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Happy 7 years of this blogging

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Readers, I’ve been blogging in earnest for seven years, as of today.  Strange, I know, that it happens to fall on September 11th.  So what was I up to seven years ago?  Reading through the dead posts on my “nickblog” account on Blogger, it seems that I was:

  • excited about Dusty integrating a blog for me into the now defunct AResultofBoredom.org
  • about to be ripped off for 850 college-student dollars for a never-delivered Sony VAIO
  • questioning one of many truly stupid decisions perpetuated by my high school/college girlfriend
  • preparing to embark on a job interview at the Moxie cafe in West Halls

I can actually remembering hammering out that first post on Blogger, if you can believe it.  Just me and the 2400c/180 in my first dorm room.   I had been writing for an indeterminate amount of time using Blogger and HTML-based web pages.  (Probably back to at least 2000.) But I can’t find any of these materials, so we are going to have to call 9/11/02 the beginning.

So, happy blog-day to me.  Thanks for reading.

Random Object Generator

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Installment #6:

DSC_0013

What is it? carved Chinese box

What’s its deal? souvenir from Beth to me following her journey across China (sometimes on camel)

Where does it live? atop of a stack of books on the ladder-style bookshelf in the living room

Any notable facts? this box is empty inside, though it seems like it would be the perfect size for something…

Gag me. Now.

Rant, Unexplained by

The fact that Ted Nugent has a hunting cabin near my home, making him a favorite of my dad and his buddies only adds to how infuriating the existence of this event is to me:

Verizon Wireless Sponsors Anti-Energy Bill, Right Wing Event

It’s like, can Verizon make itself look any more evil?  Align itself any more with the WalMart, phone holster and buckshot crowd? Can the rally attendees be any more the stereotype of themselves?  “God gave us the right to keep and bear arms?”  Seriously?

(Thanks, NewsJunkiePost.)

Update: Ironically, this is post number 1776, according to WordPress’s numbering.

Loose change on global currency

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You may remember that, after the global recession hit full swing, some curious news reports about creating a single global currency began to surface.  Well, from rumors to a report by the United Nations itself, the single international bank concept is gaining traction.  Here’s the latest from Bloomberg:

UN countries should agree on the creation of a global reserve bank to issue the currency and to monitor the national exchange rates of its members, the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development said today in a report.

Almoste makes me want to head up to Pittsburgh for the G20, just to hang out in hotel bars and listen in on the latest gossip.

Banksy mural more than half painted over

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Wow, if this doesn’t smack of a Douglas Adams-level of beauracracy in action, I don’t know what does.  As reported by the BBC:

Blur Banksy is ruined by mistake

What a terrible waste of a fantastic piece of art.  Truly shameful.  Reminds me of this passage from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:

“But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months.”

“Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn’t exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything.”

“But the plans were on display …”

“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”

“That’s the display department.”

“With a flashlight.”

“Ah, well the lights had probably gone.”

“So had the stairs.”

“But look, you found the notice didn’t you?”

“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”

Random Object Generator

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Installment #5:

DSC_0021

What is it? tiny glass cat

What’s its deal? gift from my cousin to me on my way into college

Where does it live? above the kitchen sink, below the leaves of whatever plants I’m rooting at the moment

Any notable facts? this cousin and I no longer speak

Jade green Apples

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Sometimes, in my daily life, the fact that Apple is relatively special as a company escapes me. Working with Macs and other Apple products left and right at my work and at home does tend to shift my perception of what is normal in the world of gadgetry. In fact, the problems that I find to be incredibly annoying often center around the shortcomings of my fruit-flavored gizmos. Friends, I’m jaded about Apple. I’ll admit it.

But, once in awhile, I’m reminded of how good I have it. Owen asked me today what he’d have to buy to in order for his fiancée’s computer to support Danish when she arrives here from Denmark. Without missing a beat, I told him that he’d simply have to turn on the Danish language, select a Danish keyboard layout and plug in a Danish keyboard that she’d brought with her from Denmark. Then, I proceeded to mentally lament the fact that she can’t just buy a Danish Apple keyboard here in the States. Woe!

Whoa. Thinking about it a bit further, I just realized that not only does Apple make hundreds of keyboard layouts perfectly compatible with their operating system for no charge, but they also make dozens of translations of their operating system available for non-English speaking users. Further, they sell versions of their hardware tailored for regions around the world when they could just as easily half-ass it with slapping a few different keycaps in and calling it a day. Or no-ass it with just one ‘merican version of their products that those slavish foreigners have to make due with.

So, for just a moment, I’m going to be completely happy with Apple again. Just today.