:
                                   "I don't pay walgreens $50,000 a year in
                                    taxes... ...I should get better service
                                    than Walgreens..."
                                   If it was only about shitty government
                                   service, than saying he expects more for
                                   $50,000 is irrelevant.
           \_ Your film will be ruined if they are exposed to to light.
              Would you start living in a darkroom form now on?
              \_ You're aware of the difference between light, which can be
                 easily blocked by putting your film in an opaque container
                 and xrays which will pass through most common materials?
        \_ I was asking about taking a digital camera through airport
           security.  Why all this talk about film?  -op
           \_ because your average sodan ignores the op's post and jumps
              into a flame war without reading the rest of the thread.
              now watch as your film post spawns a meta flame war about
              motd flame wars...
           \_ because it's a stupid question.  X-ray machine barely does
              damage on regular films, it shouldn't do any damage on digital
              camera