Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2005:July:05 Tuesday <Monday, Wednesday>
Berkeley CSUA MOTD
 
WIKI | FAQ | Tech FAQ
http://csua.com/feed/
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
2024/12/23 [General] UID:1000 Activity:popular
12/23   
Berkeley CSUA MOTD:2005:July:05 Tuesday <Monday, Wednesday>