An honest to God beaver shot on every page!
| 2004/01/31 | |
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2.661 Upgraded to MovableType 2.661 successfully from 2.65. Not that anyone here would notice as I haven't converted over yet for the main blog. | |
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How safe are you? If I learned anything this week, it's the incredible amount of ignorance (meant in a good way) that people hold for their computers and how they work. Even supposedly intelligent people with graduate degrees and gargantuan salaries and prestige don't grasp it.Face it: the computer savvy are a minority. Most of the people out there are Blinking Twelves. It's not enough to know how to turn on your computer anymore. Nor is it enough to be able to dial in and get your email. It's especially not enough to be able to hop onto an "always on" broadband connection and go zipping around the Internet. It's like unzipping your pants and dropping the dipstick in every engine block that the IKEA parking lot. Eventually, you're going to get burned. Fact of the matter is that most people have no idea how vulnerable they are when they're online. These are the people that have no idea if they have even been infected with a virus. My firm has a mail quarantine for infected mail that requires users to request release of mail that they are expecting. I wish I'd kept stats on how many people requested mail that was infected by a virus despite the fact that the notification they got explicitly indicated that it had a virus, despite having been told in a firmwide email that there were viruses in the wild causing problems. It's frustrating. As computer professionals, we can only do so much to insulate our corporate users from the ills of the Internet, but what can you do when they seem so determined to screw themselves? The problem isn't technological. It's social. The requests we got were due in part to people not even bothering to read the notification and simply requesting a mail release out of habit. A great many others would say something along the lines of "I don't know who this is, but it may be important. Please forward it to me." Get a clue! We sent out email telling all of these users to expect mail like this, right down to the subject lines that would appear. There was information telling them that they should expect spoofed senders and that they would receive bounces from messages sent where they were spoofed as the senders. Yet the requests kept coming. If there's any consolation, the requests seemed to peter out toward the end of the week. Okay, I'm done. This rant brought to you by a week in the trenches and this article. | |
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Click-free Web Surfing Microsoft makes some pretty incredible products.[Please excuse me while I find a bucket to catch my dripping sarcasm.] Anyway, Microsoft makes some products, most of which do what you want them to do and a lot more. Some of them also do things you don't want them to do and usually without your knowledge. Let's test your knowledge. Did you know about this one: There is a flaw in Internet Explorer--not the margin thing I was grousing about earlier--where a URL can be faked or "spoofed" to make it appear that you are on one site while actually being on another. This flaw was reported at least as early as the first week of December. An exploit was making the rounds very soon thereafter, prevailing upon the recipient to verify personal information on Paypal.com. The site the victim entered such information was actually based in a Eastern European country. This week, Microsoft indicated it would do something to fix the problem. Maybe. Whatever, it's not done yet, but something will be done. The kicker, though, is this KnowledgeBase article on their support site. In it, they make such incredible claims as "the most effective step that you can take to help protect yourself from malicious hyperlinks is not to click them. Rather, type the URL of your intended destination in the address bar yourself." As a responsible computer professional, I would like to say that if you are reduced to manually typing each URL you wanted to visit in a browser, then that browser has failed you miserably in its implied feature set. The most effective step that you can take to help protect yourself from malicious hyperlinks is to use a browser that isn't susceptible to the exploit. Pick one: Apple Safari (Mac OS X only) Mozilla (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and many many others) Mozilla Firebird (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X) Mozilla Camino (Mac OS X only) Opera (Windows, Linux, Mac OS, OS/2, Solaris, FreeBSD, QNX, BeOS, Smartphone/PDA) As a side note, most--if not all--of these browsers offer built-in pop-up blockers. Unlike Internet Explorer. Plus, you'd get to see my new layout without the ire that I will direct at all the Internet Explorer on Windows users in a fit of displaced anger. | |
| 2004/01/29 | |
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One more reason to hate Microsoft I've been working on a layout refit for the website and decided to switch layout handling from tables to CSS. While it's slicker this way, there are some inherent problems... like browser compatibility.If you want to see what I'm talking about, the link to the development stuff is devo.cthb.org. It works in all the browsers I have loaded on my Panther-equipped TiBook. Admittedly, they're all the most recent versions of Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Mozilla. I don't have Netscape loaded, but will by tonight. The page looks fine on all of them. On the PC laptop, I have Internet Explorer 6.0 and the most recent versions of Netscape, Opera, Mozilla and even Mozilla Firebird. The page looks fine on all of them... Except Internet Explorer. If anyone can give me any insight (via email), I'd really appreciate it. At issue is the placement of the black banner bar and, potentially, the placement of the boxes. Here's how it should appear:
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| 2004/01/27 | |
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Keep It Loose All you Koreans out there (and other people, too), check out this ad for the Loose Fit Hanbok. The humour is in the cultural reference, so... your mileage may vary.While we're at it, Fobman, set at UCLA. This one's longer, with a lot more cultural references, produced for Korean Culture Night 2003. Uh, maybe it's an Asian thing. New True Talent is a non-profit Korean American film production and support group. They look like they do some pretty good work. Courtesy of Missy. | |
| 2004/01/26 | |
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Meme (More Involved): Physical Attraction Taking the usual memes and quizzes out there and kicking it up a notch, check out Match.com's "Physical Attraction Test.Based on academic studies, rather than the usual mojo slinging, it studies your choices in a series of tests and evaluates the data to determine what it believes is your Type. Much of this is based on facial features (body features, too, if you elect to do that part of the test). It came out with interesting results. Having never quantified what I like or don' t like, I can't vouch for the accuracy of the numbers, but in general it seemed to have my preferences identified. Apparently, I'm pretty unique. Sharing my tastes with only 10% of men, I'm usually attracted to non-mainstream appearances. I'm also very selective, with only 1% in my age group being this picky. At some point, I might post up a few of the "top hits", but since there is a side contest going on, it'll have to wait. I'm not entirely convinced that the result is accurate, but at the same time, I think it might be. For the large part, I think it's because it may be a realistic view on what's attainable. One of the questions, after all, was an assessment of which of the people that appealed to you were ones that you thought would be appealed to you. Of course, my self-esteem being what it is, that knocked out a lot of the "more attractive" women that I had picked. Not sure what that says about me, but I'm sure my stock just lost a few points somewhere. | |
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Foreign Nationals at the DMV If you're a foreign national--I'm on a work visa, but I'd extend this to people with Green Cards--make sure that you give your immigration information to the DMV in California when you apply for a licence. Failing to do so--they ask for the entry number on your I-94--will delay your application.I ran out my temporary licence--three months' worth--and had to apply for another temporary licence. As far as I know, the DMV is either very disorganised and failed to notify me that there was even any kind of problem with establishing legal status or they're so backed up that they haven't gotten to it yet. Apparently there's some kind of backlog as I heard on the radio this morning that expired vehicle registrations wouldn't be ticketed because there was some kind of delay. Like my experience in New Jersey, I'd guess it would be easier for me to get a gun (legally). Anyone want me to find out? | |
| 2004/01/25 | |
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Empty Nest Syndrome The last of the house guests leaves tonight. On the one hand, it is a relief, because it means there will be some peace and quiet around the house again. On the other, I feel melancholic. It's like a tonne of energy drained out of here one by one as people who were staying here for their winter breaks or here on vacation have all gone their separate ways.Makes me wish I still had my cats with me right now. | |
| 2004/01/21 | |
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Do you need a girlfriend? If you would like a girlfriend, albeit an imaginary one, for six weeks, check out this auction. Letters every week, a Valentine's card, and a letter begging you to take her back. What more do you want?Courtesy of Garenyth. | |
| 2004/01/20 | |
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Yet Another Test Check out the nerd test. I scored a miserable 30.95%. Maybe I should turn in my card.Courtesy of Delanrianteriel. | |
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Once More With Hobbits I suspect someone on my blog list has probably posted this already, but I saw it first elsewhere so... Once More With Hobbits, a fusion of the Lord of the Rings and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Courtesy of Zed. | |
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Addictively Stupid Game How far can you hit the penguin? 490.3.Update: 587.1. Update: The link appears to have been removed from the original server. Found another copy that might work, though. Courtesy of Alicha. | |
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Imperial Stupidity When you get in trouble with a joke you made with airport security, it's highly advisable not to repeat it twice more. I'm amazed that this student could be so stupid as to joke that she had three bombs in her backpack and continue to joke about it when confronted by officials.So she sits in a Miami jail until 6 Feb unless she can post bond and could get up to a year for the misdemeanor. Come fly the friendly skies. It's the ground that's nasty. | |
| 2004/01/17 | |
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"Repatriation" It's 4:30 a.m. and this evening started about nine hours ago when I started to help with the cooking for what was billed as an Anime/Singles/Welcome party. I have no idea what that means, really, except that I suspected it would involve anime (Japanese cartoons), single people, and some kind of welcome.That's not entirely true. I had an idea of what it was going to be. Originally, the evening was going to be an anime party, where a bunch of single people could mingle together, though I think the planners (Soo Sun and Jamie) had a specific pair of people in mind. That changed when Jin Kyoung arranged to have Kim Dong-won of South Korea to show his documentary and speak. Kim Dong-won. South Korea. Documentary. What's so special about that? Would it make a difference if I said the the documentary was "Repatriation", which will have its North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Monday? Aside from the stress of accommodating the sudden change of plans--it was somewhat tense in the household Thursday night--the night went really well. Those that came early were able to mingle and watch some anime and the documentary didn't start until 10 p.m. or so. There was a long discussion with the film maker afterwards and even more discussion around a bonfire in the back yard until about 4 a.m. Throughout, there was lots of food available and people were stunned at the quantity and quality. For our parts, as hosts, we were stunned by the turnout. At one point, we had nearly all of one room packed with people with quite a bit of bleed over into a second room while the documentary was showing. We had a VCR hooked up to a projector and a nice expanse of wall which made for easy viewing from a lot of locations in the house. All in all, it was a very enjoyable and enlightening night. If you get a chance to see the documentary, do so. The subject matter pertains to North Korean spies and their life after prison and eventual repatriation to North Korea, but much of the story is about the sheer force of will and integrity that these men had, despite their terrible treatment at the hands of South Koreans. And now, sleep. | |
| 2004/01/15 | |
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Meme: 100 Movies Take a list of 100 movies and bold the ones you've seen. I've gone a little further and underlined the ones I own but haven't seen or want to see and italicized the ones I've seen parts of.Altogether, a miserable total of 18 seen, 7 partials, and 20 on the to see list. The rest I don't really care about. 1. Godfather, The (1972) 2. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) 3. Godfather: Part II, The (1974) 4. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) 5. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) 6. Casablanca (1942) 7. Schindler's List (1993) 8. Shichinin no samurai (1954) (The Seven Samurai) 9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) 10. Citizen Kane (1941) 11. Star Wars (1977) 12. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 13. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 14. Rear Window (1954) 15. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 17. Memento (2000) 18. Usual Suspects, The (1995) 19. Pulp Fiction (1994) 20. North by Northwest (1959) 21. Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain, Le (2001) (Amelie) 22. Psycho (1960) 23. 12 Angry Men (1957) 24. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 25. Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) 26. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) 27. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 28. Goodfellas (1990) 29. American Beauty (1999) 30. Vertigo (1958) 31. Sunset Blvd. (1950) 32. Pianist, The (2002) 33. Matrix, The (1999) 34. Apocalypse Now (1979) 35. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 36. Some Like It Hot (1959) 37. Taxi Driver (1976) 38. Paths of Glory (1957) 39. Third Man, The (1949) 40. C'era una volta il West (1968) 41. Fight Club (1999) 42. Boot, Das (1981) 43. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001) (Spirited Away) 44. Double Indemnity (1944) 45. L.A. Confidential (1997) 46. Chinatown (1974) 47. Singin' in the Rain (1952) 48. Requiem for a Dream (2000) 49. Maltese Falcon, The (1941) 50. M (1931) 51. All About Eve (1950) 52. Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957) 53. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 54. Se7en (1995) 55. Saving Private Ryan (1998) 56. Cidade de Deus (2002) (what is this?) 57. Raging Bull (1980) 58. Wizard of Oz, The (1939) 59. Rashemon (1950) 60. Sting, The (1973) 61. American History X (1998) 62. Alien (1979) 63. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) 64. Leon (The Professional) (1994) 65. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 66. Vita bella, La (1997) (Life Is Beautiful) 67. Touch of Evil (1958) 68. Manchurian Candidate, The (1962) 69. Wo hu cang long (2000) (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) 70. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948) 71. Great Escape, The (1963) 72. Clockwork Orange, A (1971) 73. Reservoir Dogs (1992) 74. Annie Hall (1977) 75. Amadeus (1984) 76. Jaws (1975) 77. Ran (1985) 78. On the Waterfront (1954) 79. Modern Times (1936) 80. High Noon (1952) 81. Braveheart (1995) 82. Apartment, The (1960) 83. Sixth Sense, The (1999) 84. Fargo (1996) 85. Aliens (1986) 86. Shining, The (1980) 87. Blade Runner (1982) 88. Strangers on a Train (1951) 89. Duck Soup (1933) 90. Metropolis (1927) 91. Finding Nemo (2003) 92. Donnie Darko (2001) 93. Toy Story 2 (1999) 94. Princess Bride, The (1987) 95. General, The (1927) 96. City Lights (1931) 97. Lola rennt (1998) (Run Lola Run) 98. Full Metal Jacket (1987) 99. Notorious (1946) 100. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957) Courtesy of Jack. | |
| 2004/01/09 | |
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Year End Survey A meme, of sorts, received through email:What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before? Make a room full of people cry Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any for 2003 and didn't for 2004 What countries did you visit? Canada, just long enough to turn around and get a work visa What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003? A girlfriend? What date(s) from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 26 April - Soo Sun and Henry's wedding 11 September - Day I moved out to Los Angeles 15 September - Start date of my new job 13 December - My best Vegas memory (no details) What was your biggest achievement of the year? Leaving New York and moving to Los Angeles What was your biggest failure? Writing off a friend after a falling out Did you suffer illness or injury? Diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome in February, a condition where a tightening of muscles in the buttock pinches the sciatic nerve, causing significant pain; the problem was resolved with physiotherapy What was the best thing you bought? A plane ticket to Los Angeles for Soo Sun, the beginning of an series of events Where did most of your money go? Living expenses; I didn't have significant income for 3/4 of the year What did you get really, really, really excited about? Moving to Los Angeles; winning big in Las Vegas; having someone break through the barriers to touch my heart, however briefly What song(s) will always remind you of 2003? None, really Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? happier; new adventures, new friends ii. thinner or fatter? fatter; don't walk as much anymore iii. richer or poorer? richer; job vs. no job What do you wish you'd done more of? Spend time with Sarah What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying about money Did you fall in love in 2003? Yes How many one-night stands? None What was your favorite TV program? Didn't have access to television all year Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No What was the best book you read? Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" What were your greatest musical discoveries? Ozomatli What did you want and get? A job, the rest was all fluff What was your favorite film of this year? Return of the King What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Turning 29, I went out to a nice dinner at Smith and Wollensky with Katyia, after passing a Microsoft certification exam What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having the money to enjoy my time off What kept you sane? The incredible generosity of all of my friends Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Adriana Lima Who did you miss? Ron Who was the best new person you met? Carlos Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003: Things happen for a reason and it may not be the reason you thought it would be. You can try to plan your life, but ultimately, all you can do is roll with the punches. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I couldn't sleep at all last night 'Cause I had too much on my mind. I want to leave it all behind, But you know it's not that easy, But it's just one night. -- "Consequence Free," Great Big Sea | |
| 2004/01/08 | |
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Bring out your dead Everyone handles death a different way. While this may seem like a lead-in to talk about the way people handle grief, it's not. It's really about something specific, which I'm only going to refer to vaguely.This morning, I received a memo under mysterious circumstances--mysterious insofar as I don't normally receive memos, so it was pretty out of the ordinary--that informed me that one of my colleagues had been "found dead" at home. With wording like that, speculation was rampant throughout the day, though always at lowered voice levels. Everyone had their opinions, many of the gravitating toward a couple of possibilities. Somehow, that seemed acceptable. It was okay to speculate, given the circumstances. It wasn't the most comfortable place to be, but it wasn't so bad. What surprised me about all of this, though, was that I honestly felt better about the whole situation when the man's fate was left to speculation, rather than concretely revealed to us in a late-afternoon email. Now I feel bad. There was a level of separation in the abstraction and, in that, there was comfort. Clearly there are others around here that knew him better than I and it feels weird to be "outside" of the commiserating. I feel cold, like I should be able to sigh and bring up memories or something and lament his passing, but ultimately one thing sticks in my mind: I didn't know the man and had no connection to him. Anything I could possibly say would feel very generic and empty and, for some strange reason, I feel like I should be able to offer something more. It could be something comforting or insightful, perhaps, but that is not to be. I have nothing. | |
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Those Cheeseheads... Leave it to those wild Sheboyganites in Wisconsin to put themselves in this predicament. My only question is why didn't they use the claw to get the boy out?Courtesy of Sungwon. | |
| 2004/01/06 | |
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Bring 'em on! Moveon.org is sponsoring a political advertising contest called Bush in 30 Seconds. It's "intended to bring new talent and new messages into the world of mainstream political advertising. [They're] looking for the ad that best explains what this President and his policies are really about -- in only 30 seconds."My personal favourite? "What are we teaching our children?" Courtesy of Gryfen. | |
