BunkBlog

Strange how different technologies can change how you approach daily life. I have a high-speed, always-on internet connection at home. So, I don’t get the paper and rarely watch TV news at home.

When I need a phone number, if it’s local I’ll grab my phone book. If it’s anywhere else, I just open Infospace or Yahoo and find it.

TV guide? Don’t need it, got Gist instead.

When asked what time the mall opens, my first instinct was to jump online to see their website. Everyone has a website, right? That’s where I run into problems living here in BFE: not every major company HAS a site. It’s inconceivable!

When I was running Linux fulltime, I didn’t even have to “check” my email: it was downloaded in the background every 5 minutes. Then, the little Gkrellm program showed me who had sent me the mail before I even had to open an email program to see.

Using a dialup connection now seems so quaint.
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current_mood: bored

Why are there so darned many Canadians on Live Journal? I realize it’s a full-sized country and all, but it seems the Canucks are represented pretty darned strongly here.

Of course, one of my more . . . adventuresome friends tells me there are a lot of online swingers that are from Canada, so maybe it’s just cold and dull? I know I’m gonna get hit for that one.
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current_mood: curious

39 days
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Someone needs to find the moron in charge of scripting my life and slap him. Keeps changing things in the middle of the scene…
current_music: LL Cool J - Phenomenon
current_mood: bitchy

OK, now 70% of the hits on my site are on the Lianna XXXmas Archive. I’ve noticed a few things about LJ users while looking at my weblogs…

You are some Apple-using fools! I usually get more Linux users than Mac users, but today I’ve got about 20% of my hits from Macs. That’s odd.
You like 32-bit color, apparently, and 800×600 resolution. Don’t know why that is, except maybe the aforementioned Mac users being artsy-fartsy types. But, 800×600 res? Ick. At least use 1024×768. Geez.

Anyway, I’m well on my way to getting more traffic in the past 2 days than in the previous 2 weeks, so I hope you all like the rest of my little corner of the web too, and aren’t just looking for nekkid parts. If all you want is nudity, check out Daily Smut once a day (probably could have figured that out from the name, eh?).

Apple Nude Year…
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current_mood: silly

As if Am I Hot or Not wasn’t bad enough, we now have Bangable to further reduce people to a simple 10-point scale.

Bangable? WTF?
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Saturday -

There are some strange new businesses popping up in cyber-land. One that I recently became familiar with is Customatix. They make unique shoes. That’s right, they’ll produce a pair of nice comfy new shoes designed just for you, to your specs. I first saw the company named in Wired, and after checking out some of their references, I bought me a pair of shoes. I figure I might as well, I needed new running shoes anyway (shut up Walt), and the company will possibly end up bankrupt and gone in a year like most startups. Gotta strike while the iron is hot, and all that.

So, how’d they do? I ordered them on the 11th, they were shipped on the 15th, and (UPS blows for West Texas) I got them on the 21st. Apparently "2nd Day Air" means something completely foreign to UPS.

But, what do you really want to see, but pictures. So, here is the image that the handy-dandy Customatix Java applet produced:

And, these are the shoes as photographed by my Canon digital camera:

Although I did wear them a bit before I took the photo, you can see they’re pretty close to what the screen showed before I plunked down my credit card. The "royal blue" webbing is a bit less vibrant, and the "navy" soles are not terribly cerulean, but overall it’s a good match. Maybe if the web had a standard for color-matching we’d be good. And, yes, the left shoe does say Andy on the back.

The shoes are quite comfortable, they came with a second set of laces (in a less vivid shade of blue), and they come with a money-back guarantee if they turn out horrible or the wrong size.

I can’t imagine this business model can be profitable as yet, since the shoes cost about the same as good running shoes in a store, but there is no economy of scale. We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m thinking that I need some new boots too…

OK, I’ve had a few people now ask me if I’ve got a copy of the infamous “Brad the Cad” email from Britain. Oddly, I hadn’t looked for it until they asked. But, naturally (I’m so smoove), I was able to acquire a copy (thank you DejaNews). So, without much further ado and such, here is the email in question, with a whole shitload of forwards.

Isabel Lilley on 14/12/2000 11:05:09

Subject: Eureka

poor girl !!!
13/12/2000 10:54

How’s this for surreal…

My best friend lives in L.A., where there is a radio station named KROQ that put out a rather peculiar Xmas CD that is only available at Wherehouse in the Los Angeles area. Naturally, as a misplaced Angeleno, I downloaded the KROQ Slim Santa CD when it was posted on Usenet.

Now, the CDs are sold out in L.A, and I have burned a copy to send to the city of origin, and I’m in Texas. The CD isn’t available here, but I’m the source of Holiday Joy.

Damn, I’m smoove.
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current_mood: silly

My new Pine MP3 player showed up today, only 1 hour after I got the email telling me it had shipped. SWEEET! Very nice toy for me.

And, in other news, my computer is a steaming pile of waste that is about to explode. When I hit the power switch the other day, it took 10 seconds before the power actually came on. That can’t be good. So, I ordered a new machine from Micron today. More power! Merry f-ing Xmas to me!
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current_mood: giddy

Does everyone need to go to a shrink, and some just don’t? Or, is it just everyone I know?
current_music: Metallica - Master of Puppets
current_mood: tired

For the first time ever, I’ve lost the extra proficiency pay the army gives me for being a qualified Korean linguist. Good thing I’m getting out in 56 days…
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current_mood: apathetic

So, I got the check for my first commission as a graphics designer this week. Woohoo! Something else to put on the resume, besides “dumb army fuck”.

And, if you aren’t a Slashdot reader (aka, a cretin), the fine web browser Opera is now free for Windoze users, with an ad banner. Add this to Eudora’s ad-supported new version, and you have two great programs that will allow you to do email and web stuff much faster than the Microsoft equivalents, and not open yourself up to MS-specific bugs (or are they features?). Choices are good.
current_music: Wendy and Lisa - Closing Of The Year
current_mood: accomplished

Ah, to be able to tell the army that I don’t feel like working today, I’ll be spending it in bed. But, no, must be off to do the responsible thing. damn
current_music: Linkin Park - My December
current_mood: groggy

You must go see this movie.

I’ve not seen Sixth Sense, so I can’t compare Shyamalan’s previous work to his new film, but Unbreakable is a fantastic movie. Love the eye for detail throughout, the absolutely sumptious camera work, the muted pace and absolutely out-of-left-field ending.

Have I made it clear yet? Go see Unbreakable, now.
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