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2005/7/5 [Politics/Foreign/Europe] UID:38411 Activity:nil |
7/5 Guy living in the airport like Tom Hanks in The Terminal (the movie): http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050701/od_nm/kenya_britain_dc \- i think the original story is more interesting: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990820.html |
2005/7/5 [Computer/Theory, Computer/SW] UID:38412 Activity:low |
7/5 Time to kill your TV: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/health_television_dc \_ TV makes you stupid? Who woulda thought? \_ I thought watching Barnie on Ch 9 help toddlers develop, so I regularly let my son watch it. No? \_ No. \_ His future is now ruined. \_ Good grief, Barney is one of the worst things out there. Talk about brain rot. PBS has pretty much lost all good children programming (even Sesame Street is terrible these days). I'd recomment the Noggin channel instead. \_ You're that old and you still believe in purple dinosaurs? |
2005/7/5-7 [Recreation/Activities, Reference/BayArea] UID:38413 Activity:kinda low Cat_by:auto |
7/5 Anyone know of any good spots to run in the southbay near 280/Lawrence? \_ Head north on 280 and take the first exit past the 85. I hear that \_ Head north on 280 and take the first exit past 85. I hear that there are lots of good trails there, but I haven't been there yet. Planning to check it out this week. \- you can see if there are any running clubs down there. i know there is in palo alto but no sure about s'vale/ santa clara. dont have to join but can see their routes. \_ Rancho San Antonio has some good trails. Go left on Foothill (exit right after 85), then right at first light, and go all the way up til you see entrance on your left. There's one particular trail I like (Rogue Valley -> Wildcat Loop -> Upper High Meadow -> PG&E) that's about 600' vertical, or about 35-40 minutes of uphill. \_ Steven's Creek Reservoir has several nice trails: http://www.parkhere.org/channel/0,4770,chid=16510&sid=12761,00.html I usually "run" there on Saturday mornings. Rancho is also supposed to have decent trails. A colleague from work runs there a couple of times a week. --ranga I usually "run" there on Saturday mornings ~ 8:30 AM. Rancho is also supposed to have decent trails. One of my co-worker's runs there a couple of times a week. --ranga \_ on a related note, what is good, off the street bike route for road bike? thanks! \_ I'm not much of a cyclist, but I like the Stevens Creek trail from 85@237 to Shoreline Park and the Bay Loop trails north of there. Mostly flat, not too crowded, pretty pleasant. -gm \_ Seconded. I used to ride Stevens Creek trail everyday when I worked on Ellis St in Mt. View. It is very nice and not that crowded even at lunch time. \_ What kind of riding are you interested in? -tom \_ paved roads with notraffic. \_ that's not very descriptive. Old La Honda to Skyline to Highway 9 is a popular route. Kings Mountain is another good one. If you get over to the coast, Tunitas Creek is one of the best roads in the Bay Area, and it dumps out on Kings Mountain. But if you're talking about bike paths designed for non-cyclists, I'm not the guy to ask. -tom \_ thanks. i am somewhat new to road bike and i am not up for challenge of riding next to cars along highway. the route i usually take are canada road by 280 or redwood shore by oracle. \_ There are fairly few cars on highway 9, and if you're going downhill you'll be going faster than they are anyway. There is almost no traffic on Old La Honda. You can pick up Old La Honda and Kings Mountain at the southern end of Canada Road--turn right in Woodside. They are quite significant climbs, but ideal biking roads. -tom |
2005/7/5-7 [Computer/SW/Languages/C_Cplusplus, Computer/SW/WWW/Server] UID:38414 Activity:low |
7/5 You know what would be cool? Google maps + fast updating traffic condition data in the bay area + xplanet = neat background for my monitor. \_ Yahoo! maps has traffic conditions overlay. \_ Google earth should have licensed firework displays marked. -- ilyas \_ How about an overlay of parking rules and street-sweeping schedules? \_ How about an overlay of where dem hos at? \_ Plus meter-maid schedules. \_ And known speed traps! -John \_ So how hard would it be for you pros who can really do this stuff to jerryrig a Wiki version of Earth or Maps? -- ulysses (I do storm drains, not C) \_ You write software that manages storm drain projects? \_ I haven't written a significant amount of new code of any kind since finishing my master's program. It's an interesting idea, though. The available storm drain software kind of sucks. -- ulysses |
2005/7/5-6 [Consumer/Audio] UID:38415 Activity:nil |
7/5 For the person that was asking about using one iPod on multiple machines: if you have a Mac, you can't go wrong with this program: http://www.scifihifi.com/podworks And its only 8 dollars! \_ Someone mentioned the PC equivalent program. What was it? Thanks KAIS Motd: http://podmanager.brunoblondeau.com |
2005/7/5-7 [Transportation/PublicTransit] UID:38416 Activity:nil |
7/5 BART Strike? Union sucks: ... Managment sucks: They both suck: . Huh?: . Heard of it, but don't care enough to work out the he said/she said: . RIDE BIKE!: . LA Traffic beats them all: . Less time for morning masturbation: . \_ Anyone has any insider news on what the final agreement is like? \_ 7% raise over 4 years + $300 single lump payment. Monthly health contrib goes from $25 -> $75 + 3% annual increase starting next year. Some job descriptions will be rewriten. Front cab masturbation privileges after five years service. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/07/06/MNBART.DTL \_ Sounds like managment got the better end. |
2005/7/5-6 [Politics/Domestic/Crime, Politics/Domestic/911] UID:38417 Activity:high |
7/5 James Wolcott talks sense on the "Freedom Tower" design. http://jameswolcott.com/archives/2005/07/gusts_of_mastur.php \_ I think this article is better: link:csua.org/u/clz (NYTimes) \_ I don't really understand this criticism. "An impregnable tower set against the outside world." What exactly are they supposed to erect, an inviting vagina in heat? "Freedom Tower" is the stupidest name ever though. -- ilyas \_ No, "Freedom fries" is the stupidest name ever. \_ Freedom Fries Tower \_ In the rush to make the world's most inviting terrorist target "bombproof," they've managed to make it incredibly ugly. Thus it is a telling symbol of the state of our current national psyche. That is the argument, at least. I guess whether you buy that depends on whether you think architecture reflects on the society that produces it. \_ I do think it's ugly (or at least could be better), but I don't understand the phrasing of the criticism. It sounds like the objection is to the very notion that it ought to appear impregnable. -- ilyas \_ It is a sign of cowardance to try and build an impregnable fortress. The real worls is a dangerous place. fortress. The real world is a dangerous place. \_ I agree. A cheaper, more aesthetic solution is to deploy an active missile defense system where the missle (hidden behind the glass building) launches to strike unidentified targets that are flying low and coming towards the new tower. \_ That's pretty stupid. If you know it's going to make it a target you should strengthen it. \_ I think the argument is more sophisticated than that. The argument isn't that the tower shouldn't _be_ impregnable. It obviously has to be secure, given how much of a target it will be. The argument is that it shouldn't _appear_ impregnable, because it sends the wrong 'aesthetic message.' I happen to disagree with that. -- ilyas \_ Why? A good contrast is the Statue of Liberty, which sends a very welcoming message, and is generally seen as a positive symbol of America's greatness. Do you really think that the architectural equivalent of an Abrams Tank should be a symbol of America? Just like the Twin Towers, this building will have strong symbolic value whether we like it or not. \_ I hate to point out the obvious, but people don't work in the Statue of Liberty. -- ilyas \_ The point is that trying to build an impregnable signature tower is horribly misguided; there's nothing you can do, architecturally, to protect against a 747 full of fuel ramming into your signature building. Perhaps you can build it so the building won't fall down, but you're still talking about thousands of dead and massive business resumption costs. The proposal is horribly ugly, and in addition is completely unnecessary, as vacancy rates in lower Manhattan have skyrocketed since the attacks; no one wants to work there anyway. -tom \_ I don't really understand. Building anything conspicious in a major metropolitan area in the US will render it a target. Given that something like that is a target, you have to take security measures. Are you proposing either that nothing conscpicious be built or that if something is built it not be secured? The mind boggles. -- ilyas nothing conspicious be built or that if something is built it not be secured? Ugliness is one thing, but clearly, the criticism here isn't just that the thing is ugly. -- ilyas \_ I think it looks like a big toothpick, and that's okay -- except for the base, and that's a big except. Kind of makes sense they hid the ugliest part several clicks in, huh? http://csua.org/u/cm0 (nytimes.com) \_ Ugh. Gotta wonder how many cavity searches and retinal scans you'll need to go through to get to work every day in that thing. \_ It looks like an anal probe. Someone I know said it looks like NY flipping the bird, maybe that's what they were going for. -- ilyas \_ Or an old-fashioned syringe and hypodermic needle. \_ Freedom Tower as Rorschach test? \_ anyone have a url for the original Libeskind design? |
2005/7/5-6 [Reference/RealEstate] UID:38418 Activity:kinda low |
7/5 The Randy Cunningham story just keeps getting better. Turns out a guy trying to get a request in to the white house for a pardon bought Cunningham's old yacht (the one he lived on before moving onto Mitchell Wade's yacht). Cunningham bought the yacht from another congressman in '97 for $200k. He sold it to the pardon- seeker for $600k, who put $100K in repairs into it, and was set to sell it back to Cunningham until the shenanigans with Cunningham's real estate deals came out in the press. This guy's filthy. \_ Who the fuck is Randy Cunniingham and why should I care? -dans \_ Who the fuck is Randy Cunniingham and why should I care? \_ The guy who authored the flag protection amendment in the house, sits on the appropriations committee and has taken what amounts to very large bribes in a number of real estate deals. \_ Any time negative info comes up about a politician, ask yourself, is it something you would have brought up and spread about anyway if you'd known about it (and been right to do so) or is it irrelevant, and only being used to smear someone in connection with an unrelated issue they're involved with? If it's the latter, you are displaying an incredible paucity of political creativity and good sense. -John \_ Regardless of who the guy is, this is typical smear. His name pops up in conjunction with some unrelated political stuff, and out come the trolls digging up anything even remotely compromising. Sad. Don't you have any good arguments against his flag shit? -John \_ Actually, I had no idea he sponsored any flag amendment. I heard about the story because "corruption among pols" is a newsworthy item. Also, because it deals with Cal. real-estate. Originally the story broke that he sold his SD house to the owner of some engineering firm for $1.6m. The guy turns around next month and puts the house on the market, and it doesn't sell until a year later for $900k. Ha. In this market? Turns out, shortly after he purchased the house, the engineering firm receives it's first multi- million dollar gov't military contract in years. And it's been rolling in gov't contracts ever since. -nivra \_ It was something like 3 days later that the house was back on the market. the FBI recently raided both MZM's (the contractor involved) and Cunningham's offices and home. It's a funny, sad, dirty story, and definitely worth watching, John. Bringing up the flag burning amendment was just a point of reference for the guy, not any commentary on it. --scotsman \_ Here's a helpful chart describing some of the goodies so far: http://csua.org/u/cm5 (swingstateproject.com) |
2005/7/5 [Uncategorized] UID:38419 Activity:nil |
7/5 Does anyone know what the smile \*0*/ means? I can't find it in the smiley dictionaries returned by Google. Thanks. \_ Bulging muscles? \_ Bozo the Clown? Carrot Top? My sagging boobs flip up high? --jon |
2005/7/5 [Academia/Berkeley/CSUA/Troll/Jblack] UID:38420 Activity:nil |
7/5 Oh cool, an old motd. jblack go censor crazy or something? \_ Huh? \_ Maybe it's because I used the word VAGINA! -- ilyas \_ Huh? |
2005/7/5-6 [Recreation/Travel] UID:38421 Activity:nil |
7/5 I'm trying to find a decent place to living, something that is close to 3-4 stars but without the price tag of a 4-5 star hotel, esp. during summer time. It seems that bed & breakfast places fit that criteria. I've only lived in 1 b&b place and I loved it... it was small, cozy, clean, and we got every amenity there is thinkable, including a microwave, frig, stove, and a fireplace. What are some other reasons NOT to get a B&B place? One disadvantage is that they lack user feedback systems on the web site, and that I'd have to talk to them to reserve a room. What else? \_ You find something wrong with the room and you can't back out of your contract. How long your gonna live there? \_ There seems to be an expectation for a B&B guest to socialize with the proprietor(s) and the other guests. I go on vacation to escape dealing with people, so B&Bs are a bad option for me. My last vacation to Bali, my wife and I rented a villa with a staff of 4. On the plus side, the included chef obviated the need to negotiate the local food scene, which is usually a source of stress for me. Unfortunately, the staff was determined to be friendly and chatty, and their attempts to reach out to me was more of humanity than I wanted to deal with while on vacation. Domestics should be seen but not heard. |
2005/7/5-6 [Consumer/GPS] UID:38422 Activity:nil |
7/5 Has anyone used Microsoft's Map+GPS or Delorme+GPS? Both cost $100 and seem pretty good, but I'd like to hear from you guys on their usability. ok thx. \_ It's really inconvenient to drive with a laptop. I believe MS doesn't have voice navigation, don't know about Delorme. If you have a PDA (esp. a PocketPC) there are plenty of software that does what you want. Check http://gpspassion.com. IGuidance has both PDA+Laptop version at ~$100. Of course you'll still need a GPS module (another $100 or so). |
2005/7/5 [Uncategorized] UID:38423 Activity:nil 58%like:38426 |
7/5 ' ______ __,-~~/~ " `---. " _/_~~~( '" \ ~`~ )\__ ' __/ * < '|** / ) \__ ------===(((((====------------------===))))===----- \/ ~~~"""~~~"""''() ...')~/ ((( ' (_ ( \ ( > ' . \) ))) " " \_(__ < *' " . ~~ >_>' ~ `-|' *:>|--"---~/ ' ((( * ||~`".| * ))) |'|.|.| ' (( | ".|.| ))* ' *|| :|*|`. __________________((((( |jro|~| )))))_________________ This is what happens when you fucking LIBERALS mess with me. \_ You put ascii art on the motd? Hmm...I don't think that's going accomplish much. -moderate |
2005/7/5-6 [Transportation] UID:38424 Activity:nil |
7/5 Google Map with traffic congestion data: http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000923049126 \_ network traffic. bah. |
2005/7/5-6 [Recreation/Computer/Games] UID:38425 Activity:nil |
7/5 Dang it. If you had asked me this morning, I would've said there was nothing that could possibly make me want an XBox 360. http://csua.org/u/cm4 \_ You should get yourself a Clavilux! |
2005/7/5 [Uncategorized/Jived] UID:38426 Activity:nil 58%like:38423 |
7/5 ' ______ __,-~~/~ " `---. " _/_~~~( '" \ ~`~ )\__ ' __/ * < '|** / ) \__ ------===(((((====------------------===))))===----- \/ ~~~"""~~~"""''() ...')~/ ((( ' (_ ( \ ( > ' . \) ))) " " \_(__ < *' " . ~~ >_>' ~ `-|' *:>|--"---~/ ' ((( * ||~`".| * ))) |'|.|.| ' (( | ".|.| ))* ' *|| :|*|`. __________________((((( |jro|~| )))))_________________ Dis be whut happens when ya' fuckin' LIBERALS mess wid me. What it is, Mama! \_ You put ascii art on the motd? Hmm...I don't think that's going accomplish much. -moderate |
12/23 |