My laptop is this close to being taken to the roof and punted off the building. This close.

Apparently the new Novell client doesn’t like Windows XP, and we keep getting the blue screen of death, which occurs randomly; like when I’m at lunch and not touching my computer at all, as well as when I’m in the middle of typing something. It was happening once or twice a week, so I followed the helpful link to the Novell site where I found a patch that was supposed to clear up that problem. I installed the patch Friday, and my computer crash three times just this morning.

So one of the help desk guys had a different version that I just installed, and it had better work, or I’m going to see if I can dig up an old copy that worked perfectly well on my old computer.

Grrr…

In other news, we started watching Buffy Season 6 yesterday. I found it a mixed bag. I liked the first episodes, but could barely watch the ones with the three irritating boys. In fact, I went outside and watered the plants for awhile when I found one episode so annoying I couldn’t stand it. But the episodes without them I quite enjoyed, so we’ll see how the rest of the season pans out. (We’re only halfway through Disc 2, so we have quite a bit more to watch.)

And I’m hoping that our air conditioner is replaced early this week and not towards the end of the week.

Happy Flag Day!

Rules for Flying the American Flag

• It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
• The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is displayed.
• When the flag is displayed in a manner other than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the observer’s left. When displayed in a window it should be displayed in the same way, that is with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. When festoons, rosettes or drapings are desired, bunting of blue, white and red should be used, but never the flag.
• When the flag is displayed on a car, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.
• When hung in a window, place the blue union in the upper left, as viewed from the street.
• Section 8k of the Flag Code states, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
• Is it okay to have a flag t-shirt with words written on it?
  No, the flag should never be worn and no, the flag should never have marks or words written upon it. Section 8d (see below): “The flag should never be used as wearing apparel.” Section 8g: “The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.”

• Is it okay for an advertisement to use the flag?
  No. Section 8i (see below) reads, “The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever.”

Also Happy Birthday to Liz!

Well, it’s Sunday morning and it seems as if the extremist wack-jobs managed to leave Morgantown in peace.

I can hardly express how ANGRY groups like that make me. How can people be so narrow-minded and selfish as to not see that they are doing nothing but harming the cause they supposedly believe in? How is arson supposed to help the world and the environment? How is the destruction and harm of property is supposed to turn the average American to seeing the justness of the cause of environmentalism?

All weekend I’ve been carrying a smoldering anger at these idiots, afraid that they would do something stupid–and it did look, earlier in the week, like that was possible. Warnings were sent to NIOSH and the Health Science Center, that they might be targets of this group. That’s right, NIOSH, that tries to improve the health of workers was once again threatened (when I worked there we discussed (amongst ourselves) threat of the Mountaineer Militia, who had listed NIOSH as a possible target.)

I don’t understand why violence–even threatened–is seen as something that will draw people to a cause. (This means, I admit, that there is a whole lot I don’t understand about the world.)

Mostly, however, it makes me angry because a such actions undo all the work that other environmentalists have worked so hard to achieve. What we need is people working to educate others about the benefits of recycling and fuel efficient vehicles, not to get in their faces and piss them off.

So to even things out, here are some positive pro-environment actions:
Monongalia County Recycling Centers
We go the to center in Westover by the dog pound (or whatever they call it). They recycle glass, steel, aluminum, plastic, paper, and cardboard.
How to compost
We bought our composter from Gardener’s Supply Company as well as a nice little “pail” that has a charcoal filter.
Fuel efficient vehicles
We have a Toyota Corolla, which has gotten 42 mpg on road trips, and should last us for at least 10 years.
Oxygen production
I’m all about oxygen production and creating carbon dioxide sinks.
and of course,
Recycle Books
I have GOT to talk to Jim, at least he should put SOMETHING there. Jeesh! I know he moves slowly, but really!

The Old Man Mad About Drawing by Francois Place, Translated by William Rodarmor

The story is not only delightful, the artwork is delightful, combining new artwork, with photographs with of original artists drawings.

Tojiro, a young boy who sells rice cakes on the street, meets and eventually becomes an assistant to Katsuhika Hokusai, the Old Man Mad About Drawing.

Read More about The Old Man Mad About Drawing

Tom has some lovely pictures up. Go!

I particularly like the snapdragons.

The Sarantine Mosaic: Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors Guy Gavriel Kay

I’ve had these books for several years (they were published in 1998), and hadn’t gotten around to reading them, for the very reasons I enjoy Guy Gavriel Kay’s writing so much: his books are deep, engrossing, and not something that I can just plow through in a couple of hours. These books are not light reading, but they are good reading.

Read More about The Sarantine Mosaic

Yea! I can follow directions!

See more flower picture insanity.

Today I plan on learning how to use the different settings on my digital camera.

Since I, instead of Michael, have the “Directions? Who needs stinking directions?” gene, this could be… entertaining.

I come by it honestly, at least. When my mom got a long table for flowers and plants and such, I helped stain it, and then we put it together before I polyurethaned it. (Which REMINDS me, all my good brushes for polyurethane are still at my parents house. Which means that my dad probably left them sitting in a jar of paint thinner, as if time was going to clean them better. As it’s been a year and a half, I can be pretty sure that my brushes are probably sitting in some glass jar with goo that is a mixture of evaporated paint thinner and polyurethane at the bottom. So next time a project comes up, I’ll need to buy all new brushes. Sigh.)

Anyway, back to the table: the stain dried, and as I said, we needed to put the table together before I could polyurethane it. This is the scene in the basement. My mom, dad, and I are all gathered around the various sundry pieces, jamming them together, seeing what looks like it fits where, while Michael stands there reading the directions. And I do mean reading. He doesn’t give directions the once over and then wing it, no, he reads ALL the directions COMPLETELY before starting a project.

I HATE that.

It makes me look bad.

“Literary preferences aren’t fucking merit badges.”
Scott Lynch commenting at Making Light

Viola (Viola ‘Johnny Jump-Up’)
(more…)

Quiz time!
(more…)

I wanna go to the Cincinnati subway!

(Heard last night on All Things Considered)

Think again.

“Contrary to the popular conception that most people would never forget the face of a clearly seen individual who had physically confronted them and threatened them for more than 30 minutes, a large number of subjects in this study were unable to correctly identify their perpetrator”

I’ve always thought that situations like that would be ’embedded’ in your mind so to speak, but the study found that not only could the participants not correctly identify their confrontor, “those interrogated confused even the gender of the guard and/or interrogator.”

This seems like it would place eyewitness and victim identifications into even greater doubt.

Researchers at UC, Davis have found that fructose, a common soft drink ingredient, may be linked to obesity.

The researchers measured the levels of insulin and leptin in women who consumed a meal with a fructose sweetened beverage or a glucose sweetened beverage, and found that the fructose was associated with decreased hormone levels, and there was an long-lasting increase in triglycerides as well.

(T)his pattern of hormonal responses is similar to that observed after consuming a high-fat meal, and continues, “Based on our previously published work, this metabolic profile resembles that of fat consumption. Thus, despite the fact that fructose is a sugar, metabolically the responses are similar to those seen following fat ingestion.”

The article also notes that the rate of fructose use is also similar to the rate at which obesity has risen in the US.

Personally, I decided a couple of years ago that when going out to eat, if I was going to get empty calories, I’d rather have water with dinner and then get dessert afterwards. But that could just be me. (But if I’m not going to have dessert, I sometimes will splurge and get soda.) At home, I have milk with dinner, so it’s moot point.