I just noticed the most extraordinary statement on a DVD (which movie is not relevant). “No copying, Subject to applicable laws.” Aside from being an incomplete sentence, and mispunctuated to boot — does that invalidate it as a binding legal statement? — aside from all that, it’s a silly statement. Read more…
I don’t dance, not in any formal sense. Started to get lessons once (when I was 7 more or less) and then we moved again, and never got back to it. Adrian to Rocky: “Why do you want to be a fighter?” Rocky to Adrian: “Because I can’t sing or Read more…
Sometimes I use words that are perfectly ordinary words — to me — defined in any quality dictionary(1), but some listener / reader comes back all offended. How dare you use that word!? How dare you? Don’t you know blah-blah-blah? Well, golly gee wiz, Mrs. Grundy(2). You find certain words offensive? Alright… Read more…
Some one just said the most marvelous thing to me, apropos of what doesn’t matter. It stands by itself. When people say the glass is half empty or the glass is half full, they forget: it’s a glass; you can refill it! Wow. [30]
There’s a weirdness in our society(1): the subject of IQ. I just got hit by a(nother) stream of emails and posts on the internet about the ranking of US Presidents by IQ. This happens about this time each election cycle — about 4 months in to the new president’s term Read more…
Ok… one more on climate change then I’ll leave it alone… for now. 🙂 I’ve been watching the climate change debate for many years… longer than most people would believe it’s even been going on. So what? I’ve done my part to reduce my personal waste energy, and some Read more…
On the subject of climate change, I get a little irritated (to put it mildly) at folks who still insist it doesn’t exist or that it’s a “liberal conspiracy” or some other silliness. I’ve been watching it happen all my life. Any one who looks out the window now and Read more…
Given the Universal negative reaction to telemarketing, why isn’t it Illegal? Someone comes into my home uninvited (over the phone, that’s still My Space, My Time, My Home) and then gets all entitled about doing so. Wow. This really should be illegal. In fact, for a while it was, *if* Read more…
I was helping a friend with her computer the other day and she went into Microsoft Word to show me something. Across the top of the screen was a message in dark red on light red background saying (more or less) “your version of Word is no longer supported. You Read more…
I just (really, just now) read a new scientific study suggesting that sodas might be bad for your health. Gosh, what an idea. [That’s sarcasm…] Let me see: Carbonation leaches calcium from your body, leading to osteoporosis and various other conditions. The grotesque amount of sugar in them is damaging to Read more…
Advertisers: stop it. You talk yourselves out of a sale, every time you try to coerce instead of convince. I never yield to emotional-based, irritation-based(1), slogan-based or razzle-dazzle-based advertising. If you can’t convince them with logic, baffle them with bull-shit. I became (mostly) immune to such stuff shortly after 8 Read more…
Dear Microsoft: On what planet does it possibly make sense to devolve your error messages and error handling from vague, cryptic but partially useful text to Something went wrong? That was not how to “fix” your systems. The way to fix them was to hire high-level computer folks with excellent Read more…
Hey Y’all CEO’s of the Computer Industry… I know (or it says so, at least, in the advertising) that you believe you have made all your toys and gadgets easy and “user friendly,” but some one needs to point out to you. They are not easy to use. I’ve been Read more…