6/16    Happy Bloomsday ... unhappily apparently uncelebrated by GOOG.
              "How sick, sick, sick I am of sloda! It is the
               machine of failure, of rancor and of unhappiness."
        \_ If the GOOG icons indicate what they like or don't give a damn about
           then it's clear that they really give a damn about Christians and
           don't give a damn about Muslims.
           \- come to think about it, i think they did do an icon
              last year ... i guess BLOOM100 was worth it but BLOOM101
              doesnt cut the mustard.
           \- actually come to think about it, i think they did do an icon
              last year ... i guess BLOOM100 was worth it but BLOOM101 doesnt
              cut the mustard.
           \_ It might in muslim countries.  They don't do an icon for
              Korean independance day in the states, but they do in Korea.
              \_ Are you sure? I swear I saw the main banner modified to have
                 Korea's yin-yang with the i-ching doohickeys this one time.
                 -- ulysses
                 \_ No, I'm not really sure.  Korean independence is 8-15,
                    I don't recall seeing anything last year, but i could
                    be wrong.  Of course, it could've been a different
                    holiday too, chusuk or solal.
                    \- aug 15 is india's indep day too.
                       \_ That's interesting.  That's actually "Korean
                          independence from Japan" day, ie V-J day.  I
                          assume India's is from the British?
                          \- well the day is slightly artifical. the indians
                             were negotiating with the british when to do the
                             handover and after consulting with some religious/
                             astrology types, they picked aug 15 as an
                             auspicious day. then the  pakistanis picked
                             aug 14, just to be different, but the moment of
                             indep, was midnight and the same for both
                             countries. FYI: this is where phrase "freedom
                             at midnight" or S. RUSHDIE's title "midnight's
                             children" comes from. although if you are asking
                             from whom this indep came, this may not especially
                             resonate with you. functionally Dae Han Min Gook=
                             Vande Matram.
                   \_ Do Koreans also celebrate the split of North and South
                      on V-J day?  Do they even remember how they got split
                      up in two?  I don't see any koreans who resentment USA
                      for this.
                      \_ Ummm... no, why would they celebrate the split?
                         They don't like it.  And there are plently of
                         They don't like it.  And there are pleantly of
                         Koreans who resent the US for it, but given the
                         choice between being split and being all one big
                         NK or a province of China, I think most are see
                         it as better than the alternitives.  Don't know
                         many koreans, do ya'?

6/15    Felis Cattus, is your taxonomic nomenclature,
        an endothermic quadruped carnivorous by nature?
        Your visual, olfactory and auditory senses
        contribute to your hunting skills, and natural defenses.

        I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
        a singular development of cat communications
        that obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
        for a rhythmic stroking of your fur, to demonstrate affection.

        A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
        you would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
        And when not being utilized to aide in locomotion,
        it often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

        O Spot, the complex levels of behaviour you display
        connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
        And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
        I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
        \_ I had a cat, his name was Fred
           used to sleep on my bed
           fought a truck, now he's dead
           but wait, check it out, I kept his head.  -John
           \_ Hubba-hubba hubba-hubba hubba.

6/16    I've been hearing a lot about something called a perpendicular
        hard drive, but I can't seem to figure out what the big deal
        is? Anyone know why these drives are interesting (as compared
        w/ regular hds)?
        \_ Perpendicular recording.  Imagine that a regular HDD has the bits
           represented by lots of coins flipped to heads or tails, laid out in
           rings on a platter.  Now imagine if you could stand the coins on
           edge and still read what direction heads and tails are.  You can
           pack the coins in a much higher density.  The coins in this example
           represent magnetic domains in a hard drive.
           \_ ic, thanks
           \_ I've heard this before, I understand they've been
              researching this for 20 years or something.  Is it really
              viable?
              \_ Nevermind, I guess Seagate and Hitachi came up with a way
                 to do it.
                 \_ Wow.  That slipped under my radar.  Where's /. poster guy?
           \_ Here's a fun flash animation (you really need sound)
              http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/research/recording_head
              /pr/PerpendicularAnimation.html

6/16    Body thetans just hold one back
        \_ L Ron, why you bein' a Thetan hater?
           \_ I took a Zeta scan and it gave -1 luck.
              \_ Fallout references make me happy.

6/16    Is there any way to force mplayer to stop after a certain time (such as
        when recording from a continuous stream)?

6/16    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8155830
        The Army misses the recruitment target, lowers its target in May,
        and still misses it. One of the solutions is to retain GIs it
        usually kicks out, including the guys "on weight control, school
        no-shows, drug users, etc." Here is a proposal for you PRESIDENT
        BUSH. Why don't you stage another terrorist attack on our soil
        to get us all hyped up for the war?
        \_ Yeah, 9/11 was staged. And Danny Lewin, ex-Sayaret Matkal,
           didn't really die. I hope California gets returned Mexico
           so you dumbasses can see what you really missing when
           you don't understand the concepts of honor and duty.
           \_ OP never said 9/11 was staged.  And, really, is lying a
              nation into war honorable?
              \_ OP please explain which prior terrorist attack on our soil was
                 staged?
                 \_ Your reading comprehension is poor.  We've been attacked
                    before.  To say "stage another attack" does not require
                    that one was staged before.
        \_ I wonder if the number of homos being kicked out has dropped as
           in previous wars?
        \_ Here is a proposal to you, poster. Why don't you grow up?

6/16    American women, total wacko:
        http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8231727
        \_ culture of death

6/16    Questions for anti-terrorist experts. Richard the Shoe Bomber tried
        to detonate the bomb by lighting up a match. Doesn't this strike
        to anyone as just inconsistent with what we know about terrorists?
        I mean, if you're a REAL Al-Qaeda member, wouldn't you have received
        advanced trainings from wacko but intelligent Al-Qaeda members
        who would teach you how to light up a damn fire? What kind of
        Al-Qaeda are you if you don't know how to use a match? Secondly, why
        the heck would you use a match when there are much easier and much
        more reliable ways to detonate it, including using a tiny toy-rocket
        lighter, fluid lighter, flint, and others that you can buy from REI?
        Lastly, how much can you pack explosive power in your shoes, which
        I presume is at most 12"x0.5"? That doesn't seem like a lot, or at
        lease enough to bring down an entire plane. If you're a REAL
        Al-Qaeda, wouldn't you use something bigger and much more effective
        than just punching a hole in the window?
        \_ There is no "REAL" Al-Qaeda.  It's not a highly-structured network
           throughout, like the IRA--it is ethnically and culturally
           heterogenous, revolving around a fuzzy set of ideas.  How do you
           become Al-Qaeda?  You say "I'm a member of Al-Qaeda."  That's part
           of the problem--Western countries initially tried to approach it
           as an organization rather than as a phaenomenon.  So while you may
           have several hard cores of various degrees of professionalism,
           there are also loads of more amateurish "members".  -John
           \_ therees also a practice of having the skilled bomb-makers
              produce the bombs, and getting much more easy-to-come by
              volunteers/martyrs who only need enough training on how to
              set themselves off. Needless to say these people aren't the
              sharpest tacks.
              \_ 'Shoe bomb'?  -John
        \_ Doesn't it strike you as odd that he would "light up" in plain
           view of other passengers who could stop him? If he went to the
           restroom, then blammo. I think he wanted to get caught.
           \_ Exactly. There are so many facts that make this case weird and
              yet the government is still able to tie him to Bin Laden.

6/16    My sister's pepper spray and hair spray got taken away by the airport
        guys cuz they say that they're pressurized and may explode in air.
        This got me to wonder if albuteral asthma cans are allowed or not?
        \_ typically.  ditto for epi-pens (epinephrine auto-injectors)
           \_ Sounds like a potential loophole for terrorists to exploit

6/16    The Man Behind the Attack on Guantanamo -jblack
        http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=18446
        \_ Any publication that has Horowitz in its nav bar...
        \_ Typical Republican smear job. I am surprised they didn't
           accuse him of murdering Vince Foster.
           \- I killed Vince Foster ... just to watch him die. --bclinton
              \_ I think that should be -hclinton
        \_ mmmmmm, I can taste the bias.  Delicious. -mrauser
        \_ I love the Lawyer's Guild is a Communist Front
           charge. Even McCarthy didn' go that far.

6/16    As disappointed as I was when Darth Vader's mask was removed
        by Luke to see a weak pale man, I was more disappointment when
        they put in that weak little boy into the Darth Vader suit for
        the first time. Agree?
        \_ Not really. I mean, I was surprised that Anakin was so young
           when he was put into that suit, but he did look pretty big
           during the movie. He was a weak little boy in episode II.
           \_ When the mask was removed in VI, it was like this horrible
              monster was suddenly revealed to be human and have pathos.
              When the mask was put on, it was a cheap Frankenstein rip
              off, and he only got whinier than before.  No mean feat.

6/16    Earthquake!
        \_ Chill, it's only 5.3, not going to pop Southern Cal housing the
           same way a 7.0 popped San Fernando housing many years ago:
           http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsUS/Quakes/ci14155260.htm
                \_ Dude I know, I was exaggerating!

6/16    Recommendations for skydiving in the Bay Area? We live in Oakalnd.
        \_ Right above OAK.
        \_ Hollister.
        \_ Byron, east of Livermore.

6/16    If Tom Delay has nothing to hide, why has he effectively shut down
        the House Ethics Committee?
        \_ Because Accountability means never having to say you're sorry.

6/16    Is there a way to screw a telemarketer who calls your cellphone?
        The bozos recorded a message.  Thanks.
        \_ I would hope so.  It's illegal to make telemarketing calls to
           cell phones, isn't it?
           \_ Yes, I would hope so too, because it is illegal.  I've
              googled this with no result...  Help?
              \_ No, it became legal June 1st. Thank the Republicans in
                 Congress. There is some kind of no-call list you can
                 put your cell phone number on.
                 \_ As far as I can tell, you are wrong, calling
                    cellphones is illegal:
                    http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.htm
                    Have you got a reference for your assertion that it
                    is legal?
                    \_ There was an email forward that was going around
                       a while ago (that was mostly inaccurate) that
                       may have given that impression:
                       http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp
                       \_ I got a different version of the e-mail that didn't
                          mention Republicans.

6/16    For those who want to push democracy worldwide and bitch Iran
        being member of "axis of evil,"  Do you even realize that Iran
        has a very lively democracy and they are holding their presidential
        election this Friday?
        \_ anyone remotely familiar with the gov of iran knows that the
           theocratic body can over rule any decision of elected
           representatives at any time.  so either you're ignorant
           or a troll.
        \_ The Democaracy is very weak in Iran. The ultimate authority still
           lies with the mullahs. The president is very weak and mullahs
           get to decide who can run for a seat in Iranian parlament.
           Last year, they prevented a couple of thousand candidates from
           running from not being faithful enough to the priciples of their
           running for not being faithful enough to the priciples of their
           revolution. The mullahs also can pretty much veto anything.
        \_ Hahaha.  Do you realize that people who wish to run in the
        \_ Hahaha.  Do you realize that the only people who run in the
           elections must be approved by the mullahs?  Imagine if Bush got
           to decide who ran in all the elections, state, city, senate,
           house, etc. Would you call that a "lively democracy?" (Oh, and
           Bush has been made supreme leader, he cannot be taken from
           office.  No elections for him.)
           \_ it's a different form of democracy.  Why don't you bitch
              about Britian's upper house are appointed?
              \_ Freedom is slavery!  Despotism is democracy!
           house, etc. Would you call that a "lively democracy?"
              \_ kngharv is funny.
              \_ AFAIK, the house of lords does not directly influence
                 gov policy (except as relates to certain judicial appeals).
              \_ It's _not_ a "different kind of democracy".  By your
                 definition, the Soviet Union was a "different kind of
                 democracy", as was the US before letting women and blacks
                 vote.  Newspapers are regularly shut down, people beaten,
                 imprisoned and killed for voicing anti-government opinions,
                 an unelected self-perpetuating system (council of guardians,
                 supreme leader) has the possibility of vetoing all electoral
                 candidates and laws, and the revolutionary guard/interior
                 ministry holds the implied threat of violence over everyone's
                 head.  But hey, I guess Zimbabwe is a "different kind of
                 democracy" too.  -John
                 \_ threat of violence, though illegal by Red Cross standard,
                    is sactioned by USA and routinely praticed.
                 \_ these are human right issue, which is independent from
                    the issue of democracy.  Iran has supreme leader,
                    USA has electral college and life-term supreme court
                    judges appointed by the president.    I am simply pointing
                    this out because Americans hate current Iranian regime,
                    and we often ignoring the fact that  Iran has one of
                    the most mature democracy in the Middle East.
                    \_ hehe. -- ilyas
                    \_ "mature"?  You are comparing to Syria, Egypt and
                       Saudi Arabia.  That's not a challenge.  Yes, the US
                       have lacked sound judgment in dealing with some aspects
                       of Iran.  That said, how do you treat a regime, one
                       part of which is strongly reformist but impotent, the
                       other of which openly sponsors terrorism and other
                       nasties?  Plus, your comparison to the US beggars
                       belief--the Supreme Court is appointed by an elected
                       official, its members approved by other elected
                       officials.  That said, the threat of violence is NOT
                       separate from the idea of democracy--democracy means,
                       essentially, one man one vote--if said man is
                       intimidated, or his vote fraudulently discounted, or
                       his elected officials rendered irrelevant, he is not
                       living in a democracy.  What is this, ChiCom Troll
                       goes Middle East?  -John
        \_ Democracy and freedom are relevant to the people when they have
           enough food, water, shelter, and stability in the community.
           In another word, most Middle Easterners don't really give a shit
           about freedom at this point since they don't even have enough basic
           necessities to even think about freedom. Americans talks about
           freedom as if it were the greatest thing on earth, and they're
           right because they already have basic necessities for life.
           However, freedom is not for everyone on this planet, especially
           for people who cannot even begin to think about freedom. You can't
           hand freedom to people and expect them to embrace it. People have
           to have basic necessities, and it is then that you can begin to
           talk about freedom and democracy. Giving freedom to the Iraqi
           people is like Microsoft donating billions of dollars worth of
           Windows XP licenses to starving African kids.
           \_ Interestingly, prosperity in the West developed in direct
              proportion to political freedom of the general populace, and
              the merchant and craftsman classes in particular.  Feudal
              serfs will not create prosperity. -- ilyas
              \_ is it also a coincident that all the prosperous
                 Western democracies were Imperial Power of 19th century?
                 \_ This is simply not true.  How about Scandinavian countries?
                    Prosperity enabled imperialism, not the other way around.
                      -- ilyas
                    Also, some countries that were neither prosperous, nor
                    'progressive' politically were imperialist (Russia).
                    I am calling Russia imperialist despite the fact that its
                    colonies were technically on a contiguous land mass with
                    the 'mainland.' This didn't really change the familiar
                    dynamic of imperialism.  Prosperity enabled imperialism
                    in the West, not the other way around.  -- ilyas
           \_ I have been saying that all along and no one listened.
              If you travel to China and look at their human right problem
              more closely, you will find that while political and religious
              dissidents get most of attentions, it is the human right of
              the dirt poor which are been routinely violated on a massive
              scale.  Given the dire economic circumstances, those dirt
              poor's human right are being violated in USA as well (e.g.
              homeless folks in People's Park).  The only differences
              between China and USA, is that China has 300 million of those
              who are at least as poor as Dwellers of People's Park.
              \_ I agree with the pp, (people need food and security
                 before they can really use freedom), but I don't really
                 agree with you.  You're making a pretty tenuous connection
                 between "The poors' human rights are routinely violated,"
                 and "prosperity a human right."  At least, I think that's
                 what you're saying.
                 \_ next time, check out how police evict homeless people
                    on the street, you will understand what do I mean.
                    \_ For my edification, please explain how exactly it is
                       possible to `evict someone on the street.' -dans
                       \_ He may be talking about the state-sponsored (or at
                          least done with the collusion of corrupt officials)
                          beatings and evictions of poor squatters in favor
                          of new factories or luxury homes.  -John
                          \_ I think the squatting phenomenon you're referring
                             to is much more prevalent in Europe, though I
                             have seen a handful of isolated incidents in the
                             New York area.  Regardless, `evict someone on the
                             street' still doesn't parse in any meaningful
                             way. -dans
                             \_ No, it doesn't exist at all here, nor do I
                                believe it's occurred recently in the US (or
                                in any civilized country.)  You are probably
                                referring to squatters who occupy buildings,
                                which sometimes ends up in a violent eviction.
                                Minor semantic difference, but these guys
                                usually squat as a form of protest, knowing
                                that the landlord will try to assert his claim
                                at some point in the future.  I was obliquely
                                referring to this riot in China last week:
                                http://tinyurl.com/dxrbh  Although to be fair,
                                they weren't even squatters, and similar
                                things have happened in Malaysia.  I suppose
                                op was talking about cops telling homeless
                                people to "move along".  -John
           \_ To me your argument seems to state that unless people have
              the necessities (food, water, shelter, &c.) freedom and
              democracy are irrelevant (or at least unnecessary)
              If this is true, why not round up all the people who don't
              have the necessities and stick them in a camp where someone
              provides all of these things to them?
              Of course the camp would be subject to the external control
              of the people providing the necessities and an individual
              in the camp would have no alternative but to live by the
              rules of the external parties.
              The question then is when will a man in the camp be deemed
              capable of having freedom? If the answer is when they have
              the "necessities", then I am led to ask, who decides when
              they have the "necessities" - can the people in the camp
              decide they have got enough and then opt for freedom or
              will the get freedom when the "enlightened" protectors
              decide it is appropriate?
              I think that it is apparent that they will never be given
              Freedom b/c they implicitly bargained it away in exchange
              for physical comfort. Knowing this, it would be wrong to
              give someone physical comfort before freedom.
        \_ Only to the left is the largest state sponsor of terror besides
           the Soviets over the past 3 decades a misunderstood democracry.
           the Soviets over the past 3 decades a misunderstood democracy.
           I'm sure the Lebanese feel just terrible about the
           misunderstanding.
           \_ huh?
              \_ exactly.

6/16    Alright I'm beginning to get sick and tired of eBay shit. Two weeks
        ago I shipped a $100 dollar item with tracking, no insurance.
        According to USPS tracking, it is delivered. However, today I got
        an email asking me about the item, and asked whether I shipped it
        or not. Is it MY responsibility to add insurance? Who is at fault?
        \_ No.  With most ebay things, including calculated postage,
           insurance is optional.  ie, the buyer needs to tell you and pay
           for it.  (It really depends on what your auction said, but I
           assume you went with the defaults.)  If you can show him the
           tracking number, and that it says it was delivered, tough
           cookies for him.  Although I would say it a little bit
           more nicely to him.
           \_ Thanks. His claim is that he went on vacation and got a notice
              from USPS to pick up a package. When he went to pick it up from
              USPS, they said they don't have any package. I'm confused. -op
              \_ Well, if that's true, the package may be on it's way back
                 to you.  So, if it shows up on your doorstep, charge him
                 for shipping again and send it back.  That's pretty
                 obviously his stupid fault.
              \_ Generally the seller has to make the goods available
                 for the buyer to pick up.
                 If USPS left him a note and he failed to pick it up
                 w/in the time specified, you are off the hook b/c
                 you tried to make a valid delivery.  You might be
                 able to keep all or part of the $100 for the trouble
                 and expense he caused you.
                 However, if USPS left him a note and he tried to
                 pick it up w/in the time specified and they told
                 him they don't have it, you are probably stuck b/c
                 you haven't made the goods available to the buyer.
                 If USPS can't find the thing, you will probably
                 be out the $100 (since you can't deliver) and you
                 can't make a claim against USPS b/c you didn't
                 have insurance.
        \_ Did you get a copy of the signature? Some drivers will sign
           it (usu illegibly) themselves and just leave the pkg there.