Geek Miscellany

I was reading a story today about France outlawing headscarves and other religious symbols in their schools. The stance being taken is that these types of symbols divide people and, instead of teaching tolerance, encourage cultural isolation. (more…)

My reaction when I read about Saddam Hussein being captured was to say “about bloody time”.

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My wife's (Irene) parents came over from Victoria to visit this past weekend. Irene's Aunt from Zimbabwe was also here, staying at Judith's (Irene's *other* aunt) home. Simultaneously, friends from Edmonton (Hi, Janet and Gord!) were in town.

Right off the bat, anyone who really knows me will realize that all these people, despite the fact I love them all, are a problem for me. You see, I'm anti-social...
I've trained myself through years of practice to not visibly panic when faced with a social situation. Now I safely internalize all of that uncertainty and fear. Well, more or less safely...

Don't get me wrong: I'm not like some people who go off the deep end in a social situation. I do okay. I just am not a "natural", and when its all over, I feel like I've done something very strenuous...like the Grouse Grind...twice...wearing a 50 kilogram pack.

So now the house is quiet. The visiting is done, the uncomfortable silences when I wonder if I should say something, the awkward moments when I'm not sure whether a handshake or a hug is in order, and end up doing both and bonking my head or something...all of those little things the socially inept like myself worry about. Funny thing is, I sort of miss all the people...

I've got to tell you...I am getting a little sick and tired of spam email. You know, all that "V!agra c.heap!", "E.n.large your m&anhood", and "E.xxtreme h&amster S.E.X.X!" crap that clutters your inbox.

I have two different spam filters, and receive an average of 80 email messages a day...of which six pass through my filters, and four are legitimate email messages. The pathetic lowlifes who send this barrage of crap into my life are beneath any contempt. Lengthy sessions in jail with V!agra overdosed E.n.Larged cellmates would be appropriate. I also think there should be a special hell reserved for the businesses that fund these spammers, and the ISPs that turn a blind eye to their activities.

But I think it is possible to go too far ...
The gentleman in the linked story here who sent threats to the people who distributed his particular spam is probably a good example of a man pushed too far. Threatening terrorism (distribution of anthrax) or violence against specific spammers is not really the best course of action.

What can we do, then? Well, start with what I did: filter the heck out of the crap coming into your inbox. Then never respond to a single SPAM message, and certainly don't click on any embedded links. And push your local legislator to make distribution of spam illegal, and to implement fines (and serious ones) against ISPs who permit their infrastructure to be used for spam distribution, and to businesses that contract for SPAM advertising.

To me, getting a little bit of advertising, wanted or not, in my inbox is tolerable- something like all the adverts I get in my postal mail, which account for maybe 20% of what is in my postal inbox each day. But when unwanted advertising accounts for 90% of what comes to my electronic inbox each day, and particularly when it borders between obscene and grotesquely disgusting...well, its time to look at laws to do something about it.

I live in a coastal rainforest region. We had a dry summer this year, and water rationing including anti-sprinkling bans, which is really unusual.

It started raining pretty heavily this week, which is great. It got a little out of hand, though. Its a reminder of that old cliche, it never rains, but it pours… (more…)

There are people out there who really renew my faith in Darwinism. People who forcefully and surgically remove themselves from the gene pool through their own basic ignorance, stupidity, or plain bad judgement.

Normally, though, these people are somewhere "far, far away". Today, however, I came across an article in the paper edition of our little local paper (the Now newspaper).

It seems a fellow really, really wanted some copper wire...

So much so, in fact, that he broke into a CN Rail Yard, snuck stealthily about, and then grabbed onto his prey with a viper's grip. Unfortunately, the bare copper wire he grabbed was attached to a running generator...and was carrying over 27,000 volts at several amps at the time.

The resulting blast blew his boots off, and inflicted second degree burns to over 50% of his body. He was arrested without incident.

Here's a scan of the report...

There is a sad story today from New York regarding a city councillor there being gunned down in council chambers.

There is all sorts of irony to this story, but the thing that makes me shake my head is how the American news reporters seemed to miss the biggest irony...

The councillor who was shot, James E. Davis, supposedly was a "crusader against urban violence". But according to the story...

Davis, 41, a former police officer, was carrying a concealed 9mm handgun, but police officials said he never had a chance to draw his own weapon during the 2 p.m. attack.

Equally ironic...

''It's clear that Mr. Askew (the murderer) came in as the guest of James Davis and got around the magnetometer with James Davis,'' Bloomberg said.

...
"Bloomberg said he and councilors routinely bypassed the metal detectors, a practice the mayor vowed would end immediately."

So...the crusader against urban violence carried a concealed 9mm handgun and regularly bypassed the metal detectors around city hall...and was gunned down by a man carrying a 40 caliber handgun he escorted himself around the same metal detectors.

Its ironic that the anti-urban violence guy was gunned down. But to me, its a lot more ironic that he was carrying a concealed gun at the time, and that he regulary bypassed a security system intended to detect things like concealed guns. Crazy Americans...