12/16   Question for camera buffs: I was flipping through a gift catalog and
        it struck me that the digital cameras all have a tiny "lens" but the
        optical ones are much larger.  The digital cameras don't require as
        much light to get the same picture or just get shittier pictures?
        \_ you need to tell us what do you mean by 'tiny' lenses?  apature?
           or the physical size of the lens?
        \_ I think the answer you are looking for is discussed in
           this article:
        http://philip.greenspun.com/photography/building-a-digital-slr-system
           Scroll down to "What kinds of digital SLRs are available?"
        \_ digital CCD's are generally smaller than their film counterparts.
           This may translate into a smaller avg physical lens' size.

12/16   Looking for the cheapest wireless 802.11b webcam with tilt
        and zoom. Recommendations?

12/17   Tin Foil Headdress:
        http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/007668.php
        \_ If some nerd shines a laser in my eye, I'll kick him in the nuts.

12/17   I don't care about people saying "Happy Holidays" but calling a
        Christmas tree a "Holiday Tree" throws me.  What other holidays
        use a lit up evergreen tree?  Yule I guess. Who exactly is
        supposed to be included by calling it a "holiday tree?" -jrleek
        \_ The tree thing seems stupid, I agree.  Happy Holidays , on the
           other hand, has a useful, distinct, meaning and it has nothing
           to do with being PC.  It's thanksgiving + christmas + new year +
           channukah, and you can keep saying it for about a month, without
           bothering to look at the date.  Does it really make sense to say
           "merry christmas" on the 20th?  And surely not the 26th.
        \_ What is your problem?  Don't you see the holidy on 25th of
           December is all about family gathering and gift giving.
           If you want to celebrate the birth of Christ on the wrong year,
           wrong month, and wrong date of month, be my guest, but most
           people simply don't care about the origin of the holiday.
           And that is nothing wrong with that.  And by the way, people do
           call it Chrismas tree, eventhough they are not religious.
           \_ You've been living in a cave, have you?
        \_ Muslims, Buddhists, and Liberals. America is a Christian
           nation, and if they don't like it, they should leave.  !williamc
           \_ Oddly enough, this may the reason many non Christians have
              trees. They want to be or appear more Americanized. They don't
              want their family to felt left out of mainstream culture. When
              in Rome...
              \_ I'm non-Christian, and I have a tree.  I grew up with it, it's
                 a tradition.. it's not overtly religious and doesn't have
                 particularly religious origins.  I'm not doing it because I
                 "don't want to be left out of mainstream culture", I do it
                 because it's pretty and pleasant and something to put gifts
                 under.
        \_ It's silly, though I do know people who don't celebrate Christmas,
           in terms of "the Christian observance/mass celebrating Jesus' birth"
           but do trim a tree.  If you asked them, they'd call it a christmas
           tree.  "Holidy Tree" is an example of stupidity.  Not disrespect.
           And on the "Happy Holidays" thing..  I'm on my 8th season as a
           professional caroler, and I'll generally say Happy Holidays.  Though
           if I'm at a house party with a tree and nativity set, I'll say
           Merry Christmas.  And when I sing something for the lesbian Jewish
           couple's baby, I'll say Happy Channukah..The phrase you choose
           is about your own level of politeness/respect for your audience.
           It doesn't/shouldn't insult/ injure the audience. --scotsman
           \_ It's a festivus tree.
        \_ Yeah, it does sound weird. My family is not Christian, but we
           did have a decorated "Christmas Tree" in our house during
           the holidays. Though it is sort of funny that there is such
           a big fuss over this symbolic use of an evergreen, since it
           does not originally have anything to do with Xtianity.
           did not originally have anything to do with Xtianity.
           \_ I think it reminds suburbanites of nature that they've paved
              over.
              \_ So you live in a rural area?  What time do you milk the cows?
        \_ We should start formally calling it "Xmas" like in Futurama.
           \_ Xmas happens in January when Steve gives us new koolaid.
        \_ I dunno.  My jewish friends that get a tree every year call it a
           Christmas tree. -dans

12/17   Lightsaber Choreography Competition:
        http://www.sabrecomp.com/download.htm
        \_ i think the winner still isn't as cool as 'art of the saber'

12/17   Previews seen before King Kong: a Miami Vice movie?  A freakin' remake
        of the Poseidon Adventure?!
        \_ That's great.  So how was the movie?
           \_ Movie's good, but long - bring ass padding.

12/17   For you next ski trip, Ski Dubai:
        http://www.skidubai.ae/welcome_eng.htm?mid=1&sid=1
        \_ A guy I know runs the ski school in Davos; they were asked by
           the guys who operate this slope to provide skiing lessons. He was
           a bit baffled by the whole thing.  -John