blood diamond - limbs - necrophilia - taboos - benevolent illustrious boss - single parent - pink five - hard drive - strauss - foreign languages - Tc

[7/31/2007 11:31:15 AM] pD says: saw the film blood diamond last night

[7/31/2007 11:31:48 AM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450259/

[7/31/2007 11:32:05 AM] pD says: Di Caprio is a much better actor than I expected

[7/31/2007 4:05:33 PM] nsy says: hm. sounds interesting. what’s your rating out of 10?

[7/31/2007 5:02:08 PM] pD says: 'm back. sorry, having a particularly bad day today

[7/31/2007 5:03:23 PM] nsy says: no problem-o. some days, i get so swamped; i just have to check out entirely. go on and do your thing. i hope its just trivial work stuff, and nothing really bad...?

[7/31/2007 5:06:00 PM] pD says: thank you for your kind words. it is a bit more than the trivial stuff - but it is a bit complicated which requires a stiff drink or two

[7/31/2007 5:06:08 PM] pD says: hmm... maybe i will make a martini when i am home

[7/31/2007 5:06:14 PM] pD says: on the movie

[7/31/2007 5:06:27 PM] pD says: it is hard to give it a straight score

[7/31/2007 5:06:37 PM] pD says: nothing is straight forward with pD

[7/31/2007 5:06:49 PM] pD says: i think the story line is good enough

[7/31/2007 5:07:00 PM] pD says: the direction and actions are quite spectacular

[7/31/2007 5:07:49 PM] pD says: the moralistic tone of the story can be a bit off-putting; but naturally, one would be hard pressed to argue that he/she is in favor of chopping people's limbs off and/or child soldiers

[7/31/2007 5:08:12 PM] pD says: it is interesting to note that the practice of chopping limbs off started with the Belgium king Leopold

[7/31/2007 5:08:35 PM] pD says: whose abuse of the Congo inspired the story of "heart of darkness"

[7/31/2007 5:08:43 PM] pD says: going back the limb chopping bit

[7/31/2007 5:08:59 PM] pD says: apparently, he demanded one limb per 100 slaves to keep the slaves in line

[7/31/2007 5:09:13 PM] nsy says: wow, seems counterproductive

[7/31/2007 5:09:26 PM] pD says: ever since, limb chopping has been a "stable" in African politics

[7/31/2007 5:09:33 PM] nsy says: hard to polish a candlestick with one hand

[7/31/2007 5:09:40 PM] pD says: well, actually, similar practice is time honored

[7/31/2007 5:10:09 PM] pD says: for example, the word "to decimate" came from the Roman practice of killing 1 in 10 of the mutiny soldiers

[7/31/2007 5:11:35 PM] nsy says: wow, i love those fun facts from pD's brain

[7/31/2007 5:11:55 PM] pD says: morbid, you mean

[7/31/2007 5:12:14 PM] nsy says: morbid=fun

[7/31/2007 5:12:28 PM] nsy says: ok, maybe not every time

[7/31/2007 5:12:58 PM] nsy says: morbid obesity = not fun

[7/31/2007 5:13:09 PM] pD says: usually though - death and sex, the two unfailing ingredient of a good joke

[7/31/2007 5:13:36 PM] nsy says: exactly!

[7/31/2007 5:13:46 PM] nsy says: especially if you can get them both in the same joke

[7/31/2007 5:14:02 PM] nsy says: wow, i'm a jerk today.

[7/31/2007 5:14:08 PM] pD says: i suppose, following the same logic

[7/31/2007 5:14:16 PM] pD says: necrophilia jokes are the funniest of them all?

[7/31/2007 5:14:23 PM] nsy says: definitely

[7/31/2007 5:14:27 PM] pD says: (you can see that one coming a mile away, no...)

[7/31/2007 5:14:45 PM] nsy says: yep, there it is on the horizon.

[7/31/2007 5:15:27 PM] nsy says: well, i'll have to tell you one of my favorite jokes offline sometime after a few martinis.

[7/31/2007 5:15:36 PM] nsy says: totally tasteless

[7/31/2007 5:17:37 PM] pD says: (still lurking, the necrophilia story...)

[7/31/2007 5:17:42 PM] pD says: speaking of tasteless

[7/31/2007 5:17:47 PM] pD says: have you seen either of these two films

[7/31/2007 5:17:52 PM] pD says: Team America

[7/31/2007 5:17:59 PM] pD says: and The Aristocrats

[7/31/2007 5:18:11 PM] pD says: they are not "tasteless" in my view

[7/31/2007 5:18:20 PM] pD says: but, conventionally speaking, they really shock!

[7/31/2007 5:19:01 PM] nsy says: America, Fuck Yeah!

[7/31/2007 5:19:24 PM] nsy says: and i only saw a scene from the Aristocrats in the Sarah Silverman Movie - Jesus is magic.

[7/31/2007 5:19:37 PM] pD says: team america was one of the few films that i was rolling on the floor literally.

[7/31/2007 5:19:39 PM] pD says: what fun!

[7/31/2007 5:20:39 PM] pD says: jesus is magic is also fun - but i would recommend aristocrat - it really gives you insights on the person telling the joke

[7/31/2007 5:20:59 PM] nsy says: i didn’t know it was out - i'll queue it up!

[7/31/2007 5:21:12 PM] pD says: and, if you want to, i think compelling arguments can be made about the notion of what constitutes "Taboo" over generations in america

[7/31/2007 5:21:28 PM] pD says: anyway, i need to leave soon to pick up the little boss

[7/31/2007 5:21:55 PM] pD says: my BIB (benevolent illustrious boss) is out of town so i am a single parent this week

[7/31/2007 5:22:58 PM] nsy says: ok, safe travels. at least the little boss will carry your genetics into the next generation to push the boundaries of what is taboo... or so we can hope. and now you have more of an appreciation for single parent’s plight ;)

[7/31/2007 5:23:19 PM] nsy says: fair well!

[7/31/2007 5:23:41 PM] pD says: appreciation ain't worth nothin'

[7/31/2007 5:23:50 PM] nsy says: hahaha

[7/31/2007 5:23:54 PM] pD says: i want an award or medal

[7/31/2007 5:23:57 PM] pD says: and big ones too

[7/31/2007 5:24:49 PM] nsy says: here's your metal! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9ovgVXdcjBU



[7/31/2007 5:26:10 PM] nsy says: bummer - i thought it was a video of dave mustaine playing guitar. oh well, at least you got a montage. (team america sings "montage"...)

[9:03:52 AM] AE says: Look how educational legos and the internet can be!

[9:03:53 AM] AE says: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-5ak6X-mOkA&mode=related&search=

[9:06:13 AM] nsy says: the "dragging" scene is classic!

[9:06:54 AM] nsy says: wow, i didn’t know about the snake omen - cool

[9:07:45 AM] nsy says: and darth vader too! wow, that was great!

[9:07:59 AM] AE says: vader?

[9:09:09 AM] AE says: oh, conducting the Imperial march?

[9:12:20 AM] AE says: even better: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-967254940440792524&q=pink+five&total=546&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[9:14:47 AM] AE says: course... you have to endure some commercials first...

[9:19:14 AM] AE says: and it gets better:

[9:19:16 AM] AE says: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-734898518739208205

[9:35:55 AM] pD says: i am embedding some of the clips:

[9:36:20 AM] pD says: lego trojan war is pretty neat, somebody clearly has too much time on their hand

[9:39:09 AM] pD says: pink five: hahahah!

[9:39:11 AM] pD says:

SEE MORE: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

[9:41:31 AM] AE says: oh, the last two are the best: Return of Pink Five volume one and two.

[9:41:51 AM] AE says: in reverse order: Volume 2: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8983943213224739541

[9:43:05 AM] pD says: pink five strikes back I embedded

[9:43:06 AM] pD says:

SEE MORE: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

[9:47:49 AM] pD says: pretty good voices of obi wan and yoda

[9:51:56 AM] AE says: yes... it's really well done for a fan film.

[9:52:11 AM] AE says: here's volume 1 of Return:

[9:52:12 AM] AE says: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6993648185637675797

[9:52:35 AM] AE says:

SEE MORE: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

[9:53:01 AM] pD says: i understand that they have to make money somehow, but i must also confess that it is annoying to have to watch the commercial

[9:53:16 AM] AE says: that's from Atom films....

[9:53:44 AM] pD says: return of pink five V2: embedded

[9:53:45 AM] pD says:

SEE MORE: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

[9:53:48 AM] AE says: it' kinda why we don't got to the Cinema 9 anymore... commercials after paying full ticket prices at a theatre... bad form.

[9:54:11 AM] AE says: The embed linked was for volume 1... so I think we have the whole collection.

[9:54:16 AM] pD says: the films are pretty technically slick

[9:54:22 AM] pD says: i do wonder how they are done

[9:54:22 AM] AE says: Guess they haven't made part 3 yet.

[9:54:32 AM] AE says: CGI, green screen...

[9:54:40 AM] AE says: here's another fan film classic:

[9:54:41 AM] pD says: specifically, how do they embed characters

[9:54:46 AM] AE says: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=643405919082518371&q=troops&total=22910&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[9:54:51 AM] pD says: green screen makes sense

[9:54:59 AM] AE says: in the movie you mean?

[9:55:07 AM] AE says: they can simply edit them in.

[9:55:09 AM] pD says: but, that is assuming that they have access to the original film stock to superimpose

[9:55:16 AM] AE says: we can do it in Final Cut, and that's not too difficult.

[9:55:29 AM] pD says: really!

[9:55:37 AM] AE says: sure, that's stuff practically public domain now.

[9:55:39 AM] pD says: and, it would not look "obvious"?

[9:55:47 AM] pD says: i am way behind...

[9:55:49 AM] AE says: depends on how good you are.

[9:55:54 AM] pD is an old fart

[9:56:13 AM] pD says: i suppose i would need to get a mac if i ever to want to do something constructive with my video clips

[9:56:14 AM] AE says: The Pink Five series is way above the typical fan film in terms of production quality.

[9:57:13 AM] AE says: it's a good way to do it on the cheap.

[9:57:51 AM] AE says: Troops is another fan film that's very well done, acting and production quality wise.

[9:58:21 AM] pD says: yeah, you have shown me troops already

[9:58:25 AM] pD says: very cute

[9:58:47 AM] pD says: i think it would be interesting to inter-cut these films with the official version, it would be a riot

[10:23:43 AM] pD has changed the chat topic to "portable storage"

[10:23:54 AM] pD says: a quick stat: little boss turned 1 last week

[10:24:15 AM] pD says: and, i am seeing about more than 100GB of pix and video clips

[10:24:46 AM] pD says: more importantly, my 300GB HD is going to run out of space - not immediately, but it will given the growth rate

[10:24:59 AM] pD says: i have been backing up files by burning CD's

[10:25:09 AM] pD says: however, remounting CD to look for data is kind of painful

[10:25:26 AM] pD says: so, i am thinking that some kind of portable external drive could be nice

[10:25:55 AM] pD says: on a related front, when traveling, it would also be good to be able to download files from the digital camera to an external drive

[10:26:24 AM] pD says: anyway, this is my theoretical musing, do you guys have any suggestion on how to approach these needs and if you have any specific recommendation, that would be great

[10:35:10 AM] nsy says: jungledisk rules: http://www.jungledisk.com/

[11:08:57 AM] pD says: i prefer an appliance approach - something about holding the data in my own hand

[11:09:07 AM] pD says: also, when traveling, internet connection is sometimes hard to get

[11:27:31 AM] AE says: there are several one button backup solutions.

[11:27:36 AM] AE says: but they're all hard drive based.

[11:27:47 AM] AE says: and there are only two types of hard drives:

[11:27:52 AM] AE says: the kind that have failed.

[11:27:55 AM] AE says: and the kind that will fail.

[11:28:04 AM] AE says: so, it's not an archive solution.

[11:28:27 AM] pD says: it will not be for archive as such

[11:28:30 AM] AE says: There is tape... but it has many of the same problems as CD/DVD backups... mainly, they will not last 5-10 years.

[11:28:33 AM] pD says: i burn CD/DVD for archive

[11:28:48 AM] AE says: but the media has a 5 year shelf life for most of them (archive wise)

[11:29:01 AM] AE says: the best is a NAS

[11:29:16 AM] AE says: then you've got enough hard drives to back each other up.

[11:29:23 AM] AE says: when one fails, you toss it and put a new one in.

[11:29:26 AM] pD says: what I am thinking of is some sort of external drive so that i can offload files while on the road and be able to quickly access the files at home (unlike CD/DVD where i would need to copy files over to improve the performance)

[11:29:40 AM] AE says: Then get a USB 2 drive.

[11:30:01 AM] AE says: there are several small (2.5 inch) drives on the market that have 150 GB storage.

[11:30:18 AM] AE says: Or you can get a full size case and go much larger (up to 1 TB now)

[11:30:28 AM] AE says: it depends on how much gear you want to tote around.

[11:30:47 AM] AE says: La Cie makes some one button backup solutions in the 500-1 TB range.

[11:31:02 AM] AE says: brb

[12:05:46 PM] nsy says: a 16 gig thumb drive might do nicely... http://reviews.cnet.com/usb-flash-drives/axiom-usb-drive-usb/4505-3240_7-32335454.html?tag=prod.txt.20

[12:08:13 PM] nsy says: alternative mfr http://reviews.cnet.com/usb-flash-drives/edge-diskgo-usb-2/4505-3240_7-32310463.html?tag=prod.txt.18

[12:08:54 PM] nsy says: i've never heard of these manufacturers, and there are no reviews, so you could be a pioneer

[1:13:59 PM] AE says: pioneer = guinea pig

[1:16:09 PM] pD has changed the chat topic to "BFT"

[1:16:28 PM] pD says: 28-wheel truck, check out the video. it does not "look" that big...

[1:16:33 PM] pD says: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6922967.stm

[1:17:39 PM] pD says: thumb drive are too small for my purpose, unfortunately

[1:17:58 PM] pD says: i think an USB external drive with 300+GB would be ideal

[1:18:16 PM] pD says: any suggestion on that front?

[1:19:19 PM] AE says: sure: http://www.lacie.com/products/range.htm?id=10036

[1:19:54 PM] AE says: prolly this would fit your needs: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10833

[1:20:00 PM] AE says: though it's a bit small.

[1:23:06 PM] pD says: is this any good? http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3176017&CatId=136

[1:24:38 PM] AE says: sure. friend of mine has one. but you wouldn't want to pack it along with you.

[1:24:50 PM] AE says: it's pretty big.

[1:25:01 PM] AE says: and i'm not sure how travel-worthy it is.

[1:31:26 PM] pD says: that is a good point, i did not see the measurement, but the picture does look pretty good size

[1:31:42 PM] pD says: the problem with hardware is that there is always tomorrow when things are better and cheaper

[1:33:15 PM] AE says: yep.

[1:33:31 PM] AE says: you can always get a case that's rugged and put a larger drive in it later.

[1:33:44 PM] AE says: the 2.5 and 3.5 inch form factors will not change any time soon.

[1:34:06 PM] AE says: though the internal connectors might (i'm thinking of the switch to SATA that recently occurred)

[1:38:52 PM] AE says: here's a fancy shmancy one by Porsche: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10558

[1:39:01 PM] AE says: it's 250 GB.

[1:39:29 PM] AE says: cool, doesn't require AC power either, so you don't need to lug a brick along.

[1:39:40 PM] AE says: and it's made to travel.

[1:42:50 PM] AE says: Or there's this one: https://www.olixir.com/products_SecurFlash.php

[1:43:19 PM] AE says: They have them up to 750 GB... but expect to pay a premium (like $900!)

[1:48:26 PM] nsy says: imagine lugging this around? not! but how do they make it waterproof?

[1:48:29 PM] nsy says: http://www.klsecurity.com/disaster_ready_drive_iosafe.htm

[1:49:15 PM] AE says: wow! That's a good question!

[1:49:39 PM] AE says: how do you make an electronics device that requires cooling waterproof?

[1:57:34 PM] nsy says: what's your price range?

[1:59:34 PM] nsy says: whats the necessary storage? ex: 40 gig or 400 gig?

[2:00:38 PM] pD says: those are hard questions - fair, but i do not know

[2:01:04 PM] pD says: actually, one of the "problems" is that i have not figured out how to add a new HD onto the mother board

[2:01:22 PM] pD says: there seems to be only one bus/port for HD

[2:02:33 PM] AE says: then you can have two devices if they're ATA or SATA, the hard drive being one, the CD/DVD being the other.

[2:02:59 PM] AE says: if they’re SCSI, you can string up to 15 (depending on what variant of SCSI)

[2:03:22 PM] AE says: but these we've been showing are external; they'd hook up with USB 2.0 or Firewire.

[2:03:51 PM] nsy says: http://shopper.cnet.com/4566-3186_9-0.html?filter=503164_11795436_500076_14824018_100021_7810606_500489_5054007_

[2:22:01 PM] pD has changed the chat topic to "NY Philharmonics"

[2:22:05 PM] pD says: this is a rant

[2:22:24 PM] pD says: i was just listening to the NY Phil playing Strauss' Blue Danube (waltz)

[2:22:28 PM] pD says: it sucks!

[2:22:42 PM] pD says: the river was sluggish and muddy

[2:23:43 PM] pD says: interestingly, the same can be said of the Vienna Phil when they play American composers such as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue

[2:24:57 PM] pD says: there is no question on the technical proficiency of both orchestras and to the extent that both pieces are very well known and falls squarely within the classical construct - you would think that both pieces can be play with a high degree of dexterity by both orchestras

[2:25:58 PM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhapsody_in_Blue

[2:27:32 PM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Danube

[3:22:38 PM] nsy says: so, are you saying that technical proficiency is not enough to perform a piece well? if that's the case, what is missing? an understanding of the artist's intent? emotion? ...?

[3:23:53 PM] pD says: at a very crude level

[3:24:01 PM] pD says: (in the world according to pD)

[3:25:02 PM] pD says: that means the NY Phil people have not been on the silly boat for the Danube tour where they would stay left to right on waltz

[3:25:34 PM] pD says: similarly, Vienna people have a darn time getting the "swing" mood

[3:26:09 PM] pD says: i think part of it is at the gene and cultural level

[3:26:42 PM] pD says: american grow up with a particular sensibility so although people may not think of "swing" as a music choice

[3:27:11 PM] pD says: but, it is a fundamental beat in the american context - from blues, Elvis, to today's R&B

[3:27:56 PM] pD says: if you would allow the poor analogy

[3:28:12 PM] pD says: it is same as "white men cannot play basketball"

[3:28:24 PM] pD says: it is not a physical or willingness issue

[3:28:38 PM] pD is wondering if he is making any sense

[3:29:06 PM] nsy says: hahahah - yes, it makes sense, i think i catch your drift.

[3:30:00 PM] nsy says: like speaking a foreign language, it is almost impossible to get rid of your accent. natives always know "you're not from around here"

[3:31:34 PM] pD says: that is the same idea

[3:31:48 PM] pD says: i would make one modification, often time it is not the accent,

[3:32:24 PM] pD says: perversely, it is the fact that native speakers tends to be more "sloppy" with the language whereas the fluent foreigner would be speaking "proper" all the time

[3:32:59 PM] pD says: another give-away is when the foreigner is using terms that are no longer in use - learnt from text book instead of regular conversation

[3:33:32 PM] pD says: and, the flip side of the same coin is when the speaker is using excessive amount of slang - watched too much BayWatch for example

[3:33:42 PM] pD says: this reminds me of an unrelated story

[3:34:08 PM] pD says: when i was in japan, i learnt that they run a brisk business of selling the scripts to movies

[3:34:22 PM] pD says: apparently, it was considered an excellent way to learn colloquial english

[3:34:40 PM] pD says: i wonder if the advent of DVD with subtitle has killed off that business

[3:50:40 PM] nsy says: there must be an exception to the rule. can you think of any example where an orchestra plays music that originated in another culture, and does it well?

[4:02:52 PM] pD says: well, there are any number of good examples

[4:05:23 PM] pD says: for example, the most inspiring Tshechosky [i am butchering his name] performance I have heard is done by Vienna Phil

[4:05:24 PM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky

[4:09:05 PM] pD says: this is the CD, took me a while: http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-Symphony-No-Pyotr-Ilyich/dp/B00000IIXV/ref=sr_1_3/105-1672069-1958045?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1186009723&sr=1-3

[4:11:04 PM] pD says: similarly, a good number of american orchestras are known for their interpretation of European works - Philly under Ormandy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Ormandy

[4:11:40 PM] pD says: Chicago under Reiner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Reiner

[4:11:49 PM] pD says: actually, you know what, i think i know what the catch is

[4:11:53 PM] pD says: it is the conductor!!

[4:12:18 PM] pD says: we are talking about world class orchestras with the best players from around the world.

[4:12:48 PM] nsy says: wow, interesting revelation!

[4:12:54 PM] pD says: but, if the conductor cannot find the music in his soul, there is little the players can do since the conductors ultimately controls the finer points

[4:13:20 PM] pD says: the difference in a pause that is rushed and meditated is just a split second

[4:13:27 PM] pD says: but, that makes the world of difference

[4:13:43 PM] pD says: part of it, you can attribute to personal styles, but

[4:14:10 PM] pD says: there is a lot to be said about if the performer (conductor in particular for these kinds of orchestras) gets it in his guts

[4:14:29 PM] pD says: for example, Muti and Abbado are both Italians

[4:14:42 PM] pD says: but, they can do German operas like nobody’s business

[4:15:25 PM] pD says: Muti: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Muti

[4:15:38 PM] pD says: Abbado: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbado

==

NSA Chatters crew

Web 2.0 - AJAX - benevolent illustrious boss - BIB - day care - crowdsourcing - James Bond - cookies - che - emoticons - potatoe - quayle - hail mary

[9:53:16 AM] pD says: are we Web 2.0/AJAX complaint?

[9:53:34 AM] pD says: i included several embedded youtube clips on the blog

[9:53:55 AM] pD says: and, you can play them simultaneously - i think that qualifies us since they are multiple threads going at the same time

[9:54:18 AM] pD is feeling a bit down since he thought Web 2.0 was something more fancy

[9:57:01 AM] AE says: please define web 2.0...

[9:57:25 AM] AE says: Actually, there was a great spiel about security, identity and web 2.0... let me see if I can find a link...

[9:57:33 AM] pD says: hell if i know!

[9:57:44 AM] pD says: but, seriously, that is a subject of much debate

[9:57:56 AM] pD says: i think the technical definition of AJAX is more precise

[9:58:20 AM] pD says: Asynchronous JavaScript and XML

[9:58:28 AM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_(programming)

[9:58:57 AM] pD says: as for Web 2.0, i think the original idea is that using techniques such as AJAX, it allows the web to be more interactive in both directions.

[9:59:08 AM] pD says: in the bad old days, web content is more one direction

[9:59:33 AM] pD says: now, slackers like me can post blog and embed video clips to create our own content

[9:59:37 AM] AE says: here, this is brilliant: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RrpajcAgR1E

[10:00:17 AM] pD says: and, with that, now web 2.0 seems to have developed into the concept of end-user based web/content activities - youtube, blog, etc.

[10:00:45 AM] pD says: well, that is my personally definition

[10:01:26 AM] pD says: what is the clip about, AE?

[10:01:31 AM] pD says: it is 15 minutes long...

[10:15:24 AM] AE says: yeah. that's right.

[10:15:35 AM] AE says: it's about 15 minutes long.

[11:12:40 AM] pD says: Little boss seems to be doing well in day care

[11:12:59 AM] pD says: the first day was a bit traumatic - mostly for BIB

[11:13:41 AM] pD says: the little boss also came back a bit cranky - i think he was just over stimulated since he never hangs out with many others

[11:14:01 AM] pD says: but, second day, yesterday, was okay. he was pretty normal when i picked him up

[11:16:00 AM] pD says: so, my conclusion is that he either hates me now, but did not want to say it or he can deal with shifting vicissitude well

[11:16:26 AM] pD is pondering the imponderable

[11:42:12 AM] pD says: btw, nsy, how did you get volunteered to do a re-fresher course?

[11:50:39 AM] pD says: little lindsey is very cute, isn't she

[12:13:41 PM] pD says: say, isn't this sort of what we do? Assignment Zero: Can Crowds Create Fiction, Architecture and Photography?

[12:13:47 PM] pD says: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2007/07/assignment_zero_all

[12:14:53 PM] nsy says: S knows i'll do it because i like educated customers - better for us in the long run ;)

[12:16:10 PM] pD says: good point

[12:16:23 PM] pD says: 8-|

[12:17:55 PM] nsy says: wow, crowdsourcing - cool jargon, too

[12:20:43 PM] pD never realizes he is in front of the wave...

[12:23:40 PM] nsy says: pD the surfer - hang ten, bra

[12:31:23 PM] pD says: never been "cool", not use to this...

[12:31:52 PM] pD says: on James Bond: Birdsong author Sebastian Faulks writes a new official James Bond book, Devil May Care, set during the Cold War.

[12:31:59 PM] pD says: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6289186.stm

[1:04:36 PM] pD says: this kind of news makes me feel warm and fuzzy. common sense triumphant

[1:04:45 PM] pD says: 1937 – A Shanghai newspaper believed it could boost circulation by including special editions to entice the reading public. They produced reams of copy and sold pages and pages of advertising eventually producing the largest ever Sunday newspaper edition to hit the streets of Shanghai . Sales of the paper doubled and the owners were delighted. But not much use for the advertisers – canny Chinese had bought up multiple copies of the paper in the knowledge that due to its gargantuan size the paper’s worth as scrap exceeded the cover price – they made about US$25 per thousand copies after forming syndicates to buy up every copy available making themselves about US$300 – not a bad Sunday’s work.

2007 – 70 years later and the Chinese post office announces proudly that it had delivered a record weight for a newspaper, a special pre May Day edition of the Beijing Evening News, circulation 650,000, containing 208 pages (normally just 48) – the most in the paper’s history, and resulting in a total delivery weight of 400 tons. However, the cover price of RMB0.50 (US$0.06) was less than the scrap value of the paper, so many dealers held the paper back and sold them for scrap at a better profit margin – something the advertisers were understandably unhappy about.

[1:38:09 PM] nsy says: ha - now thats ironic, alanis

[1:41:01 PM] pD says: gotta love those state controlled enterprises

[1:43:59 PM] nsy says: i like the way this guy thinks...http://homepage.mac.com/o051971/PhotoAlbum2.html

[1:46:08 PM] nsy says: someone found Jesus in their chocolate milk: http://www.wokq.com/images2/wwjd1.jpg

[1:46:33 PM] pD says: love the "Millennium Falcon Cookie!" http://homepage.mac.com/o051971/.Pictures/falcon%20cookie.jpg

[1:47:14 PM] pD says: hahah "Naughty Nurse and Dirty Doctor Cookies" http://homepage.mac.com/o051971/.Pictures/IMG_10.JPG

[1:47:42 PM] pD says: i would have thought that chocolate milk image look more like Che

[1:48:02 PM] pD says: http://arabist.net/wp-content/Che.jpg

[1:50:30 PM] nsy says: yes. in the eye of the beholder, i guess. this was the site where i found that - some other interesting stuff too... http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/food_chocolate/index.html

[1:53:59 PM] pD says: cool site!

[1:54:14 PM] pD says: check out this story, from the blog, Woman buys 10,000 chocolate bars: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3685925.stm

[1:54:25 PM] pD has just found new faith in huanity

[1:54:34 PM] pD says: humanity anyway

[2:03:14 PM] pD says: nsy, are you tempting me to insert my name in the field?

[2:03:19 PM] pD says: i am not shy that way, you know

[2:03:30 PM] pD says: ]:)

[3:52:24 PM] nsy says: haha, i can't believe i didn't do that myself!

[3:53:17 PM] pD says: are you too doing an ]:)?

[3:53:52 PM] nsy says: put your name in the deity field

[3:54:16 PM] nsy says: and how DO you make those cool smileys? i like the one with glasses - is that a capital bee?

[3:54:33 PM] nsy says: B-p

[3:54:37 PM] pD is feeling omnipotent

[3:54:39 PM] nsy says: 8)

[3:54:54 PM] pD says: i use the emoticons from skype

[3:54:58 PM] nsy says: BD

[3:55:04 PM] nsy says: cheater

[3:55:10 PM] pD is not omnipotent when it comes to smiley variations

[3:55:26 PM] pD says: i just know my limits - another sign of godliness in my dictionary

[3:55:55 PM] nsy says: heh. i guess AE reached his limit of us and dropped us like a hot potatoe

[3:56:18 PM] nsy says: eew - remove the "e" from the end of potato - ghastly

[3:57:26 PM] pD says: nsy just pulled a bush! nsy just pulled a bush! nsy just pulled a bush! nsy just pulled a bush!

[3:57:45 PM] pD says: the alternative scenario with AE is that

[3:58:17 PM] pD says: seeing that he's got a few hot potatoes on his hand, he is busy searching for sour cream, butter, and other condiments so he can enjoy 'em properly

[3:58:30 PM] pD says: that is what I (capital I, the godly kind) would do

[3:58:31 PM] nsy says: actually that was quayle, wasn’t it?

[3:58:57 PM] pD says: yeah, you are right

[3:58:59 PM] nsy says: well, either way - its worse for me!

[3:59:16 PM] pD says: so sorry, that i am confusing quayle and bush, not sure who to feel bad for

[3:59:33 PM] nsy says: heheh - true conundrum

[4:00:11 PM] nsy says: potato potaaahto

[4:01:31 PM] pD says: well, it got a complete paragraph in Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Quayle#Vice_Presidency

[4:02:26 PM] pD says: and there is even an entry about the kid whose spelling dan "corrected" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Figueroa

[4:02:50 PM] nsy says: wow, what a way to get your 15 minutes

[4:03:58 PM] pD says: and, here is more on the potatoe episode, apparently, it was an accepted spelling into the 19th century. Maybe dan was just a classy kind of guy...: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potatoe#Spelling

[4:05:24 PM] nsy says: yes, that was my renaissance faire training haunting me with the potatoe thing.

[4:07:19 PM] pD says: yeah, yeah, yeah

[4:07:54 PM] nsy says: heh - not falling for it? fie upon thee, rapscallion!

[4:08:28 PM] pD says: what a way to talk to god, your nun teachers would have been scandalized

[4:08:43 PM] pD says: repent - thee rapscallion

[4:10:46 PM] nsy says: no! not the rulers of wrath from the nuns of repentance!

[4:12:42 PM] pD sighs - so much fun at other's expense, the way way for mirth

[4:12:51 PM] pD says: the best way

[4:17:10 PM] pD doing the hail mary for repentance

[4:17:25 PM] pD says: in classical greek: Θεοτόκε Παρθένε, χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη Μαρία, ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. εὐλογημένη, σὺ ἐν γυναιξί, καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου, ὅτι Σωτήρα ἔτεκες τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν.

[4:17:55 PM] pD says: in latin (middle age): Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

[4:18:20 PM] pD says: in latin (current official version): Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatóribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

[4:18:31 PM] pD says: wiki rocks! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary

[4:24:57 PM] nsy says: look for the hail holy queen - i had to memorize that when i was 12. i still remember the whole thing. its morbid.

[4:26:26 PM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Holy_Queen

[4:27:54 PM] pD says: or, salve regina, for the cognoscenti

[4:27:59 PM] pD says: talk about morbid

[4:28:17 PM] pD says: what i remember the most about hail mary is from the second god father film

[4:28:50 PM] pD says: when alfred (second brother who betrayed Michael the godfather) was fishing

[4:29:25 PM] pD says: alfred was whacked while fishing many years after the betray - Michael wanted to wait for their mother to die first

[4:29:36 PM] pD says: that was an extremely creepy ending

[4:29:48 PM] nsy says: sadly, another classic i have not seen all the way through (blasphemer).

[4:31:37 PM] AE jumps into the middle of everything without bothering to catch up to the 'story so far'.

[4:31:40 PM] AE says: Hi.

[4:31:49 PM] AE says: So, I've got these ideas for commercials for our products.

[4:31:53 PM] AE says: One is easy:

[4:32:08 PM] pD says: this is a clip from the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQygwUBwnn4

[4:32:10 PM] AE says: there is a white area, nothing in it.

[4:32:16 PM] pD says:

[4:32:30 PM] pD says: beautiful cinematography

[4:32:52 PM] pD has changed the chat topic to "AE's commercial idea"

[4:33:14 PM] AE says: well now I'm watching the god father...

[4:34:02 PM] AE says: Ok.. where was I?

[4:34:08 PM] AE says: Oh, commercials...

[4:34:16 PM] AE says: there's this white room and a voice over:

[4:34:22 PM] AE says: "Your mail server"

[4:34:35 PM] AE says: then hands place a generic server in the white area.

[4:34:47 PM] AE says: "A delicate, dedicated piece of hardware."

[4:35:10 PM] AE says: "An integral and crucial part of your business infrastructure."

[4:35:22 PM] AE says: then a bunch of really heavy things fall on it, destroying the server.

[4:35:40 PM] AE says: "that's why you need [deleted]."

[4:35:59 PM] AE says: and a pair of hands puts [deleted] on top of the ruined server.

[4:36:36 PM] pD says: cool!

[4:36:41 PM] AE says: Commercial two (which I may have stolen from pD, or made up in my mind, I can't remember):

[4:36:59 PM] pD says: maybe drop a few sleazy (sales) looking people on the server

[4:37:01 PM] AE says: Guy is writing a letter and stuffing it in an envelope.

[4:37:15 PM] AE says: Camera pulls back a little so we can see him and a mail box.

[4:37:22 PM] AE says: there is a rope trailing off camera.

[4:37:51 PM] AE says: voice over: "Dear such and such. I'm sending you this in hopes you can use it. hope it finds you well.. blah blah blah blah."

[4:38:12 PM] AE says: person puts the envelope into the mail box.

[4:38:34 PM] AE says: camera pulls back following rope to a massive (boat, car, elephant, whatever).

[4:39:00 PM] AE says: Voice over describes [deleted] can help you!

[4:39:18 PM] AE says: Ok. Have to go get a massage now.

[4:39:27 PM] AE says: we should try and film some of these!

[4:39:31 PM] AE says: bye!

[4:41:35 PM] pD says: maybe AE just found the sour cream and stuff that he needed for the hot potatoes...

[4:41:37 PM] pD says: ciao

[4:53:13 PM] pD says: not to make light of dropping sales people onto servers - i do still think the Darth Vader as Shaft as a more interesting plot...

[4:53:11 PM] nsy says: ciao - go baby daddy

[4:53:26 PM] nsy says: maybe we can mix them somehow

[4:53:29 PM] pD says: oh, not quite time for me to leave for a bit

[4:53:35 PM] nsy says: oh, i see

[4:53:47 PM] nsy says: so, we can have darth vader levitating a server...

[4:56:39 PM] pD says: hahah! that would be a good one

[4:57:01 PM] pD says: maybe instead of air massage, he does the air transfer?

[4:57:08 PM] pD says: hmm... not as funny tho

[5:15:06 PM] pD says: okay, need to get ready to be baby daddy

[5:15:23 PM] nsy says: maybe he can levitate and drop the sales ppl on the server?

[5:16:05 PM] pD says: i think we are onto something here