Category Archives: Idiocy

But isn’t that what the Web is for?

The Terms of Use for the site yobi.tv includes the following (the emphasis is mine): 8. RESTRICTIONS ON USE You may use this Site only for purposes expressly permitted by this Site. You may not use this Site for any … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy, Internet | 1 Comment

Captcha this!

I have trouble with a lot of those “captcha” systems.  When the letters are oddly curved, run together, or otherwise obscured, I have a tough time.  I thought this one wouldn’t be so tough, though.  Until I saw the note, “it … Continue reading

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Ram it through!

If you’ve had any doubts about the President’s previous commitment to bipartisanship and open government, you can put them to rest.  His recent actions make it clear that he will do anything to get some kind of health care bill … Continue reading

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Behind closed doors

In a thinly reported move the other day, House and Senate Democratic leaders decided to “fast track” coming up with a compromise health care bill.  Rather than forming the usual conference committee that includes members from both parties, the fast … Continue reading

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Still more on the CRU flap

I guess it was to be expected.  It’s nearly impossible to find reasoned discussion of the “Climategate” issue.  For example, Curtis Brainard’s Hacked E-mails and “Journalistic Tribalism” in Columbia Journalism Review is a pretty even handed look at the major … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy | 3 Comments

More on Climategate

A few more comments about “Climategate”: The released files in question were not “hacked” from the CRU’s computers. Somebody (still anonymous) who worked there collected that information and posted it on a public bulletin board site where it was picked … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy | 1 Comment

Inside Global Warming

You’ve probably heard by now about what the press is calling “Climategate”:  the release of internal emails and documents from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia University that reveal some questionable practices on the part of climate researchers.  Those … Continue reading

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Risk of death

I sometimes wonder if newspaper reporters and editors actually think about their use of language.  I’m not talking about obscure grammar or punctuation rules, but larger issues like what words actually mean.  Nowhere is this more evident than in newspaper … Continue reading

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Budget neutral?

In a speech before a joint session of Congress in September, the President said that his “preferred” package for health care finance reform legislation would carry a price tag of around $900 billion. He also said that he will not … Continue reading

Posted in Finance, Idiocy | Comments Off

Another look at Cash for Clunkers

A few weeks ago I said that Cash for Clunkers is a wreck.  Now that the program has ended, let’s see the results. The people responsible for Cash for Clunkers are hailing its success.  I’m still having trouble understanding what … Continue reading

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Yahoo! Mail customer care stinks

I am currently engaged in a week-long struggle with Yahoo! Mail’s “customer care” about an email that they’re blocking.  Since the beginning of the year, my server has been sending a daily report about crawler performance to me and to … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy, Internet | 3 Comments

“Cash for Clunkers” is a wreck

President Obama and those members of Congress who approved the cash for clunkers program as part of the most recent war funding bill are celebrating today and telling us how they knew that it “would work.”  What’s their definition of … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy, Rants | 1 Comment

Wrap Rage

We’ve all experienced it, the anger and frustration that ensues when we try to open one of those clamshell packages that contain whatever new geegaw we picked up.  You can’t open it with your bare hands.  Normal office scissors are … Continue reading

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Horde’s Idiotic Email Interface

I use Horde for my web-based email here at mischel.com.  Not because I particularly like it, but because it’s the best of the three options I’m given by my ISP.  The other two options are Squirrel Mail (aptly tagged “Webmail … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy, User Interface | 1 Comment

Paranoia

Our amateur radio club is in the process of starting another class for people interested in getting their ham radio license.  One of the more difficult tasks is finding a place to hold the classes.  We need a room that’ll … Continue reading

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More bailout madness

In a very thinly reported move last week, the Federal Reserve announced that it will spend up to $600 billion buying up obligations of government-sponsored enterprises, and mortgage backed securities, many of which were the original targets of the $700 … Continue reading

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Copying large files on Windows

Warning:  copying very large files (larger than available memory) on Windows will bring your computer to a screeching halt. Let’s say you have a 60 gigabyte file on Computer A that you wish to copy to Computer B.  Both Computer … Continue reading

Posted in Computers, Idiocy | 5 Comments

Just say “No” to the bailout

Have you read the text of the Bush Administration’s proposed 700 billion dollar bailout of financial institutions?  If you don’t want to wade through the three-page proposal (although it is written in reasonably clear English), this summary will tell you … Continue reading

Posted in Finance, Idiocy | 5 Comments

The Last Sucker Theory

Join me in a little thought experiment. Seal a 100 dollar bill in an envelope, affix a price tag to the envelope, and write $110 on it.  Then put it up for sale, telling potential buyers that if they spend … Continue reading

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Hurricane Rescue

Almost every year during monsoon season in the Phoenix area, some idiot will drive around a barricade and attempt to cross a flooded low water crossing. In most cases, search and rescue workers are successful in plucking the occupants from … Continue reading

Posted in Idiocy, Rants | 2 Comments