2/4     My external hard drive (not used) is starting to emit
        a ticking sound every 5-10 seconds even though I'm not
        reading or writing anything. It used to be quiet. Is
        this a sign that it's about to fail?
        \_ would have to hear it to be sure, but it certainly
           is likely.
        \_ nothing in the bg doing anything? is this while plugged into the
           computer or not?
           \_ it's doing this even though I'm not mounted, so
              I'm getting a bit worried. It never did this before.
              BTW it's a WD-1TB green drive.
              \_ check SMART status?

2/4     UCB 19th in private donations for 2009 behind #1 Stanford and #9 UCLA.
        http://tinyurl.com/yjojbhe (LA Times)
        List of Top 20: http://tinyurl.com/y8n3nye (Wall Street Journal)
        \_ advice to UCB fundraiser committee: Ask not how you can
           get more donations. Ask why you are not getting donations.
        \_ why the fuck should i donate to a place that told me my undergrad
           ass wasn't really who they were trying to teach?
           \_ look buddy, everyone felt the same way at Cal. This is
              why it's been going down for the past 2 decades. It's
              a sad legacy of the damn place getting damn too big.
              \_ well then I have this to say unto Cal:
                 "You reap what you sow.  You have heard of this phrase?"
                     Probably not, the bible is banned @Cal. _/

2/4     Straight porn is targetd for men.  Gay porn is targeted for men.  And
        lesbian porn is also targeted for men.  Is there porn that is targeted
        for women?
        \_ Yes, there is, but most women don't like it. Porn for women is
           "A Room with a View", "Dirty Dancing", and "An Officer and a
           Gentleman."
        \_ Check out Good Vibrations.
        \_ Yaoi.

2/4     Don't be evil.  Unless it's with China, or doubleclick, or the NSA...
        \_ Google on the China deal: "We're not being evil because
             we'll do a better job providing information to the
             Chinese than any other company."
           Google on getting out of the China deal: "We're not
             evil because we're cutting our losses in China
             to make our shareholders happy."
        \_ Don't deal with fucking communists. End of story.
        \_ The WWII gen would have never put up with this shit.
           \_ China (Republic of China) was our ally in WWII.
              \_ And I'm sure a base in taiwan would be a good place to
                 supply a fleet of cruise missile ships to turn the
                 mainland into porcelain.
                 \_ Japan would help.
                    \_ If they help we can give them back Manchukuo.

2/4     Lindsey Vonn's Sports Illustrated cover sparks debate:
        http://www.csua.org/u/q1t
        I think Kristy Yamaguch's white mustache "Got Milk" picture was much
        more suggestive.
        \_ isn't this a fairly normal pose for a downhil skier?
           \_ Yes, they all like it doggy style.
              \_ Oops.  All that doggy-style sex has damaged her shin and may
                 cause her the race: http://www.csua.org/u/q31 (Yahoo Sports)
        \_ enh this is cooler:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/mm/photo/athletes/general/38/39/20/383920_m03.jpg
           \_ He finally gets to go as part of the US team.
              \ He totally should.
        \_ Gold for the pretty blonde girl!
           \_ Not anymore, she hurt herself and is out of it.
              \_ She won the downhill. BTW, the silver medalist Julia Mancuso
                 is also pretty hot:
                 link:tinyurl.com/yzw4lz7
                 \_ Related question: This must be a Photoshop-edited picture,
                    but how exactly was it edited in Photoshop?  How do I use
                    Photoshop to turn a color picture into this kind of picture
                    that's between color and B&W?  Thanks.
                    \_ selective desaturation.  You can desaturate by channel,
                       or use the sponge tool.  -tom