Random
catdynamics | November 3, 2008Scalzi explains things.
Carefully and beautifully.
'cause linking is an intrinsic good.
catdynamics | November 3, 2008This is a public service announcement:
not sure what to get people for the holidays?
FSP has the answer
it is trendy, but obscure and geeky. The perfect gift or self-indulgence.
I want FSP Oven Gloves.
Because links are an intrinsic good.
catdynamics | November 2, 2008My cousin got a beer bottle smashed over his head last month.
He was traveling in Europe with a friend, and some british lads found out they were Icelandic and decided to take out some interest on them.
So, the Icelandic banking system imploded over a few days, recently.
The collateral damage from that is rippling through western Europe and was in small part a trigger for the ongoing banking crisis worldwide.
All (three) of Iceland's commercial banks were nationalized, the stock exchange was closed and fell about 3/4 when it re-opened, as a consequence of financial stocks reopening at zero.…
rallain | November 1, 2008I have been meaning to post something useful lately, but I am currently at the southeastern section of the APS. Anyway, I saw [this link on digg](http://www.hyperevo.com/new%20site/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1225…)
Apparently there is a message in the source code on the digg page. Funny stuff.
catdynamics | October 31, 2008Gorgeous autumnal friday, as we enjoy better living through chemistry...
So, Oh Mighty iPod One, modulo the unpredictable vagaries of human actions, can we expect any major surprises in these first 3 or 4 days of November? Anyone going to kick the table over?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Luktar-Gvendur - Björk
The Crossing: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra: Theme Percussion
The Crown: Recitar!... Vesti la giubba - Pavarotti
The Root: Panorama (Andantino) - Tchaikovsky
The Past: From a Vauxhall Velox - Billy Bragg
The Future: He Who Would Valium Take - Half Man…
catdynamics | October 31, 2008Apparently while I was away Gov. Palin came to town, again, and held a ticket only rally on the Penn State campus.
This is all well and good, many of the candidates have come to campus and held rallies both during the primaries and the presidential campaign. The campus has suitable facilities, experience and available security arrangements, and providing a forum is a public service within the university's mission.
(In fact the lesser munchkin paused the other day, on a beautiful sunny afternoon walking across campus by the Old Main lawn, and said "Where's the Obama Show? This is where the…
catdynamics | October 30, 2008firegdoglake has an interesting story
"go right ahead boys"
"...What [he's] hearing from very trustworthy sources whom I've known for years is that the Syrians have completely withdrawn their forces from the border."
This could be problematic.
Damascus has cut off diplomatic relations with Baghdad.
Syria comment has report that Syria has reduced its border forces
Haaretz confirms withdrawal of Syrian border guards
catdynamics | October 29, 2008The editors endorse Barack Obama for President in the upcoming US Presidential elections.
Readall about it here
catdynamics | October 26, 2008the US is not positioned to launch any attacks in the Middle East this week before the election
for several years, one item worth pondering was whether Bush and Cheney would attempt to take out Iran's nuclear capability.
Time is running out, the next new moon is this week, and the election is imminent.
An attack would scramble the political situation, possibly turning the election, or not.
After this month we run into thanksgiving and christmas, and I don't see the US Armed Forces launching an attack the week before inauguration of a new President.
But, the USS Roosevelt is alone in the Gulf…
catdynamics | October 24, 2008frazzled autumnal friday
we stagger to the iPod and ask - capitulation coming?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Super Powers - Alpha Blondy
The Crossing: Brain Stew - Green Day
The Crown: Girl Trouble - Violent Femmes
The Root: Break Down the Door - Special AKA
The Past: It's Going To Happen - Undertones
The Future: Train in Vain (Stand By Me) - Clash
The Questioner: I Wanna Be Your Dog - Stooges
The House:Higgledy Piggledy Pop
The Inside:Lullaby
The Outcome: Tortured, Tangled Hearts - Dixie Chicks
Panic?
Oh crap.
Panic!
HREF="http://preposterousuniverse.blogspot.com/…
catdynamics | October 20, 2008US banks setting aside $70 billion for year end bonuses.
We conclude Bank of America is overgenerous and JP Morgan are cheap bastards.
from Grauniad:
"...Citigroup, [...], accrued $25.9bn for salaries and bonuses, an increase on the previous year of 4%. Earlier this week the bank accepted a $25bn investment by the US government as part of its bail-out plan.
At Goldman Sachs the figure was $11.4bn, Morgan Stanley $10.73bn, JP Morgan $6.53bn and Merrill Lynch $11.7bn."
It was just a week ago that we got the following:
Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase were told they would each get $25 billion; Bank…
catdynamics | October 18, 2008For a couple of hours on friday night, I got to feel like I was 18 again.
Billy Bragg was in town, playing the the State Theatre, before going on to Ithaca, where is playing the State Theatre tonight, strangely enough.
Billy was on form.
Mostly political Billy, not so much the romantic Billy, but funny and engaging, not the angry Billy.
I first saw Billy Bragg in concert at the Student Union at Sussex in the autumn of 1983. It was the first gig of an extraordinary lineup of up-and-coming bands that the Ents Committee had managed to book, best year since they got this unknown american "…
rallain | October 17, 2008This is not a "fix-it" blog. However, I think the Internet should be a useful friendly place. Think about the times you have had a problem. The Internet has been there for you - right? I remember not too long ago, I was trying to set up iChat video chat with my brother-in-law and his brand new iMac. I was 3 states away and it was getting frustrated. In the end, my friend the Internet helped me. Problem solved. Everyone one has found a perfect solution for a particular problem on the Internet - right? So, this bud's for you Mr. Post-obscure-stuff-in-the-hopes-that-at-least-one-person-…