2.28.2007

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 28, 2007: Cinemuck

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cinemuck&defid=865283

The combination of popcorn, soda, and melted chocolate which covers the floors of movie theaters.

Dude, are you sure you wanna wear those shoes to the theater? You know what Cinemuck will do to your shoes...

2.27.2007

Word of the Day

(If they had degress I could surely get an honourary one!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 27, 2007: multislacking

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=multislacking&defid=1721012

Doing multiple [slacker]-esque things concurrently.

I'm the king of multislacking. I spend hours a day surfing the 'net, watching
random TV shows, and eating week-old pizza.

2.26.2007

Song of the Week

"Get Drukn & Be Somebody" - Toby Keith

Yeah the big boss man, he likes to crack that whip
I ain't nothing but a number on his timecard slip,
I give him 40 hours and a piece of my soul,
Puts me somewhere at the bottom of his totem pole,
Hell I don't even think he knows my name...

(Chorus)
Well all week long I'm a real nobody,
But I just punched out and its paycheck Friday,
Weekends here, good God almighty,
I'm gonna get drunk and be somebody
Yeah, yeah, yeah...

My baby cuts hair at a beauty boutique,
Just blowin' and goin' till she's dead on her feet,
They walk right in and sit right down,
She gives them what they want and then she spins them around,
Hey I don't think they even know her name...

(Chorus)
All week long she's a real nobody,
But I just picked her up and its paycheck Friday,
Weekends here, good God almighty,
Baby lets get drunk and be somebody
Yeah, yeah, yeah...

We're just average people, in an everyday bar,
Driving from work in our ordinary cars,
And I like to come here with the regular Joes,
Drink all you want, be the star of the show

(Chorus)
All week long a bunch of real nobodies,
But we just punched out and its paycheck Friday,
Weekends here, good God almighty,
People lets get drunk (lets get drunk!)
All week long we're some real nobodies,
But we just punched out and its paycheck Friday,
Weekends here, good God almighty,
People lets get drunk and be somebody
Yeah, yeah, yeah...

2.25.2007

Bionic Eye Could Restore Vision

I'm not too confident, but a good idea. :-)

""A new bionic eye could restore vision to the profoundly blind. A prototype was tested on six patients and 'within a few weeks all could detect light, identify objects and even perceive motion again. For one patient, this was the first time he had seen anything in half a century.' The user wears a pair of glasses that contain a miniature camera and that wirelessly transmits video to a cellphone-sized computer in the wearer's pocket. This computer processes the image information and wirelessly transmits it to a tiny electronic receiver implanted in the wearer's head.""

http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardware/07/02/16/2158258.shtml

2.24.2007

ChaCha Search

A new search engine out, well new to me, the key difference is if you can't find what you are looking for in a conventional search they have a team of people who you can live chat with who will find what you are looking for! This is a very cool idea, although I'm not sure how they could support a service like this if they ever got as big as Google.

http://www.chacha.com/

"About ChaCha
ChaCha stands out as different and better in a landscape cluttered with common search engines because it uses the World's most powerful technology - The human brain.

ChaCha's goal is to provide a better search experience by combining results that are hand-picked by our knowledgeable human guides with the best computer-generated search results. In those cases where you can't find what you need with our instant results, ChaCha will connect you with a live human guide who will find the information for you through an instant messaging-style search session.

Scott Jones and Brad Bostic, two dynamic entrepreneurs who were not satisfied with millions of irrelevant search results provided by first generation search engines, believed a better experience could be created by tapping into human intelligence. Since starting ChaCha, they have been hard at work with the ChaCha team to create:

** A smart search engine that "learns" by tapping into human intelligence so its results are always improving
** A place to find exactly what you're looking for instantly
** Help from people who are knowledgeable about the very thing you are looking for when instant results don't have the answer

Remember, ChaCha is all about making the web more accessible, by giving you the most relevant results you need. And with ChaCha, you get great results instantly and you have the option to search with a Guide who can help find your result. So come join our experiment and have some fun!

Why the name ChaCha?
People often ask how we picked the name. The answer is that it has a dual meaning. First, "Cha" means "search" in Chinese. Second, the ChaCha is a popular, fast-paced dance.

Therefore, we are named ChaCha because we are the only search engine that allows people seeking information to instantly connect online with live ChaCha Guides that lead them (much as they would in the dance) to the most relevant results on the Internet.

ChaCha - A new way to search
ChaCha Search gives you the BEST computer-generated search results on the Web instantly.

But that's not all. To make its results different and better, ChaCha includes results that have been hand-picked by our human Guides. Computers keep getting smarter, but they don't have brains - ChaCha's human Guides bring the Internet's best results to you instantly.

And if you still don't get the results you need with our instant search, unlike any other search engine on the planet, ChaCha will instantly connect you with a live ChaCha Guide (Search With Guide) who can help you. How's that for VIP service? And it's still free!

ChaCha Guides
By searching with a Guide your query is sent to a real person who is skilled at finding information on the Internet and knowledgeable on the subject at hand so that you get the few exact results you want, not the millions of results you don't.

ChaCha only provides quality, human approved results.

The more you use ChaCha, the smarter and faster ChaCha becomes! Because ChaCha saves, rates, and updates all the answers that are hand-picked by our Guides. ChaCha's intelligent Guide application learns from every search so our Guides know where to look to find information for you quickly."

http://www.chacha.com/info/about

2.23.2007

The Rape Trap

So there is this new "device" that goes inside a woman, a kind of plastic female condom that has plastic barbs on the inside to snare an unwanted man's penis, as in the case of a rape.

The barbs would become stuck on the man's penis and it would only be able to be surgically removed, which would then notify hospital personal the man was a potential rapist.

Some concerns were that by a man sticking himself into one of these he would become more enraged with the woman and be more physically violent towards her. A second concern was that women would trick men into having sex with them unawares of the device to "frame" them for rape. The third concern is that rapists would be more likely to prod a woman with other things first to determine if the woman was wearing the device.

I think this is a very interesting idea, and good points are made for each side of the argument. I would never wear one, but I don't live in an area where I am particularly scared of being raped. I can see how it would be a security device in areas where rape is more common, like in South Africa where the inventor lives & rape rates are high. I would be concerned about the physical violence aspect and the unwanted "prodding". I suppose it's like any "security" device, if used properly and as intended it can be beneficial but there is always the chance of something going wrong.

The article:
"The Los Angeles Times brings us a story about South African inventor Sonette Ehlers and her new anti-rape female condom.

So what is this device, for which design Ms Ehlers was inspired after meeting a traumatised rape victim who told her, "If only I had teeth down there", all about? A medieval device built on hatred of men? Or a cheap, easy-to-use invention that could free millions of South African women from fear of rape, in a country with the world's worst sexual assault record?
"Rapex", the condom-like device bristling with internal hooks designed to snare rapists has re-ignited controversy over South Africa's alarming rape rate, even before plans for its production were announced in Western Cape this week.

The device, concealed inside a woman's body, hooks onto a rapist during penetration and must be surgically removed.

Ms Ehlers said the rape trap would be so painful for a rapist that it would disable him immediately, enabling his victim to escape; but would cause no long-term physical damage and could not injure the woman.

"I don't hate men. I love men. I have not got revenge in mind. All I am doing is giving women their power back," Ms Ehlers said. "I don't even hate rapists. But I hate the deed with a passion.""

http://medgadget.com/archives/2005/09/the_rape_trap.html

The Official Site (you can find pics here if you're interested)
http://www.rapestop.net/


Of course the Wiki article:

"The anti-rape female condom (aka vaginal bear trap, brand name Rapex) was invented by Sonette Ehlers, a South African woman. It is intended to prevent rape by hooking onto an attacker's penis, hurting and disabling him.

The device is a latex tube fitted internally with shafts of sharp, inward-facing plastic barbs that could be worn by a woman in her vagina, similar to a tampon. Should an attacker attempt vaginal rape, the penis would be hooked by the barbs, causing the attacker pain and giving the victim time to escape. The condom would remain attached to the attacker's penis and, according to the device's creator, could be removed only surgically[citation needed], which would alert hospital staff and police that an attempted rape could have taken place. Furthermore, the device's inventor believes that the very existence of the device in over-the-counter stores could also act as a deterrent by creating the possibility in a potential rapist's mind that victims might be using it. However, the fact that a man was injured by the device would not in and of itself mean he was a rapist, due to the possibility of abuse of the device (see criticism).

According to Ehlers, the Rapex would also act as a female condom, reducing chances of impregnation or STD infection. However, there is no scientific research that supports her claim. Ehlers herself claims that the device prevents STDs because "there is no body fluid inside you from the rapist."[1]

In South Africa it is estimated that one million rapes occur each year. [2] This led to the creation of RAPEX (its trademark name).[3] South Africa has the highest rate of sexual assault- and AIDS - in the world.[4]

Rapex even has its own official website (rapestop.net) where plans are in motion for making and distributing comprehensive information packages about the product. It has also been patented. PATENT NO: PCT/ZA2005/00138

The device has only been tested using plastic male and female genitalia. [citation needed]
The device was unveiled on August 31, 2005 in South Africa. Production will start later this year if severe criticism is overcome"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-rape_female_condom

2.22.2007

Telus... #1 for Porn

I'm so pleased that a big company like Telus is pedalling porn... :-P

""Telus, Canada's second-largest telecommunications carrier has started selling pornography to its cellular subscribers. The service allows subscribers with mobile browsers to purchase both photographic and video adult-oriented content from Telus, at an average of CD$4 per download. Telus decided to introduce the service after noticing that there existed a certain 'segment of the population that is interested in that content' from review of the mobile Web browsing habits of their subscribers 'on an aggregate level.' They are the first telecommunications company in Canada to offer such content. A Telus spokesman said: 'We're fairly certain that if our competitors in Canada haven't launched it, they will soon. Same in the US.'""

http://slashdot.org/articles/07/01/29/028243.shtml

2.21.2007

Word of the Day

(I want to live somewhere that you can walk down the street with a beer without having the cops after you! LOL)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 21, 2007: go-cup

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=go-cup&defid=1621917

A term used in New Orleans to refer to the plastic cups given by bars to their patrons so that they might take drinks off of the premises, as in to-go drinks or at closing time.

"It's closing time, guys. Want your beer in a go-cup?"

2.20.2007

How to Make VCD's

This is an interesting site I found with instructions for making VCD's... something I hadn't even thought about doing in years. LOL

"How do you make a VCD?
To make a VCD, you need to encode your video into VCD-compliant MPEG1 video file. Many video editing software packages will let you export your final movie directly into this video format, and some will even burn the VCD for you. The major burning software (Roxio and Nero) will both burn VCDs, though you may need an encoder to create the MPEG1 file first.


What is MPEG1 video?
MPEG1 video is a compression algorithm that yields very good video at low bit rates. Better yet, it’s non-proprietary (neither Microsoft, Apple, nor Real own it) so you can think of MPEG compression as the video equivalent of MP3 music compression. DVDs themselves are encoded with second generation MPEG2 compression format -- this encoding format yields fantastic quality, but generates large files sizes and takes more processing power to encode/decode.

To convert my digital video files into VCD, I either export the video out of Adobe Premiere as a VCD file, or I use the TMPGE Tsunami encoder. This encoder is a great piece of software that I use almost daily to convert my digital video DV-AVI files into MPEG1 files for VCD and MPEG2 for DVD. I can also compress my videos into smaller MPEG1 files for watching on my PocketPC.

Burning the VCD
After encoding your video(s) into the appropriate MPEG1 format, you can then burn it onto a CD-R. To burn a VCD, you have to tell your burning program to specifically burn a VCD. You can’t just copy the files onto a CD-ROM and expect it to play ... the way that VCD’s are burned is much different than a normal CD-ROM. You have to tell your burning software to specifically burn a VCD. Fortunately, most burning software have helpful wizards to walk your through this.
Watching on your DVD player!
Once you’ve created your VCD you can pop the disk into your DVD player and watch it. "

http://www.mightycoach.com/articles/videotips/whatarevcds.html

2.19.2007

Song of the Week

"Transfusion" - Nervous Norvus

ZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM
Tooling down the hightway doing 79
I'm a twin pipe papa and I'm feelin fine
Hey man dig that was that a red stop sign
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
I'm just a solid mess of contusions
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Slip the blood to me, Bud

I jump in my rod about a quarter to nine
I gotta make a date with that chick of mine
I cross the center line man you gotta make time-
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, man, I got the cotton pickin convolutions
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Shoot the juice to me, Bruce

My foot's on the throttle and it's made of lead
But I'm a fast ridding daddy with a real cool head
I'ma gonna pass a truck on the hill ahead-
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
My red corpsuckles (sic) are in mass confusion
Never, never, never gonna speed again
Pass the crimson to me, Jimson

I took a little drink and I'm feelin right
I can fly right over everything everything in sight
There's a slow poking cat I'm gonna pass him on the right
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
I'm a real gone paleface and that's no illusion
I'ma never never never gonna speed again
Pass the claret to me, Barrett

A rollin down the mountain on a rainy day
Oh, when you see me coming better start to pray
I'm a cuttin' up the road and I'm the boss all the way
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, doc, pardon me for this crazy intrusion
I'm never, never, never gonna speed again
Pump the fluid in me, Louie

I'm burning up the highway early this morn
I'm passing everybody oh nothing but corn
Man outa my way I don't drive with my horn
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)
Transfusion, transfusion
Oh, nurse I'm gonna make a new resolution
I'm never, never, never gonna speed again
Put a gallon in me, Alan

Oh, barnyard drivers are found in two classes
Line crowding hogs and speeding jackasses
So rememmber to slow down today
Hey, daddy-o
A make that type O, huh
Atta-boy
(Scrreeech-BANG, tinkle)

Links in the Toolbar

I found a way to add my links to the regular toolbar, apparently that's what the folder labeled "links" in my favorites is for... it's not just mindless marketting on the part of Microsoft, go figure. LOL

How to use the "links" part of the standard IE toolbar:

Customizing the Links bar
Published: November 19, 2006

Did You know that you can customize the Links bar in Windows XP SP2, and Windows Vista? You can add, remove, or rearrange shortcuts to your Favorites and folders of Favorites. Customizing the Links bar gives you one-click access to your favorite folders, and webpages.

Here's how:

To enable the Links bar in Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista

• Right-click on the Windows Taskbar. Click on Toolbars, and then click Links to select it (a checkmark will be displayed beside it)

You will now see "Links" added just to the left of the system tray on the taskbar.


To add a shortcut to the Links bar

• Drag the webpage's icon from the Address bar of the browser

• Drag a link from a webpage directly to the Links bar

• Drag a folder path from a search window to the Links bar

• Click the Add to Favorites/Bookmarks button in your browser, and then click Add to Favorites/Bookmarks. NOTE: If you are using a different browser this feature may not be implemented, or may work differently

• In the Add to Favorites dialog box, click the Create In dropdown list, and then select Links


To remove a shortcut from the Links bar

• Right-click the shortcut in the Links bar, and then click Delete


To rearrange how your Favorites show on the Links bar

• On the Links bar, drag a shortcut to a new location


To enable the Links bar in your browser
NOTE: This feature may not be implemented, or may work differently, in different browsers.

• Click the Tools button, click Toolbars, and then click Links


To add a shortcut to the Links bar

• Click the Add to Favorites button, and then click Add to Favorites

• In the Add to Favorites dialog box, click the Create In dropdown list, and then select Links

You can also drag the webpage's icon from the Address bar or drag a link from a webpage directly to the Links bar.

• In the Favorites Center, drag a shortcut to a new location in the Links folder

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/about/customizelinks.mspx

2.18.2007

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 18, 2007: Gong Xi Fa Chai

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gong+Xi+Fa+Chai&defid=441970

Happy New Year (Chinese)

Homey, Gong Xi Fa Chai!

Hamster Part 23

GP died today, we were able to get the body out though, so no more cannibalism on the aprt of the hamsters. Mark & Krista are going to take the babies I think. Mark has named the baby that looks like Kus "Yuki" which is Japanese for moon.

2.17.2007

Thunderbird -- The Best Mail Client EVER!

So my friend Chad introduce me tonight to Mozilla's "Thunderbird" third-party mail client. It's absolutely phenomenol! It does like everything I need it to and it does it so effortlessly, it's jus so incredible.

It's format is similar to that of Outlook Express so if you are familiar with the basic functionality of OE you'll do fine on Thunderbird.

To get a copy of Thunderbird go here:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

Now here's the BEST part about Thunderbird... remember the downloading hotmail to OE or Outlook I was having awhile back? Well it's solved! Thunderbird has an extension that allows you to get mail from all the top mail servers: hotmail, yahoo, gmail, aol. Once the little Web Mail extension is added to Thunderbird you just have to install the extensions for the mail host you want to use and Voila! it can be added through the create account screen, and if that weren't enough you can download all your folders too!!

The extensions can be downloaded here:
http://webmail.mozdev.org/

You just click on the "Download" button on the left-hand side then:
1. Right-Click the link above and choose "Save Link As..." to Download and save the file to your hard disk.
2. In Mozilla Thunderbird, open the extension manager (Tools Menu/Extensions).
3. Click the Install button, and locate/select the file you downloaded and click "OK".
4. Then close Thunderbird and re-load it for the extension to sync with the program.

Then you can download the extension packs for any of the mail hosts you use and follow the above steps closing & re-loading the program between extension installs.

Another neat little extension lets you minimize Thunderbird to the system tray so that when you get mail a cute little message pops up by the clock to inform you of such.

That program can be found here:
http://minimizetotray.mozdev.org/

Oh!! And another great thing about Thunderbird is how easy it is to back-up! Nothing as piddly and stuip as OE or Outlook, everything is stored in ONE (1) folder on your hard drive!!


"Manual Backup
Backing up Firefox and Thunderbird manually is as simple as copying their respective profile folders to another location. If you do that, you’ll have a full backup with all your setting and personal data saved.

The hard part is finding the profile folders. First up, they are not located where you would expect to find them. Secondly, they are located in different places for different versions of Windows. Thirdly, they may be assigned random file names that make them difficult to recognize.

On Windows 2000/XP machines the locations for your Firefox and Thunderbird profiles are respectively:
C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\\

C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\\

On Windows 9x/Me PCs they can usually be found at:
C:\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\\

C:\Windows\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\\ If you can't locate your profiles then check out this document for more information:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Folder#What_is_in_my_profile?

On my XP laptop the profiles are:

C:\Documents and Settings\Ian\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\default.ebq

C:\Documents and Settings\Ian\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\25ve0lz5.default

To back these up I copy the profiles to an external USB drive. It's as simple as that. I do it manually but you could also use Windows Scheduler or a backup manager to do the job automatically. Make sure, though, that Firefox and Thunderbird are not running before you backup. "

There's also a tool that will do it for you, it can be found at the link below along with the rest of the info from the above quoted article:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/how_to_backup_mozilla_firefox.htm

2.16.2007

"Custom" Tool Bar

I'd like to make a toolbar that was completely customized and not branded by anyone. I can't imagine it would be that hard considering every company out ther has a toolbar!

I'd like one with a search bar powered by Google. A "blog this" link. An auto-fill option. Custom button links to my most used webpages. (google, wikipedia, shortbus.ca, hotmail, gmail, livejournal, xanga, youtube & postsecret.)

See really that shouldn't be that hard... should it? Apparently it is... *sigh*

2.15.2007

Word of the Day

(If it weren't for this I wouldn't have a job at Comcast. LOL)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 15, 2007: connectile dysfunction

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=connectile+dysfunction&defid=2235088

1. The inability to gain or maintain an [internet] connection.
2. The inability to print, [email], or get to the internet.

My computer had connectile dysfunction (CD) yesterday, so I couldn't check my email

2.14.2007

Word of the Day

(This one is hilarious!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 14, 2007: valentine's day

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=valentine%27s+day&defid=815383

The reason so many people are born in October.

I was born on October first because my parents celebrated valentine's day.

2.13.2007

My Chemical Romance & Sims 2

People have WAY too much time on their hands...

Watch this (the original My Chemical Romance "Welcome to the Black Parade" video):



And then this one... (someone's Sims2 music video of "Welcome to the Black Parade")

2.12.2007

Song of the Week

"Teddy Bear" - Red Sovine

I was on the outskirts of a little southern town
Tryin' to reach my destination before the sun went down
The old CB was blarin' away on channel 1-9!
When there came a little boy's voice on the radio line

And he said: "Breaker 1-9! Is anyone there?
Come on back, truckers and talk to Teddy Bear!"
Well, I keyed the mike and said: "You got it, Teddy Bear!"
And a little boy's voice came back on the air

"'Preciate the break, Who we got on that end?"
I told him my handle, and, then he began:
"Now, I'm not supposed to bother you fellows out there
Mom says you're busy and for me to stay off the air

But you see, I get lonely and it helps to talk
'Cause that's about all I can do, I'm crippled, and, I can't walk!"
I came back and told him to fire up that mike
And I'd talk to 'im, as long as he liked

"This was my dad's radio", the little boy said
"But I guess it's mine and mom's now, 'cause my daddy's dead!"
"Dad had a wreck about a month ago
He was trying to get home in a blindin' snow

Mom has to work now, to make ends meet
And I'm not much help, with my two crippled feet!"
"She says not to worry that we'll make it alright
But, I hear her crying, sometimes late at night

You know there's just one thing I want more than anything else to see
Aw, I know you guys are too busy to bother with me!"
"But, you see, my dad used to take me for rides when he was home
But, I guess that's all over now, since my daddy's gone

Not one breaker came on the old CB
As that little crippled boy talked with me
I tried hard to swallow a lump that just wouldn't stay down
As I thought about my boy back in Greenville Town

"Dad was going to take mom and me with him later on this year, Why,
l remember 'im saying: 'Someday this old truck will be yours, Teddy Bear!'
But, I know I'll never get to ride an 18-wheeler again
But, this old base will keep me in touch with all my trucker friends!"

"Teddy Bear's gonna back on out now and leave you alone
'Cause it's about time for mom to come home
But, you give me a shout when you're passin' through
And I'll sure be happy to come back to you!"

Well, I came back and I said: uh! "Before you go 10-10
What's your home 20, little CB friend?"
Well, he gave me his address and I didn't once hesitate
'Cause this hot load of freight was just gonna have to wait

I turned that truck around on a dime
And headed straight for Jackson Street, 229
And as I rounded the corner, oh, I got one heck of a shock
l8 wheelers were lined up for three city blocks!

Why, I guess every driver for miles around had caught Teddy Bear's call
And that little crippled boy was having a ball
For as fast as one driver would carry him in
Another would carry him to his truck and take off again

Well, you better believe I took my turn at riding Teddy Bear
And then I carried him back in and put him down in his chair
And buddy if I never live to see happiness again
I want you to know I saw it that day, in the face of that little man

We took up a collection for him before his mama got home
And each driver said goodbye and then they all were gone
He shook my hand with a mile-long grin
And said: "So long, trucker I'll catch ya again!"

Well, I hit the Interstate with tears in my eyes
I turned on the radio and I got another surprise
"Breaker 1-9!" Came a voice on the air
"Just one word of thanks from Mama Teddy Bear!"

"We wish each and every one, a special prayer for you
'Cause, You just made my little boy's dream come true
I'll sign off now, before, I start to cry
May God ride with you, 10-4, and goodbye."


This song is interesting as there are 2 sequels to it... one in which Teddy Bear dies of his illness, it is sung from the perspective of the neighbour who apparently babysat for "Teddy Bear". The other version is called "Little Joe" and it's by Red Sovine and is the story of how "Teddy Bear" goes on to be his own trucker and comes to see Red after he's in an accident.

"I know lyrics aren't the most popular thing on E2 but this song should definately be one of the exceptions to that rule. It has to be one of the most touching songs ever written. It's a story about a handicapped lil boy who's father was a truck driver. Out of loneliness after the death of his father, he reached out via his father's CB, this song is about a collective 'random act of kindness' by caring truckers. After the 200th time hearing this song I could listen without tearing up or choking up (sometimes)... but the song will always hold a special place in my heart. Lyrics or not it's one of the most touching stories I've ever heard. If you've never heard this song - you've missed out on something special I think.

The #1 hit Teddy Bear - was (of course!) nominated for single of the year by the Country Music Association in 1976. It was also rated #4 on the 1976 Radio & Records All-Time Charts. It's clear I'm not the only one touched by this song, "Operation Teddy Bear" inspired by this song, is an annual event for the past 20 years where truckers "adopt" disabled residents in Salisbury, Marylandd.

The song didn't end with "Teddy Bear" however, a song " Teddy Bear's Last Ride" by Diana Williams followed. "Last Ride.." was about the death of Teddy Bear. Red responded to that song with the song "Little Joe" to prove that Teddy Bear was still alive, not only alive but had experienced a miracle and could walk, and was living his dream of driving a 18 wheeler. "

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=teddy%20bear

2.11.2007

Golden Boy

I watched the funniest Anime I think I have ever seen tonight. It was called "Golden Boy" and it was about this guy, 25-year old Kintaro, who travels around Japan on his bicycle as a "freeter" taking odd jobs and living to learn. It was terribly bizarre. There are only 6 episodes that have been released to NA and they all kind of are their own episode until episode 6 where it ties the first 5 together quite nicely. We watched them all in order tonight and they very much played through like a movie.

I particularly enjoyed Kintaro's obsession with toilets and the overall over-exaggerated expressions of all the characters. I also enjoyed how Kintaro always spoke his mind, even when it meant saying things that should have been in his inner monologue, or if it meant he was going to get kicked in the face for saying it.

This is an absolutely hilarious Anime and if you ever get the chance you MUST watch it!!!


The Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Boy_(manga)

2 Other References:
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,186,bgolzf,golden_boy.html

http://www.animeacademy.com/finalrevdisplay.php?id=119

2.10.2007

AccuRadio for V-day & the Grammy's

So AccuRadio has launched a new channel just in time For Valentine's Day.

Love Songs Radio:
http://www.accuradio.com/lovesongs/


I also found a Grammy radio station that's kind of cool:
http://www.grammyradio.com/

It can be listened to through AccuRadio from their website:
http://www.accuradio.com/

2.09.2007

Pimp MySpace

Ever wonder how some people make their MySpace page so pretty?

Well here's a couple MySpace editors I've found that are quite good and very infomative in how to pimp up myspace... like I did (LOL) www.myspace.com/drelwin

My best friend's fiancee Libby has an awesome MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/libbydew
So does my friend Josh's gf:
http://www.myspace.com/depressive_neko


EDITORS:
http://www.myspaceeditor.org/

http://www.pimpmyspace.org/

http://www.mywackospace.com/

http://www.myspacetoolbox.com/myspace-editor.php

2.08.2007

Mao -- ""the only rule you may be told is this one."

This is an infuriating card game that was often played when I was in college. If a new player asked to play the dealer would say something like "sure you can play" and then once you were seated you would of course ask "how do I play?" the answer, was always, "the only rule you may be told is this one."

You would then spend the remainder of the game trying to figure out the game, getting cards added to your hand for not adhering to the rules, talking out of order, or making some other seemingly detrimental faux pas.

For all the times I played I never did learn enough to be the dealer... sometimes you were told there were 8 rules and the only one sure of them was the dealer. Well I feel bad for all the people out there who couldn't play Mao, and certainly couldn't deal, and so, after much soul-searching and scouring of the Internet, I have found the "rules" of Mao and will divulge them here:

"Rules of play
Mao is a card game of the Shedding family (also called the Stops family) in which the objective is to get rid of all of the cards in your hand. It is very similar to the card game UNO or Crazy Eights.[9][10][11][12] Each player is dealt an initial hand with an equal number of cards; the exact number of cards dealt varies, but is generally either five[10][13][14][15] or seven.[9][16][17] The size of the deck also varies; it is good to have approximately one 52-card deck for every two or three players[11] (or, in games with new players, one deck for every player), but missing or extra cards are not terribly important to gameplay. Two decks combined is common; matching card backs aren't important, either. Once the cards are dealt, the remaining cards are placed face down in a stack in the middle of the table, and the top card from the stack is turned over and placed next to it.[9] In some variants, play commences with the player to the left of the dealer and proceeds clockwise;[10] in others, the dealer chooses who begins and which direction it proceeds.[9] Many variants penalize players for looking at their hands before the game begins or before the dealer looks at his or her hand.[9][13]

A player may play any card in his hand which matches either the value or the suit of the card currently lying face-up on the table.[9] The card played must be placed on top of this card, and the next player will have to play a card that matches the new one. If the player has no cards he can play, he must instead draw a new card from the top of the stack lying face-down and, in most variants, say something such as "Pass" or "Penalty Card".[9] Usually, his turn is lost and he cannot play after he draws a card.

Most variants share a few basic types of special cards. These include:

** A face value that reverses order of play when played (commonly eight,[9][13][14][17][12] but not always[10])

** Aces cause the next player to skip his turn[9][10][13][16][17]
Jacks are commonly wild, allowing any player to call out a new suit when a jack is played[9][10][13][14]

** Spade cards must be named when played (eg, playing an ace of spades requires the player to say "ace of spades").[9][10][13][15] Some variants will randomly nominate one particular suit to be constantly named when played, up to the discretion of the Mao Leader.[citation needed]

** A seven forces the next player to draw a penalty card and requires the person who played it to announce "have a nice day." If the next player also plays a seven, he announces "have a very nice day" and the player after that draws two penalty cards. The number of "very"s and penalty cards can increase as long as sevens can be played.[10][13][14][15][17] In some variants, a red seven requires the player to announce "have a nice day", and a black seven requires the player to announce "have a very nice day".[citation needed]

** In some variants in which multiple decks are used, any player who has a card in his or her hand which is identical to the card just played may play that card, whether or not it is his or her turn. Play will then proceed with the player whose turn it would have been had not the interruption occurred.

Further rules
As noted above, in many variants an additional rule is silently and secretly added to the game with each round. There may also be additional rules that are already in effect at the beginning of the game, just to get things moving, and these rules may be known to all players, or perhaps only to the dealer. The rules will vary from group to group, and possibly from game to game, but most rules fall under one of the following four categories.[6]

** When happens, perform an action (say a phrase, knock on the table, etc)

** When happens, something about the game changes

** An action must always, or never, be performed (don't straighten the pile, etc)

** Something fundamental about the game changes (a king is treated as if it were a jack for all game purposes)

Note that the listed above can be absolutely anything. Common examples include playing a specific card ("the ace of spades") or a specific type of card ("any red three"), but triggering conditions can become as complicated as their creator wishes. Further examples might include "when someone plays a face card on top of a non-face card", "when someone plays a nine with their right hand" or even "playing an odd numbered card on top of an even numbered card".[citation needed]

To "create" a rule, one could pick a triggering condition, and then one or more action and/or game effect. The spirit of the rule is generally something in good fun, and may make more sense when in context; such as saying "He's dead, Jim" when playing what is known as "the suicide king".[citation needed] While rules that unfairly sway the game in favour of one player or to the detriment of one specific player are possible and quite easy to concoct, ("Every time James plays a ten, he gets a penalty") they are generally frowned upon as unsportsmanlike.

In many variants, during the game, no speech is allowed other than that required by the rules. Some players feel that this rule reduces the amount of fun had while playing the game (especially for new players) and allow speech not required by the rules, as long as that speech does not conflict with any other rules in play. Others feel that unnecessary speech can cause unnecessary obfuscation of speech-oriented rules, making it even more difficult for new players to pick up on subtle rulesets.

Examples of particular speech rules include:

Point of Order. Any player (or only the dealer, in some variations) may at any time announce "point of order,",[9][10][13] at which point all players must put down their cards while discussion takes place. This time can be used to go to the bathroom, discuss a ruling, or to ask whose turn it really is. In some variations players have to talk in the third person. The point of order ends when the player that called point of order announces "end point of order," or "pick your cards up" at which point the cards are picked back up and play resumes. Players may not pick up their hands until the dealer picks up his own hand, or in some variations until the player who called point of order picks up his hand. This rule is often enforced by penalties such as "fondling the cards" or "premature peeking". Additionally, there may be a penalty for saying the phrase "Point of Order" during Point of Order; this may be circumvented by saying "Point of O", "P of Order", "P of O", etc. In many variants, during a Point of Order, no players (including the dealer) are permitted to touch their cards at all. Another very common name that is used is "Pivo," possibly coming from "P of O" shortened to one word. In the Oxford variation, any player can end the point of order, thus avoiding the problem of people being unable to remember (or refusing to admit) who started the point of order.

Questions. In some variants, all players (sometimes including the dealer) are prohibited from asking questions.[13]

Swearing. Many variants prohibit swearing.[9][10][13][14]

Blasphemy. Many variants prohibit blasphemy (including taking in vain the name of God, Jesus, Christ, or (in some variants), Chairman Mao.)[citation needed]

Hail to the Chairman. In some variants, playing a king requires the player to say, "Hail to the Chairman," and playing a queen requires the player to say, "Hail to the Chairwoman."[17]
Last Card. Some variants require the player to announce when he only has one card left in his hand.[10][14]

Special card names. In some variants, specific cards are given a name that is to be said instead of the real name of the card. For example, if Bob plays the eight of clubs, he would say, "that's the badger!" And failure to say anything else apart from that would result in a penalty card. This also brings up another penalty of, "speaking the name of the sacred animal out of turn."[citation needed]

Thank you. In some variants, the recipient of a penalty card is issued for not thanking the issuer of the original penalty card, although subsequent, "failure to say thank you," cards are not allowed to be issued for not thanking the issuer of that penalty card.[citation needed]

Mao. Upon playing his last card, a player must call out "Mao" to win.[9][10] Should he forget to say "Mao", or call it incorrectly, he is penalized. Stacking penalties at this point can cause much grief to a player who has gleefully placed his last card down and proclaimed "Mao", only to discover that he has broken some rule. Alternatively, a player may have to call "Mao" when he or she has one card left.

Required order of speech rules. In some variants, where multiple speech rules apply to a particular situation, the calls that the player is required to make must be made in the correct order. [citation needed] One typical order of operations is: calls resulting from the card's suit, then calls resulting from its rank, then calls resulting from the card's suit and rank simultaneously, and finally "last card" or "Mao" when applicable. For example, assume a variant where the "announce names of all played cards that are spades", "special 'have a nice day' rules for sevens", and "required call of 'thank you' upon playing a card with the same suit and rank as the top card". A seven of spades is the top card, and the player whose turn it is plays his last card, which is also a seven of spades. That player must call "Seven of spades, have a very nice day, thank you, Mao", in that order. Any variation is a penalizable offense (which would then bring the "Last card" rule back into play, etc.)

Cumulative effect of speech rules. In many variants, violations of speech rules are cumulative. Thus, if a player were to ask a question that contained a swearword, this would constitute a violation of both the "Question" and the "Swearing" prohibitions, and the player would be penalized for both.

Silence. Some variants forbid players from speaking at all, unless a rule orders them to speak.[citation needed]

In some variants, particular players are assigned particular titles, and particular rights or duties accrue to that player by virtue of that title. Examples:

** The dealer might have the title "Chairman Mao," "Mao Leader," "Mao Master," or "Game Master" and be the ultimate authority over whether a rule was broken. [citation needed]

** A player other than the dealer might have the title "Custodian of the Deck" and be the only player entitled to touch or handle cards during a Point of Order. (Typically, the Custodian of the Deck is charged with ensuring that piles of cards on the table are tidy.)[citation needed]

** A player other than the dealer might have the title "Minister of Foreign Affairs", and be the only player authorized to speak to people who are not playing the game. [citation needed]

There may be a time limit of approximately five seconds for each turn;[13][10][15] if exceeded, the player gets a penalty card and either loses his turn or gets another penalty every five seconds thereafter.

Most times a penalty is called, one card is given to the offender. If the call was wrong, the caller of a penalty can be given the card back with a reason of "bad call".[13][15][17] If the name of the game is mentioned at any time during play, the offender is penalized with at least two cards and sometimes a ridiculous number of cards, like thirty or fifty.[citation needed] Alternatively, this may only apply for the last card a player discards.

When playing multiple rounds of Mao, it is customary for a player (often the winner of the previous round, sometimes the next person to deal) to add one new rule to the game; after many rounds, many new rules will accumulate. Naturally, only the person who created the rule will initially know what it is. Some Mao players insist that two players know the new rule, so it can be consistently enforced.[citation needed] In that case, the winner tells another player about the new rule when it is created."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_(game)

This is an amusing site that tries to explain why the rules mustn't be divuldged.
http://www.pagat.com/eights/mao.html

2.07.2007

What Does My Name Mean?

In a fit of boredom.... what my name means:

AMBER
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AM-bur [key]

Simply means "amber", from the English word that denotes either the fossilized tree resin or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر ('anbar).

http://www.behindthename.com/


Amber
Female
Arabic
Reddish-yellow precious jewel, a jewel-quality fossilized resin; as a color the name refers to a warm honey shade.

http://www.parenthood.com/babynames.html



Amber

Although the name Amber creates the urge to be reliable and responsible, we emphasize that it frustrates you through a scattered and emotional nature.

This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the liver, bloodstream, and through worry and mental tension.

As Amber, you have a natural interest in the welfare of your fellow man, and a desire to help and serve others in a humanitarian way.

You are responsible and generous, although somewhat scattering and disorganized at times.

Any jobs requiring systematic and conscientious effort, or involving any form of drudgery, dismay you.

In your work, you would seek a position offering self-expression through contact with people, such as sales or teaching, or a position giving scope to your creative, artistic talents.

You are good-natured and likeable, and people tend to confide in you and seek your advice in personal problems.

Others sense your sincere interest and desire to help, and you can always be counted on to see the bright side of any problem.

http://www.kabalarians.com/index.cfm


Amber

The girl's name Amber \a-mber\ is pronounced AM-ber. Derived via Old French and Latin from Arabic "ambar". Amber is the English name for a semi-precious gem formed from fossilized tree resin, and is also used to describe the gem's golden color. In Hindi, the name is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "the sky". Amber became popular in the 1960s due to the Kathleen Winsor novel and film, "Forever Amber". Model Amber Valletta.

Amber has 5 variant forms: Ambar, Ambereen, Amberetta, Ambre and Ambur.

For more information, see also the related name Amberly.

Baby names that sound like Amber are Amberli, Amberlie, Amberley, Amberlee, Amberlea and Amberely.

Amber is a very popular female first name and a popular surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl's name Amber. Click here to compare Amber with related baby names.





http://www.thinkbabynames.com/



The meaning of Amber
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Jewel. A jewel-quality fossilized resin; as a color the name refers to a warm honey shade.

Origin: English
Meaning: A jewel name that became popular in the 19th century, from the name of the yellowish resin used in jewellery-making. Used regularly since the publication of 2Oth century writer Kathleen Winsor's novel 'Forever Amber. '.

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Fierce.

Origin: Muslim
Meaning: Variant of Ambar: Jewel. Amber stone.

http://www.andythenamebender.com/name-meanings/

2.06.2007

Hamsters Part 24

Mark & Krista took their hamsters today, 3 of them, all 3 babies. I gave them two of the cages so that just leaves me with 3 hamsters, 2 girls (Runt & Spunk) and Mouse. :) 3 is a much more manageable number.

Mark decided to name his hamster KJ (for Kus Jr.) and I don't know what Krista is naming hers.

2.05.2007

Line Rider

This is an awesome little java game that is uber addictive. You build a slope, hill thing for the little man to toboggan down, he can do flips and jump high if you build it right. It's so neat to see how he reacts to the hills you build.

www.linerider.com

Song of the Week

"Magic Kingdom In The Sky" - Unknown Parody

All my life I have been searching for that fabled promised land,
With my sisters and my brothers we shall walk there hand-in-hand.
Through the trials and tribulations and the devils cruel temtations.
I know that we'll all get there one day!

After years and years of wandering, oh that kingdom we shall find
and the doors might not be open but we'll gather in the line.
And our hearts will swell with pride the day those gates swing open wide and take a walk down Main Street USA!

Oh, that Magic Kingdon in the sky!
We will all be there together by and by!
We will all drink from the fountain and go riding on Space Mountain!
When we reach that Magic Kingdom in the sky!

When mother Minnie and Uncle Dopie and Saint Tinkerbelle abide
There'll be no more cares or sorrow on that heavenly TeaCup ride.
I will lay down all those fears when I put on those big black ears,
and join the choir to sing harmony!

We will sing the song of aimless soul, that one gone astray
Who were lost but now were found in the Electrical Parade
Singing Hakuna Matata, growing musketeer stigmata
In the only club thats made for you and me!

Oh, that Magic Kingdom in the sky!
We will all be there together by and by!
All Gods children shall be free in The Pirates of the Carribean
When we reach that Magic Kingdom in the sky!

Oh, the meekest and the poorest their inheritance shall see
and a zillion Japanese tourist all will join the jamboree
They will ride that holy Monorail into sweet providence
When they learn their redeemer is a mouse in short red pants!

Wont you take me to Anaheim where the sun is shining bright?
All the angels are clean shaven and the people snowy white
Where your prblems are all hidden and unhappiness forbidden
You will find salvation for modesty!

Climb in my Winnebago and if you will help with the gas
Then maybe we can finagle you a five or six day pass
May your afterlife be blessed just American Express it
Let Master Card and Visa set you free!

Oh, that Magic Kingdom in the sky
We will al be there together by and by! Mickey Mouse and all his friends will be there to meet us at the end
When we reach that Magic Kingdom in the Sky!

Oh, that Magic Kingdom in the sky!
Manufactured by that Uncle Walter guy!
We'll give thanks to that old geezer and we'll keep him in the freezer

When we reach that Magic Kingdom in the...sky!

2.04.2007

Hamster Part 23

GP died today, luckily we were able to get him out of the cage before he was cannibalized by the babies. That leaves 3 babies. I think Mark & Krista are going to take at least 2 of them, or maybe all 3.

The baby that looks like Kus Mark named "Yuki" which means "moon" in Japanese apparently.

Word of the Day

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

February 04, 2007: super bowl

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=super+bowl&defid=999839

The only show that makes me eager to watch the commercials.

Did you see the Reno 911 trailer during the Super Bowl? That movie's gonna
rock!!

2.03.2007

Pollock Drawings

This is a really neat (and addictive) site that lets you draw random ink blots with your mouse, depending on the speed, frequency & length of your mouse movements it produces different ink blots lines. Inspired by the painting of Jackson Pollock

http://jacksonpollock.org/

*oh and a tip, if you click your mouse the colour changes.

Wondering who Jackson Pollock was? I thought you might be... here's to Wiki for an answer!

"Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912August 11, 1956) was an influential American painter and a major force in the abstract expressionist movement. He died in a car accident near his home in Long Island, New York."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock

2.02.2007

Quote of the Day

"Illegitimi Non Carborundum"


""Don't let the bastards grind you down"

According to Safire's New Political Dictionary, this is "a pseudo-Latin phrase meaning 'don't let the bastards grind you down'. Small signs and plaques carrying this message have appeared in U.S. business offices and army posts for at least a generation, since General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell used it as his motto in World War II. Carborundum is a trademark for silicon carbide, a leading commercial grinding substance...In politics, the motto was popularized by 1964 Republican nominee Senator Barry Goldwater, who hung the sign in his office." (--from Safire's New Political Dictionary, p. 353)

Source: Safire, William Safire's New Political Dictionary : The Definitive Guide to the New Language of Politics Random House, New York, 1993. (R 320.03 Sa1)"

http://www.santacruzpl.org/readyref/files/a-b/bastard.shtml

2.01.2007

Watch TV Online

Here's a great site for those of you who, like me, are rebelling against the actually ownership of a cable package for your TV. Whether your motives be financial, locational, or simply due to the fact you "never watch TV", this is a great site for you.

Everyone has those "urges" to just veg from time to time and sometimes a 2 hour movies isn't what you are looking for in the way of vegging... enter online television.

This site offers links to TV shows online that you can watch from the comfort of your computer anytime you want.

http://www.alluc.org/alluc/

Pre-order Harry Potter

We must be at about the 6 month mark to the book release, I got the invite from Chapters to pre-order "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" The 7th (and final) Harry Potter book.

I love Harry Potter

July 21st, 2007!!!

Order it here.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/books-978155192976/1551929767/Harry-Potter-and-the-Deathly-Hallows?ref=Search+Books%3a+'Harry+Potter+and+the+Deathly+Hallows'