...making Linux just a little more fun!

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The Linux Laundrette

Contents:

(?)Resent: Free Beer
(?)Translation from www.anekdot.ru
(?)how many degrees do you have? need another one?
(?)Use Linux. Be Evil.
(?)Re a certain Laundrette message
(?)Silent sound card
(?)A man on a mission
(?)Big Hug
(?)The Cabal
(?)Measure
(?)Alphabet Soup
(?)TAG bar, lounge, kitchen, yada yada
(?)Teddy bear's picnic
(?)Dreaming
(?)Paranoia Mode
(?)Hay in a needle stack
(?)Christmas presents
(?)!Slashdot
(?)307 etc.
(?)CTCP
(?)Ben on the Move
(?)Decaf
(?)Railroad Bill
(?)Normality
(?)Public Speaking
(?)Anything strange?
(?)Lecturers
(?)A bit too hard
(?)Teddies
(?)More Java complaints
(?)More Bartending
(?)Pirates ... and stuff
(?)misunderstandings
(?)Frodo's cast
(?)On hold
(?)Bad ARP pun. Really.
(?)In the TAG Bar
(?)More Christmas presents
(?)Release names
(?)Dallas
(?)Ben's hotel
(?)Jimmy's haircut / Oirish
(?)Another bad pun
(?)What's a clove?
(?)Even more Christmas presents
(?)Whispers
(?)Song of the Month
(?)isdn
(?)If you are a man, you want one of these:
(?)Good for a laugh
(?)Linux cat feeder
(?)PayPal spam
(?)Self-protesting spam
(?)Quotes & Traffic
(?)Sometimes you find the most curiously valid things in spam...
(?)Microsoft's guide to l33tsp34k
(?)Bios are such fragile things...

(?) Resent: Free Beer

From Martin Pagh Goodwin

Hi TAG'sters

This message appeared in the archives, but I never seemed to get it from the list - I have selected to get the "digest(ed)" version...

(!) [Ben] Eeew. That sounds very nasty, at least in regard to beer!

(?) Original message repeat:

I guess as an extension to the theme regarding our favorite drinks, this danish initiative for an open source beer could be interesting - free as in free beer?

https://www.voresoel.dk

I have yet to taste it, I would think it was sold out at the release event.

(!) [Ben] Yep, that one definitely made it onto the list. I've still got it in my inbox as a reminder to look at the site (<clickety> Woo-hoo, what fun! Somebody will make the stuff, with the recipe on the back of the label maybe...)
(!) [Jimmy] There's an article here: https://www.copcap.com/composite-8636.htm

(?) Translation from www.anekdot.ru

From Ben Okopnik

(Seen at a Russian humor site, https://anekdot.ru; translation mine)

...............

Hmmm, seems I've fallen behind the times...

So, I'm sitting here in my computer store, doing business. A client comes in - one of those good ones, you can see right away that if he buys anything, it'll be a lot, and expensive. In other words, quality. He's got all the accessories, too - the hat, the coat, the high-priced tie, the Armani suit... He's walking around, looking at stuff, flashing his Parker, checking his list.

I ask him if I can help in any way.

Client: Certainly, if it's not a bother. I'm looking for a home computer, something fairly speedy.

Me: - No problem! I see you have a list, so you already know the general configuration?

C: - Yes, I was advised to get an AMD64+...

(Oh, sure - I know all about these "advisors"...)

Me: Actually, I'd wait a bit on buying that particular CPU, at least for now.

C: Oh? Why?

(Well, hell. Now I'm got to explain CPU architecture...)

Me: Well, you see, it's a brand new architecture, and Wind0ws has not yet been fully developed for it.

C: And why do I need Wind0ws?

(Holy crap... Another clueless lame-o! Now I've got to explain Wind0ws!)

Me: You see, for a computer to work, you need an operating system, and the one for this processor is still being developed.

C: So?

Me: Well, Wind0ws is the operating system...

C: Young man! You might as well call DOS an operating system! (I go into a slight state of shock) Wind0ws is no operating system - it's a commercial result of Bill Gates' activity (I can feel myself turning to stone). Now, Linux is a real operating system! (I go into total catatonia)

C (interested): So, you have Wind0ws installed here?

I nod slowly.

- No, really?

He walks over to the monitor and looks at it.

C: - Hmm. Seemed like decent people, at first sight...

He stays silent for about a half a minute, and then delivers the killing blow:

C: - Tell me, please... why would I entrust the installation of complex and expensive equipment to DOS-using, pingless lamers who don't know and don't care to know about anything except Wind0ws?

Turns around and walks out.

That's it, screw it all! I'm installing Slackware *today*! EVERYWHERE! THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW!!!

...............

(?) how many degrees do you have? need another one?

From Vince Wesa Werber

You would think that someone trying to hock off degrees would use a spell check...
-- vince 
On Sunday 02 January 2005 01:52 am, Brunson Z Leanna wrote:
> You already graduated and have lots of deggrees in many subjects but
> there's just one that you're missing and you're too busy to go back to
> school to get it. If that's the only thing holding you back from the nicer
> office and better hours then this is for you
>
> www.FJody5.oXxford.inFo
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> to rem from list XOtto.oxxFORD.info/f7.fu3.fu3.htm
(!) [Ben] I'd imagine that they did - but spammers commonly misppel keywords such as "degrees" in hopes of foiling spam blockers. Not that it helped them; I never saw the thing (presumably, it got processed and dumped with the rest of my spambucket during my weekly cleaning, a couple of hours ago.)

(?) Yeah Ben... I've noticed the 'classic' mis-spellings of the spammers... This one just caught me in a grumpy mood...

I've been writing to a retired english teacher and she loves correcting my mail... BTW I keep my degrees in a shoe box... under my desk... I've even forgotten what they were for... oh well have a good day and a better tomorrow!

(!) [John] Trying to recall Frank Zappa's quote ... is:
"A diploma isn't worth the match it takes to light it"
close?
or maybe:
"A diploma isn't worth the match it takes to light it to smoke it"

(?) The degrees weren't important... it was the fun getting there that mattered. Another story for another day...

(?) Use Linux. Be Evil.

From Benjamin A. Okopnik

Just ran across this:
https://www.nata2.info/humor/flash/switchlinux3.swf
(!) [Brad] I've seen this before at https://www.ubergeek.tv and it's absolutely brilliant. The IntelliToast one is every bit as good as well...

(?) Re a certain Laundrette message

From Sluggo

You're dead, Jimmy.

(!) [Jimmy] Heh. Honestly, what would you have done in my place? Uh huh.

(?) Don't you "uh huh" me. I can find plenty of things to razz you about without stooping to publicize your mistakes. :)

(!) [Jimmy] Sure, go ahead. I'll publish it. Heck, I might even dig for some of the embarassingly drunk photos from college. But you were going to get razzed one way or another for that mistake, and it was going to end up in the Laundrette anyway... :-P
(!) [Jimmy] Tell you what, I'll allow you to choose which rotten vegetables are thrown at you.

(?) Hmm, which vegetable would be most difficult to obtain in Ireland. Asparagas? Or something tropical....

(!) [Jimmy] Right, rotten cabbage it is then.

(?) They don't grow cabbage in Ireland? Considering it grows in Russia (schi = cabbage soup), I'd think it'd adapt quite readily to Ireland. Go look at your dairy farms and see if there might be a few cabbage weeds here and there.

(!) [Jimmy] 'Course it does. "Being difficult, eh? I'll go with the convenient option".

(?) In The Nine Nations of North America , there's a piece in the Alaska chapter about the idiodicy of people living where tomatoes won't.

(!) [Jimmy] Yeah. No Pizza.
/me shakes his head
The fools.

(?) Oh, and your comment about the stocks. First you have to get me in them.

(!) [Jimmy] Hmm. Yeah, I think trying to put the wrestler into stocks would be a waste of time.

(?) Oh, did I say that? How un-Irish of me.

No, Ben, I'm not a double agent for the Ghoulzette. Tell your goons to stop tailing me. And you may want to tell those men in blue suits who are watching my apartment that they're really conspicuous in this neighborhood.

(!) [Ben] [Adjusting sunglasses]
So, Mr. Orr. It seems you've been living... two lives. One life, you're Mike Orr, program writer for a respectable weather company. You have a social security number, pay your taxes, and you... help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived in computers, where you go by the hacker alias "Sluggo", and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for - including Python programming. One of these lives has a future... and one of them does not.
In the latter one, you keep seeing the men in the blue suits. FORGET THE MEN IN THE BLUE SUITS, MR. ORR. The fnord... does not LIKE those who notice the men in the blue suits.
(!) [Vince] Hmmm.. it is late but somehow I see a group of Pengiuns dressed in blue suits,

(?) Like this? (Originally by Doc Searls, now part of the LWN Penguin Gallery )

(!) [Vince] listening to DEVO on their MP3 players, surrounding a house...

(?) I think it's Blondie rather than Devo. Maybe the construction sounds across the street are getting in the way. No, in that case it would be Einstuerzende Neubauten....

(!) [Vince] Am I the only one that is having this dream?
And what is that bright light in the sky??? What is a 'sun'?
(!) [Ben] "Stanford University Network", of course. The bright yellow thing in The Big Room? Just a shared recurring multiperson hallucination, easily explained by modern psychological theory. I've noticed that if you ignore it for 12 hours (or even less, at times), it goes away eventually.

(?) "Destroy the sun! We hatessss it! It burns! The pale yellow face mocks us, keeps us from hearing the machine. It causes global warming. It causes sunburns. DARPA says the sun is bad, it warms our enemies. It weakens our dependence on foreign oil. There's only one logical conclusion: we must destroy the sun." -- Mike Salib, Starkiller talk, at PyCon 2004. https://www.linuxjournal.com/node/7541

(!) [Jimmy] BTW, next month it becomes "The TAG Bar". Heather has worked her magic, and in place of the TAG style bubbles we'll have vbeer icons for those who drink, and coffee cups for those who don't.

(?) As long as they're multipurpose beverage cups and not specifically coffee cups.

(!) [Jimmy] Sure. Heck, you can even have cider in a beer glass if you want.

(?) Silent sound card

From Benjamin A. Okopnik

(!) [Ben] but that's me, always living on the edge.
(!) [Sluggo] Especially on a houseboat during a hurricane.
(!) [Ben] Err... I don't have a houseboat, I have a sailboat that I live on. You can't sail a houseboat - and a sailboat doesn't have nearly as much room.
(!) [Sluggo]
Do y'all remember how Ben cancelled his Oregon trip and rushed to his houseboat when the second or third hurricane came? Other people love their dog or cat, but Ben loves his houseboat.
(!) [Ben] Hey (ignoring the wrong nomenclature), it's my home. Don't know about you, but it's important to me.
(!) [Ben] The following script allows you to set the volume from 0-10, in 10% increments, without having to remember the 'cam' arguments.
(!) [Sluggo] You enjoyed sending me a bash script, didn't you?
(!) [Ben] [sob] Yes, yes - I admit it! I knew it would torture you to the depths of your soul, and I still did it!
(What, you wanted some nasty slithery Python script? You must be dreaming.)

(?) A man on a mission

From Ben Okopnik

[ Several bars of opening music from Star Trek ]
Washington DC - the final frontier. These are the voyages of Starship Ben. Its five-day mission: to explore strange new worlds of DC-area ethnic restaurants; to seek out (and carefully remove) new life from his plate; to boldly consume what many diners would first cautiosly poke with a long utensil in order to make sure that it didn't eat them.
Tonight's challenge^Wmeal consisted of Mughaz Masala followed by a desert of Guley Jamin and washed down with lassi, in an atmosphere of highly animated and fascinating conversation - which consisted entirely of Urdu, so I may have missed a few of the finer points.
(!) [Kapil] Sounds suspiciously like /Murgh Masala/ and /Gulab Jamun/ (the former is chicken in a spicy curry, the latter a round brown fried ball of flour and "khoya" ("extremely condensed milk"?) in rose (gulab) sugar syrup).

(?) Not exactly. /Mughaz Masala/ was chopped lamb brains fried with (what looked like) chopped egg, julienned turnip (maybe), and, of course, /masala/ ("more than American-spicy" to suit my taste buds.)

(!) [Kapil] I misunderstood. (Slaps himself on the forehead).
Mughaz (with the "u" as in "urn" and "gh" as in the Russian Gamma):
= Brain|Forehead|Dome in Urdu|Persian

(?) /Guley Jamin/ was indeed a round brown fried ball of flour - but it was interestingly moist and tender, more like a Japanese /mochi/ than the standard soaked-in-syrup fried-to-death variety, and came on a bed of finely-grated carrot with cardamom and nuts with the whole thing heated up.

(!) [Kapil] The latter would be /gaajar halwa/ (gaajar as in carrot). So you got two desserts rolled into one in a rather interesting combination.

(?) The former was nothing special (a little disappointing, but that's the breaks. Even the mad-cow prions didn't make it any tastier...)

(!) [Kapil] /brain fry/ is something I have tried to eat only once ...
Speaking of vegetarian food---I think this is where Indian food stands out in its variety---so many vegetarian kings/lesser royalty to cook for!

(?) The latter was WOW good.

I'm definitely not leaving DC without some good Indian food; I've been jonesing bad for a while. The only Indian food I've had in St. Agustine was brought in by the Krishnas during the yoga teacher training that I took; it was simply awesome (all vegetarian, of course, but I didn't mind a bit.) However, they don't run a restaurant - they just cater for groups. At $6 apiece, it was a great deal, and the only reason we had it only once a week was that the other students weren't as keen on Indian food as I am.

(!) [Kapil] By the way Urdu and Hindustani were almost the same language until around Partition (the division of British India into India and Pakistan). At that point religious fanatics decided to create one language called Hindi (supplanting an earlier language of the same name) which adopted more and more Sanskrit words and is the language spoken on India(n) Radio and TV, and another language called Urdu which adopted more and more Persian words and is the language spoken on Pakistani Radio and TV.

(?) Ye ghods and little fishes... I hadn't realized. I was wondering about its relationship to Sanskrit, though; thank you.

(!) [Kapil] This is really ironic/moronic if you consider that both Sanskrit and Persian have common linguistic roots so separating out "pure Persian" from "pure Sanskrit" can be hard at times.

(?) No doubt. I suppose they were trying to underscore the differences... eh, politics.

(!) [Kapil] P.S. Just in Case
Murgh = Chicken in Urdu (Mruga or Mriga is the Sanskrit for Peacock/Pheasant)

(?) I liked the onomatopoeic 'kukkut', but I guess 'pheasant' sounds like a better dish than a plain chicken. :)

(!) [Kapil] Masala = Spices

(?) Mmm-hm! /Garam masala/ in its million variations...

(!) [Kapil] Gulab = Rose in Urdu
Jamun = A small purplish berry that grows on tall trees.

(?) Perhaps something like a mulberry?

(!) [Kapil] Is eaten
by school kids who pick it up off the ground violating parental instructions. However, they can easily be caught because it turns the tongue purple for a while

...............

			Ramu, Ramu!
			Yes, Appa!
			Eating Jamun?
			No, Appa!
			Telling a lie?
			No, Appa!
			Open your mouth!
			Ha! Ha! Ha!

...............

(?) Heh. Kids all over the world, not much of a difference between'em...

(?) The men, who looked like they had just come from a hard day of shooting down Hind helicopters and out-climbing mountain goats, stared at the big foreigner who ate the stuff and made approving noises and looked at each other uneasily; next thing you knew, he'd be smiling at their women... ooops, there the bugger went! (Well, they were pretty cute - in a survive-the-three-failed-harvests fashion.) I managed to survive the aftermath, although they tried (unsuccessfully) to extract my kidneys via my wallet (perhaps they were simply running out of the raw materials for the mughaz, I don't know.)

Tomorrow risk-taking behavior: squid wrestling at one of the local Vietnamese places. There are enough of them that with any luck I should be able to find one where no one speaks any English... Mmmm. They do say that the way to a man's heart is between the third and the fourth rib on the left with a nice Fairbairn dagger, but I prefer the nicer version. :)

(!) [Sluggo] There's a great Vietnamese restaurant on the south end of 18th street in Adams-Morgan. The charbroiled chicken is really excellent. They speak English though.

(?) Thanks, Mike! I don't know if I'll make it down there this time, but it's a good pointer for future reference. The Vietnamese place I went to last night definitely hit all the high marks for me - and there was a Vietnamese supermarket in the same shopping mall, so there was much happy sighing and many satisfied munching noises. I was also looking for the latches used to attach these places to the ground, on the theory that I could perhaps carry them away with me to St. Augustine (they'd be a little bulky in the luggage, and the airlines would probably get snotty about weight and size limits, but we all have our crosses to bear)... no luck, darn it.

By the way, if you know - /como se llame 'lemoncillo' en Ingles?/ I used to munch on these things in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, where they grow wild - you can just reach out and tear off a little branch - and they had'em at the market yesterday. I couldn't explain what they were to the friend I was with, but one taste, and he was hooked. :)

(!) [Sluggo] I hope this isn't coming out in HTML. Thunderbird decided to use large bold type in this compose window for some reason. I set Options->Format-> ;Plain Text Only just in case.

(?) Nope, it's plain text. I guess the way it displays things is disconnected from the way it send them - which is how it should be. Although they should give you control over both.

(?) Since I'm still in an area where there are definite signs of civilization (Baltimore), last night's culinary adventure was Chinese. Although to many people, Chinese food might sound like "ho-hum, old standby", I assure you that this was definitely NOT the case here: I knew this place from the old days, when I lived here, and there's nothing on their menu that is commonplace. I don't think they even have sweet-and-sour whatever or chop suey anything, and would probably give you a dirty look for even asking. Well, maybe not - they're really nice folks; just a look of pity, maybe.

The meal, all the better for being shared with one of my best friends, consisted of "Jellyfish with Pickle and Red Vinegar", "Clams with Ground Pork and Onion", "Snow Pea Greens with Roasted Garlic", and, I kid you not, "Froggy with X. O. Sauce", all washed down with pu'u-er tea (which I'd never heard of before but enjoyed) and finished off with a dessert soup.

The jellyfish was somewhat surprising, both in its texture (rather firm and even "crisp", like a good pickle) and its subtle but definite flavor; the "Pickle" that came with it turned out to be mildly pickled julienned cucumbers, carrots, and some sort of squash. The snow pea greens, of which both I and my friend are quite enamored, are actually the greens - not the snow peas thomselves, as some might expect - and had a very delicate flavor, nicely enhanced by nut-brown roasted garlic cloves.

The clams... it would take a more experienced food writer than me to do justice to their description. Suffice it to say that you end up licking the shells to make sure you get every last trace of the sauce, and Some People put down their chopsticks and use a spoon (!) to get every last bit off the plate. I forgave her, since pregnant women must be humored. Besides, she has a devastating pout - quivering lower lip and everything - and is not afraid to use it.

The "Froggy" turned out to be a bunch of, well, froggy drumsticks. Good, although a little too bland to be on par with the other dishes and just a little too fiddly (those are tiny little bones!) for my tastes. They made a good vehicle for the excellent sauce - which, as my friend commented, is more than some people have as a mission in life.

We had just enough room left for a few spoonfuls of the dessert soup, which was a sweet tapioca-based concoction. It was fine, but did not cause either one of to go into transports of ecstasy (which was OK, since we were both a little too tired to be transported anywhere.)

All in all, quite the memorable meal.

Would you believe that we originally stumbled on this place by accident? It looked like a slightly seedy "ballroom"-type of Chinese restaurant, probably nothing special... I plan to return to worship at the shrine of its food whenever I visit Baltimore.

Tomorrow, New York - and dinner at the Harvard Club. Due to a number of interesting reasons (long story), I shall be wearing a Roman toga and lounging on a couch in high Roman tradition - along with six or seven similarly-attired people. The meal will be something very close to the cuisine of pre-Octavian Rome, and should be quite interesting. We'll be off in a section which has been reserved for us; the other patrons may stare but will not actually have to rub shoulders with the crazies.

(?) Big Hug

From #tag-chat 

Jan 19 03:14:02 <okopnik>       Hey, everyone!
Jan 19 03:14:26 <okopnik>       Anyone?
Jan 19 03:14:33 <okopnik>       Hmm.
Jan 19 03:14:42 <editorgal>     yo
Jan 19 03:14:46 *       editorgal hugs ben
Jan 19 03:14:53 <okopnik>       Mmmmm!
Jan 19 03:15:02 *       okopnik hugs Heather back
Jan 19 03:15:08 <okopnik>       *lots of smiles*
Jan 19 03:15:13 <editorgal>     it really should be a bigger hug than that
Jan 19 03:15:23 <okopnik>       GREAT BIG HUG
Jan 19 03:15:35 <editorgal>     given the rough porcupine like beast I was being when you were in here before
Jan 19 03:15:56 <okopnik>       Aww, you were OK.
Jan 19 03:16:09 <okopnik>       Remember what I said in email?
Jan 19 03:16:56 <okopnik>       If I didn't realize that my interaction with my
friends is going to be sometimes up and sometimes down, what the hell kind of friend would I be?
Jan 19 03:17:16 *       editorgal smiles
Jan 19 03:17:33 <editorgal>     well in 20/20 hindsight I did pretty good
Jan 19 03:17:42 <editorgal>     I didn't completely shrivel like a raisin
Jan 19 03:17:44 <okopnik>       --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan 19 03:17:50 <okopnik>                 #                         #
Jan 19 03:17:50 <okopnik>                 #                         #
Jan 19 03:17:50 <okopnik>                 ###########################
Jan 19 03:17:50 <okopnik>                 ###########################
Jan 19 03:17:50 <okopnik>                 #              #          #
Jan 19 03:17:52 <okopnik>                 #              #          #
Jan 19 03:17:55 <okopnik>                                #
Jan 19 03:17:57 <okopnik>                                #
Jan 19 03:18:00 <okopnik>                                #
Jan 19 03:18:02 <okopnik>                 #              #          #
Jan 19 03:18:05 <okopnik>                 ###########################
Jan 19 03:18:07 <okopnik>                 ###########################
Jan 19 03:18:10 <okopnik>                 ###########################
Jan 19 03:18:12 <okopnik>                 #                         #
Jan 19 03:18:15 <okopnik>
Jan 19 03:18:17 <okopnik>                                #
Jan 19 03:18:20 <okopnik>                   ##############
Jan 19 03:18:22 <okopnik>                 ################
Jan 19 03:18:25 <okopnik>                 ################
Jan 19 03:18:27 <okopnik>                 ##
Jan 19 03:18:30 <okopnik>                 ##
Jan 19 03:18:32 <okopnik>                  #
Jan 19 03:18:35 <okopnik>                 ################
Jan 19 03:18:37 <okopnik>                 ################
Jan 19 03:18:40 <okopnik>                 ################
Jan 19 03:18:42 <okopnik>           ###           ####
Jan 19 03:18:45 <okopnik>         ##   ## ##    ########
Jan 19 03:18:47 <okopnik>        ##      ##### ##########
Jan 19 03:18:50 <okopnik>        #      ##### ###      ###
Jan 19 03:18:52 <okopnik>        #      ####  #          #
Jan 19 03:18:55 <okopnik>        ##    ####   ##        ##
Jan 19 03:18:57 <okopnik>        ##    ###    ####    ####
Jan 19 03:19:00 <okopnik>         ########      #########
Jan 19 03:19:03 <okopnik>          #####         ######  ###
Jan 19 03:19:05 <okopnik>                                 ##

(?) The Cabal

From #tag-chat

Jan 02 00:39:55 <jimregan> Seen on the wikipedia english list:
Jan 02 00:40:03 <jimregan> How to join the cabal:
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> > Just answer these questions:
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> >
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> > a) Do green flamingoes sing Schubert when the sky is a bright canary yellow?
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> >
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> > b) Could you lend me six, no eight, filter-tipped Chesterfields without any menthol?
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> >
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> > c) Are there bombs in Gilead?
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> >
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> I've a better question. If you get it right, you can join.
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan>
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan>
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan> Q: Is there a cabal?
Jan 02 00:40:05 <jimregan>
Jan 02 00:40:28 <editorgal> lol
 

(?) Measure

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 02 01:46:50 * editorgal was using a sigblock for measure
   Jan 02 01:48:06 <jimregan> You were measuring with '-- \n' so you
   could see how long a piece of a string was?
   Jan 02 01:48:27 <jimregan> Don't mind me...
   Jan 02 01:49:47 <editorgal> hehe

(?) Alphabet Soup

From #tag-chat

Jan 05 23:41:15 * editorgal has tea...
Jan 05 23:42:00 * jimregan has u
Jan 05 23:42:06 <jimregan> who has v?
Jan 05 23:42:12 <editorgal> v do.
Jan 05 23:42:17 <jimregan> c'mon, give it back
Jan 05 23:42:34 <editorgal> dare w.
Jan 05 23:42:50 <jimregan> I'll turn my back, and if it's put back where it was I won't ask any qs
Jan 05 23:42:56 <jimregan> y?
Jan 05 23:43:02 <editorgal> (you know you x'd for this.)
Jan 05 23:43:20 <jimregan> f
Jan 05 23:43:33 <jimregan> I c
Jan 05 23:44:23 * editorgal puts the v back where it came from. Rome, maybe.
Jan 05 23:44:41 <jimregan> g... this channel has gone downhill
Jan 05 23:45:05 <editorgal> e hehehee.
Jan 05 23:50:45 --> Dee (~dee@gibbon.earlsoft.co.uk) has joined #tag-chat
Jan 05 23:50:51 <Dee> whats up?
Jan 05 23:51:08 <jimregan> Not much.
Jan 05 23:51:12 <editorgal> hi d
Jan 05 23:51:21 <editorgal> we were having alphabet soup
Jan 05 23:54:19 <jimregan> Mind your Ps and Qs around here!
Jan 05 23:54:30 * editorgal crosses her tea
Jan 05 23:55:45 * jimregan puts on a mockney accent
Jan 05 23:56:03 <jimregan> This channel 'as gone to L in an 'andbasket
Jan 05 23:56:50 <jimregan> <G>
Jan 05 23:57:58 <editorgal> don't get a B in your bonnet jimmy.
Jan 05 23:59:51 <jimregan> 'r else?
Jan 06 00:00:24 <editorgal> don't worry, you'll be happy as a J to put it in the TAG bar next ish
Jan 06 00:01:09 <editorgal> N that'll be that :)
Jan 06 00:01:50 <thomas_adam> W? STFU.
Jan 06 00:03:02 * editorgal coughs *giggle*
Jan 06 00:03:19 <editorgal> lucky for me I just finished that tea.
Jan 06 00:03:50 <jimregan> I?
Jan 06 00:03:59 <editorgal> dot's right.
Jan 06 00:04:25 <jimregan> M... I suppose
Jan 06 00:04:42 <jimregan> n let's have an end to this silliness
Jan 06 00:05:00 <editorgal> we'll C.
Jan 06 00:05:31 * jimregan looks for Tool's second album "Aenima", to listen to track 3
Jan 06 00:05:40 <jimregan> 'H'
Jan 06 00:06:03 <editorgal> so that's what the H is going on, here.
Jan 06 00:06:30 * editorgal notes Jimmy installed a jukebox, a while back.
Jan 06 00:07:30 <editorgal> now my brain has another tune
Jan 06 00:07:44 <editorgal> c/~ say an S, S an eeya, who's that girl...
Jan 06 00:08:27 <jimregan> ??
Jan 06 00:08:58 <jimregan> Y'know, I'm sure I've played this game in school.
Jan 06 00:09:18 <editorgal> (that's what th is other song sounds like, I swear. more like phonemes than the intended spanish.)
Jan 06 00:09:48 <jimregan> I remember my English teacher used to give me and my friends a little leeway on some of our games, because a lot of the time they touched on what he was teaching
Jan 06 00:09:53 <editorgal> where everyone's in Q to pick on the alphabet?
Jan 06 00:09:53 <jimregan> Like alliteration
Jan 06 00:10:04 <jimregan> Yeah
Jan 06 00:10:11 <jimregan> Alliteration was more fun.
Jan 06 00:10:19 <editorgal> closest I recall was a drama workshop
Jan 06 00:10:32 <jimregan> "Pensively pondering Parisian parrots purchase poultry products"
Jan 06 00:10:50 <editorgal> where we were supposed to practice dramatic intonation but only using the noise he gave us
Jan 06 00:11:09 <editorgal> which happened to be ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Jan 06 00:11:12 <jimregan> *snort*
Jan 06 00:11:32 <editorgal> imagine adding punctuation to that and treating it like a dialogue. it was hilarious.
Jan 06 00:11:44 <jimregan> Oh, I've done that too.
Jan 06 00:14:43 <editorgal> I z we've zkid 2 a halt now.

(?) TAG bar, lounge, kitchen, yada yada

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 06 20:33:03 <jimregan> Having anything?
   Jan 06 20:33:30 <editorgal> a chicken pot pie.
   Jan 06 20:34:29 * jimregan looks at the door that just materialised
   behind him
   Jan 06 20:34:33 <jimregan> Kitchen, eh?
   Jan 06 20:34:54 <jimregan> Hmm... and it conveniently has a piping hot
   chicken pot pie at the ready
   Jan 06 20:34:57 <editorgal> TAG bar and girl.
   Jan 06 20:35:12 <jimregan> Eh?
   Jan 06 20:35:15 <editorgal> <--
   Jan 06 20:35:44 <jimregan> oh, right. You were tending through my flu
   Jan 06 20:35:59 <jimregan> I'm up to serving drinks now.
   Jan 06 20:36:05 <editorgal> good
   Jan 06 20:36:11 <editorgal> a ginger beer would be grand
   Jan 06 20:36:19 * jimregan passes one over
   Jan 06 20:37:31 * editorgal amazes herself by actually catching it
   Jan 06 20:39:23 <jimregan> Heh. Didn't put too much effort into
   sliding it. Too tired.
   Jan 06 20:39:45 <editorgal> yeah well it's for the best
   Jan 06 20:39:57 <editorgal> neither of us are up to cleaning up after
   a broken one
   Jan 06 20:40:02 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 06 20:40:13 * jimregan googles for a bar cleaning robot
   Jan 06 20:40:30 * jimregan wonders if chatbot can be repurposed.
   Jan 06 20:40:44 * editorgal makes gimp do it
   Jan 06 20:40:48 <editorgal> it has script-fu :)
   Jan 06 20:41:03 <jimregan> The Gimp! Now with added script-fu!
   Jan 06 20:41:17 <jimregan> Script-fu your way out of those tricky
   corners!
   Jan 06 20:41:20 <editorgal> "added" script-fu was python support.
   Jan 06 20:41:22 <jimregan> It slices! It dices!
   Jan 06 20:41:26 <jimregan> Yeah.
   Jan 06 20:41:37 <editorgal> it makes juliene fonts. yeah
   Jan 06 20:41:45 <jimregan> Saw that in the pretty pretty Gimp 2 that
   came with Ubuntu
   Jan 06 20:47:25 <thomas_adam> jimregan: Coffee, please.
   Jan 06 20:48:01 <jimregan> With the usual green glow?
   Jan 06 20:48:27 <thomas_adam> What is this, Starbucks? You know I
   don't have anything, bar normal coffee. :P
   Jan 06 20:48:32 <thomas_adam> Yeesh. Can't get the staff.
   Jan 06 20:48:39 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 06 20:49:01 <thomas_adam> I'd try propping up the bar, but I'm too
   short.
   Jan 06 20:49:02 * jimregan passes over what passes for normal coffee
   in Thomas's twisted worldview
   Jan 06 20:49:15 * jimregan takes off the lead gloves
   Jan 06 20:49:17 * thomas_adam sips through a mobius straw.
   Jan 06 20:52:36 <jimregan> I gotta go. Heather, I leave the bar in
   your hands.
   Jan 06 20:52:50 <thomas_adam> jimregan: Thanks, Jim. Toodles.
   Jan 06 20:52:50 --- You are now known as jimregan_away
   Jan 06 20:52:54 <editorgal> right, he doesn't know what he's in for...
   Jan 06 20:53:12 * thomas_adam pours all the alcohol away, and serves
   nothing but coffee.
   Jan 06 20:53:15 <jimregan_away> Hey... at least wait until I've gone
   through the door
   Jan 06 20:53:17 <editorgal> \o/
   Jan 06 20:53:22 <thomas_adam> jimregan_away: Sssssh -- you're not
   here. :P
   Jan 06 20:53:28 <jimregan_away> Have fun with the safe...
   Jan 06 20:53:30 * editorgal has made a pot extra strong
   Jan 06 20:53:38 <jimregan_away> where I keep the 'good' stuff

(?) Teddy bear's picnic

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 07 01:52:02 <editorgal> hey jimmy, I've got some of the parts
   toward my plan for next month's cover art
   Jan 07 01:52:09 <jimregan> Cool
   Jan 07 01:52:21 <editorgal> my teddybear, bear, has agreed to be a
   model for xteddy
   Jan 07 01:52:31 <editorgal> since he's fairly similar of form
   Jan 07 01:52:47 <editorgal> I want to come up with a bio for bear
   Jan 07 01:52:57 <jimregan> "You're beautiful dahling. Tease the
   camera"
   Jan 07 01:53:04 <jimregan> :)))
   Jan 07 01:53:07 <editorgal> I've the plans for the little newspaper
   Jan 07 01:53:14 <editorgal> * bear smiles :)
   Jan 07 01:53:30 <editorgal> * bear waves hi hi hi
   Jan 07 01:53:47 * jimregan waves back
   Jan 07 01:54:05 <jimregan> (I'm only in a single 'hi' mood though.
   Sorry 'bout that)
   Jan 07 01:54:06 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 07 01:54:08 <editorgal> I've a plan for a teacup but it occurs to
   me I still have some fimo left
   Jan 07 01:54:29 <editorgal> I might just make him his own teacup and
   put something LG lookin' on it
   Jan 07 01:55:01 <jimregan> Huh? Potentially lethal liquid concoction?
   Possibly toxic?
   Jan 07 01:55:26 <jimregan> Guaranteed to make you either extremely
   drunk or extremely knurd?
   Jan 07 01:55:45 <editorgal> oh I dunno
   Jan 07 01:55:51 <editorgal> what would a teddybear drink?
   Jan 07 01:56:03 * jimregan tries to remember the words
   Jan 07 01:56:14 <jimregan> c/~ if you go down to the woods today...
   Jan 07 01:56:30 * thomas_adam sings along.
   Jan 07 01:56:38 <editorgal> teddybear's picnic!
   Jan 07 01:56:42 <editorgal> * bear sings along
   Jan 07 01:56:43 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 07 01:56:53 * editorgal pats bear
   Jan 07 01:57:21 * editorgal avoids singing ewoks picnic til the
   original is done ;P
   Jan 07 01:58:22 <jimregan> Um... I only know a few of the words.
   Jan 07 01:58:33 * thomas_adam knows it all. :))
   Jan 07 01:58:33 <jimregan> The last time I heard that, I was 9 or 10
   Jan 07 01:59:00 <jimregan> I could google, but I'm in a nihilistic
   mood, so I'm listening to Chimaira instead :-P
   Jan 07 01:59:02 * editorgal grins as thomas leads
   Jan 07 02:01:56 <jimregan>
   https://duchessathome.com/childrensongs/teddybearspicnic.html
   Jan 07 02:03:46 <jimregan> "See them gaily gad about": that line would
   suggest that teddy bears drink tea.
   Jan 07 02:04:04 <jimregan> With a dash of milk, one lump or two
   depends on the bear
   Jan 07 02:04:09 <editorgal> c/~ furry short barbarians, you'd best
   beware of them, cuz they're having quite a time today...
   Jan 07 02:04:14 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 07 02:04:53 <editorgal> really really big bears might need less
   sugar, they're already sweeter.
   Jan 07 02:07:18 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 07 02:07:26 --- thomas_adam removes channel operator status from
   thomas_adam
   Jan 07 02:13:50 <editorgal> c/~ the ewoks will be free... because
   they're determined little teddy bears...
   Jan 07 02:14:02 <editorgal> * bear giggles

(?) Dreaming

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 08 02:03:41 <jimregan> I'm sure you'll get it sorted
   Jan 08 02:04:28 <jimregan> (Though I've had the universe move in
   strange ways for me today, so I might just be overly positive)
   Jan 08 02:05:11 <editorgal> thanks
   Jan 08 02:05:18 <editorgal> it's been kind of strange for me too
   Jan 08 02:05:23 <jimregan> How so?
   Jan 08 02:06:23 <editorgal> I saw a rainbow
   Jan 08 02:06:30 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 08 02:06:59 <jimregan> Hmm... OK... you're in California, not
   Ireland
   Jan 08 02:07:09 <editorgal> when among my errands I bought a cellphone
   battery, the store clerk (who was indian) gave me a very sincere ~10m
   chatter about how god looks out for us, and the soul is eternal
   Jan 08 02:07:24 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 08 02:07:51 <jimregan> (I finished reading another Paulo Coelho
   book today, so I got basically the same thing :)
   Jan 08 02:09:20 <jimregan> It turns out that Beata and I ended up
   giving each other the same present twice.
   Jan 08 02:10:34 <jimregan> When she said I made one of her dreams come
   true, I was like... "OK". Then today, blam!
   Jan 08 02:14:59 <jimregan> When I was reading that book, there was
   something I desperately want to talk about with someone - anyone - but
   then, out of nowhere, another thought swept in and said "No, you can't
   talk about this"
   Jan 08 02:15:42 <jimregan> Blam. I had a secret. I can still have
   them! I'm not empty handed.
   Jan 08 02:19:27 * jimregan pours a vodka
   Jan 08 02:19:38 * jimregan swirls the glass to watch the ripples
   Jan 08 02:21:43 <editorgal> heh
   Jan 08 02:23:08 <jimregan> Makes me reevaluate that "her boyfriend's
   days are numbered" crap I was spewing last month, safe in the
   knowledge I wasn't really going to pursue her anyway
   Jan 08 02:26:40 <jimregan> Now... I just wish her well.
   Jan 08 02:29:24 <jimregan> Anyways, I gotta get up in the morning. All
   the best.

(?) Paranoia Mode

From #tag-chat

Jan 08 22:26:08 <editorgal> got my purse all packed for paranoia mode
Jan 08 22:26:19 <editorgal> $%^! terrorists
Jan 08 22:26:20 <jimregan> Mace and tinfoil hat?
Jan 08 22:26:26 <editorgal> oh no
Jan 08 22:26:36 <editorgal> tinfoil not permitted if it sets of the detector
Jan 08 22:26:46 <editorgal> bla bla frickin bla
Jan 08 22:26:58 <editorgal> this is my transparent purse
Jan 08 22:28:20 <editorgal> the one where if they wanna search it they can bleepin' eyeball it, damn near.

(?) Hay in a needle stack

From #tag-chat

Jan 08 22:43:07 <jimregan> My trip to Poland has been postponed 'til May or June
Jan 08 22:43:44 <jimregan> (When the temperatures will be better suited to getting so drunk we fall asleep in the street)
Jan 08 22:43:59 <editorgal> heh
Jan 08 22:44:21 <jimregan> Eek. Didn't do that /once/ in 2004.
Jan 08 22:44:30 <editorgal> is that a feature?
Jan 08 22:45:11 <jimregan> erm...
Jan 08 22:45:50 <editorgal> my pal Richard T sorts things in life into bugs and features
Jan 08 22:46:19 <jimregan> Well, I like being able to say I was woken by a Spanish policeman, having slept on a wall beside the busiest street in San Antonio.
Jan 08 22:46:20 <editorgal> he'd probably say getting enjoyably blotto's a feature, waking up wondering what crawled on you is a bug.
Jan 08 22:46:26 <jimregan> Heh
Jan 08 22:46:57 <jimregan> "You can't sleep there!"
Jan 08 22:47:55 <jimregan> That's what happens when the homing instinct is thrown off by hundreds of miles, I guess

(?) Christmas presents

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 14 07:15:48 <jimregan> So... what did Santa bring?
   Jan 14 07:17:01 <editorgal> um
   Jan 14 07:17:06 <editorgal> not much
   Jan 14 07:17:19 <jimregan> Hee hee. Best presents I got this year were
   from foreigners I didn't even know 4 months ago
   Jan 14 07:17:24 <editorgal> a jar that looks like sweets, containing
   smaller jars that look like sweets
   Jan 14 07:17:31 <editorgal> some tea and biscuits
   Jan 14 07:17:49 <editorgal> a bit of money, very much needed
   Jan 14 07:18:00 <editorgal> heh
   Jan 14 07:18:16 <editorgal> more cookies than we knew what to do with,
   really
   Jan 14 07:18:17 <jimregan> My gift choices were universally praised :)
   Jan 14 07:18:27 <editorgal> that's cool
   Jan 14 07:18:38 <jimregan> I got "Wyrd Sisters" for Trev - "How did
   you know that was the book I was on?"
   Jan 14 07:18:56 <editorgal> I dunno, how did you?
   Jan 14 07:18:59 <jimregan> I got a book about the human body for my
   sister - "I was going to buy that"
   Jan 14 07:19:02 <jimregan> I didn't.
   Jan 14 07:19:16 <jimregan> I actually didn't even buy that for him
   (Shhh!)
   Jan 14 07:19:18 <editorgal> she an artist?
   Jan 14 07:19:23 <jimregan> Masseuse
   Jan 14 07:19:27 <editorgal> ah
   Jan 14 07:19:29 <jimregan> (in training)
   Jan 14 07:19:39 <editorgal> (ok)
   Jan 14 07:19:46 <jimregan> ((righto))
   Jan 14 07:20:08 <jimregan> I got my Dad a book he had bought for
   himself earlier that week
   Jan 14 07:20:13 <editorgal> and we already know beata liked hers
   Jan 14 07:20:16 <editorgal> whoops well
   Jan 14 07:20:22 <jimregan> Erm... yeah.
   Jan 14 07:20:34 <editorgal> see if he'd held off on xmas buying for
   self ..
   Jan 14 07:20:42 <jimregan> Yep
   Jan 14 07:20:56 <jimregan> Got my other sister a bottle of vodka
   Jan 14 07:21:03 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 14 07:21:10 <editorgal> do stores there refuse to take back books
   with eyeball tracks on them?
   Jan 14 07:21:27 <jimregan> Dunno. Never tried to return anything,
   ever.
   Jan 14 07:22:07 <editorgal> oh.
   Jan 14 07:22:28 <editorgal> jim got a sweater I need to get size
   exchanged
   Jan 14 07:22:52 <jimregan> I'd never return a gift.
   Jan 14 07:23:02 <editorgal> his mom's a bit ditzy about her baby boy
   is bigger than he was when he was 8, so she waaaay blew past the size
   margin
   Jan 14 07:23:06 <jimregan> To me, it's the embodiment of a thought.
   Jan 14 07:23:13 <editorgal> awww
   Jan 14 07:23:13 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 07:23:30 <editorgal> luckily the vendor's very good about that
   stuff
   Jan 14 07:23:32 <jimregan> Yeah. Which is why I have /no/ expectations
   for Christmas or birthdays
   Jan 14 07:24:45 <jimregan> Though now, I suppose, I can rely on at
   least one of my sisters, and my son is showing signs of great reserves
   of thoughtfulness
   Jan 14 07:25:14 <jimregan> It should be great when he's old enough to
   buy the gifts himself.
   Jan 14 07:25:19 <editorgal> I find it's more interesting to put good
   thought in, than to just merely throw money at a box
   Jan 14 07:25:33 <editorgal> you might be surprised
   Jan 14 07:25:37 <jimregan> Heh. When I was fifteen, I was given money
   in a box
   Jan 14 07:25:51 <editorgal> when I was a kid I did my shopping with
   adults, but made sure to make seperate trips
   Jan 14 07:26:00 <jimregan> My mother made some comment about how
   shitty it'd be if she did that to one of my sisters
   Jan 14 07:26:10 <jimregan> "Uh... you did that to me when I was
   fifteen"
   Jan 14 07:26:14 <jimregan> "Oh..."
   Jan 14 07:26:26 <jimregan> "Ended my expectations for Christmas"
   Jan 14 07:26:26 <editorgal> someone always knew someone else's
   present, but it was when they were shopping for $that_person too
   Jan 14 07:26:52 <editorgal> :(
   Jan 14 07:27:48 <editorgal> I was able to provide the added benefit of
   spot-checking whether the recipient probably would or wouldn't like
   their pick, too
   Jan 14 07:28:53 <jimregan> I can't be too hard on my parents though...
   /I/ can't even buy stuff for me :)
   Jan 14 07:29:25 <editorgal> at *least* it could be a giftcert at
   someplace you enjoy shopping at.
   Jan 14 07:29:45 <jimregan> Nah. Cash is great. Pubs don't do
   giftcerts.
   Jan 14 07:30:09 <editorgal> well ok, how about cash used to pack a
   couple pintglasses.
   Jan 14 07:30:13 <jimregan> (Tried to talk the barman in my old
   regular...)
   Jan 14 07:30:26 <jimregan> erm ... into it
   Jan 14 07:30:38 <jimregan> Nah. I rarely have drink in the house.
   Jan 14 07:30:57 <jimregan> Contrary to my own myth, I don't drink that
   often.
   Jan 14 07:31:00 <editorgal> s/pintglasses/coffeemugs/ ?
   Jan 14 07:31:23 <jimregan> Nah. We've already got a set that are
   attached to my ritual.
   Jan 14 07:31:30 <editorgal> oh.
   Jan 14 07:31:34 <jimregan> Anything else wouldn't work.
   Jan 14 07:32:00 <jimregan> 's why I try to go for different coffee
   types when I'm elsewhere
   Jan 14 07:32:11 <editorgal> here the ritual includes mild cussing that
   the pot is a dribble pot for a cup and a half worth
   Jan 14 07:32:27 <jimregan> I think I need to kill that ritual. I had
   ~10 cups today.
   Jan 14 07:32:51 <jimregan> Just out of boredom
   Jan 14 07:33:12 <editorgal> // the shake becomes a warning // it is
   caffeine alone that sets the mind in motion
   Jan 14 07:33:31 <jimregan> Shake?
   Jan 14 07:33:34 <jimregan> Pfft.
   Jan 14 07:33:46 <jimregan> I need ~20 cups before I get the shakes
   Jan 14 07:34:04 <jimregan> I've been drinking coffee from an
   unhealthily young age
   Jan 14 07:34:06 <editorgal> then you'd be more likely to get them from
   not drinking at least 8...
   Jan 14 07:34:12 <jimregan> True
   Jan 14 07:34:15 <editorgal> I didn't start til I was 15
   Jan 14 07:34:22 <editorgal> blame my programmer friends
   Jan 14 07:34:25 <editorgal> well...
   Jan 14 07:34:38 <editorgal> strictly speaking I tasted some younger
   Jan 14 07:34:45 <jimregan> I was around 10
   Jan 14 07:34:54 <editorgal> and what we drank in the lab as it were
   wasn't coffee, it was instant
   Jan 14 07:35:15 <jimregan> I brought coffee to school every day when I
   was 11
   Jan 14 07:35:33 <editorgal> well then
   Jan 14 07:35:37 <jimregan> Until it spilled on my books
   Jan 14 07:35:43 <editorgal> your nerves are probably wired for it.
   Jan 14 07:37:25 <jimregan> Yeah, but last time I tried to quit
   smoking, I tried to quit caffeine too, and managed just fine on 1 cup
   Jan 14 07:37:41 <jimregan> until the smoking habit kicked back in, and
   I said fuck it

(?) !Slashdot

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 14 07:38:37 <lunatech> seen this /. story "Creationist Textbook
   Stickers Declared Unconstitutional"
   Jan 14 07:39:06 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 07:39:36 <editorgal> um
   Jan 14 07:39:46 * editorgal shuffles her feet and looks down
   Jan 14 07:39:52 <editorgal> I don't follow slashdot
   Jan 14 07:40:00 <jimregan> WHAAAAAT!
   Jan 14 07:40:02 <editorgal> I sometimes surf freshmeat
   Jan 14 07:40:19 <editorgal> I figure the good stuff gets retold to me
   anyway...
   Jan 14 07:40:47 <jimregan> (OK, I haven't read much more than the
   headlines for a month now, but still)
   Jan 14 07:41:08 <lunatech> neither do i, others on channel usually
   point out interestig stories
   Jan 14 07:42:33 <editorgal> oh good, then you won't rat me out and
   make me turn in my union card
   Jan 14 07:42:46 <jimregan> Heh.
   Jan 14 07:43:00 <lunatech> :)
   Jan 14 07:43:04 <jimregan> When I made the switch to ubuntu, I didn't
   bother installing liferea
   Jan 14 07:43:22 <lunatech> being a conformist geek is higly overrated
   Jan 14 07:43:25 <jimregan> So, I don't read the stuff I used to... and
   don't miss most of it either
   Jan 14 07:43:30 <editorgal> installin wha ?
   Jan 14 07:43:36 <jimregan> A feedreader
   Jan 14 07:43:41 <editorgal> oh
   Jan 14 07:43:45 <jimregan> That can take input from a pipe
   Jan 14 07:43:47 <lunatech> bloglines is the best feed reader jimregan
   :)
   Jan 14 07:43:51 <jimregan> Pfft
   Jan 14 07:44:05 <jimregan> See my answer before yours
   Jan 14 07:44:23 <jimregan> Y'know, I had this whole screen scraping
   thing going on...
   Jan 14 07:44:28 <jimregan> don't use them anymore
   Jan 14 07:44:28 <editorgal> webfetch and add ones you care about to
   your website.
   Jan 14 07:44:38 <jimregan> Website?
   Jan 14 07:44:50 <jimregan> That's, like, soooo 1997
   Jan 14 07:44:51 <lunatech> i think reading blogs can keep you ahead of
   the curve
   Jan 14 07:44:54 <editorgal> yeah I know
   Jan 14 07:45:08 <lunatech> you get to know cool things before anyone
   else
   Jan 14 07:45:22 <jimregan> Yeah, but it doesn't replace reading
   mailing lists
   Jan 14 07:45:27 <jimregan> (or using gmane)
   Jan 14 07:45:29 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 14 07:45:35 <lunatech> i agree with that :)
   Jan 14 07:46:06 <jimregan> For sites you really do read on a daily
   basis, it's a lot better
   Jan 14 07:46:28 <jimregan> But most sites have such shitty feeds
   Jan 14 07:46:46 * lunatech wonders what feeds jimregan reads
   Jan 14 07:46:46 <jimregan> (And I hold up my hands for LG's being
   among the worst)
   Jan 14 07:46:52 <jimregan> Pfft.
   Jan 14 07:47:15 <jimregan> Check LG back issues. I put my OPML and my
   screen scrapers in back issues
   Jan 14 07:47:34 <jimregan> (Don't ask me which :)
   Jan 14 07:48:39 <lunatech> i remember reading your screen scraper
   article :)
   Jan 14 07:48:45 <jimregan> The only feed I really keep an eye on
   anymore is my del.icio.us feed
   Jan 14 07:48:59 <jimregan> To keep tracks of the sites I liked :)
   Jan 14 07:49:24 <lunatech> del.icio.us is ingenious
   Jan 14 07:49:33 <jimregan> Yeah.
   Jan 14 07:49:37 <lunatech> i stumble upon lots of nifty things on it
   Jan 14 07:49:39 <jimregan> I like flickr too.
   Jan 14 07:50:16 <jimregan> I like bookmarking my articles with it, so
   I can see who else liked them :)
   Jan 14 07:50:42 <jimregan> The two articles in this month's LG were
   the most popular so far, I think
   Jan 14 07:50:50 <jimregan> I really wasn't expecting that
   Jan 14 07:51:24 <lunatech> :)
   Jan 14 07:51:38 <lunatech> nice hack that one
   Jan 14 07:51:47 <jimregan> Though I have to say, my montage script is
   pretty cool
   Jan 14 07:52:32 <jimregan> First time I sat down and wrote a program
   thinking "how can I make this /fully/ useful?"
   Jan 14 07:53:08 <lunatech> i have seen a flick zeitgist(sp?) on some
   blogs,
   Jan 14 07:53:15 <jimregan> Suppose it was something to do with my
   writing it on Christmas Day/the 26th
   Jan 14 07:53:20 <jimregan> That flash thing?
   Jan 14 07:53:38 <jimregan> Flash hangs my computer, that's why I wrote
   the script :)
   Jan 14 07:54:35 <lunatech> yes, yes that flash thing. it is nifty
   Jan 14 07:54:57 <jimregan> I was tearing my hair out, wrestling with
   Image::Magick's strangeness, while Charlton Heston delivered the 10
   commandments on TV :)
   Jan 14 07:55:39 <jimregan> (I had a few "thou shalt nots" for the
   creator of Image::Magick
   Jan 14 07:56:26 <lunatech>
   https://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~anthony/graphics/imagick6/
   Jan 14 07:56:51 <lunatech> useful examples on that page
   Jan 14 07:58:46 <jimregan> Eh... I don't feel like going down that
   route again.
   Jan 14 07:59:22 <lunatech> hehe .. useful resource, bookmark it .
   trust me you won't regret it :)

(?) 307 etc.

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 14 05:04:37 <jimregan> 'lo
   Jan 14 05:04:37 <editorgal> hi jimmy.
   Jan 14 05:04:46 <okopnik> Hi, Jimmy!
   Jan 14 05:04:51 <jimregan> Erm... I wrote a story.
   Jan 14 05:04:59 <editorgal> what kind?
   Jan 14 05:05:03 <jimregan> Guess
   Jan 14 05:05:07 <editorgal> er
   Jan 14 05:05:12 <editorgal> allergy meds time again
   Jan 14 05:05:16 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 05:05:42 <okopnik> Erotica involving computers?
   Jan 14 05:05:45 <jimregan> I was daydreaming and wrote it down for a
   change
   Jan 14 05:05:49 <jimregan> No.
   Jan 14 05:06:11 <jimregan> The mind boggles...
   Jan 14 05:06:20 <okopnik> Binary division never sounded so
   interesting...
   Jan 14 05:06:20 <editorgal> the bog mindles..
   Jan 14 05:06:26 <jimregan> I like my computer, but it's a purely
   platonic thing
   Jan 14 05:06:42 * editorgal brings out some carrots to tease the
   square root out of them
   Jan 14 05:06:43 <okopnik> Yes, but does your computer think so???
   Jan 14 05:06:51 <jimregan> Hmm...
   Jan 14 05:07:03 <editorgal> or does it have a warm sense of ftp behind
   its firewall?
   Jan 14 05:07:08 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 05:07:33 <okopnik> If you take the square root of a caret
   (5^2), doesn't that get you right back to where you started?
   Jan 14 05:07:36 <jimregan> I really should be more careful about what
   I say. I keep holding it as evidence against myself
   Jan 14 05:07:49 <editorgal> aww
   Jan 14 05:07:52 * editorgal hugs jimmy
   Jan 14 05:08:05 <jimregan> Nah, I was talking about the ftp/firewall
   comment
   Jan 14 05:08:11 * editorgal pours him a shotglass full of something
   tasty
   Jan 14 05:08:15 <editorgal> here, take the fifth
   Jan 14 05:08:18 <jimregan> I sent it to Trev so he can laugh at me :)
   Jan 14 05:08:27 <okopnik> That's a BIG shotglass.
   Jan 14 05:08:29 <jimregan> Nah, gimme a glass. Ripples
   Jan 14 05:08:39 <editorgal> okopnik: texas
   Jan 14 05:08:50 <okopnik> Jimmy, you don't want Ripple. That's _nasty_
   stuff.
   Jan 14 05:08:57 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 05:09:04 <editorgal> geez Jimmy I said *tasty* not *nasty*
   Jan 14 05:09:12 <jimregan> Oh.
   Jan 14 05:09:22 <jimregan> That's actually what I saw
   Jan 14 05:09:24 * editorgal finds these shotglasses are good for 307
   ale though
   Jan 14 05:09:40 <okopnik> Never heard of it.
   Jan 14 05:09:47 <editorgal> I refuse to keep anything stocked whose
   vintage is by week rather than year
   Jan 14 05:09:53 <editorgal> !
   Jan 14 05:09:57 * okopnik laughs
   Jan 14 05:10:01 <editorgal> you never heard of 307 ale??
   Jan 14 05:10:08 <okopnik> Nope. Whatsit?
   Jan 14 05:10:27 <jimregan> ??
   Jan 14 05:11:03 <jimregan> I refuse to keep anything in the TAG bar
   that goes by proof instead of half-life, but to each his/her own
   Jan 14 05:11:20 <okopnik> Ah. Found the Tom Smith ref.
   Jan 14 05:11:20 <editorgal>
   https://www.tomsmithonline.com/lyrics/307_ale.htm
   Jan 14 05:12:45 <jimregan> "It'll lay your whole damn world to waste"
   Jan 14 05:12:48 <jimregan> put my name don
   Jan 14 05:12:52 <jimregan> *dwon
   Jan 14 05:12:57 <jimregan> Heh. down
   Jan 14 05:13:01 <okopnik> Ye ghods. And *then* there's...
   Jan 14 05:13:04 <okopnik>
   https://www3.sympatico.ca/jpolowin/filkstuf/v308.htm
   Jan 14 05:14:32 <editorgal> brb ph
   Jan 14 05:16:03 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 05:18:14 <editorgal> and 307 lite, and some others.

(?) CTCP

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 14 06:52:52 <jimregan> Oh... found a quote in a book about Celtic
   religion
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> The folk of a Celtic type, whether
   pre-Celtic, Celtic, or
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> Norse, have all spoken a Celtic language
   and exhibit the same old
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> Celtic characteristics--vanity, loquacity,
   excitability, fickleness,
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> imagination, love of the romantic,
   fidelity, attachment to family
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> ties, sentimental love of their country,
   religiosity passing over
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> easily to superstition, and a comparatively
   high degree of sexual
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> morality. Some of these traits were already
   noted by classical
   Jan 14 06:52:53 <jimregan> observers.
   Jan 14 06:53:07 <jimregan> Sound like anyone?
   Jan 14 06:53:11 --- Received a CTCP VERSION from creighton
   Jan 14 06:53:20 <jimregan> Stop that right now!
   Jan 14 06:53:24 >creighton< CTCP VERSION
   Jan 14 06:53:24 -creighton- VERSION xchat 2.0.5 Linux 2.4.20
   [i686/398MHz]
   Jan 14 06:53:30 <jimregan> How do you like it?
   Jan 14 06:53:48 >jimregan< CTCP VERSION
   Jan 14 06:53:48 --- Received a CTCP VERSION from jimregan
   Jan 14 06:53:49 -jimregan- VERSION xchat 2.0.8 Linux 2.6.8.1-3-386
   [i686/1.80GHz]
   Jan 14 06:54:16 <creighton> Errr...I thought your client was doing the
   paste really nicely, so I wondered what it was, and CTCP is always
   more fun than just asking. :-)
   Jan 14 06:54:32 <jimregan> (No, I haven't modded that to show my state
   of inebriation, if that's what you were wondering)
   Jan 14 06:55:01 * editorgal just asks
   Jan 14 06:55:01 <jimregan> Nah, It's a paste from a PG etext. Nice
   formatting courtesy of lynx
   Jan 14 06:55:15 <jimregan> Heh. I had to CTCP myself to find out :)
   Jan 14 06:55:27 <editorgal> ok, *that* is funny.
   Jan 14 06:55:42 <jimregan> -jimregan- VERSION xchat 2.0.8 Linux
   2.6.8.1-3-386 [i686/1.80GHz]
   Jan 14 06:55:53 <jimregan> (spare you the trouble)
   Jan 14 06:56:02 --- Received a CTCP VERSION from creighton
   Jan 14 06:56:08 <creighton> :-)
   Jan 14 06:56:12 <jimregan> :P
   Jan 14 06:56:14 --> lunatech (~rajshekha@202.88.151.215) has joined
   #tag-chat
   Jan 14 06:56:19 <jimregan> Hi Raj
   Jan 14 06:56:23 <jimregan> Cup of chai?
   Jan 14 06:56:25 <creighton> Hullo
   Jan 14 06:56:36 <editorgal> huh
   Jan 14 06:56:37 <lunatech> hello jimregan ,
   Jan 14 06:56:49 <lunatech> yes a cup would be nice :)
   Jan 14 06:56:53 <lunatech> hello editorgal
   Jan 14 06:56:56 * jimregan passes one over
   Jan 14 06:57:02 <editorgal> when I did renfaire regularly my "cup" of
   chai was taller than the average beer stein
   Jan 14 06:57:17 <jimregan> That's the handy thing about a virtual
   bar... really cuts down the prep time
   Jan 14 06:57:34 <editorgal> That was also the time I managed to get
   bee stung, entirely mom's fault
   Jan 14 06:57:55 <editorgal> since I put an indecent amount of honey in
   my 18-20 oz of chai
   Jan 14 06:58:36 <editorgal> the bees did hang around the honey thing,
   and I wouldn't have been stung by them on that basis, they weren't
   stressy actually
   Jan 14 06:58:49 <editorgal> snacking, more like, and frankly, bees
   don't eat much
   Jan 14 06:59:19 <jimregan> Yeah. Make great house guests
   Jan 14 06:59:26 <jimregan> Take up little room, too
   Jan 14 06:59:40 <editorgal> but mom wails <accent
   type="valleygirl">like <em>toooo</em>tally freaked</accent>
   Jan 14 06:59:48 <lunatech> :)
   Jan 14 07:00:03 <jimregan> fer sher
   Jan 14 07:00:15 <editorgal> and I turn around and cross-move out of
   the intersection rather quickly, expecting to narrowly avoid a troop
   in platemail or the scots or somesuch
   Jan 14 07:00:37 <jimregan> Ye wha?
   Jan 14 07:00:37 <editorgal> thereby smanging the back of my hand into
   a terribly surprised (and now dying) bee.
   Jan 14 07:00:54 <editorgal> well the way she yelped I thought I was
   about to be run over.
   Jan 14 07:00:59 <jimregan> I think you omitted part of that story
   Jan 14 07:01:21 <editorgal> what? the part about renaissance pleasure
   faire?
   Jan 14 07:01:35 * jimregan scrolls back
   Jan 14 07:01:55 <jimregan> Yep
   Jan 14 07:02:10 <jimregan> I'm just a bit confused, OK...
   Jan 14 07:02:14 <editorgal> "when I did renfaire regularly..." <-
   that?
   Jan 14 07:02:27 <editorgal> um
   Jan 14 07:02:36 <jimregan> Oh renfaire == renaissance pleasure faire.
   Gotcha
   Jan 14 07:02:47 <editorgal> 6 weekends worth of everyone pretends it's
   elizabethan tourist trap
   Jan 14 07:02:48 <jimregan> Oh, not /just/ about that story. In general
   Jan 14 07:03:02 <jimregan> You read the story :)
   Jan 14 07:03:28 <jimregan> (For those coming late to the table, I
   wrote a story. All icky gooey yuck)
   Jan 14 07:04:00 <editorgal> the tale of the poor dead bee isn't done
   yet of course... damn that hurt... I was really annoyed too, but put a
   damper on my heartbeat el pronto...
   Jan 14 07:04:23 <editorgal> and laurie started clearing the way to get
   us down to first aid
   Jan 14 07:04:52 <editorgal> jimmy: you forgot mushy, that came first
   Jan 14 07:04:59 <jimregan> Oh, yeah. Mea culpa.
   Jan 14 07:05:21 <jimregan> I think the letter was so much more mushy
   though.
   Jan 14 07:05:29 <editorgal> *now* if someone got in our way there was
   gonna be someone run over...
   Jan 14 07:05:32 <jimregan> Public shaming? [Y]/n?
   Jan 14 07:06:16 <editorgal> so I got down to first aid and they were
   able to extract the bee remains before much of its poison sac got into
   my hand
   Jan 14 07:06:17 <jimregan> I did promise Mike something to razz me
   about
   Jan 14 07:06:25 <editorgal> mom, however, needed a tranquilizer.
   Jan 14 07:06:32 <jimregan> *snort*
   Jan 14 07:06:36 <jimregan> Splart!
   Jan 14 07:06:41 <jimregan> Oh...
   Jan 14 07:06:54 <jimregan> Just noticed the splart! notice is gone.
   Jan 14 07:06:59 <editorgal> yeah thomas took it off
   Jan 14 07:07:15 <editorgal> we do change these things from time to
   time you know
   Jan 14 07:07:16 <jimregan> Splart is the sound you make when you try
   to hold the coffee in with your hand and fail
   Jan 14 07:07:26 <jimregan> Yeah... but so rarely :P
   Jan 14 07:07:45 <jimregan> (Erm... when laughing...)
   Jan 14 07:07:48 <editorgal> given how unhappy my new year has been...
   Jan 14 07:08:15 <jimregan> (I just remembered certain stories... felt
   the need to specify)
   Jan 14 07:09:02 <creighton> unhappy?
   Jan 14 07:09:27 <creighton> Heh heh...people kept telling me "Happy
   New Year!" I said "We'll see, won't we?"
   Jan 14 07:09:29 --- editorgal has changed the topic to: The Answer
   Gang, linux 'r' us and maybe the kernel will even compile this time |
   linuxgazette.net #110 | The TAG bar is open, look out for the
   watzamocha
   Jan 14 07:09:45 <editorgal> creighton: two of my friends died, one
   very close to me :(
   Jan 14 07:09:58 <editorgal> although I think the total score goes...
   Jan 14 07:10:09 <jimregan> You're keeping score?
   Jan 14 07:10:25 <jimregan> Dammit, I'm the morbid one. You stick to
   -ose, you!
   Jan 14 07:10:50 <editorgal> 1 death by old age, 1 utterly unfair early
   death for no known reason (yet), 2 people suicidal during xmastime
   still around, and 1 wedding proposal of a friend accepted by his
   sweety
   Jan 14 07:10:56 <jimregan> (Erm... too facetious?)
   Jan 14 07:11:38 <jimregan> Wow. Wedding proposal accepted? You really
   are more morbid than me :)
   Jan 14 07:11:57 <editorgal> jimregan: the king of ose died a few years
   ago of brain cancer
   Jan 14 07:12:24 <jimregan> Gah...
   Jan 14 07:12:26 <editorgal> aww that's not morbid - they're both sweet
   people
   Jan 14 07:12:42 <jimregan> Fitting...
   Jan 14 07:12:48 <editorgal> oh yeah and a couple who'd broken up got
   back together over xmas
   Jan 14 07:12:55 <jimregan> but still... at the same time... erm...
   fitting
   Jan 14 07:13:11 <jimregan> Yeah. Quite common.
   Jan 14 07:13:18 <jimregan> You get better presents that way
   Jan 14 07:13:34 <editorgal> um
   Jan 14 07:13:45 <editorgal> I don't think that's how it worked out,
   but nevermind
   Jan 14 07:13:51 <jimregan> Oh, did I forget to mention I'm in cynical
   mode?

(?) Ben on the Move

From #tag-chat

Jan 14 05:18:30 <okopnik> Well, I've got to get to sleep. Early morning tomorrow - gotta pack my stuff, clear out of the hotel room, drag all my stuff over to Sun like a homeless person... :)
Jan 14 05:18:44 <jimregan> In a shopping trolley?
Jan 14 05:19:06 <okopnik> Well, a mini-van, anyway. Same thing, nearly.
Jan 14 05:19:21 <jimregan> Ah. Engine trouble. Gotcha.
Jan 14 05:20:07 <okopnik> Wrap up the class by mid-day and bow out, to my students' roar of approval and gratitude... and take a 60-mile run to the airport.
Jan 14 05:20:22 <okopnik> If I had engine trouble, that would be a *long* way to push it.
Jan 14 05:20:44 <jimregan> Heh. Much better to get towlines and a skateboard :)
Jan 14 05:21:31 <okopnik> Denver is very pretty (when not fogged in or sleeting or snowing like hell or bloody freezing like it was today...) but weird; the Sun center is *way* out in the boonies.
Jan 14 05:21:49 <okopnik> Anyway... TTYL!
Jan 14 05:22:07 <jimregan> Bye

(?) Decaf

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 14 05:22:38 <editorgal> bye ben
   Jan 14 05:23:05 <jimregan> OK, so aside from the morbid ending...
   Jan 14 06:32:42 --> creighton (~jason@ppp46.polson.net) has joined
   #tag-chat
   Jan 14 06:33:05 <jimregan> Hi Jason
   Jan 14 06:33:11 <editorgal> hi jason
   Jan 14 06:33:41 <creighton> Hi Jason. (Oh, wait...) :-)
   Jan 14 06:34:06 <editorgal> "say goodnight, gracie" <gracie>
   goodnight, gracie.
   Jan 14 06:34:38 <jimregan> When I think expresso, I think raw
   expresso, not... non caffeinated stuff
   Jan 14 06:34:41 * editorgal breaks out the espresso cups
   Jan 14 06:34:48 <editorgal> not expresso
   Jan 14 06:34:50 <jimregan> (Where 'stuff' is to be said with much
   disdain)
   Jan 14 06:35:01 <editorgal> expresso's probably some courier brand
   name in podunk iowa
   Jan 14 06:35:07 <jimregan> Espresso, sorry
   Jan 14 06:35:12 <jimregan> Yeesh.
   Jan 14 06:35:14 <creighton> Whoa! non caffeinated espresso?
   Jan 14 06:35:32 <jimregan> No.... Heather was telling me about her
   bowl size cups
   Jan 14 06:35:35 <editorgal> and /me thought diet jolt cola was
   antimatter
   Jan 14 06:35:37 <jimregan> "For espresso?"
   Jan 14 06:35:43 <editorgal> yeah
   Jan 14 06:35:48 <creighton> jimregan: Yeah, spelling will kill you.
   I'll ship you a dictionary via Fed-Es. :)
   Jan 14 06:36:13 <jimregan> capuccino == espresso drink... but with
   non-caffeinated crap
   Jan 14 06:36:22 <editorgal> 1 cup standard coffee, N shots espresso,
   additives per (latte cappucino mocha wtf etc)
   Jan 14 06:36:34 <editorgal> no way
   Jan 14 06:36:38 <jimregan> (Though if they ever manage to make
   caffeinated cream...)
   Jan 14 06:36:40 <editorgal> it isn't coffee without caffiene
   Jan 14 06:36:51 <jimregan> Hey, hey, hey
   Jan 14 06:37:08 <jimregan> Noone was talking about decaf, just a
   simple misunderstanding
   Jan 14 06:37:12 <jimregan> Stay calm!
   Jan 14 06:37:14 <editorgal> good
   Jan 14 06:37:19 <editorgal> just so we have that stright
   Jan 14 06:37:25 <editorgal> +ai
   Jan 14 06:37:27 <jimregan> Eep! I said the 'd' word
   Jan 14 06:37:50 * editorgal commits jimmy to 40 lashes with a wet
   noodle
   Jan 14 06:37:50 <jimregan> De (/me spits at the ground) caf
   Jan 14 06:37:56 <jimregan> much better
   Jan 14 06:38:07 <jimregan> brb
   Jan 14 06:38:16 <jimregan> (all this talk of caffeine)
   Jan 14 06:38:54 <creighton> I don't drink coffee. Never tried it. I
   see too many people who just can't go without the stuff, I don't think
   I want jokes made about "not really awake until the second cup of
   coffee" to be *true*. But I mentally file "Capuccino" under "Something
   weird that coffee people like. See also: Mocha, Frappe, etc..."
   Jan 14 06:38:59 <editorgal> darnit, wasn't very lit here today, and I
   want the photos I'm going to merge in similar lighting
   Jan 14 06:39:15 <editorgal> oh well
   Jan 14 06:39:22 <editorgal> I mostly drink tea...
   Jan 14 06:39:30 <editorgal> coffee I savor, tea I drink
   Jan 14 06:39:47 <editorgal> I don't put up with icky coffee either
   Jan 14 06:40:53 <editorgal> Mocha = method to get the maximum amount
   of stimulant into a sysadmin's body, consisting of espresso,
   chocolate, cream, with whipped cream on top, chocolate powder for
   cuteness optional.
   Jan 14 06:41:20 <editorgal> cute lil shavings of a chocolate brick
   also pleasantly acceptable
   Jan 14 06:42:05 <editorgal> anyways
   Jan 14 06:42:19 <editorgal> jason, what do you actually prefer to
   drink?
   Jan 14 06:42:38 * editorgal could just go back and look at the thread,
   but..
   Jan 14 06:43:14 <creighton> You mean, if someone asked me, "What would
   you like to drink? Come on, anything at all!" what would I want?
   Jan 14 06:43:23 <editorgal> sure
   Jan 14 06:43:31 <creighton> Hmm
   Jan 14 06:44:19 <creighton> This is going to sound weird...
   Jan 14 06:44:36 * editorgal grins, weird's fine by *me* ...
   Jan 14 06:44:47 <jimregan> Fine by me, and I stock the bar
   Jan 14 06:45:21 <jimregan> What? Human blood?
   Jan 14 06:45:37 <jimregan> I got some, y'know... any blood group in
   particular?
   Jan 14 06:45:37 <editorgal> smurf juice?
   Jan 14 06:45:45 <jimregan> Hee hee hee
   Jan 14 06:46:02 <jimregan> (sorry, spent the evening watching some
   really juvenile stuff)
   Jan 14 06:46:25 * editorgal looks up a vendor ID number for Gargamel
   Jan 14 06:46:38 <editorgal> says he's out, lil buggers keep getting
   away.
   Jan 14 06:46:43 <creighton> But I really like a good lemonade. No, not
   *real* lemonade. The stuff you can order at a restaurant, or buy in
   2-Liter bottles at Wal-Mart. Probably loaded with Bad Stuff, but a
   nice smooth taste, which I tend to prefer over carbonated soft drinks.
   Jan 14 06:47:12 <jimregan> Lemonade?
   Jan 14 06:47:14 <jimregan> OUT!!
   Jan 14 06:47:16 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 14 06:47:24 <editorgal> right, one high fructose corn syrup laden
   something lemony with yellow coloring coming up.
   Jan 14 06:47:32 <jimregan> Hey!
   Jan 14 06:47:36 <creighton> editorgal: That's the spirit! :)
   Jan 14 06:47:47 <jimregan> That's my damned bar!
   Jan 14 06:47:50 <editorgal> most of the stuff you can get at
   restaurants here came from lemons. sorry bought that jason
   Jan 14 06:48:11 <creighton> "damned"? What did it do?
   Jan 14 06:48:11 <editorgal> he didn't say he wanted a drink, that
   makes it my stock
   Jan 14 06:48:23 * jimregan finds something sufficiently chemical
   laden, with a hint of cirtus
   Jan 14 06:48:25 <creighton> editorgal: Sorry, brain's gone fuzzy.
   Where's "here"?
   Jan 14 06:48:32 <jimregan> (Note: not 'citrus')
   Jan 14 06:48:34 * editorgal giggles
   Jan 14 06:48:41 <jimregan> The bar!
   Jan 14 06:48:56 * jimregan points at the kegs and spirit bottles
   Jan 14 06:49:00 <editorgal> that's what you get for drinking what
   Jimmy put in front of you...
   Jan 14 06:49:18 <editorgal> as for where *I* am...
   Jan 14 06:49:20 <editorgal> er
   Jan 14 06:49:23 * jimregan grabs a lemonade
   Jan 14 06:49:34 * jimregan grabs a wutka
   Jan 14 06:49:48 * editorgal skips the mental nav specs, them probably
   not being what he wants to here.
   Jan 14 06:50:12 <editorgal> especially with the under destruction
   signs in there :/
   Jan 14 06:50:31 <jimregan> (wutka == vodka, but moreso)
   Jan 14 06:50:45 * editorgal is presently typing from a chair in
   northern california

(?) Railroad Bill

From #tag-chat

Jan 18 23:46:08 <editorgal> tend the bar, you ;)
Jan 18 23:49:28 <jimregan> Nope. Recording tomorrow, so I gotta write words
Jan 18 23:49:55 <editorgal> then gimme the keys to the liquor cabinet, or I'll magic wand 'em
Jan 18 23:50:03 <jimregan> Cabinet?
Jan 18 23:50:14 <jimregan> They're all lined up behind the counter
Jan 18 23:50:16 <editorgal> lol
Jan 18 23:50:20 <jimregan> No keys reqd.
Jan 18 23:50:31 <editorgal> well you didn't stop me goin' back there, so I'm on duty now
Jan 18 23:50:53 <jimregan> (The safe to the good stuff can only be opened by special incantation and teddy bear sacrifice though :-)
Jan 18 23:51:52 * editorgal has the Scissors, they trump you.
Jan 18 23:58:52 <jimregan> Pfft. You don't scare me.
Jan 19 00:00:43 <editorgal> scare nothing
Jan 19 00:00:58 <editorgal> I was just talking about how I have no problem getting into things
Jan 19 00:02:32 <jimregan> Nope, sorry. Scissor proof.
Jan 19 00:05:06 <editorgal> it's not the scissors themselves you have to worry about
Jan 19 00:05:14 <editorgal> it's the rewriting...
Jan 19 00:05:26 <editorgal> google on "Railroad Bill"
Jan 19 00:05:48 <jimregan> Nope. Google n'aime pas Lynx.
Jan 19 00:06:16 <editorgal> lynx googles just fine, you're just lazy.
Jan 19 00:06:48 <jimregan> Nope. Google keeps telling me my browser sent a malformed request.
Jan 19 00:06:56 <jimregan> Did it in Mandrake too.
Jan 19 00:09:12 <editorgal> must be a corrupt copy of lynx
Jan 19 00:09:18 <editorgal> the one I have in debian works fine
Jan 19 00:09:58 <editorgal> https://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiRRBILLKT;ttRRBILLKT.html

(?) Normality

From #tag-chat

** Normality **
 
Jan 05 21:14:51 <jimregan> The word 'normal' does not apply to people. At all. No such thing.
Jan 05 21:14:59 <editorgal> yeah I know
Jan 05 21:15:25 <editorgal> find the guy with 100 IQ, 1 wife, 3.2 children, and 1.7 pets.
Jan 05 21:15:37 <editorgal> and don't tell me what you do with .7 of a dog.
Jan 05 21:16:06 <jimregan> Give it a decent burial?
Jan 05 21:27:31 <editorgal> I guess
Jan 05 21:27:49 <editorgal> except then you slip off average, the average people don't bury their pets.
Jan 05 21:28:21 <jimregan> We always buried ours. Though our original pet graveyard no longer exists.
 
** Past tense **
 
Jan 05 23:36:12 <editorgal> lol @ frank and Ernest cartoon
Jan 05 23:36:18 <jimregan> ?
Jan 05 23:36:33 <editorgal> <frank the caveman> I just invented past tense and present tense
Jan 05 23:36:44 <editorgal> <ernest the caveman> oh, did you, now?
Jan 05 23:37:58 * jimregan runs screaming to the hills
Jan 05 23:39:21 <editorgal> *heh*
 
** Prince Charming **
 
Jan 05 23:48:31 <jimregan> Ooooh noooo......
Jan 05 23:49:01 <jimregan> This book starts off about a girl who's dreaming about a Prince Charming
Jan 05 23:49:38 <jimregan> And about how the first time she fell in love was with a boy, who's first approach was to ask for a pencil, with a pen in his pocket
Jan 05 23:50:16 <jimregan> (I used getting a hairnet as an excuse to go look for her this morning... but had one on)

(?) Public Speaking

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 04 06:37:31 <jimregan> I've only ever given one presentation, ever
   Jan 04 06:37:46 <jimregan> (And brought the draft version instead of
   the final)
   Jan 04 06:37:52 <editorgal> I've given a stack of them and made
   presentation software for more
   Jan 04 06:37:56 <editorgal> whoops
   Jan 04 06:37:58 <jimregan> I'm a public speaking disaster :)
   Jan 04 06:38:20 * editorgal loans jimmy a copy of "Technically
   Speaking"
   Jan 04 06:38:41 <jimregan> At the hustings when I went for a student's
   union position, I got a big laugh
   Jan 04 06:39:05 <jimregan> Looked down at my hand, noticed I still had
   a lit cigarette in it, and flicked it from the podium
   Jan 04 06:39:38 <editorgal> lol
   Jan 04 06:39:39 <jimregan> Had to ad lib my speech, 'cos I had my cue
   cards upside down & out of order
   Jan 04 06:39:49 <jimregan> Kept it to 3 sentences :)
   Jan 04 06:39:57 <editorgal> I have a trick for that part
   Jan 04 06:40:23 <editorgal> punch holes in the corner, and run one of
   these round keychain loops through them
   Jan 04 06:40:24 <jimregan> Threw those off the podium too. Made it
   part of the speech
   Jan 04 06:40:32 <editorgal> that way they're stuck in order
   Jan 04 06:40:38 <editorgal> oh well, ok
   Jan 04 06:41:01 <editorgal> especially if it's a feature in this crowd
   to be short er, ahem, brief about it
   Jan 04 06:41:10 <jimregan> Yeah
   Jan 04 06:41:17 <editorgal> "short" here is sometimes used to mean a
   cross attitude
   Jan 04 06:41:27 <editorgal> "don't be short with me"
   Jan 04 06:41:45 <editorgal> ^ == adult version of "you meanybutts stop
   it"
   Jan 04 06:41:30 <jimregan> First of the 3 sentences was "Fuck it, I'm
   not going to waste your time"
   Jan 04 06:41:51 <jimregan> heh
   Jan 04 06:42:00 <editorgal> heh bet that got good attention
   Jan 04 06:42:25 <editorgal> so did you get the job or not?
   Jan 04 06:42:37 <jimregan> Dunno. I was the only person going for the
   job, so all I needed was to get the basic amount of votes
   Jan 04 06:42:52 <jimregan> Oh, I got the job. Well, position.
   Jan 04 06:42:59 <editorgal> you don't know if you got it??
   Jan 04 06:43:01 <editorgal> oh ok
   Jan 04 06:43:12 <jimregan> "Job" to me implies payment.
   Jan 04 06:43:15 <editorgal> oh you don't know if what you did really
   counted as good
   Jan 04 06:43:17 <editorgal> ah
   Jan 04 06:43:25 <editorgal> I worked with the student union
   Jan 04 06:43:40 <editorgal> but as a tutor; we did get paid, just
   wretchedly.
   Jan 04 06:43:48 <jimregan> :(
   Jan 04 06:43:58 <editorgal> with a shush on telling students needing
   tutoring how much we're paid
   Jan 04 06:44:17 <editorgal> don't want to discourage people from
   offering or seeking help by discussing money
   Jan 04 06:44:21 <jimregan> It did annoy me that I my president was
   less organised than me.
   Jan 04 06:44:24 <editorgal> just get to the topic
   Jan 04 06:45:09 <editorgal> I did fine at that of course
   Jan 04 06:45:19 <jimregan> There's a college quiz show on TV here...
   he told me we were to submit a team the Monday of the week it was due
   Jan 04 06:45:21 <editorgal> english and higher math and computing
   Jan 04 06:45:39 <editorgal> oh that's a lot of help
   Jan 04 06:45:51 <jimregan> Yeah. Due Wednesday.
   Jan 04 06:46:30 <jimregan> The vice president was fairly neurotic
   anyway, and gave out to me because she knew he wouldn't pay attention
   :)

(?) Anything strange?

From #tag-chat

Jan 15 13:15:17 <jimregan> 'lo
Jan 15 13:17:50 <thomas_adam> Hello.
Jan 15 13:23:12 <jimregan> Anything strange?
Jan 15 13:24:42 <thomas_adam> Such as?
Jan 15 13:25:55 <jimregan> Well... if it was strange enough, you'd know.
Jan 15 13:26:10 <thomas_adam> Heh. No, nothing is strange(r).
Jan 15 13:27:02 <jimregan> Damn. I'll have to look harder then.
Jan 15 13:27:24 <jimregan> Everything is quite normal around here, which is disappointing.
Jan 15 13:28:38 <thomas_adam> Hehe.
Jan 15 13:28:49 <thomas_adam> No rainbows or pots of gold, eh?
Jan 15 13:28:56 <jimregan> Nope.
Jan 15 13:29:12 <jimregan> Not even a glimpse of a leprechaun
Jan 15 13:29:47 <thomas_adam> :)
Jan 15 13:29:59 <jimregan> Oh... wait... there is a rainbow
Jan 15 13:30:05 <thomas_adam> Yayyyyy.
Jan 15 13:30:21 <jimregan> Dammit, where did I leave my leprechaun straightjacket?
Jan 15 13:30:28 * thomas_adam laughs.
Jan 15 13:30:47 <jimregan> Though these days we tend to get the American tourist leprechauns
Jan 15 13:30:57 <jimregan> With their bad accents
Jan 15 13:31:07 <jimregan> No bloody gold either
Jan 15 13:31:19 <jimregan> Keep trying to fob us off with rubbish cereal
Jan 15 13:32:54 <thomas_adam> :)

(?) Lecturers

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 15 13:30:47 <jimregan> Though these days we tend to get the
   American tourist leprechauns
   Jan 15 13:30:57 <jimregan> With their bad accents
   Jan 15 13:31:07 <jimregan> No bloody gold either
   Jan 15 13:31:19 <jimregan> Keep trying to fob us off with rubbish
   cereal
   Jan 15 13:32:54 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 15 13:33:03 <thomas_adam> I like accents...
   Jan 15 13:33:14 <thomas_adam> Which kind of Irish one do you have?
   Jan 15 13:33:22 <jimregan> Erm...
   Jan 15 13:33:36 <jimregan> I have a fairly flat southern accent.
   Jan 15 13:33:48 <jimregan> Depends on who I'm talking to.
   Jan 15 13:34:01 <thomas_adam> Why?
   Jan 15 13:34:21 <jimregan> More use of idiom around certain people
   Jan 15 13:34:41 <jimregan> (Because they don't really 'get' standard
   English)
   Jan 15 13:34:43 <thomas_adam> Oh. I suppose we're all guilty of that.
   Jan 15 13:34:55 <thomas_adam> That's OK, neither do the Americans. :P
   Jan 15 13:34:58 <jimregan> Heh. I make no bones about being a
   pretentious git
   Jan 15 13:35:17 * thomas_adam wasn't going to mention it.
   Jan 15 13:35:27 <jimregan> It's actually something I've been giving
   thought to.
   Jan 15 13:35:43 <thomas_adam> Being a git? :)
   Jan 15 13:35:45 <jimregan> A coworker and I are going to teach each
   other languages
   Jan 15 13:35:58 <jimregan> Nah. Don't need to think about that, it
   comes naturally.
   Jan 15 13:36:14 <thomas_adam> Hehehe.
   Jan 15 13:36:26 <thomas_adam> You could teach other languages, aye.
   Jan 15 13:37:09 <thomas_adam> I know that over here, if one wants to
   teach at a University -- no teaching experience is needed. In fact,
   apart from one or two, most of my lecturers are people whom have been
   in industry for ages.
   Jan 15 13:37:10 <jimregan> He wants to improve his English. It doesn't
   really help that there are three main versions he'd have to be
   familiar with
   Jan 15 13:37:28 <jimregan> Yeah. Tend to be better lecturers for it.
   Jan 15 13:38:13 <thomas_adam> ... then there are those who are
   clueless.
   Jan 15 13:38:16 <jimregan> The academic types tend to be a bit strange
   Jan 15 13:38:26 <thomas_adam> Ivory towers, and all that.
   Jan 15 13:38:41 <jimregan> "So we were doing research into foo..."
   Jan 15 13:38:44 <jimregan> "Why?"
   Jan 15 13:38:47 <jimregan> "Erm...."
   Jan 15 13:39:22 <jimregan> Heh. Media Lab Europe shut down.
   Jan 15 13:39:33 <thomas_adam> It's not even that -- there's one
   lecturer who used to be in the army, and post that, did acting. It
   shows, too. He doesn't know shit. Quite how he got a job lecturing, I
   don't know.
   Jan 15 13:40:40 <jimregan> Heh. We had to do a course in basic
   office-type applications in first year. Our lecturer just about knew
   how to use Word...
   Jan 15 13:40:53 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 15 13:41:36 <jimregan> A friend of mine is doing his masters, and
   was giving lecturing work.
   Jan 15 13:42:00 <jimregan> He said that every lecture, he's guaranteed
   to 'zone'
   Jan 15 13:42:12 <thomas_adam> Zone?
   Jan 15 13:42:13 <thomas_adam> (brb)
   Jan 15 13:42:27 <jimregan> He'll start talking about something, tune
   out, tune back in and wonder what the hell he's talking about.
   Jan 15 13:42:43 <jimregan> His students loved his lectures, for the
   comedy appeal.
   Jan 15 13:43:12 <thomas_adam> Aww.
   Jan 15 13:43:47 <jimregan> Mostly it'd be telling them exactly how
   useless aspect X of the course was
   Jan 15 13:44:17 <thomas_adam> :D
   Jan 15 13:44:39 <jimregan> I think he was giving lectures on software
   design techniques, so he had plenty of ammunition
   Jan 15 13:45:11 <jimregan> (Not that he ever stuck to his own subject)
   Jan 15 13:45:51 <thomas_adam> Hehehehehe.
   Jan 15 13:45:54 <thomas_adam> He sounds cool.
   Jan 15 13:46:28 <jimregan> Yeah. He's the type who studies religions
   so he can annoy their adherents in depth.
   Jan 15 13:46:56 <jimregan> "Oh, you can't fully appreciate the Quran
   unless you're read it in Arabic"
   Jan 15 13:47:05 <jimregan> "What, bullshit doesn't translate?"
   Jan 15 13:47:12 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 15 13:47:42 <jimregan> He decided to become a Buddhist because
   "you can tag on another religion"
   Jan 15 13:48:07 <jimregan> He loooves telling the Jehovah's Witnesses
   that he'll convert
   Jan 15 13:48:16 <jimregan> because it doesn't conflict with Buddhism
   Jan 15 13:48:33 <jimregan> "But... but...."
   Jan 15 13:48:44 <thomas_adam> LOL!
   Jan 15 13:49:12 <jimregan> Heh. Once he wrote a program in Java and in
   8088 asm to show that the 8088 version was faster
   Jan 15 13:49:28 <thomas_adam> He didn't need to do that...
   Jan 15 13:49:34 <thomas_adam> It was a foregone conclusion.
   Jan 15 13:49:35 <jimregan> (Again, picking on a religious fanatic)
   Jan 15 13:50:48 <jimregan> I remember being highly amused when I saw
   the quote about you being the type who'd write his own operating
   system.
   Jan 15 13:50:54 <jimregan> 'Cos this guy actually did it.
   Jan 15 13:51:21 <thomas_adam> I never would.
   Jan 15 13:51:27 <jimregan> Some NT apologist lecturer really got to
   him, so he wrote it for his thesis.
   Jan 15 13:51:48 <jimregan> Just so he could say "see, there's no good
   reason for NT to do [whatever it was]"
   Jan 15 13:52:00 <thomas_adam> :D
   Jan 15 13:52:28 <jimregan> It's strange how the world works.
   Jan 15 13:52:53 <thomas_adam> Indeed.
   Jan 15 13:52:54 <jimregan> Once he'd decided to write about that, he
   stumbled across a bunch of books about OS design at a book fair
   Jan 15 13:53:27 <jimregan> And so did another friend: "You wouldn't by
   any chance be interested in these?"
   Jan 15 13:53:41 <thomas_adam> :))
   Jan 15 13:54:01 <jimregan> The other day, I had my first serious
   thought about needing to earn more
   Jan 15 13:54:12 <thomas_adam> Oh?
   Jan 15 13:54:20 <jimregan> 10 minutes later, one of the senior
   operatives told me he was changing jobs
   Jan 15 13:54:45 <thomas_adam> Ah.
   Jan 15 13:55:06 <jimregan> I didn't say a word to anyone about it, the
   universe just dumped it in my lap.
   Jan 15 13:55:24 <thomas_adam> What would you do about another job?
   Jan 15 13:55:48 <jimregan> You mean working elsewhere, or going for
   this job?
   Jan 15 13:56:02 <jimregan> I'm not really ready to move on to
   somewhere else.
   Jan 15 13:56:24 <thomas_adam> Hmm.
   Jan 15 13:57:11 <jimregan> I mean, I could go get another job,
   possibly quite easily
   Jan 15 13:57:34 <jimregan> But I decided to use this job as a learning
   experience, and I still have something to learn.
   Jan 15 13:57:59 <thomas_adam> But to what end? It seems like a horrid
   place.
   Jan 15 13:58:01 <jimregan> It's just a feeling, but that feeling has
   always steered me right in the past.
   Jan 15 13:58:28 <jimregan> Well, everything happens for a reason. (Or
   at least, I'm superstitious enough to believe that)
   Jan 15 13:59:03 <thomas_adam> Fatalistic?
   Jan 15 13:59:13 <jimregan> I needed to learn the right kind of
   humility, working where I am has taught me that.
   Jan 15 13:59:39 <jimregan> And I needed to unlearn the wrong kind that
   got me consistently screwed over.
   Jan 15 13:59:55 * thomas_adam nods.
   Jan 15 14:00:23 <jimregan> I've had a very strange week and a half...
   Jan 15 14:00:46 <jimregan> Basically, if I've thought about anything I
   needed, it happened.
   Jan 15 14:02:36 <jimregan> I suppose it's really that I learned to
   attempt things without presuming failure from the start.
   Jan 15 14:03:39 <thomas_adam> That's always a good frame of mind to
   start with
   Jan 15 14:04:47 <jimregan> Well, attempt most things. I think I know
   what I need to do now.

(?) A bit too hard

From #tag-chat

Jan 16 08:22:45 <jimregan> Tee hee hee.
Jan 16 08:22:47 <editorgal> huh?
Jan 16 08:23:01 <jimregan> I broke the control panel for the machine I work at last night.
Jan 16 08:23:21 <jimregan> It's a touch screen, but the touch part was getting a bit touchy recently
Jan 16 08:24:16 <jimregan> So... I hit it a bit hard, and smashed the screen :)
Jan 16 08:24:28 <editorgal> !
Jan 16 08:24:33 <jimregan> My supervisor refused to believe I could do that much damage with my fingers
Jan 16 08:24:36 * editorgal checks your hand
Jan 16 08:24:55 <jimregan> I was set to do fingertip pushups to shut him up
Jan 16 08:25:32 <jimregan> "You know that cost 30,000?"
Jan 16 08:25:39 <jimregan> "Pfft. It was broken anyway"
Jan 16 08:27:28 <jimregan> 30,000. Someone got ripped off.
Jan 16 08:30:14 <editorgal> well as long as the insurance guys refuse to believe it was damage by fingers
Jan 16 08:30:18 <editorgal> heh
Jan 16 08:33:26 <jimregan> Heh. I'd happily demonstrate if anyone else disbelieves me.
Jan 16 08:35:18 <jimregan> c/~ Driving nowhere fast / Accelerate to pass / Now I've got time to kill at last
Jan 16 08:35:39 <jimregan> Sheesh. I was fit to pass out 45 minutes ago.
Jan 16 08:35:59 <editorgal> :/
Jan 16 08:36:05 <editorgal> fainting is bad..
Jan 16 08:36:09 <jimregan> Now I'm all hyper and stuff

(?) Teddies

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 16 08:33:27 <editorgal> his nose looks right now
   Jan 16 08:33:31 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 16 08:33:41 <editorgal> he hasn't quite got xteddy's smile, but
   Jan 16 08:33:54 <editorgal> hey, we *are* catching him pre-coffee.
   Jan 16 08:36:24 <editorgal> heh. 1-10 out of 304,000 hits on 'linux
   teddy'
   Jan 16 08:36:35 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 16 08:37:27 <editorgal> well I just had this idea that bear's bio
   would be in there cuz I might claim he took the photo..
   Jan 16 08:37:42 <jimregan> Oh... dear... god...
   Jan 16 08:37:46 <editorgal> with it being an excuse to cross point at
   some teddybear stuff of some sort
   Jan 16 08:37:54 <editorgal> <- wicked
   Jan 16 08:38:12 <jimregan> Look, just because I've been all puppy-like
   for the last 2 months doesn't mean I'm getting into all the icky
   cutesy stuff
   Jan 16 08:38:45 <editorgal> hey
   Jan 16 08:38:49 <editorgal> it's my teddybear
   Jan 16 08:38:53 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 16 08:38:54 <editorgal> don't be mean like that
   Jan 16 08:38:58 <editorgal> ;>
   Jan 16 08:39:22 <editorgal> anyways so far it looks like it'd all be a
   cheap ad for cafepress...
   Jan 16 08:39:36 <jimregan> Hmm... wonder if there's a teddy bear mod
   for Doom...
   Jan 16 08:39:56 <editorgal> they have a stock white teddy bear they
   put lil t-shirts on.
   Jan 16 08:40:08 <jimregan> I don't play games, but I'd make an
   exception to shoot some teddies
   Jan 16 08:41:14 <editorgal> * bear growls
   Jan 16 08:41:22 <editorgal> there's a mini-itx teddybear
   Jan 16 08:43:13 <editorgal> multiple hits on a fedora german mailing
   list because someone's nick is teddybear...
   Jan 16 08:44:36 <jimregan> Grr.
   Jan 16 08:44:51 <jimregan> I was gonna growl back, but the effect is
   lost in text.
   Jan 16 08:45:01 <editorgal> hehe
   Jan 16 08:45:12 <editorgal> * bear hops on the counter and hugs his
   coffeemug
   Jan 16 08:45:32 * jimregan searches for his 'baseball' bat
   Jan 16 08:45:46 <editorgal> heck, bear darn near *fits* in his
   coffeemug.
   Jan 16 08:48:27 <editorgal> there was a teddybear computing services -
   and might still be - but the url quoted goes to a teddybear artists
   colony now. guess teddybears are leaving windows behind.
   Jan 16 08:48:48 <jimregan> Heh heh.
   Jan 16 08:48:59 <jimregan> I saw 'colony' and jumped to conclusions
   Jan 16 08:49:09 <jimregan> "What, they shave off the fur?"
   Jan 16 08:49:48 <editorgal> err
   Jan 16 08:50:25 <editorgal> I take that back, according to her TechWeb
   (nee' WinMag) bio, she always wanted to open a teddybear shop, and the
   shown teddybear is the same image on the website
   Jan 16 08:51:40 <jimregan> Er, OK.
   Jan 16 08:52:13 <editorgal> type of server software not mentioned...
   :)
   Jan 16 08:55:20 * jimregan declares behind the bar a teddy bear free
   zone
   Jan 16 08:56:59 <editorgal> <bear> bllllt
   Jan 16 08:57:31 <jimregan> Bear doesn't want to experience my glare.
   Jan 16 08:57:55 <editorgal> Tiny Debugger (tdbr - "teddy bear") Peter
   Lund
   Jan 16 08:58:08 <editorgal> * bear is well defended, he doesn't care.
   Jan 16 08:58:30 <jimregan> Hah.
   Jan 16 08:59:03 * jimregan turns on the full force of his glare.
   Across the globe echoes the sound of children sobbing
   Jan 16 08:59:46 <editorgal> interesting
   Jan 16 09:00:08 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 16 09:00:24 <editorgal> he says he started that project when he
   was ill, and it probably helped him not forget how to program.
   Jan 16 09:02:54 * editorgal bookmarks him
   Jan 16 09:03:41 <editorgal> and alas, there's some windows virus
   called teddybear :(
   Jan 16 09:04:29 <editorgal> hm. a mention on telsa's diary?
   Jan 16 09:04:30 * jimregan feels the urge to torture kittens to repair
   the cutesy balance
   Jan 16 09:05:12 <editorgal> giggle. she has a beeblelbear
   Jan 16 09:05:20 <editorgal> don't panic jimmy
   Jan 16 09:05:48 <jimregan> Groan
   Jan 16 09:05:49 <editorgal> you can always come up with less cutesy
   ideas for covers
   Jan 16 09:06:08 <jimregan> Crucified bear?
   Jan 16 09:06:12 <editorgal> and if I can do the art I might even give
   em the shot what the heck
   Jan 16 09:06:23 <jimregan> }:)
   Jan 16 09:06:25 <editorgal> where's the linux in that?
   Jan 16 09:06:33 <editorgal> xteddy is at least already an app.
   Jan 16 09:07:01 <jimregan> Mmm hmm.
   Jan 16 09:07:31 <editorgal> hmm
   Jan 16 09:19:26 <editorgal> !
   Jan 16 09:19:43 <editorgal> "teddybear housed wireless access point
   400 meter range"
   Jan 16 09:20:00 <editorgal> wrong
   Jan 16 09:20:04 <editorgal> 400 feet
   Jan 16 09:20:23 * editorgal needs to learn to read
   Jan 16 09:20:28 <editorgal> wireless video
   Jan 16 09:20:37 <editorgal> bet it's supposed to be a baby monitor
   Jan 16 09:33:26 <editorgal> right now xteddy's still reading an upside
   down phone book, which looks pretty silly.
   Jan 16 09:33:34 <editorgal> But it is a good save point.
   Jan 16 09:33:55 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 16 15:43:02 --> You are now talking on #tag-chat
   Jan 16 15:43:02 --- Topic for #tag-chat is The Answer Gang, linux 'r'
   us and maybe the kernel will even compile this time | linuxgazette.net
   #110 | The TAG bar is open, look out for the watzamocha
   Jan 16 15:43:02 --- Topic for #tag-chat set by editorgal at Fri Jan 14
   07:09:26
   Jan 16 15:43:32 * jimregan is happy to see there's no mention of teddy
   bears in the /topic
   Jan 17 08:30:17 --> You are now talking on #tag-chat
   Jan 17 08:30:17 --- Topic for #tag-chat is The Answer Gang, linux 'r'
   us and maybe the kernel will even compile this time | linuxgazette.net
   #110 | The TAG bar is open, look out for the watzamocha | xteddy hugs
   you
   Jan 17 08:30:17 --- Topic for #tag-chat set by thomas_adam at Sun Jan
   16 15:54:18
   Jan 17 08:30:29 <jimregan> mornin'
   Jan 17 08:30:46 <jimregan> Ack! Teddy bear mention!
   Jan 17 08:31:16 * jimregan sprays on teddy bear repellant
   Jan 18 20:51:00 --> You are now talking on #tag-chat
   Jan 18 20:51:00 --- Topic for #tag-chat is The Answer Gang, linux 'r'
   us and maybe the kernel will even compile this time | linuxgazette.net
   #110 | The TAG bar is open, look out for the watzamocha | xteddy hugs
   you
   Jan 18 20:51:00 --- Topic for #tag-chat set by thomas_adam at Sun Jan
   16 15:54:18
   Jan 18 20:51:11 <jimregan> Grr.
   Jan 18 20:51:57 * jimregan thought he called in the teddy bear
   exterminator...
   Jan 18 20:52:05 * thomas_adam larts jimregan
   Jan 18 20:52:07 <thomas_adam> :(
   Jan 18 20:52:18 <thomas_adam> What's wrong with bears?
   Jan 18 20:52:33 <jimregan> Nothing, as long as they're real bears.
   Jan 18 20:52:51 <thomas_adam> teddy bears, then?
   Jan 18 20:53:07 <jimregan> It's part of my "Just say no to cuteness"
   campaign.
   Jan 18 20:53:22 <thomas_adam> :(
   Jan 18 20:53:31 <jimregan> "Friends don't let friends hug stuffed
   animals"
   Jan 18 20:54:36 <editorgal> meanybutts
   Jan 18 20:54:41 <jimregan> Hee hee hee
   Jan 18 20:54:47 * editorgal buys jimmy a stuffed cold virus
   Jan 18 20:54:53 <jimregan> :)))
   Jan 18 20:55:05 <jimregan> Yeah, the cold virus can get stuffed
   Jan 18 20:55:54 <editorgal> jimregan: there really is a site selling
   plushy viruses.
   Jan 18 20:56:09 <jimregan> Oh... dear... God...
   Jan 18 20:56:43 <jimregan> Although a plush 'Bender' or 'Zoidburg'...
   Jan 18 20:57:20 <editorgal> someone in thomas' lug has a plushy ebola.
   Jan 18 20:57:30 <thomas_adam> Hmm.
   Jan 18 20:57:35 <jimregan> Aw. Now that I /do/ like.
   Jan 18 20:57:36 <thomas_adam> Teddy bears are good.
   Jan 18 20:57:52 <jimregan> "Who's a cute little flesh eating virus?
   You are"
   Jan 18 20:58:56 <editorgal> right
   Jan 18 20:59:01 <editorgal> found his price point
   Jan 18 20:59:03 <editorgal> sold.
   Jan 18 20:59:18 <jimregan> Heh. I wonder if it's possible to get a
   plush half-brick
   Jan 18 20:59:30 <editorgal> almost certainly
   Jan 18 20:59:33 <jimregan> (For those people you want to hit with one,
   figuratively)
   Jan 18 20:59:39 <editorgal> in fact, if it isn't I could make one
   Jan 18 20:59:52 <editorgal> my pal Katy (aka Chaos) has a boffer trout
   Jan 18 21:00:19 <jimregan> Yeah, you told me about that
   Jan 18 21:01:00 <jimregan> I wonder if you can get a "my little
   executioner" toy set?
   Jan 18 21:01:15 <jimregan> An electric chair with a victim that
   /really/ wets itself
   Jan 18 21:01:21 <thomas_adam> :|
   Jan 18 21:01:51 <editorgal> jimmy, you're more warped than usual
   today.
   Jan 18 21:01:57 * thomas_adam h4x0rs jimregan's computer and runs
   xteddy indefinitely.
   Jan 18 21:02:08 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 18 21:02:13 <editorgal> but I'm pretty sure I can get you a
   guilotine type cheese slicer from one of the horror shops.
   Jan 18 21:02:15 <jimregan> Why yes, yes I am.
   Jan 18 21:02:27 <jimregan> You can get cigar guilotines too
   Jan 18 21:02:42 <jimregan> Just the right size for Barbie as Marie
   Antoinette
   Jan 18 21:03:41 <editorgal> thomas_adam: that script that andy found
   :D
   Jan 18 21:03:55 <thomas_adam> I wouldn't be that cruel.
   Jan 18 21:04:06 <editorgal> hehe
   Jan 18 21:04:14 <editorgal> ok, only if jimmy continues to act up.
   Jan 18 21:04:33 <jimregan> Awww... I'm all curious and shit
   Jan 18 21:04:45 * editorgal grins wickedly
   Jan 18 21:04:54 <jimregan> But I'm out of teddy torture ideas
   Jan 18 21:04:59 <editorgal> <Andy> xteddytakeover ! aggh :)
   Jan 18 21:06:23 <jimregan> So... what's with xteddy getting the cover
   for next month? Is it a Valentines tie-in, or just an "I like xteddy"
   thing?
   Jan 18 21:06:46 <editorgal> it was what I thought of that I have
   baesline partial photo ideas for
   Jan 18 21:06:52 <editorgal> I asked for ideas
   Jan 18 21:07:00 <editorgal> you had something sounded good for march
   Jan 18 21:07:01 <jimregan> Xteddy giving Tux a heart?
   Jan 18 21:07:11 <jimregan> No!
   Jan 18 21:07:11 <editorgal> I hadn't thought of valentines tie in, but
   Jan 18 21:07:16 <jimregan> Damn, gone the wrong way!
   Jan 18 21:07:22 <jimregan> Ermm....
   Jan 18 21:07:28 <editorgal> come to think of it the grab-me cursor
   over xteddy is a little heart. so it could be.
   Jan 18 21:07:35 <thomas_adam> Flintgirl. :)
   Jan 18 21:07:39 <editorgal> aww
   Jan 18 21:07:40 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 18 21:07:54 <editorgal> jimmy: my teddybear's girlfriend.
   Jan 18 21:08:06 <editorgal> but there should be some linuxy tie in
   Jan 18 21:08:08 <jimregan> Excuse me for a minute
   Jan 18 21:08:10 <editorgal> xteddy's an app
   Jan 18 21:08:20 * editorgal chuckles
   Jan 18 21:08:33 <jimregan> Sorry, just needed to throw up :-P
   Jan 18 21:14:50 <jimregan> Heh. Just stick a bow on the teddybear
   girlfriend's head: "Ms. Xteddy"
   Jan 18 21:15:02 <jimregan> (Wayne's World quote elided)
   Jan 18 21:15:27 <editorgal> xteddy married? better for a june issue.
   Jan 18 21:15:34 <thomas_adam> I hope he isn't
   Jan 18 21:15:57 <thomas_adam> Because you could say he's having an
   affair, being packaged with all distros...
   Jan 18 21:16:00 <thomas_adam> But he has friends, though.
   Jan 18 21:16:14 <editorgal> anyways no I was just thinking, we
   inaugurate the TAG bar with xteddy reading his newspaper
   Jan 18 21:16:20 <editorgal> LG, of course.
   Jan 18 21:16:21 <jimregan> So... xteddy is polyamourous?
   Jan 18 21:16:44 <thomas_adam>
   https://linuxmafia.com/~n6tadam/fvwm/Ne2.png
   Jan 18 21:16:45 <jimregan> Not in my bleedin' bar!
   Jan 18 21:16:57 <thomas_adam> Omnipresent; Ubiquitous.
   Jan 18 21:23:43 <editorgal> xteddy doesn't bleed, jimmy. your bar is
   safe.
   Jan 18 21:24:31 * editorgal imagines xteddy and friends doing the
   'ewoks picnic' thing to the Microsoft campus. hee hee hee
   Jan 18 21:29:42 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 18 21:29:59 <thomas_adam> I changed my .signature file, Jimmy...
   Jan 18 21:30:09 <thomas_adam> "Today's the day that teddy bears have
   their picnic"
   Jan 18 21:30:40 <editorgal> "today's the day the ewoks destroy the
   Empire" :)
   Jan 18 21:37:45 <editorgal> to answer the question as you might have
   preferred to ask it, jimmy
   Jan 18 21:37:57 <editorgal> no, the cover art doesn't have to be
   insanely cute
   Jan 18 21:37:59 * thomas_adam prefers his quote.
   Jan 18 21:38:05 <editorgal> it was just the first two things I thought
   of.
   Jan 18 21:43:21 <jimregan> Yeesh...
   Jan 18 21:44:21 <jimregan> Hmm... wonder if I should start a Cult of
   Clandestine Satanic Teddybear Murderers
   Jan 18 21:44:37 --- ChanServ gives channel operator status to
   thomas_adam
   Jan 18 21:44:41 <thomas_adam> :((
   Jan 18 21:44:49 <jimregan> "I spill the stuffing of this bear in
   tribute to you, Dark Lord"
   Jan 18 21:44:54 <thomas_adam> :|
   Jan 18 21:44:55 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 18 21:45:02 <thomas_adam> Hmm.
   Jan 18 21:45:05 <thomas_adam> I'm special again.
   Jan 18 21:45:12 * thomas_adam lowers himself to jimregan's level.
   Jan 18 21:45:14 --- thomas_adam removes channel operator status from
   thomas_adam
   Jan 18 21:45:18 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 18 21:45:32 <editorgal> aww
   Jan 18 21:45:35 * editorgal hugs thomas
   Jan 18 21:45:39 * editorgal hugs jimmy too
   Jan 18 21:45:43 <jimregan> Gerroff!
   Jan 18 21:45:55 <thomas_adam> jimregan: Do you own a teddy bear?
   Jan 18 21:45:56 * editorgal tickles jimmy mercilessly
   Jan 18 21:45:59 <editorgal> :)
   Jan 18 21:46:00 <jimregan> I'm sacrificing teddy bears here...
   Jan 18 21:46:17 <jimregan> It's not good for the image to have teddy
   bear lovers hugging you, y'know
   Jan 18 21:46:23 <editorgal> lol
   Jan 18 21:46:27 <editorgal> good ;P
   Jan 18 21:46:30 <jimregan> No, I don't own a teddy
   Jan 18 21:46:41 <jimregan> I did once...
   Jan 18 21:46:47 <jimregan> When I was five.
   Jan 18 21:47:09 <Frodo-NL> hi all :)
   Jan 18 21:47:21 * Frodo-NL owns a teddy... two even...
   Jan 18 21:47:28 <thomas_adam> Yay!
   Jan 18 21:47:31 <jimregan> (Cue long load of psychobabble crap about
   not having closure with my teddybear lead to my hatred of teddies :)))
   Jan 18 21:48:00 <Frodo-NL> and a tweety... and three taz's... and a
   beaver (no, you guys, I mean the animal)
   Jan 18 21:48:21 <jimregan> I take it you're not interested in joining
   my Super Secret Satanic Society(R) then?
   Jan 18 21:48:46 <Frodo-NL> oh - and I have a Tux
   Jan 18 21:48:55 <thomas_adam> So do I. :)
   Jan 18 21:49:21 <jimregan> OK, I'll fess up. I used to have a stuffed
   ejog named "Snugglemuffin".
   Jan 18 21:49:33 <jimregan> I hasten to add that I /did not/ choose the
   name
   Jan 18 21:49:46 <Frodo-NL> as to my teddies - they can be seen in this
   pic... https://rodolf.com/metsfan.jpg
   Jan 18 21:49:58 <jimregan> Is it a picnic pic?
   Jan 18 21:50:38 <jimregan> Nope... oh well.
   Jan 18 21:51:12 <Frodo-NL> and no, Jim, the teddy bear picnic was a
   few days earlier... *G*

(?) More Java complaints

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 18 23:42:22 * editorgal orders bob-lad a pint
   Jan 18 23:42:30 <editorgal> put it on my tab, Jimmy.
   Jan 18 23:44:54 <thomas_adam> Hey, Jimmy -- yer not doing yer job.
   Jan 18 23:45:01 <thomas_adam> I haven't had coffee yet.
   Jan 18 23:46:01 <Rickeh> mr adam :)
   Jan 18 23:46:41 <thomas_adam> Heh.
   Jan 18 23:46:46 <thomas_adam> Hello, Richard.
   Jan 18 23:46:52 <Rickeh> thomas, long time no pub.
   Jan 18 23:46:58 <thomas_adam> Yup.
   Jan 18 23:47:03 <thomas_adam> You see that mountain?
   Jan 18 23:47:10 <Rickeh> your workload?
   Jan 18 23:47:17 <thomas_adam> That would be the pile of work I'm
   climbing up. :)
   Jan 18 23:47:35 <thomas_adam> I've got...
   Jan 18 23:47:46 <thomas_adam> A report due in Monday.
   Jan 18 23:47:52 <thomas_adam> Two presentations.
   Jan 18 23:48:02 <thomas_adam> Some UML/Java bullshit.
   Jan 18 23:48:06 <thomas_adam> Another presentation.
   Jan 18 23:48:09 <thomas_adam> Ah, bugger.
   Jan 18 23:48:13 <thomas_adam> I forgot about that.
   Jan 18 23:48:41 <thomas_adam> Rickeh: How's you?
   Jan 18 23:48:56 <Rickeh> fine :P
   Jan 18 23:49:01 <Rickeh> i had fun with java today
   Jan 18 23:49:09 <Rickeh> wrote a signed motion jpeg viewer applet
   Jan 18 23:49:20 <thomas_adam> Don't try and justify it. We both know
   it wasn't fun. :)
   Jan 18 23:49:28 <editorgal> heh
   Jan 18 23:49:47 * Rickeh vaguely remembers something about exceptions
   Jan 18 23:50:11 * editorgal sneaks behind the bar and starts prepping
   the real coffee.
   Jan 18 23:50:27 <thomas_adam> try (..) {..} catch (..) {...} final
   (switchToC) { System.exit(0); }
   Jan 18 23:50:45 <editorgal> heh
   Jan 18 23:52:41 * editorgal fills thomas' cow mug
   Jan 18 23:52:46 <editorgal> milk?
   Jan 18 23:52:49 <thomas_adam> Moo.
   Jan 18 23:52:55 * editorgal pours
   Jan 18 23:53:02 <thomas_adam> :)
   Jan 18 23:53:03 <editorgal> there ya go
   Jan 18 23:53:04 <thomas_adam> Thanks.
   Jan 18 23:53:09 <thomas_adam> Rickeh: About gettys...
   Jan 18 23:53:25 <thomas_adam> Rickeh: Either it is the case you're too
   busy, or that bath you took is sodding long. :)
   Jan 18 23:53:59 <Rickeh> ROFL
   Jan 18 23:54:17 * Rickeh passes thomas_adam the Golgafrincham "B" Ark
   guide to Baths.
   Jan 18 23:54:32 <thomas_adam> Heh.
   Jan 18 23:54:32 <Rickeh> I've had shedloads.
   Jan 18 23:54:39 <Rickeh> I've recently renovated the bathroom and
   toilet,
   Jan 18 23:54:43 <Rickeh> I've just got an iMac up and running
   Jan 18 23:55:04 <Rickeh> I've recently purchased two games consoles
   and wired them thru a data switchbox to my TV via SCART
   Jan 18 23:55:06 <thomas_adam> Somehow the renovation of the toilet and
   an iMac are related, aren't they...
   Jan 18 23:55:15 <Rickeh> i've got a media PC to furnish with a 30GB HD
   Jan 18 23:55:20 <Rickeh> no :P
   Jan 18 23:55:30 <Rickeh> a new laptop that requires a HD transplant
   from the old laptop
   Jan 18 23:55:34 <Rickeh> a fax system to set up
   Jan 18 23:55:41 <Rickeh> and, at the bottom of the list: gettys.
   Jan 18 23:55:48 <thomas_adam> Ah, cool.
   Jan 18 23:55:59 <thomas_adam> As long as it is not top priority.
   Jan 18 23:56:30 <editorgal> bob-lad: what'll you have?
   Jan 18 23:56:52 * editorgal pours myself a nice strong coffee too.
   Jan 18 23:59:50 <Rickeh> thomas_adam: oh, and when you get a moment
   from scaling Mount Kilaminjava, we need to go to the pub.
   Jan 19 00:00:35 <thomas_adam> Chin-chin.
   Jan 19 00:01:25 <editorgal> minimum java? oooh
   Jan 19 00:02:30 <Rickeh> kill-a-min-java
   Jan 19 00:02:32 <Rickeh> min being minute
   Jan 19 00:02:34 <Rickeh> MANY minutes.
   Jan 19 00:02:50 <jimregan> Pftt. Kill nothing.
   Jan 19 00:03:05 <jimregan> It also violates the corpse.
   Jan 19 00:05:09 <jimregan> (Sorry. Been getting too much into this
   Satanic Teddybear Cult idea)
   Jan 19 00:05:49 <editorgal> hey. this is a family zine.
   Jan 19 00:06:12 <jimregan> Satanists have families too.
   Jan 19 00:06:22 <jimregan> And occasionally refrain from sacrificing
   them too!
   Jan 19 00:06:51 <editorgal> the last unicorn> there comes a time when
   the witch must sacrifice her own liver, and not expect to get it back.
   Jan 19 00:07:25 <jimregan> Cool. You've given me an idea
   Jan 19 00:08:10 <jimregan> I'll start an Irish Satanic Cult, where you
   have to sacrifice your own liver through the ritualistic drinking of
   way too much booze
   Jan 19 00:08:54 <jimregan> The tithes should see me a millionaire by
   2007

(?) More Bartending

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 19 00:29:14 <editorgal> but thomas and I are pretty much always
   here
   Jan 19 00:29:32 <editorgal> and now that many of the gang pop by more
   often
   Jan 19 00:29:43 <editorgal> Jimmy added the bar and snuck in a
   jukebox.
   Jan 19 00:29:52 <thomas_adam> I want Mike Orr in here. :)
   Jan 19 00:30:02 <editorgal> he's at work.
   Jan 19 00:30:05 <thomas_adam> So? :)
   Jan 19 00:30:15 <jkarns> gotta get some herbie hancock on that 'box,
   then!
   Jan 19 00:30:27 <thomas_adam> I'm sure he could use PySlither to get
   here. :P
   Jan 19 00:32:42 * jkarns wonders what PySlither is, and figures it's a
   metal band or something
   Jan 19 00:34:03 * jkarns gets it - a python based irc client ... \o/
   Jan 19 00:34:15 <thomas_adam> jkarns: A fictitous python script Mike
   Orr might write to get on IRC from work. Py for Python, and 'Slither'
   as in Snake, slippery.
   Jan 19 00:35:23 <jkarns> .. as in ben's recent remark about a
   'slithery python script' ..
   Jan 19 00:35:27 * jkarns nods
   Jan 19 00:35:41 * jimregan recites the fell incantation that opens the
   door to the good stuff
   Jan 19 00:35:55 <jimregan> Drinks anyone?
   Jan 19 00:36:12 <jkarns> cold bass ale!
   Jan 19 00:36:19 <jimregan> Coming up
   Jan 19 00:36:23 <thomas_adam> jimregan: Barkeep? Damn slow.
   Jan 19 00:36:31 * jimregan slides it down the bar
   Jan 19 00:36:41 * jimregan sweeps up the pieces of the glass
   Jan 19 00:36:49 <jimregan> Gotta get a hang of that
   Jan 19 00:36:51 * jkarns fetches
   Jan 19 00:37:03 * jimregan hands over this one carefully
   Jan 19 00:37:13 <jkarns> oops, ... the dog will drink it ...
   Jan 19 00:37:33 <jkarns> thankya ..
   Jan 19 00:37:35 <jimregan> Watzamocha anyone?
   Jan 19 00:38:50 <jimregan> Or freshly ground, freshly irradiated
   coffee?
   Jan 19 00:39:12 * jimregan pats his new particle accelerator
   Jan 19 00:39:22 <jkarns> yeah, some that's been through at least 10
   airport checkpoints
   Jan 19 00:39:42 <editorgal> heh
   Jan 19 00:40:41 <jimregan> Nah. No weapons grade coffee yet. Waiting
   for it to come through LA
   Jan 19 00:41:02 <jimregan> (When you hear about Arizona Bay in the
   news, you'll know it's here)
   Jan 19 00:41:15 <jkarns> doncha just love it when they run all your
   food and medicine through those airport irradiators?
   Jan 19 00:41:16 <jimregan> Heather, you may wish to consider moving
   Jan 19 00:41:42 <editorgal> back to LA so I can be closer to my
   coffee?
   Jan 19 00:42:00 <jimregan> No... about 3 timezones away
   Jan 19 00:42:09 <editorgal> oh I already did that
   Jan 19 00:42:18 <editorgal> thomas noticed I darn near live in his.
   Jan 19 00:42:20 <jimregan> /Someone/ will drop the coffee, I'm sure...
   Jan 19 00:42:48 <jimregan> Yeah, but Thomas pretty much makes up his
   timezone as he goes along.
   Jan 19 00:43:41 <jimregan> Yeah, yeah. You heard me - the kettle's
   black.
   Jan 19 00:43:42 <thomas_adam> GMT
   Jan 19 00:43:43 <jkarns> mine's GMT, greenwich mean twilight
   Jan 19 00:44:26 <jkarns> .. RIP, rod sterling ...
   Jan 19 00:45:09 <jimregan> I was in "Jimmy Mean Time" earlier, but
   I've lightened up
   Jan 19 00:45:42 <jkarns> your SO will 'preciate that
   Jan 19 00:48:10 <jimregan> SO? NO more like.
   Jan 19 00:49:01 <editorgal> jimregan: that pretty much describes me
   too.
   Jan 19 00:51:10 <jimregan> Eh? I haven't decided what I want the 'N'
   to stand for yet
   Jan 19 00:51:35 <editorgal> Nsignificant?
   Jan 19 00:51:58 <jimregan> Non-existant

(?) Pirates ... and stuff

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 19 03:38:18 --- okopnik sets mode +p #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:38:18 --- okopnik sets mode +i #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:38:37 --- okopnik sets mode +R #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:39:05 <okopnik> Ho-kay. Well, presumably that did
   _something_ useful...
   Jan 19 03:39:08 * jimregan sets mode +a #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:39:11 * jimregan sets mode +t #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:39:14 * jimregan sets mode +e #tag-chat
   Jan 19 03:39:32 <jimregan> Arr!
   Jan 19 03:39:38 <okopnik> Arr?
   Jan 19 03:39:43 <jimregan> Pirate
   Jan 19 03:39:54 <okopnik> Arr.
   Jan 19 03:40:07 <jimregan> Yo ho ho and a bottle of whatever you're
   having
   Jan 19 03:40:46 <okopnik> Oh, good idea. I should have something...
   I'm getting a bit dry. BRB.
   Jan 19 03:41:00 <jimregan> Yowza! Coffee time!
   Jan 19 03:46:02 * jimregan kickstarts the jukebox
   Jan 19 03:46:21 <jimregan> Some Tool, I think.
   Jan 19 03:46:36 * jimregan puts on "Parabol" & "Parabola"
   Jan 19 03:48:24 <okopnik> One thing about a Russian household...
   people would *kill* you if you tried to starve to death. :)
   Jan 19 03:48:56 <okopnik> I went downstairs to get something to drink,
   and came back with a plate of food.
   Jan 19 03:49:04 <jimregan> Heh.
   Jan 19 03:49:56 <okopnik> Never mind that it's awesome food that I
   can't get while I'm at home, darn it!
   Jan 19 03:50:08 <okopnik> It's just... it's just... YUMMY. :)
   Jan 19 03:50:28 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 19 03:51:00 <jimregan> My one tiny taste of Polish food left me
   curious.
   Jan 19 03:51:10 <okopnik> My sister-in-law is an *amazing* cook - and
   I say that as a pretty damn good cook myself.
   Jan 19 03:51:50 <jimregan> It's pretty difficult to get interesting
   food around here.
   Jan 19 03:52:34 <okopnik> New York, you
   Jan 19 03:52:46 <okopnik> d have the opposite "problem":
   Jan 19 03:53:07 <okopnik> you can't _find_ boring food around here if
   you searched for it.
   Jan 19 03:53:10 <jimregan> Heh. Maybe after I get my promotion & can
   afford the the trip
   Jan 19 03:53:59 <jimregan> I start into it unofficially next week,
   officially pending the posting of the job opening
   Jan 19 03:54:17 <jimregan> Six month probationary period, but after
   that my pay goes up ~50%
   Jan 19 03:54:38 <okopnik> Very much the foodie town - I mean,
   Italians, Russians, and Jews? Whew. Corned beef sandwiches they have
   to use a forklift to deliver to your table... and the owner is likely
   to commit suicide if you can finish it.
   Jan 19 03:54:51 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 19 03:55:13 <okopnik> Into it... which it? (and congrats if it is
   what I think)
   Jan 19 03:55:33 <jimregan> I'm taking over as a senior operative
   Jan 19 03:55:44 <okopnik> Of?
   Jan 19 03:55:59 <jimregan> Erm... a line supervisor, basically.
   Jan 19 03:56:25 <jimregan> I'll be taught to drive a forklift, which
   is the cool part for me :)
   Jan 19 03:56:48 <jimregan> One of the things that's been keeping me in
   this job is the determination to be promoted before I left.
   Jan 19 03:56:50 <okopnik> Well hey, cool beans! Get me a corned beef
   samwish, will ya? :)
   Jan 19 03:56:56 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 19 03:57:24 <jimregan> Next thing is to record and release some
   music (this week)
   Jan 19 03:57:30 <jimregan> Then, quit smoking.
   Jan 19 03:57:33 <okopnik> YAY!
   Jan 19 03:57:48 <jimregan> Then this penitant portion of my life is at
   a close, and I can move on.
   Jan 19 03:57:52 <okopnik> Go, Jimmy! (and lots of other supportive
   noises)
   Jan 19 03:57:55 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 19 03:58:49 <okopnik> Hey, man, I'm all for friends improving
   their lives.
   Jan 19 03:59:37 <jimregan> I came across a link to the Tao Te Ching,
   courtesy of Raj, and it had exactly the missing piece to my personal
   puzzle
   Jan 19 03:59:44 <okopnik> ?
   Jan 19 04:00:23 <okopnik> Which particular piece?
   Jan 19 04:00:23 <jimregan> Basically, that the usefulness of a bowl, a
   room, etc. comes from the emptiness within.
   Jan 19 04:00:30 <okopnik> Ah. YES.
   Jan 19 04:00:47 <okopnik> Definitely familiar with that one; rang me
   like a bell when I read it.
   Jan 19 04:01:26 <jimregan> Well, I had a few days before that done
   some intense introspection, and ejected the black hole that had been
   there.
   Jan 19 04:01:48 <jimregan> Only to find a new emptiness. That quote
   put it in perspective.
   Jan 19 04:02:16 <okopnik> [Nod] Qualitatively different emptiness.
   Jan 19 04:02:43 <jimregan> It wasn't so much that I got rid of an
   emptiness; I got rid of the walls around it
   Jan 19 04:02:59 <jimregan> And got some great lyrics in the process :)
   Jan 19 04:03:27 <okopnik> Hey, [thread tangle]!
   Jan 19 04:03:32 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 19 04:03:39 <okopnik> Have you read much in a way of Polish poets?
   Jan 19 04:03:54 <jimregan> Nope. I'm still learning to pronounce
   Polish.
   Jan 19 04:04:03 <okopnik> Whatsername, Wyszowska or something? Stand
   by a few.
   Jan 19 04:04:04 <jimregan> Fighting misleading tutorial material.
   Jan 19 04:05:06 <jimregan> Trying to learn the basics of linguistics
   so I can understand how the material is framed.
   Jan 19 04:05:40 <okopnik> Wislawa Szymborska
   Jan 19 04:05:52 <okopnik> That's who I was thinking about.
   Jan 19 04:06:13 <jimregan> Plus, I'm going to be teaching my friend
   Pawel English in return for Polish lessons, so I've been putting
   thought into the difficulties Polish speakers have with it
   Jan 19 04:06:32 <okopnik> Pronunciation. :)
   Jan 19 04:06:38 <okopnik> <=>
   Jan 19 04:07:00 <jimregan> Well, I was thinking the dropping of the
   object in sentences, and the lack of a definitive object
   Jan 19 04:07:47 <jimregan> I think the pluperfect has fallen into
   disuse in Polish too
   Jan 19 04:08:09 <okopnik> Ah. Yeah, and the whole articles thing.
   Jan 19 04:08:12 <jimregan> But yeah, pronunciation is a big one.
   Jan 19 04:08:17 <jimregan> Articles thing?
   Jan 19 04:08:50 <okopnik> Yeah - 'a', 'the'... Russians have a
   terrible time with those, as I recall.
   Jan 19 04:08:59 <jimregan> Yeah.
   Jan 19 04:09:10 <jimregan> Trying to explain that is going to be fun
   :)
   Jan 19 04:09:54 <okopnik> Pretty much the problem in a nutshell. "What
   the hell arethose things *for*?"
   Jan 19 04:10:57 <jimregan> Heh. I think you came up with a good
   example of what it is good for :)
   Jan 19 04:11:11 <jimregan> '/the/ problem'
   Jan 19 04:11:45 <okopnik> What, intonation isn't good enough for you?
   :)
   Jan 19 04:11:59 <jimregan> Then again, Polish is a highly
   context-driven language, so it probably won't seem that way :)
   Jan 19 04:13:24 <jimregan> I've got to make time from some proper
   study, but whenever I have a few moments I look over a few bits and
   pieces and just let it slowly sink in.
   Jan 19 04:14:01 <okopnik> Now that I've mentioned her, I'm looking at
   her poetry in another window. The woman is *strikingly* good.
   Jan 19 04:14:28 <jimregan> Yeah. I'm looking at one about torture at
   the moment.
   Jan 19 04:15:12 <okopnik> How about this one:
   Jan 19 04:15:16 <okopnik>
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   Jan 19 04:15:21 <okopnik> 'A Contribution to Statistics'
   Jan 19 04:15:22 <okopnik> Out of a hundred people
   Jan 19 04:15:22 <okopnik> those who always know better
   Jan 19 04:15:22 <okopnik> -fifty-two
   Jan 19 04:15:24 <okopnik> doubting every step
   Jan 19 04:15:26 <okopnik> -nearly all the rest,
   Jan 19 04:15:29 <okopnik> glad to lend a hand
   Jan 19 04:15:31 <okopnik> if it doesn't take too long
   Jan 19 04:15:34 <okopnik> -as high as forty-nine,
   Jan 19 04:15:36 <okopnik> always good
   Jan 19 04:15:39 <okopnik> because they can't be otherwise
   Jan 19 04:15:41 <okopnik> -four, well maybe five,
   Jan 19 04:15:44 <okopnik> able to admire without envy
   Jan 19 04:15:46 <okopnik> -eighteen,
   Jan 19 04:15:49 <okopnik> suffering illusions
   Jan 19 04:15:51 <okopnik> induced by fleeting youth
   Jan 19 04:15:54 <okopnik> -sixty, give or take a few,
   Jan 19 04:15:56 <okopnik> not to be taken lightly
   Jan 19 04:15:59 <okopnik> -forty and four,
   Jan 19 04:16:01 <okopnik> living in constant fear
   Jan 19 04:16:04 <okopnik> of someone or something
   Jan 19 04:16:07 <okopnik> -seventy-seven,
   Jan 19 04:16:09 <okopnik> capable of happiness
   Jan 19 04:16:11 <okopnik> -twenty-something tops,
   Jan 19 04:16:14 <okopnik> harmless singly, savage in crowds
   Jan 19 04:16:16 <okopnik> -half at least,
   Jan 19 04:16:19 <okopnik> cruel
   Jan 19 04:16:21 <okopnik> when forced by circumstances
   Jan 19 04:16:24 <okopnik> -better not to know
   Jan 19 04:16:26 <okopnik> even ballpark figures,
   Jan 19 04:16:29 <okopnik> wise after the fact
   Jan 19 04:16:31 <okopnik> -just a couple more
   Jan 19 04:16:34 <okopnik> than wise before it,
   Jan 19 04:16:36 <okopnik> taking only things from life
   Jan 19 04:16:39 <okopnik> -thirty
   Jan 19 04:16:42 <okopnik> (I wish I were wrong),
   Jan 19 04:16:44 <okopnik> hunched in pain,
   Jan 19 04:16:47 <okopnik> no flashlight in the dark
   Jan 19 04:16:49 <okopnik> -eighty-three
   Jan 19 04:16:52 <okopnik> sooner or later,
   Jan 19 04:16:54 <okopnik> righteous
   Jan 19 04:16:57 <okopnik> -thirty-five, which is a lot,
   Jan 19 04:16:59 <okopnik> righteous
   Jan 19 04:17:02 <okopnik> and understanding
   Jan 19 04:17:04 <okopnik> -three,
   Jan 19 04:17:07 <okopnik> worthy of compassion
   Jan 19 04:17:09 <okopnik> -ninety-nine,
   Jan 19 04:17:12 <okopnik> mortal
   Jan 19 04:17:14 <okopnik> -a hundred out of a hundred.
   Jan 19 04:17:17 <okopnik> thus far this figure still remains
   unchanged.
   Jan 19 04:17:19 <okopnik> -- Wislawa Szymborska
   Jan 19 04:17:37 <jimregan> Rings with what Rick was talking about.
   Jan 19 04:17:59 <okopnik> Yep. That struck me too.
   Jan 19 04:18:16 <jimregan> always good / because they can't be
   otherwise
   Jan 19 04:18:22 <jimregan> That rang with me.
   Jan 19 04:18:26 <okopnik> "better not to know"...
   Jan 19 04:18:48 <jimregan> The demon I defeated recently was that I
   was regarding myself as evil
   Jan 19 04:18:48 <okopnik> Ah. Well, me, I know otherwise. However...
   Jan 19 04:19:06 <okopnik> I don't regard myself as evil in any way...
   Jan 19 04:19:32 <jimregan> Well... I lost my faith at a young age, and
   with my faith questioned, I turned on my morality
   Jan 19 04:19:53 <okopnik> ...just human. And on the average, I must
   say that I'm pretty pleased with the balance; it's better than I would
   have expected.
   Jan 19 04:20:08 <jimregan> I decided long ago that I was capable of
   every evil and despicable act imaginable, and of enjoying them
   Jan 19 04:20:45 <jimregan> It never occurred to me to look at it from
   the point of view that... "hey, I /am/ capable of it, and I know it,
   but I /choose/ not to"
   Jan 19 04:20:45 <okopnik> Hmm. Can't say I've ever believed that last
   part about myself.
   Jan 19 04:21:25 <jimregan> Not because a priest or parent told me not
   to, but because I've checked the scales myself
   Jan 19 04:21:37 <okopnik> [Nod] Which is what differentiates 'evil'
   from simply ignorant.
   Jan 19 04:21:59 <okopnik> If you just don't know, and are doing
   something negative, you're not evil.
   Jan 19 04:22:19 <okopnik> (negative = "really horrible")
   Jan 19 04:22:34 <okopnik> If you *do*, though - different kettle.
   Jan 19 04:22:42 <jimregan> There are circumstances, still, where I
   would kill, but not likely.
   Jan 19 04:23:07 <okopnik> I can think of several in which I would
   kill.
   Jan 19 04:23:17 <okopnik> However, they are all pretty clearly
   defined.
   Jan 19 04:23:49 <okopnik> And I can see the necessity for all of them
   even from a rational frame of mind.
   Jan 19 04:23:52 <jimregan> If anyone ever kills or seriously hurts my
   son, intentionally, they can expect a slow, agonising death
   Jan 19 04:24:16 <okopnik> Something like that would be one, yes.
   Jan 19 04:25:09 <okopnik> I will kill to protect those who are *mine*.
   There aren't many of those, but - yeah, no doubt.
   Jan 19 04:25:42 <jimregan> Heh. I noticed a pattern in my life after I
   came to terms with that.
   Jan 19 04:25:52 <okopnik> Hmm?
   Jan 19 04:26:00 <jimregan> I have a need for someone who can act as my
   moral compass.
   Jan 19 04:26:17 <okopnik> Interesting. Why do you think so?
   Jan 19 04:26:33 <jimregan> In school, my friend Paul (my son's
   godfather); in college, Martin; now, Trev.
   Jan 19 04:27:12 <okopnik> So... who makes the ultimate moral decision
   in trusting them to determine your morality? :)
   Jan 19 04:27:21 <jimregan> I've always had at least one geographically
   close friend who has an unshakeable moral sense
   Jan 19 04:27:39 <jimregan> Nah, just someone I can bounce these ideas
   off
   Jan 19 04:28:04 <okopnik> If you can't determine your moral stance,
   how can you determine theirs?
   Jan 19 04:28:09 <jimregan> A solid surface against which to test my
   elasticity
   Jan 19 04:28:28 <okopnik> Ah. Well, sounding boards are good things to
   have.
   Jan 19 04:28:50 <jimregan> The voice of the morality I was brought up
   with is still loud and clear.
   Jan 19 04:28:55 <okopnik> Every guitar I know says so.
   Jan 19 04:29:06 <jimregan> I just need to argue with someone other
   than myself from time to time.
   Jan 19 04:29:35 <okopnik> Sure - I develop and refine my ideas this
   way.
   Jan 19 04:29:35 <jimregan> Though I also recently realised that this
   other voice isn't trying to argue, it's trying to agree.
   Jan 19 04:30:05 <okopnik> In all aspects? That's the part to be
   careful of.
   Jan 19 04:30:13 <jimregan> No.
   Jan 19 04:30:19 <okopnik> (Even - especially - if it is.)
   Jan 19 04:30:49 <jimregan> I'm still capable of being in two minds
   about things.
   Jan 19 04:31:20 <jimregan> It's more a fundamental agreement, that
   these things are the right things to give this sort of consideration
   to, y'know?
   Jan 19 04:31:35 <okopnik> Your morality may/will change with time. A
   fixed morality in a book won't. Revisiting decisions, particularly
   moral ones, is something I see as very important.
   Jan 19 04:32:01 <okopnik> [Nod] The issues themselves, the root ones,
   they don't change much.
   Jan 19 04:32:33 <okopnik> That's why we can read an author from 2000
   years ago and enjoy every twist of the plot.
   Jan 19 04:32:43 <jimregan> Yeah.
   Jan 19 04:33:23 <jimregan> I've been getting a lot of this stuff
   recently, reading Paulo Coelho, because his books basically use
   archetypes
   Jan 19 04:34:57 <jimregan> Getting past the stumbling block of
   thinking that these things couldn't be that simple was probably the
   most important thing
   Jan 19 04:36:03 <okopnik> :) Man, ain't that the truth!
   Jan 19 04:36:30 <jimregan> It's made me a bit more superstitious
   though :)
   Jan 19 04:37:10 <okopnik> ???
   Jan 19 04:37:34 <jimregan> After I asked my supervisor about getting
   the job, he basically hinted that I would have had the job 6 months
   ago
   Jan 19 04:37:43 <jimregan> If I'd filled out an application form
   Jan 19 04:37:54 <okopnik> [rolling eyes]
   Jan 19 04:38:09 <jimregan> That was something I could have looked at
   negatively, but I'm glad it didn't happen
   Jan 19 04:38:26 <jimregan> If I had, I wouldn't have cut my finger.
   Jan 19 04:38:42 <jimregan> If I hadn't cut my finger, I wouldn't have
   gotten to know Beata
   Jan 19 04:39:20 <jimregan> I wouldn't have had the... coincidence that
   lead to me breaking out of the spiral of self defeatism
   Jan 19 04:39:30 <okopnik> One of the things I had to teach my brother
   today is the one prnciple of salesmanship that's managed to stick in
   my brain: at the end of your pitch, *ASK* for what you want, clearly
   and specifically.
   Jan 19 04:39:56 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 19 04:41:37 <jimregan> Erm... I'm not chasing her anymore
   Jan 19 04:41:44 <okopnik> He was writing a letter to a customer who
   had been dragging their feet on a payment. He did the whole "you owe
   us $BLAH, and you know the payment cycle starts on the $BLAH of the
   month... thank you..."
   Jan 19 04:41:50 <okopnik> What, again? :)
   Jan 19 04:43:02 <jimregan> Well, firstly, I don't have a good leash on
   the inner puppy, but mainly... I owe her the chunk of my soul I
   thought I'd thrown away. If she's happy, I don't want to interfere.
   Jan 19 04:44:56 <okopnik> Jimmy... you don't *owe* ANYBODY even the
   slightest bit of your soul. You can be grateful to people for helping
   you recover or discover it, but it's totally *yours*, in any way that
   can possibly count. Responsibility and ownership, complete.
   Jan 19 04:45:10 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 19 04:45:17 <jimregan> Thanks Ben.
   Jan 19 04:45:37 <okopnik> Hey, I get protective of my friends. Even
   from them. :)
   Jan 19 04:45:45 <jimregan> Yeah, fuck it. That was a classic example
   of puppy speak, wasn't it?
   Jan 19 04:45:58 <okopnik> :)))
   Jan 19 04:46:15 <jimregan> And I said /if/, didn't I?
   Jan 19 04:46:19 <okopnik> Didn't take you long to get past it, did it?
   Jan 19 04:46:36 <okopnik> :) You did.
   Jan 19 04:46:43 <jimregan> I told you the two parts weren't in
   complete agreement.
   Jan 19 04:46:48 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 19 04:47:07 <jimregan> Nah, I found out who her boyfriend is
   today.
   Jan 19 04:47:28 <okopnik> [shrug] What, did they have perfection on
   sale at your local market this week? You're not required to have that
   in stock, either.
   Jan 19 04:47:57 <jimregan> Hey, my flaws are my best parts!
   Jan 19 04:48:08 <okopnik> :)
   Jan 19 04:48:38 <jimregan> "She's with /that/ dipshit?"
   Jan 19 04:48:56 <okopnik> [laugh]
   Jan 19 04:49:19 <okopnik> Lost all respect for her over him, didja?
   Jan 19 04:49:29 <jimregan> I worked with him last week. Didn't know
   who he was, didn't speak a word to him, nor him to me (too busy).
   Instantly disliked him anyway.
   Jan 19 04:50:23 <jimregan> I normally stop the 'instantly dislike'
   reflex in its tracks, but couldn't find a good reason to do so for
   that guy.
   Jan 19 04:52:08 <okopnik> Happens. Not too often for me, and I'm
   usually pretty good about discovering why, anyway.
   Jan 19 04:52:35 <jimregan> Same here.
   Jan 19 04:52:48 <jimregan> I'm bloody good at reading people.
   Jan 19 04:53:55 <jimregan> Did I tell you about the Christmas present
   I got her?
   Jan 19 04:53:58 <okopnik> Says a fair amount about you, Jimmy.
   Jan 19 04:54:05 <okopnik> Nope.
   Jan 19 04:54:29 <jimregan> Oh, well. I got her a Paulo Coelho book, in
   Polish.
   Jan 19 04:54:49 <jimregan> She basically told me, to my ears, to get
   her that.
   Jan 19 04:54:54 <okopnik> Oh, yeah... I forgot. You'd mentioned it.
   Jan 19 04:55:03 <jimregan> She didn't know that though.
   Jan 19 04:55:08 <okopnik> And?
   Jan 19 04:55:30 <jimregan> She swayed on the spot "Oh my God! Is this
   a joke?"
   Jan 19 04:55:42 <jimregan> (Got me the same thing in English)
   Jan 19 04:56:03 <okopnik> Whoa!
   Jan 19 04:56:05 <jimregan> Got a text from her later "You made one of
   my dreams come true"
   Jan 19 04:56:58 <okopnik> And you _don't_ want to go out with this
   girl, even to save her from that vile creep? :)
   Jan 19 04:57:29 <jimregan> :)))
   Jan 19 04:58:38 <jimregan> Fuck it. Yes I do. I was just shying away
   from changing certain realities.
   Jan 19 04:58:45 <okopnik> 'Scuse me a bit - my nephew is flooding the
   LAN here with his net.game nearly to the point of unusability. I have
   to DOS him for a while. :) BIAF.
   Jan 19 04:58:51 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 19 05:00:41 <jimregan> Hey Ben, Jason can't get in - you locked
   the damn door!
   Jan 19 05:01:27 <jimregan> Ah. Never mind. Unregistered nick
   Jan 19 05:01:40 <okopnik> Whoops! How did I do that?
   Jan 19 05:02:03 <jimregan> He's registering his nick now, 'sok
   Jan 19 05:02:58 <okopnik> (Oh, and the LAN is clear now. Must have
   been something wrong with the network, the poor boy got knocked off or
   something... :)

(?) misunderstandings

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 02 00:42:57 <editorgal> start a wiki entry on it and stub it with
   the netjoke about why the countries can't have a summit that makes
   sense
   Jan 02 00:43:13 <editorgal> and the one about the military not getting
   the same language
   Jan 02 00:43:13 <jimregan> ?
   Jan 02 00:43:25 <editorgal> the military one first, its simpler
   Jan 02 00:44:02 <editorgal> When the Marines say secure a building,
   they mean bomb the area and go room to room with guns, taking
   prisoners and recuing hostages.
   Jan 02 00:44:02 <jimregan> Eh? My gears have been running slowly all
   day
   Jan 02 00:44:10 <jimregan> Ah
   Jan 02 00:44:28 <editorgal> When the army says secure a building they
   mean make sure it can't shoot at you. if this means blow it up
   entirely, fine.
   Jan 02 00:44:52 <editorgal> when the Navy says secure a building they
   mean lock the door when you leave.
   Jan 02 00:44:59 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 02 00:45:07 <editorgal> when the Air Force says secure a building
   they mean lease with option to buy.
   Jan 02 00:49:40 <jimregan> rofl
   Jan 02 00:50:58 <editorgal> ok the other one
   Jan 02 00:51:13 <editorgal> an international survey doesn't work out.
   why? language. take a look...
   Jan 02 00:51:24 <editorgal> only one question was asked
   Jan 02 00:51:33 <editorgal> "Please give your honest opinion
   Jan 02 00:51:37 <editorgal> about solutions to the food shortage in
   the rest of the world?"
   Jan 02 00:51:55 <editorgal> in South America they didn't understand
   'please'
   Jan 02 00:52:10 <editorgal> in Scotland they didn't understand 'give'
   Jan 02 00:52:16 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 02 00:52:22 <editorgal> in Eastern Europe they didn't understand
   'honest'
   Jan 02 00:52:33 <editorgal> in China they didn't understand 'opinion'
   Jan 02 00:52:38 <jimregan> I'm guessing the US didn't understand
   'shortage'
   Jan 02 00:52:49 <editorgal> In the Middle East they didn't understand
   'solution'
   Jan 02 00:53:02 <editorgal> in Africa they didn't understand 'food'
   Jan 02 00:53:15 <editorgal> in Western Europe they didn't understand
   'shortage'
   Jan 02 00:53:33 <editorgal> and in the USA they didn't understand
   'rest of the world'
   Jan 02 00:54:19 <editorgal> (I'm sure there might be a few mortified
   souls out there who didn't understand what 'funny' meant when they
   read this, either.)

(?) Frodo's cast

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 02 14:04:06 <editorgal> hi Frodo
   Jan 02 14:04:07 <jimregan> hi
   Jan 02 14:04:09 <editorgal> how's the hand?
   Jan 02 14:04:19 <Frodo-NL> still the same :)
   Jan 02 14:04:27 <jimregan> Still attached?
   Jan 02 14:04:27 <editorgal> attached is good
   Jan 02 14:04:32 <jimregan> Good good.
   Jan 02 14:04:34 * editorgal high fives jimmy
   Jan 02 14:04:39 <Frodo-NL> four more weeks of cast to go, at least
   Jan 02 14:04:45 <Frodo-NL> lol - yep, still attached :)
   Jan 02 14:04:53 * editorgal scribbles on Frodo's cast
   Jan 02 14:05:04 <Frodo-NL> :)
   Jan 02 14:05:11 * jimregan writes carefully on Frodo's cast
   Jan 02 14:05:25 * editorgal checks the font on his word
   Jan 02 14:05:26 <jimregan> (which ends up looking like more of a
   scribble than editorgal's)
   Jan 02 14:05:33 <editorgal> rofl
   Jan 02 14:05:36 <Frodo-NL> lol
   Jan 02 14:05:56 <editorgal> your write like my dad jimmy
   Jan 02 14:06:02 <jimregan> Heh. I have to write in block capitals
   because it's only illegible that way.
   Jan 02 14:06:05 <editorgal> ...almost unrecognizable
   Jan 02 14:06:23 <editorgal> nah dad's block caps are neat
   Jan 02 14:06:33 <editorgal> from years of deskchecking in grid paper
   Jan 02 14:06:56 <editorgal> his handwriting however could get him
   accused of being a doctor
   Jan 02 14:07:00 <jimregan> heh
   Jan 02 14:07:14 <jimregan> My handwriting looks like arabic
   Jan 02 14:07:19 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 14:07:26 <editorgal> I know someone who does calligraphy, and
   her ordinary printing is 1) fast 2) pretttttty
   Jan 02 14:07:45 <editorgal> you a lefty jimmy?
   Jan 02 14:07:48 <jimregan> Nope
   Jan 02 14:08:06 <jimregan> Though my handwriting looks better with my
   left than my right :)
   Jan 02 14:08:11 <editorgal> oh ok, most lefty seem to whine their
   handwriting is ugly, just curious.
   Jan 02 14:08:34 <jimregan> Nah. I've been using computers since I was
   7, so I always prefered to type
   Jan 02 14:08:40 <editorgal> <- 5
   Jan 02 14:08:48 <editorgal> maybe 4 and a half
   Jan 02 14:08:52 <jimregan> Eep.
   Jan 02 14:08:59 <editorgal> I swear
   Jan 02 14:09:05 <jimregan> Ah
   Jan 02 14:09:15 <editorgal> dad says my first programming was in some
   batch control language I've never heard of
   Jan 02 14:09:28 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 02 14:09:43 <jimregan> CP/M was my first OS
   Jan 02 14:09:52 <editorgal> giggle
   Jan 02 14:10:07 * editorgal puts on the ol beard and cane look
   Jan 02 14:10:11 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 14:10:18 <editorgal> pdp/11-60. god knows what OS really.

(?) On hold

From #tag-chat

Jan 02 14:39:02 <thomas_adam> Rickeh: Hold, please. :)
Jan 02 14:39:25 <jimregan> "Your call is being dealt with in rotation"
Jan 02 14:39:48 <jimregan> "One of our operators will be with you shortly"
Jan 02 14:40:06 <editorgal> actually at mcafee we had faq's in the hold music for tech support
Jan 02 14:40:21 <jimregan> Subliminal messages?
Jan 02 14:40:38 <jimregan> c/~ c/~ c/~
Jan 02 14:40:41 <jimregan> (RTFM)
Jan 02 14:40:42 <jimregan> c/~ c/~ c/~
Jan 02 14:40:47 <editorgal> and we had a flashbutton if someone asked to be put back into the faq's
Jan 02 14:41:10 <editorgal> they could go listen to them then press a key to be given faster priority on the tech q
Jan 02 14:41:41 <editorgal> ...which is why it was a flashbutton for us, the voice menus don't lead to the tips-with-priority
Jan 02 14:41:54 <jimregan> "Thank you for your call. Your call is important to us. Please hold the line"
Jan 02 14:42:29 <editorgal> "did you know most of your techs will ask for a reboot on clean media? see if you have a boot disk around, while you're waiting."

(?) Bad ARP pun. Really.

From #tag-chat

Jan 02 14:28:44 <editorgal> what's the iMac having in for you this time?
Jan 02 14:28:44 <Rickeh> in case of dodgy CD drive in iMac, you will require one 50-way SCSI cable bodged with 40-way connectors
Jan 02 14:28:47 <Rickeh> and a spare CDROM drive.
Jan 02 14:28:55 <Rickeh> and a spare PSU.
Jan 02 14:29:05 * editorgal snorts
Jan 02 14:29:05 <jimregan> And a hammer?
Jan 02 14:29:13 <Rickeh> no hammer required.
Jan 02 14:29:17 <editorgal> loan you an optiplex
Jan 02 14:29:19 <jimregan> Steel toe caps?
Jan 02 14:29:28 <Rickeh> no persuasion is necessary :)
Jan 02 14:34:53 <thomas_adam> One moment - my ARP cache is ill...
Jan 02 14:36:06 <Frodo-NL> too many big mac's?
Jan 02 14:36:24 <jimregan> groaaaaan
Jan 02 14:36:33 <Frodo-NL> it was just there :)
Jan 02 14:36:38 <thomas_adam> That's dreadful. :P
Jan 02 14:36:48 * jimregan holds his nose
Jan 02 14:37:18 * thomas_adam hooks a teacup over jimregan's little finger.

(?) In the TAG Bar

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 02 15:37:45 * editorgal is thinkng the laundrette might mark up
   voices by who drinks and doesn't
   Jan 02 15:37:56 <jimregan> Heh. I was think that too.
   Jan 02 15:37:59 <editorgal> vbeers for drinkers, coffee for those of
   us who don't
   Jan 02 15:38:05 <editorgal> ok it's a plan
   Jan 02 15:38:17 <jimregan> "I love it when a plan comes together"
   Jan 02 15:38:18 <editorgal> vbeer unless they're on the teetotal list
   Jan 02 15:38:29 * editorgal pats assoc arrays
   Jan 02 15:38:55 <jimregan> So... to check who drinks and who doesn't,
   everyone is going to get hashed?
   Jan 02 15:39:05 <jimregan> griiiiiin
   Jan 02 15:39:14 <editorgal> yeah
   Jan 02 15:39:18 <Frodo-NL> lol
   Jan 02 15:39:28 <jimregan> Oh, sorry
   Jan 02 15:39:34 <jimregan> Watzamocha
   Jan 02 15:39:44 <jimregan> Can I get two vbeers :))))
   Jan 02 15:39:53 <jimregan> j/k
   Jan 02 15:39:57 <editorgal> I could give you a tall one..
   Jan 02 15:40:32 <editorgal> anyways they'll look tall, because if I do
   a coffee mug in proportion to a pint, they're shorter
   Jan 02 15:41:54 <jimregan> Right... gotta diff to members-faq.html to
   send to Ben.
   Jan 02 15:43:30 * editorgal ponders a stein for really heavy beer
   drinkers, won't bother unless someone asks after it.
   Jan 02 15:45:55 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 02 15:46:03 * jimregan googles 'stein'
   Jan 02 15:46:39 <editorgal> capped beer mug, usually made of metal,
   sometimes heavy glass
   Jan 02 15:46:57 <jimregan> Ah
   Jan 02 15:46:58 <editorgal> often great artwork
   Jan 02 15:47:07 <jimregan> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_stein :)
   Jan 02 15:47:08 <editorgal> the linuxbierwanderung guys have steins
   Jan 02 15:47:19 <jimregan> Yeah. I gotta go on one of those
   Jan 02 15:47:32 <jimregan> https://www.beerstein.net/articles/bsb-1.htm
   :)))
   Jan 02 15:48:06 <Frodo-NL> I don't like drinking from steins... I
   prefer a _good_ glass...
   Jan 02 15:48:40 <jimregan>
   https://www.findgift.com/Graphics/Gifts/PR_35025.jpg
   Jan 02 15:48:45 <jimregan> Like that?
   Jan 02 15:49:20 <Frodo-NL> lol - I actually drank from one of those,
   once...
   Jan 02 15:49:22 <Frodo-NL> but nah :)
   Jan 02 15:49:52 <jimregan> I was in a drinking competition with those.
   Jan 02 15:49:58 <jimregan> Got through to the final!
   Jan 02 15:50:12 <jimregan> My best time was 36 seconds
   Jan 02 15:50:17 <editorgal> damn that's a tiny pic
   Jan 02 15:50:25 <editorgal> uh, I think that's a yard of beer
   Jan 02 15:50:25 <jimregan> Here's a half yard:
   https://www.wineenthusiast.com/weimages/products/thumbnails/P633B.jpg
   Jan 02 15:50:28 <Frodo-NL>
   https://www.sintsixtus.be/foto/soorten%20bier.jpg
   Jan 02 15:50:33 <Frodo-NL> more like this :)
   Jan 02 15:50:53 <jimregan> Yeep.
   Jan 02 15:51:03 <Frodo-NL> (it happens to be my favourite beer -
   Westvleteren Abt)
   Jan 02 15:51:04 <jimregan> Nah. Gimme a pint glass.
   Jan 02 15:51:24 <jimregan> Grr. You can push off. The tag drinks list
   is done!
   Jan 02 15:51:27 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 15:51:49 <editorgal> anyways vbeer and coffee are fine
   Jan 02 15:51:59 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 15:52:18 <jimregan> (just when I was going to look for a
   tequila bottle image)
   Jan 02 15:52:48 --- You are now known as senor_tequila
   Jan 02 15:52:51 <senor_tequila> :)
   Jan 02 15:53:19 <editorgal> no
   Jan 02 15:53:29 --- You are now known as jimregan
   Jan 02 15:53:31 <editorgal> I'd want it to be recognizable and amusing
   in the small form
   Jan 02 15:53:34 * jimregan pouts
   Jan 02 15:53:46 <editorgal> nobody would get why a bottle's any better
   than vbeer
   Jan 02 15:53:51 <jimregan> (It's after Christmas, so I can)

(?) More Christmas presents

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 02 17:31:42 * editorgal got distracted. Thomas got his xmas
   present.
   Jan 02 17:31:43 <editorgal> :D
   Jan 02 17:32:01 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 17:32:18 <editorgal> well presents really
   Jan 02 17:32:36 <jimregan> Nice.
   Jan 02 17:32:45 <editorgal> when they told me I had to have it
   repacked for intl, I made sure the packing material wasn't a waste
   Jan 02 17:32:54 <jimregan> Heh.
   Jan 02 17:33:08 <jimregan> Bubble wrap?
   Jan 02 17:33:14 <jimregan> Bubble wrap never goes to waste :)
   Jan 02 17:33:14 <editorgal> so a nice antistatic bubble pack and one
   of my fluffier scarves went along for the ride
   Jan 02 17:33:59 <editorgal> true but this is even better
   Jan 02 17:34:09 <editorgal> considering he works on raw devices at
   times.
   Jan 02 17:34:17 <jimregan> My sister got me a portable phone charger
   'cos she knows how much I love my phone
   Jan 02 17:34:30 <editorgal> ok so that's what she got your phone
   Jan 02 17:34:30 <jimregan> Heh.
   Jan 02 17:34:35 <editorgal> what'd she get you?
   Jan 02 17:34:43 <jimregan> Erm... that.
   Jan 02 17:34:50 * editorgal wonders when jimmy will marry his phone
   Jan 02 17:34:54 <jimregan> My other sister got me sweets.
   Jan 02 17:35:00 <jimregan> Oh, that reminds me.
   Jan 02 17:35:23 <jimregan> I got a message just after you went
   yesterday: "My phone break up with your phone"
   Jan 02 17:35:35 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 02 17:35:44 <editorgal> did you only get one of it?
   Jan 02 17:35:47 <jimregan> (only got that one twice)
   Jan 02 17:36:03 <jimregan> "My phone is heartbroken"
   Jan 02 17:36:05 <editorgal> right so they're still going together only
   5 times
   Jan 02 17:36:12 <editorgal> lol
   Jan 02 17:36:19 <jimregan> "I'm going to stop texting you, because my
   phone is sulking"
   Jan 02 17:36:30 <editorgal> hahaha
   Jan 02 17:37:00 <jimregan> In the meantime I asked what type of phone
   she had, googled it, gave up on the ringtone idea
   Jan 02 17:37:13 <editorgal> not a re-tonable phone?
   Jan 02 17:37:23 <jimregan> So I emailed her a picture of a dozen roses
   and one of a Claddagh ring, from my phone to hers
   Jan 02 17:37:36 <jimregan> No, though it can use actual sounds.
   Jan 02 17:37:37 <editorgal> aww it's trying to say sorry how sweeeet
   Jan 02 17:38:19 <jimregan> Nah... this was the "my phone is proposing"
   thing, after she said she didn't see flowers or a ring
   Jan 02 17:38:41 <jimregan> I can claim innocence about the timing :)
   Jan 02 17:39:06 <editorgal> lol
   Jan 02 17:39:21 <jimregan> I can always baffle her with techno babble
   bullshit
   Jan 02 17:40:06 <editorgal> right. so when were you going to do
   coffee, and will you have to use paper airplanes because the phones
   won't do lunch?
   Jan 02 17:40:21 <jimregan> Ha ha.
   Jan 02 17:40:36 <editorgal> hey just checkin'
   Jan 02 17:40:51 <jimregan> I'll probably bump onto her on the way
   to/from work next week.
   Jan 02 17:41:04 <jimregan> I'll bow: "Your Highness".
   Jan 02 17:41:40 <jimregan> (she wants to marry a prince)
   Jan 02 17:42:21 <editorgal> aren't princesses your grace?
   Jan 02 17:42:35 <jimregan> Duke/Duchess
   Jan 02 17:42:41 <editorgal> oh ok
   Jan 02 17:42:47 <jimregan> (iirc)
   Jan 02 17:42:51 <editorgal> hm
   Jan 02 17:43:02 <editorgal> wikipedia::forms of address ?
   Jan 02 17:43:06 <jimregan> Highness for a member of a royal family,
   majesty for a reigning monarch/next in line
   Jan 02 17:43:13 <jimregan> Heh.
   Jan 02 17:44:12 <jimregan>
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_(manner_of_address)
   Jan 02 17:44:35 <editorgal> close enough
   Jan 02 17:44:37 <jimregan> Woo!

(?) Release names

From #tag-chat

Jan 02 19:17:14 <editorgal> with the mild structural changes I'm planning to lgazmail I'll finally change the rev letter
Jan 02 19:17:34 <editorgal> amusing that should happen as minirev's getting near z
Jan 02 19:21:08 <jimregan> :)
Jan 02 19:21:14 <jimregan> Amusing, and convenient :)
Jan 02 19:22:02 <editorgal> nah my minirev doesn't care what the character is
Jan 02 19:22:25 <editorgal> it would happily let me type aa or a number or.REALLY_NEED_NEW_REV
Jan 02 19:22:49 <jimregan> .I_CANT_BELIEVE_ITS_NOT_BUTTER?
Jan 02 19:23:44 <editorgal> now we know why longterm projects come up with really weird names to tack into their release logs
Jan 02 19:24:18 <jimregan> Yeah. I'llfixitlateritude
Jan 02 19:25:04 <jimregan> Hmm... if I'm going to go looking for other people's silly scripts, I should really come up with a few of my own, shouldn't I?
Jan 02 19:25:22 <editorgal> "the 'maddened penguin' release" "the 'jimmy da bartender' release" "the 'wheres the gingerbeef with broccoli' release"
Jan 02 19:25:42 <jimregan> splart
Jan 02 19:26:02 <jimregan> == the sound of a hand trying to hold back a mouthful of coffee
Jan 02 19:26:10 <editorgal> lol
Jan 02 19:26:17 <editorgal> gotcha
Jan 02 19:26:21 <jimregan> Yep
Jan 02 19:26:53 * editorgal should have put in one more release
Jan 02 19:27:19 <editorgal> "the 'C|N>K' release"
Jan 02 19:29:23 <jimregan> That's /every/ laundrette release!
Jan 02 19:29:27 --- editorgal has changed the topic to: The Answer Gang, happy new year and may this one be better than the last | #110 due RSN | splart == C|N!>K | linuxgazette.net
Jan 02 19:29:43 <jimregan> :)

(?) Dallas

From #tag-chat

Jan 02 23:15:33 <editorgal> this means they're not nestable, but I never did that anyway
Jan 02 23:15:53 <editorgal> they can't nest, they use the same flag var.
Jan 02 23:23:33 <jimregan> Heh.
Jan 02 23:24:19 <jimregan> If I ever feel the need to nest comments, feel free to make me watch Dallas reruns until I've seen the error of my ways
Jan 02 23:25:05 <jimregan> If I repeat the offense, televised sporting events.
Jan 02 23:25:21 * editorgal puts the "who shot JR" episode on loop
Jan 02 23:25:24 <jimregan> (We won't need to go to talk shows, I promise)
Jan 02 23:25:44 <editorgal> when you conclude it was you, then you'll be done
Jan 02 23:25:58 <jimregan> Heh
Jan 02 23:26:35 <editorgal> like I said the whole 6* series is due for revise
Jan 02 23:28:08 <editorgal> for credit where due at least they got some effort towards suspense

(?) Ben's hotel

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 03 00:56:45 <okopnik> Oh, totally off LG topics - you guys would
   *love* the weirdness of this hotel I'm in....
   Jan 03 00:57:06 <okopnik> I'm in room 1215. Care to take a guess what
   floor it's on?
   Jan 03 00:57:36 <okopnik> There's an electric outlet in the elevator.
   Jan 03 00:57:39 <okopnik> ....
   Jan 03 00:58:05 <okopnik> Presumably, because the elevator takes SO
   long that you should be able to recharge your phone while going from 1
   to 2.
   Jan 03 00:58:27 <editorgal> the 13th floor because there's an M level
   between 1 and 2 ?
   Jan 03 00:58:39 <okopnik> As you exit the elevator, rooms 1214 and
   1216 bracket the elevator....
   Jan 03 00:58:55 <okopnik> (Nope - the 2nd floor. [scratches head])
   Jan 03 00:58:55 <thomas_adam> I never understood how you consider
   level 0 to be "Ground" and Ground to be below level 0. Most strange.
   Jan 03 00:59:23 <okopnik> ....but that doesn't matter, because the
   *next* room on the opposite side is - 1225.
   Jan 03 00:59:24 <editorgal> well they have a tendency to only mark one
   level ground
   Jan 03 00:59:33 <editorgal> but sometimes more than one level leads to
   the outdoors
   Jan 03 00:59:54 <editorgal> maybe the rooms are numbered their
   dialcode.
   Jan 03 01:00:00 <thomas_adam> That threw me at Uni last year -- I
   pressed 'G' thinking it was ground, but actually it was the basement.
   :)
   Jan 03 01:00:05 <okopnik> 1215 is *way the hell around a bend and a
   couple of corners... and the count _revereses_ as you go up the
   corridor.
   Jan 03 01:00:33 <jimregan> Ben, you have entered... the twilight zone.
   Jan 03 01:00:39 <okopnik> Jimmy, do you know if Bloody Stupid Johnson
   is still in business, by any chance? :)
   Jan 03 01:00:40 <jimregan> With room service!
   Jan 03 01:00:43 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 03 01:01:10 <okopnik> I suspect that if I search the drawers in
   the room, I may find The Colossus....
   Jan 03 01:01:14 <jimregan> Hmm. If so, it was probably meant to have
   been a well
   Jan 03 01:01:30 * okopnik cracks up
   Jan 03 01:01:38 <editorgal> Thomas, so they meant G as in lowest
   instead of G as in outdoors
   Jan 03 01:01:40 <editorgal> ?
   Jan 03 01:02:02 <okopnik> pTerry references
   Jan 03 01:02:04 <thomas_adam> Yes. Ground in this case is Level 0.
   Jan 03 01:02:27 <editorgal> computer department, computers count from
   zero.
   Jan 03 01:02:55 <thomas_adam> This lift is for the entire building
   (well, one of them) :).
   Jan 03 01:03:16 <okopnik> "All sane array indexes start at zero"...
   but "real world" items always start at one!
   Jan 03 01:05:27 <editorgal> I suppose this Uni is hyperaware of not
   being the real world
   Jan 03 01:07:06 <okopnik> Oh, despite the fact that the scummiest
   hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in DC has wireless access, this
   supposedly-luxury hotel has a "business center". *One* computer. *One*
   Ethernet connection. I suspect that if I unplugged it, these people
   would wet their pants and start crying in terror.
   Jan 03 01:07:21 <okopnik> Oh, and they want *money* to use the thing.
   Jan 03 01:07:34 <thomas_adam> Sounds better equipped than the labs at
   Uni.
   Jan 03 01:08:28 <okopnik> Well, heck, Thomas... come on over any time,
   then. :) We'll fix you right up.
   Jan 03 01:08:56 <thomas_adam> Heh.

(?) Jimmy's haircut / Oirish

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 03 03:10:10 <thomas_adam> jimregan: I swear the before/after pics
   of you with/without your facial fluff are different people.
   Jan 03 03:10:20 <jimregan> He
   Jan 03 03:10:25 <jimregan> Heh, even
   Jan 03 03:10:30 <jimregan> No, same me.
   Jan 03 03:10:47 <thomas_adam> That's scary.
   Jan 03 03:11:13 <thomas_adam> To think you looked so different before.
   Hardly the same person in appearence.
   Jan 03 03:11:17 <jimregan> Imagine how my friends felt when I turned
   up to the pub.
   Jan 03 03:11:28 <thomas_adam> Jimmmmmmmmmmay!
   Jan 03 03:11:33 <jimregan> <squint>
   Jan 03 03:11:33 <thomas_adam> No doubt.
   Jan 03 03:11:53 <jimregan> "Whathefuckdjadotoyerhair????"
   Jan 03 03:12:02 <thomas_adam> (That was done in my best Irish accent,
   btw).
   Jan 03 03:12:08 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 03 03:12:43 <jimregan> Sorry, that should've been:
   "Whathefuckdjadotayerhair????"
   Jan 03 03:13:03 <thomas_adam> Geordi?
   Jan 03 03:13:20 <jimregan> Nah. You'd have to hear a Thurles accent.
   Jan 03 03:14:05 <jimregan> "I /fair/ didn't recognise ya, lad"
   Jan 03 03:14:06 <thomas_adam> Can't say that I have.
   Jan 03 03:15:04 <jimregan> Though my friend Trev, to do him credit,
   did need to use the wall for support, and wave me away so the laughter
   could subside
   Jan 03 03:15:09 <thomas_adam> My understanding of the Irish is that
   (apart from the creul jokes about you all being brain-dead :|) you
   raise leprichorns and wait for rainbows to bring you pots of gold. :P
   Jan 03 03:15:30 <jimregan> While drinking Guinness and whiskey, of
   course.
   Jan 03 03:15:38 <thomas_adam> Heh.
   Jan 03 03:15:41 <jimregan> On the way to Mass.
   Jan 03 03:15:53 <jimregan> Complaining about the weather all the way.
   Jan 03 03:15:55 <thomas_adam> I am not that naive -- but there are
   some.....
   Jan 03 03:16:01 <jimregan> rofl.
   Jan 03 03:16:51 <jimregan> Oh, and say "begor" and "bejaysus"
   Jan 03 03:17:04 <thomas_adam> heh.
   Jan 03 03:17:08 <thomas_adam> Yeah - you got it. :)
   Jan 03 03:17:16 <jimregan> (Though, to be fair, my grandfather does
   say "Be the lord")
   Jan 03 03:17:29 <thomas_adam> Seamus is the predominant name.
   Jan 03 03:17:34 <jimregan> Grrr.
   Jan 03 03:17:46 <editorgal> lure the unicorns with a pot of guiness
   Jan 03 03:17:48 <jimregan> Seamas == James
   Jan 03 03:17:53 <editorgal> or something like that
   Jan 03 03:17:59 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 03 03:18:06 <editorgal> ok for your mutual amusement
   Jan 03 03:18:11 <jimregan> OK
   Jan 03 03:18:16 <thomas_adam> Ah -- "James Heaney". That sounds more
   like it.
   Jan 03 03:19:02 <jimregan> There's no 'J' in Irish, so foreign names
   got an 'S'. 'Seamas', 'Sean' (John) etc
   Jan 03 03:21:25 <jimregan> I always hated being called Seamas in Irish
   class. Nothing against the name, but it's not my name.
   Jan 03 03:21:44 <jimregan> It was worse in the Gaeltacht, when
   everyone figured out how much it bugged me.
   Jan 03 03:21:53 <jimregan> Haaaaaayyyyyyymwish
   Jan 03 03:22:12 <jimregan> (Became Haybob, inexplicably)
   Jan 03 03:24:18 <jimregan> Oh. Sheamais (Haymwish) is the accusative
   form of Seamas.

(?) Another bad pun

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 04 02:35:11 * jimregan has a look around behind the bar
   Jan 04 02:35:27 * jimregan pulls out a bottle of sambucca
   Jan 04 02:35:58 * editorgal having finished the one shot of whiskey
   she indulged in, accepts a ginger beer.
   Jan 04 02:36:06 * jimregan passes one over
   Jan 04 02:36:49 * editorgal opens it with her trusty leatherman
   Jan 04 02:36:54 <editorgal> *pop*sssssssssss
   Jan 04 02:36:56 <editorgal> yeah
   Jan 04 02:37:06 <editorgal> that's the stuff.
   Jan 04 02:37:16 * jimregan munches some peanuts (cos he can't spell
   pista... the other ones)
   Jan 04 02:37:29 <editorgal> pistachios.
   Jan 04 02:37:45 * jimregan munches some pistachios
   Jan 04 02:37:46 <jimregan> :)
   Jan 04 02:37:50 <editorgal> there isn't a distro named after
   pistachios so, you're forgiven
   Jan 04 02:37:57 <jimregan> Heh
   Jan 04 02:38:12 * jimregan builds a mound of shells
   Jan 04 02:38:43 * jimregan stops looking at the sambucca, pours a
   glass and sets fire to it
   Jan 04 02:38:48 * editorgal labels a trashcan "prompt" so he can have
   a shell prompt
   Jan 04 02:38:57 * jimregan groans
   Jan 04 02:39:20 <editorgal> you gotta be sharpie round here.
   Jan 04 02:39:44 <jimregan> I thought it was too obvious, and you
   wouldn't stoop that low :-P
   Jan 04 02:40:14 <editorgal> I'm already in a chair, why would I need
   to stoop?
   Jan 04 02:40:25 * jimregan just barely remembers to blow out the
   sambucca before drinking

(?) What's a clove?

From #tag-chat

Jan 04 20:41:25 <jimregan> My friend Paul was saying that another friend tried to cook a romantic dinner for his girlfriend
Jan 04 20:41:34 <jimregan> Followed the recipe perfectly...
Jan 04 20:41:54 <jimregan> Cept he got to the bit where is said "two cloves of garlic"
Jan 04 20:41:58 <jimregan> "What's a clove?"
Jan 04 20:42:05 <jimregan> <shrug>
Jan 04 20:42:09 <editorgal_lunch> ut oh!
Jan 04 20:42:27 <jimregan> They had to stay at a friend's place for 2 days, until the smell cleared out
Jan 04 20:42:47 <editorgal_lunch> rofl
Jan 04 20:43:13 <editorgal_lunch> you mean they didn't make spaghetti without additives (and with nose clips) to get them pre-garlic'd ?
Jan 04 20:43:23 <jimregan> I told a friend at work, who is friends with that guy's ex-girlfriend
Jan 04 20:43:59 <editorgal_lunch> as in the girl broke up with him, or as in a past flame?
Jan 04 20:44:03 <jimregan> Seems another time, same guy was sending a rather explicit message to his girlfriend, but his ex's name was right beside it
Jan 04 20:44:24 <jimregan> She did the only natural thing and forwarded it to everyone who knows him
Jan 04 20:44:35 <editorgal_lunch> yowtch
Jan 04 20:44:58 <jimregan> (They're still friends, it wasn't a malicious thing. They're both pranksters)
Jan 04 20:45:11 <editorgal_lunch> yeah I'm familiar with that style of pranking
Jan 04 20:45:20 <editorgal_lunch> don't leave your mail window open, that kind of thing

(?) Even more Christmas presents

From #tag-chat 

   Jan 05 20:05:38 <jimregan_away> Hi hi hi
   Jan 05 20:06:21 --- You are now known as jimregan
   Jan 05 20:07:52 <jimregan> ok, now that i'm here: hi hi hi
   Jan 05 20:11:31 <editorgal> hehehe
   Jan 05 20:11:45 <jimregan> Um... guess who got me a Christmas present?
   Jan 05 20:11:58 <editorgal> Beata?
   Jan 05 20:12:02 <jimregan> Bingo.
   Jan 05 20:12:05 <jimregan> Now...
   Jan 05 20:12:24 <jimregan> I gave her her present, a book called
   "Jedenascie Minut"
   Jan 05 20:13:45 <jimregan> I gave it to her, and turned to leave. She
   called after me, and told me she had a present for me.
   Jan 05 20:14:06 <jimregan> She asked what her present was, I told her.
   Jan 05 20:14:06 <editorgal> awwwwww
   Jan 05 20:14:21 <jimregan> She started saying "Is this a joke? This is
   crazy"
   Jan 05 20:14:25 <jimregan> I was puzzled.
   Jan 05 20:14:35 <jimregan> She started getting giddy.
   Jan 05 20:14:41 <jimregan> "wait there"
   Jan 05 20:14:49 <jimregan> She went into the women's locker room
   Jan 05 20:15:21 <jimregan> She came out, and told me she thought about
   getting me a pterry book, but figured I'd probably read all his books
   Jan 05 20:15:35 <jimregan> So she got me a book by her favourite
   author.
   Jan 05 20:15:41 <jimregan> Didn't click with me.
   Jan 05 20:15:58 <jimregan> She said to open it, I said I'd do it
   later, I had to start work
   Jan 05 20:16:01 <Rickeh> easy cd creator blows monkeys for pleasure,
   and collects money for it.
   Jan 05 20:16:23 <jimregan> I'd kinda figured what it was, but didn't
   want to give away any look on my face.
   Jan 05 20:16:30 <jimregan> She got me "Eleven Minutes"
   Jan 05 20:16:49 <jimregan> I don't think you need to look at a
   Polish-English dictionary...
   Jan 05 20:18:38 <jimregan> I just checked my phone: "You came true one
   of my dreams...thank you :) It is in polish-I am surprised."
   Jan 05 20:18:44 <jimregan> (9 times)
   Jan 05 20:24:02 <editorgal> :D
   Jan 05 20:26:08 <jimregan> I don't know how the hell I'm going to
   repond to that.
   Jan 05 20:27:11 <jimregan> She's just too damn sincere -- I don't know
   how deal with that :)
   Jan 05 20:28:10 <editorgal> take life as it comes
   Jan 05 20:28:16 <editorgal> she makes her choices
   Jan 05 20:28:26 <editorgal> live with 'em, make your own.
   Jan 05 20:34:46 <editorgal> jimregan: you ok there?
   Jan 05 20:34:51 <jimregan> Yeah.
   Jan 05 20:35:40 <jimregan> I'm kinda at a loss for words, really.
   Jan 05 20:35:45 <jimregan> (Strange for me :)

(?) Whispers

From #tag-chat

Jan 05 21:56:51 <jimregan> Um... Frodo....
Jan 05 21:57:07 <Frodo-NL> yes, Jim?
Jan 05 21:57:11 <jimregan> dontcha know better than to make pronouncements like that in public
Jan 05 21:57:16 <Frodo-NL> lol
Jan 05 21:57:23 <jimregan> ... when /I'm/ listening/logging
Jan 05 21:57:38 <jimregan> Wanna retroactively whisper?
Jan 05 21:57:43 <Frodo-NL> nah :)
Jan 05 21:57:50 <jimregan> Ooh!
Jan 05 21:58:07 <jimregan> Frodo, the hat I'm not wearing would go off to you.
Jan 05 21:58:13 <jimregan> (If I were wearing it)
Jan 05 21:58:19 <Frodo-NL> lol

(?) Song of the Month

From Jimmy O'Regan

So... this month's laundrette starts here. I couldn't concentrate on anything at all last month -- it took a lot of effort to scrape out the one article I did write, and I'm only doing this now because after wasting a lot of my own time, and quite a lot of other people's time, I felt the need to do something worthwhile (but couldn't think of anything, and did this instead :)
Oh, and yeah, this was meant to turn into "The TAG Bar". Maybe some other time.
Anyway, last month's song of the (end of the) month was going to be Tool's Forty Six & 2 but, for reasons I'm not going to go into, I think Tool's Schism is a bit more fitting for this month.
(The start of the month song for last month would have been more Tool: Parabol and Parabola -- two parts of the same thought).
(P.S. Erm... this might seem to be related to certain events on one of the LG lists to those who are subscribed, but it's actually because of something else entirely). -- Jimmy

(?) isdn

From Hennie Scholtz

Hi There,

Can you please assist me in setting up a isdn modem(Dynalink TAS400E). If read the info on pages that Arnold has said about this topic.

(!) [Thomas] So you know how to use google? Interesting. Perhaps you'd be more specific next time as to which page(s) you have read from this supposed "Arnold".
(!) [Sluggo] Of course there's only one Arnold; he's governor of California right now.
(!) [Thomas] Heh. That always makes me laugh. It seems America has a habit (addiction?) to electing previous film actors into politics. Ronald Regen, being the prime example. Any particular reason for this? :)
(!) [Jason] Ronald Reagan, actually. (Note spelling.)
But as for particular reason, I don't know. I wasn't alive for most of his presidency, so I am not in a position to directly judge how well he did. But on the other hand, I have at my disposal all the information (archived newspapers, press releases and whatnot) that the average American had during that time period plus the advantage of hindsight plus any addition information that may have been written, so you could also argue I should be able to have a more accurate view now than someone living then had then. But presumably not as accurate as the view of someone who lived then has now. Read the sentence again, it actually makes sense, trust me on this one. :-)
But I digress.
Voter turnout of the voting age population hovers around 60%, so if the 40% that doesn't vote suddenly started voting, they would constitute about 28% of the new voting population, which, if they were all like-minded, would be enough to swing most any election.
Put another way, if everybody who doesn't vote did, they could run the country.
All this to say, in a country like this, lots of strange things happen.
(!) [Jason (again)] I'm offline now, so someone has doubtless pointed this out by now, but the 28% figure is obviously wrong. If there was a 40% increase in People Who Actually Vote, the new 40% would be 28% of the new total.
But the case we have here is 40% of the people who can vote, not voting. So if they started voting, they would obviously be 40% of the voting population.
Just trying to be too clever for my own good. Percentages are tricky.
(!) [Sluggo] 
1. They're well known and well liked.
(!) [Sluggo (again)] Perhaps the cardinal rule is: "known = authoritative". That would explain why people get their news from MTV and vote for whoever Britney recommends.
(!) [Sluggo (yet again)] I just saw a bumber sticker: "I do what my RICE CRISPIES tell me".
(In case rice crispies haven't reached all corners of the world, it's a dry cereal that makes crackling sounds when you pour milk on it.)
(!) [Jimmy] (I'm wondering whether Sluggo meant 'bumper' or 'bumber'. Shneh!)
(!) [Sluggo] 
2. We can trust them better than some sneaky evil bureaucrat.  We don't
even know our congressmen's names, but that just proves they're sneaky and
evil.
3. Arnold wants to cut my taxes.
4. It doesn't matter who we elect anyway.
5. The coolness factor.  ("Guess who WE'VE got for our governor.")
6. The entertainment factor.  ("I wonder what that clown will do next.")
Other actors and sports figures include Clint Eastwood (mayor of Carmel, California), Jesse Ventura (governor of Minnesota), ...
(!) [Frodo] What I find even funnier, is that there are really people who want Arnie to run for US president, even going sofar as to suggest an amendment to the constitution, that would drop the requirement that
"No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President;"
(!) [Kapil] They are not alone in this. Actors-turned-politicians collect votes by the zillions in India---especially in Tamil Nadu where I live.
Someone suggested a twin-states tie-up between Tamil Nadu and California based on:
  1. Both are on the sea.
  2. The language of the majority of people in the state is different from the language of the majority of people in the country.
  3. The climate is semi-arid so both states have perennial problems with water scarcity.
  4. The largest film industry (in terms of employment) in the world resides in Tamil Nadu while the largest film industry (in terms of capital) resides in California.

    And the killer point is ...


  5. California has the leading man and we have the (now large never svelte) leading lady.
More seriously, I think (other) politicians tend to underestimate the political skills and general intelligence of actors based on their on-screen personas---they thus put these actors in positions of power in the hope of controlling them like puppets (he/she took the direction of <name of director here> so why not political direction from me). I think our Amma/Madam/JJ has proved them wrong and I have a strong guess that Arnie is no one's chump/chimp either.
Still this doesn't quite answer why people elect them when other politicians put them up as front (wo)men.

(?) If you are a man, you want one of these:

From Karl-Heinz Herrmann 

On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 18:08:00 +0200
"Melanie " <etgjmixdb@issihk.net> wrote:

> %FLESH_URL
>
> Confidentiality assured!
Well -- obviously Melanie's website is confidential 
> %NO_MORE
> %FLESH_RMV
>
> %RAND
thanks to a script failing to replace some variables.....
BTW: Can anybody tell why this got passt spamassassin? 
X-Spam-Status: No, hits=2.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_90 autolearn=no
	version=2.64
Hmm.... bayes almost got it.

(?) Good for a laugh

From John Karns

If you're not adverse to viewing flash content, then you might enjoy viewing the satirical dig from Novell at:

https://www.novell.com/linux/windowstolinux/publicservice

(!) [Chris G] I like it. It almost looks like politician mud slinging.

(?) [chuckle] ... or you can think of it as counterpoint to microsoft's "get the facts" campaign

(!) [Chris G] That's for sure. I was just talking to a friend of mine that night about the very subject of that public service message. Cracks me up.
(!) [Ben] Oh, man. Excellent, dark spoof. I like it.

(?) (paraphrased)

- "I'm crashing, man. I need a fix"

-- "Have you tried a patch?"

- "They won't give me anymore patches, man!"

great stuff!

!-- .~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~.~~. -->

(?) Linux cat feeder

From Sluggo

https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7403 Chris McAvoy describes his Linux-based cat feeder. You click on a web link (so you can feed kitty remotely!), the Python program sends a character on the serial port, a BASIC program on a microcontroller turns the paddles on his gizmo, and the gizmo delivers a fish to the hungry feline.
Several of the Slashdot comments are worthy of the Linux Laundrette:
https://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=139467&cid=11673596 How the Microsoft cat feeder differs from the open-source version. (PHPgawd)
https://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=139467&cid=11673772 The Real Man's UNIX cat feeder, a cron entry: (Coryoth) 
30 9,18 * * * cat /food > /dev/cat
https://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=139467&cid=11673831 A self-cleaning litter box, designed and programmed on a Linux system. (MsWillow)
https://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=139467&cid=11673505 
$ cat "food in tin cans"
cat: cannot open food in tin cans

(?) PayPal spam

From Sluggo 

From: "PayPal" <service@paypal.com>
To: <tag@lists.linuxgazette.net>
Subject: [TAG] PayPal Account Security Measures

Dear PayPal Member,

Your account has been randomly flagged in our system as a part of our
routine security measures. This is a must to ensure that only you have
access and use of your PayPal account and to ensure a safe PayPal
experience. We require all flagged accounts to verify their information on
file with us. To verify your Information at this time, please visit our
secure server webform by clicking the hyperlink below.
Oh yeah, and The Answer Gang has a PayPal account, not.

(?) Self-protesting spam

From Sluggo 

chef@nisse.lir.dk wrote:
> This is not spam!
How nice of them to tell us.

(?) Quotes & Traffic

From #tag-chat 

Feb 10 04:55:02 <editorgal>     hi jason
Feb 10 04:55:35 <creighton>     So we meet again. :)
Feb 10 04:56:13 <editorgal>     :)
Feb 10 04:57:58 <editorgal>     Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is
Feb 10 04:57:58 <editorgal>     published around the world -- even if what is published is not true.
Feb 10 04:57:58 <editorgal>                     -- Messiah's Handbook : Reminders for the Advanced Soul
Feb 10 04:59:20 <creighton>     Hmm...okay, I can do quotes too. Let's see what
irssi does with this paste:
Feb 10 04:59:31 <creighton>             "Voltmeter has only been Evil Overlord for a couple of years. Before
Feb 10 04:59:32 <creighton>     that he was just an Evil Lord, of course,
and an Evil Burgomaster. He actually
Feb 10 04:59:32 <creighton>     started out as an Evil Schoolteacher."
Feb 10 04:59:32 <creighton>             "What could be evil about a schoolteacher?"
Feb 10 04:59:32 <creighton>             "Pop quizzes."
Feb 10 04:59:33 <creighton>             "Oh, right." Kevin leafed through
the file, reading the pages quickly.
Feb 10 04:59:35 <creighton>     "Yes, I see what you mean. Look at all this. Pop quizzes on Monday mornings,
Feb 10 04:59:37 <creighton>     extra homework on weekends, essay questions, and no partial credit for math
Feb 10 04:59:40 <creighton>     problems. The man is a fiend."
Feb 10 04:59:42 <creighton>                     -- John Moore, "Heroics For Beginners"
Feb 10 04:59:45 <creighton>     Nice! It asks if that's what you want first!
Feb 10 04:59:52 <editorgal>     :D
Feb 10 05:00:07 <editorgal>     actually if it were short enough it wouldn't ask.
Feb 10 05:00:46 *       editorgal grins @ things I need to know I learned in kindergarten...
Feb 10 05:01:37 <editorgal>     share everything (check. they can use the
name too if they want.
we're not the ones raising the stink.)  play fair (I swear we tried to).  Don't
hit people (hmm.)
Feb 10 05:01:58 <editorgal>     watch for traffic, hold hands, stick together :D
Feb 10 05:07:24 <jimregan>      c/~ One. Look for a safe place. Two. Don't worry, stop and wait
Feb 10 05:07:39 <editorgal>     :)
Feb 10 05:07:52 <jimregan>      c/~ Three. Look all around and listen, before you cross the road, remember
Feb 10 05:08:17 <jimregan>      c/~ Four. Let all the traffic pass you. Five. And walking safe across you
Feb 10 05:08:25 <jimregan>      And that's where I forget the words
Feb 10 05:08:30 <editorgal>     aww
Feb 10 05:08:31 <jimregan>      We got that.
Feb 10 05:08:41 <jimregan>      In England - Stop, look, listen.
Feb 10 05:09:12 <jimregan>      I'm sure there were more traffic deaths per capita in my generation in Ireland
than England

(?) Sometimes you find the most curiously valid things in spam...

From Dr. Good

(!) [Heather] For our amusement... 
----- Forwarded message from "Dr. Good" <dltmcdzdqab@thruport.com> -----

From: "Dr. Good" <dltmcdzdqab@thruport.com>
(!) [Heather] snort 
To: tag@lists.linuxgazette.net
Subject: [TAG] Tired of overpriced pharmacy visits? Save huge by buying from us
[TAG mailing list headers trimmed]
(!) [Heather] [spammerURL deleted.
Scissors applied to quotations which were boring or otherwise not to my taste.]

(?) Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.

(!) [Heather] hehehe and that's why they invented pizza delivery service...

(?) Distance between two hearts is not an obstacle; rather a great reminder of just how strong true love can be.

(!) [Heather] :D

(?) If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance.

(!) [Heather] Hmm.

(?) Egotist: a person more interested in himself than in me.

(!) [Heather]
This isn't a very good definition - I'm not all that interesting, so I don't necessarily blame someone for this trait.

(?) Solitude, if rightly used, becomes not only a privilege but a necessity. Only a superficial soul fears to fraternize with itself.

(!) [Heather]
. . . I confess I have not had a very positive view of solitude lately. Perhaps I am encountering endarkenment ;P

(?) A positive attitude will not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

(!) [Heather] snicker

(?) Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems.

(!) [Heather] Very UNIXy attitude, that.

(?) The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.

(!) [Heather] By this light we're measuring up pretty well so far...

(?) We have art to save ourselves from the truth.

(!) [Heather] Thus my very helpful teddybear last month.
* bear waves hi

(?) Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.

(!) [Heather]
Would it were that easy for us, but we don't consider SSC an emeny itself, and we rather hope their feet-shooting doesn't begin.

(?) A clever man commits no minor blunders.

(!) [Heather] Leaving major ones?

(?) If you ever reach total enlightenment while drinking beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.

(!) [Heather] splort

(?) I heard someone tried the monkeys-on-typewriters bit trying for the plays of W. Shakespeare, but all they got was the collected works of Francis Bacon.

(!) [Heather] :)

(?) The best proof of love is trust.

(!) [Heather] The best proof of greed is antitrust?
[the spammer's fortune cookie algorithm clearly has no features against repeating itself.]

(?) When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.

(!) [Heather]
Not, actually, a very UNIXy attitude, and difficult when the bosses are wailing for results - but it's a nice job if you can get it.

(?) In any contest between power and patience, bet on patience.

(!) [Heather]
this was the item that was amusing enough to cause me to miss the delete key :)

(?) Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

(!) [Heather]
I have a suspicion that we're going to see this sequence in full, but I'm still hoping for quieter win conditions.

(?) You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

(!) [Heather] heh.

(?) The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad.

(!) [Heather]
/me gets out a copy of Webster's to look up multiple definitions of mad, then glances over at Ursula LeGuin with a distressed expression.
/me glances over at our other panelist, but apparently the Cheshire Cat left only his smile here while he's out on a break.
Crazy or sane, angry or merely warped. Is that of type boolean, numberline, 3-d axis, a feature or a bug. Next on Geraldo :>

(?) Books are the shoes with which we tread the footsteps of great minds.

(!) [Heather]
Which makes our little quips here more like tossing off our shoes to play in the puddles.

(?) When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.

(!) [Heather] :D welcome to Linux Gazette

(?) What the world really needs is more love and less paper work.

(!) [Heather] Hell yes.

(?) All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

(!) [Heather] ...and then it's reformatted by Congress?

(?) Microsoft's guide to l33tsp34k

From Jimmy O'Regan

https://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/children/kidtalk.mspx

(?) Bios are such fragile things...

From Jimmy O'Regan

Back in issue 110, I had a long, long file full of IRC quotes. Just in case anyone happens to read it, and happen to think that Jason was on drugs:

...............

Heh heh...I just happened to be looking at your bio in #103 where it quotes "Moving Pictures" about taking exams. :-)

...............

rest assured that he was not! My bio at the time looked like this:

 

[BIO] Jimmy has been using computers from the tender age of seven, when his father was left an Amstrad PCW8256. He was shown a Unix box several years later, and instantly fell in love. But it could never be, as Unix vendors tended to demand first-born children, and when Mark came along in 1997, the trade didn't seem worth it.

Within weeks of starting college, Shane, a fellow first year student, started a computer society and so Jimmy found his introduction to Linux. Jimmy was made an admin pretty quickly, because Shane figured he'd get the root password one way or another.

Jimmy has since reformed his l33t wayz, and could pass for a productive member of society in dim lighting, at a distance, if you're only looking out of the corner of your eye. In "Moving Pictures", Terry Pratchett wrote:

Of course, it is very important to be sober when you take an exam. Many worthwhile careers in the street-cleaning, fruit-picking, and subway-guitar-playing industries have been founded on a lack of understanding of this simple fact.
Jimmy hadn't read these words of wisdom. Jimmy now works in a meat factory. Jimmy plays guitar, but his dream of playing in a subway is on hold, pending the construction of a subway in his locality.

 

Copyright © 2005, . Released under the Open Publication license unless otherwise noted in the body of the article. Linux Gazette is not produced, sponsored, or endorsed by its prior host, SSC, Inc.

Published in Issue 112 of Linux Gazette, March 2005

Tux