-badjuju.org-

2007-06-01T16:33:00.001-07:00

From the Undermining-Your-Own-Argument-Department:

Ok, so woman is annoyed that Google StreetView has snapped a picture of her apartment window, complete with cat. She understandably has concerns about her privacy, but chooses to express those concerns by calling the press and allowing the New York Times to... Stay with me now... Snap photos of the inside of her home, with her and her cat, and then post them on their website for the perusal of the entire Internets.

I'm confused...

2007-04-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's odd the phrases we take for granted, and don't even think about what they actually mean.

Example: Businesses are usually proud to proclaim "Locally owned and operated!" The "locally owned" thing I get. But tell me this, how can a business not be locally operated? Your local pizza joint is owned by your neighbors, but they bus in the delivery guys from out of town?

2006-12-18T16:48:00.000-08:00

I wish science could make up its mind about things. Really.

From headlines today:
Alcohol abuse causes brain damage AND
Moderate Alcohol Levels May Protect Brain After Trauma

Please tell me which made-up study I should believe! Is alcohol bad for me brain or not?!

2006-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

Seen today: Woman in an expensive SUV, talking on her cel phone for at least 4 miles.

Vanity licence plate? [HANGUP]

Indeed.

2006-07-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to remodeling the only room in the house we didn't touch last summer: The bathroom. We've painted (over the nasty baby blue), replaced the light fixture, the shower rod and curtain. Tonight the toilet gets removed, the new towel bars installed. Tomorrow the floor gets replaced, and a new toilet installed.

I can't wait til it's done.

2006-04-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Today's PvP put into the best words why I do not watch the news, or read the newspaper.

I watch the Colbert Report, and that's about all the journalism I can stand.

2006-04-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I've done it. It seems unnatural and wrong, but I have Windows XP installed and runnning on my Intel-based MacBook Pro. Why have I done such a thing? Because I can, I suppose. Boot Camp made it a snap, really.

I boot into Windoze, putter around a bit, install Firefox and then stare at the screen for a few moments. Then I remember I could be looking at OS 10, and I restart back into the mac goodness. I haven't tried playing games in Windoze, but I suspect the performance to be just fine.

In other news, I'm being released from call center and cubicle hell. ISP tech support will have to get along without me in a couple weeks. I've accepted a position with an IT consulting firm, and can hardly wait to get started.

2006-04-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or is every day April Fool's Day on Teh Intarweb? Sites that try to fool us end up having to go so far over the top, lest we actually take these "fools" seriously...

2006-03-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, life is good. I think it might be officially spring, both literally and metaphorically.

The last few days have been warm, and we're probably clear of any additional snow. Alaska in the spring is, well... Not pretty. However, the muck and melt contains the promise of the best summers anywhere. The trees aren't budding yet, but I expect them to any day now.

In addition, a huge weight has been lifted off our department at work. A few weeks ago, the terror of a department director we've had for the last two years was finally re-assigned. His replacement seems to Get It. He's actually been taking steps to fix what we consider to be the problems around here. He also seems to genuinly value people over stats and numbers, which will be a nice change. We're all breathing a bit easier as a result.

Last, but certainly not least, there's a new addition to our computer family. That bad boy has released me from PC gaming hell (since its predecessor couldn't handle WoW for anything but fishing...).

Top o' the Line 'Book: $2500
Bluetooth Mouse: $49
Headset with Microphone: $29
Raiding Molten Core from the couch: Priceless

There's a shiny new 20GB partition waiting for WindowsXP to be installed as well, which will be a fun project...

2006-02-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

Is this thing on?

2006-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

I just can't understand why Blogger will sometimes publish, and sometimes not. My FTP server and settings have not changed, so why do I get errors? It's frustrating.

2006-01-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

I'm going to really try to get back in the habit of writing and hanging out here. I've been lax in my creative pursuits for quite a long time, and it's starting to get to me.

Along with, or perhaps because of that, I've been in a vague sort of discontent with my job. Some days I can sit at my desk and take endless phone calls, some days I sit at my desk and stare at the phone, unable to answer it. Much of this, I know, is due to boredom. My job has almost no variation, no challenge and no reason for either of those things to change. Ever.

This sort of job dissatisfation leads to the inevitable questions: Do I want to be doing this forever? Is this a "career," and if so, what's the next logical step? Should I just quit, apply for another job in the company?

I've been trying to figure out how to go back to school, but the hours I currently work (and probably will be working forever) make that very difficult if my bosses aren't willing to work with me on it. (They're not)

Hovering over all these thoughts is this burning question: What do I want to do?

I don't know. I want to learn new things, I want the opportunity to be creative at work. Even if I did go back to school, what would I study? These are things I probably need to answer.

In my travels on teh intarweb, I came across the following essay: How to Do What You Love.

It's an old saw, "do what you love, and the money will follow." How does anyone really figure out what they love to do, that will actually pay the bills. That essay is one of the best I've ever read on the subject, and I suspect it will become a big part of my ponderings over the next few weeks.

I've started reaching out, looking for other work, and trying to wrap my head around what I really want to do. Once I figure that out, the real work begins.

2005-11-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

There's a site I visit that collects all the news tidbits relating to Apple, Mac and iPod. Found today, right next to each other:

# "Podcasts From Heaven: Vatican Embraces 'iGod' Generation"
# "Mini-Porn Could Be Mega-Business: Video IPods, Cell Phones Provide New Vehicles for Adult Industry"

Isn't technology great?

2005-11-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

As much as I loved the series and the movie, it's getting a little annoying that I can't seem to get the theme from Firefly out of my head. I love the song, but seriously, enough is enough.

2005-10-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Tech Support Call of the Day:

Me: Click the button that says "Restore Defaults"

Customer: What does "default" mean?

Me: ...

2005-09-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

Winter is in the air. I can smell it. Well, that and the fire that someone started in the woods behind the building where I work. The building was evacuated, and just my luck, I was on lunch so I didn't even get a free break.

Note to self: Acquire a garage-door opener before the snow flies.

2005-09-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Today in Tech Support:

Me: "Internet tech support, how may I help you?"

Him: "My TV doesn't work"

Me: "You mean you can't turn it on?"

H: "No sound is coming out"

M: "..."

H: "There's a flat box that hooks into the TV"

M: "Well, you've called in to [company name] internet technical support, I can't really help you with your TV. You'll have to contact the manufacturer of your television."

H: "But I can't get it to work"

M: "What's the brand name on the box you hook to your TV?"

H: "[name of competitor's cable box]"

M: "You will need to call [competitor] for help with this"

H: "Do you have their number?"

M: "No. I'm sure they're in the phone book."

H: "Oh."

M: "Have a nice day"

2005-09-17T00:26:00.000-07:00

I got my hands on iPod Nano. Slick, very slick. Much smaller than the Mini it replaced, it seems so fragile I might break it. Ars Technica assures me that I'm unlikely to do so, however.

Now, my question for Apple is, now that they can pack 4GB into such a small package, where's my full-size iPod with a built in camera and WiFi? With AirTunes, I could be walking around my house using my iPod like a remote, listening to whatever strikes my fancy.

I hope that day is coming, but maybe not soon. I've just dropped a pile of cash on this one, and I'd hate to have to buy another upgrade, heh.

2005-09-17T00:22:00.000-07:00

Until I get the sidebar where I want, this is goin here. This song seems appropriate for now, and if you've seen Sahara you know the tune.

2005-09-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

Still tinkering...

Huh, nothing has changed, but this is spontaneously working now? Computers are teh suck.

2005-09-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

I've switched to Blogspot hosting for now, while I continue to try to figure out why I can't seem to publish to my OS 10 server. I missed my blog, so we're going to run with this for now.

2005-07-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

It's possible that I finally have this fixed. The FTP has been buggy on my server for a while, and I've been far to lazy or forgetful to fix it.

In local news, David has bought a house. The last couple weeks have been a whirlwind of house improvements (flooring, paint, appliances...) and packing/moving.

Before and after pictures of the new digs.

2005-02-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the blackout, y'all. Combination of technical issues moving to a new server, and an ongoing obsession with World of Warcraft.

Add to that some issues with my taxes that prompted me to discover an immutable truth: H&R Block is the biggest scam ever. These are not tax professionals. They are trained monkeys who fill out a form in their (and I shit you not) TPS system and call it a tax return.

For this "service," they will charge you a minimum of $50. If you have anything other than a single W-2, that fee skyrockets. My 2004 tax return will get me a $350 refund, and they wanted to charge me $160 to do nothing I couldn't do myself with a calculator.

I can't believe anyone uses these people at all. I understand they're under investigation for charging too much intrest on their "get your refund now" service. There was a woman there who waited for over an hour (she was a walk-in) to have someone do her 1040EZ form. She had one W-2, no dependants, no house... Nothing. All she had to do to save herself $50 + intrest was to read the 1040EZ form and fill it out.

Just goes to show, you will never go broke exploiting stupid or intimidated people.

2004-11-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's funny, just the other day I was reflecting on the fact that I have no idea why John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln.

Today, Salon.com posts this. Now I'll know.

Also of note, a term coined that I haven't heard yet, but which I think will stick: "Blue State Libral"

2004-10-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Every time I try to read the news and get informed about the elections, I get annoyed and can't read any further. I don't want to vote. Yeah, yeah... It's always going to be a douche and a turd* but I can't make myself vote for the "lesser evil." To me, there's no such thing. If I vote, I'll be making a de facto endorsement of the system and of ridiculous campaigns.

Can't I go into the voting booth and vote "neither?" How can I show that I care about my right to vote and my responsibilties as a citizen without actually having to vote for a turd? I refuse to vote for something or someone I don't believe in.

On a lighter (or darker note...) for tonights Halloween festivites I'll be Gother Than Thou(TM). Black velvet, white makeup and Living Dead Doll. In keeping with the spirit, I've painted my fingernails black. Although they don't fit with my jeans-and-tshirt work attire for the day, somehow they've made me more pretentious already. It's hard to take phone calls from computer-ignorant people when half of me is in Tortured Goth Persona(TM). Heh.

* Apologies to Parker and Stone