Recent Posts

1951

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 21, 2013, 03:31 AM »

^ Not an image that I think I want in my head...  

-Renegade (September 21, 2013, 03:12 AM)

Too bad! The Bible is the Word of God and God hath commanded you to think ... long and hard ... upon those things!

1952

Living Room / Re: Do you like short films? Of course you do! Shortoftheweek.com

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 21, 2013, 01:00 AM »

Wow that film makes me tired of living!

1953

Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 21, 2013, 12:48 AM »

Meanwhile I am reading Great Moments in Modern Chess by Reuben Fine ... from 1948! That was when chess was fresh and new, and WWII was an important recent concluding episode.

It is also early enough that some of the games actually played out the tropes that are unstated in "today's" games.

Edit: For example, Reuben Fine really pays Dr. Max Euwe much greater respect than he is usually given in current chess circles. 1948 was just early enough before Botvinnik pulverized the chess world, so R. Fine reports "from the time" that Euwe was well respected in his day as a solid GM. (Today too many authors take the cheapo shot that he was the "junk champion" between Alekhine and Botvinnik.)

It was also just before how stunning the rise of the USSR would be in chess - for various reasons the Russians were not around for a lot of events in the 1930's, and the US was the "second best country" winning all the events. Alekhine was what he was, but Botvinnik signalled that the Soviet govt support of chess was going to have an effect, and it wasn't until Fischer that anyone else was in the same league.

1954

Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 21, 2013, 12:41 AM »

Interesting things result from reading Galatians 4:24 followed by Ezekiel 23:20!

1955

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 21, 2013, 12:28 AM »

At the intersection of religion and NSFW humor, I advise y'all to study with great fervor!

"Today's Sermon will be on Ezekiel 23:20"!

1956

Living Room / Re: When you make your 100'th Post

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 20, 2013, 01:59 PM »

Yeah, I had seen Contro's, but I wasn't really in the zone to post it here!

So thanks!

1957

Living Room / Re: Do you like short films? Of course you do! Shortoftheweek.com

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 20, 2013, 11:46 AM »

Yeah, that was pretty well done. And bonus point for being French!

I can see one day I'll end up doing a Short Film marathon, and if they've been around since 2007 then that means there's a good back catalog!

1958

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Mini-Review of GNU Emacs

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 20, 2013, 11:33 AM »

In contrary to pure text editors ..., Emacs can do anything.

-Tuxman (September 19, 2013, 09:51 AM)

Heh. When I saw that bit, I thought of (yet another!) classic xkcd.

http://xkcd.com/378/

1959

Living Room / Re: National debt/defecit: what does it REALLY mean??

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 20, 2013, 07:44 AM »

I don't know what the percentages are, but some of it will have to be paid back. A small percentage is "revolving", aka it will never be zero and that's fine, but someone being a jerk can play a "leverage" game and "call it in".

And apparently even the states have to follow rules that the feds don't. You can't believe the number of times I've seen "X program being dropped because the state was short by $100,000 in the budget".

1960

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 19, 2013, 05:42 PM »

That's some good stuff in humor today!

First, from the scores one, there's sig gold there:

"add bicycle... gradually become agitated... remove cattle from stage... "RELEASE THE PENGUINS!"

1961

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 19, 2013, 05:33 PM »

Ultra Reality:  What would you do in this situation?[/url]

-Arizona Hot (September 18, 2013, 12:40 PM)

Oh, so *that's* why I can't get a job!

1962

General Software Discussion / Re: nauseating problem seeking creative solution?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 18, 2013, 08:10 AM »

I like 40hz's latest answer, just because it's something different and thoughtful rather than "it's a traaaaaaap!" (Akbar does helpdesk support!)

1963

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 17, 2013, 04:28 PM »

That's cute Giampy!

1964

General Software Discussion / Re: nauseating problem seeking creative solution?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 17, 2013, 06:14 AM »

For what it's worth "non-toll-free" shouldn't mean anything - don't you have a calling plan you can fall back on? For example for a while I used to have a Magic Jack line that let me call most US places for free after the setup.

Meanwhile, it looks like it's involving Albany Medical Center in Upstate NY. Does that provide any clues? It's odd that somewhere that specific would be the info spoofed on top of the spam. Why them?

1965

N.A.N.Y. 2014 / Re: The NANY Retrospective Thread

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 17, 2013, 06:10 AM »

I got the misc distinction of carving out a niche in the rules whereby you could be a flighty humanities type and still get into nany ... if the app was custom produced and never released anywhere else. And one day when I get more funding I'll do another one.

I lost the source code to my PGN chess moves processor though, so it's now kinda officially EOL. However, it marks an interesting phase in my personality - it must right be at the cusp of the last year when I had hope that computers were cool and not NSA spy tools!
  - the Matrix and C64 themes make me giggle.

But for the core purpose, it does what it does - I hauled it out a few months ago to smash out a few pages of game moves to take to the bar again. Total processing time was 15 min flat! So I'm satisfied.

1966

Developer's Corner / Re: A Field Guide to Procrastinators (humour)

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 16, 2013, 03:54 PM »

yee ha!

1967

Living Room / Re: Getting Things Done revisited

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 16, 2013, 12:20 PM »

Wow, I'll have to put that on a To Do list for when I am tired of my class homework! : )

1968

Living Room / Re: From the Life Is Complicated Dept: Tooth Cavities May Protect Against Cancer

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 15, 2013, 04:08 PM »

Slashdot's copy:

http://science.slash...otect-against-cancer

"Mommy, if I have more Pepsi then I reduce my risk of cancer!"

Really though, that's a nasty pair of odds to weigh!

1969

Living Room / From the Life Is Complicated Dept: Tooth Cavities May Protect Against Cancer

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 15, 2013, 07:16 AM »

Tooth Cavities May Protect Against Cancer

Slashdot's copy:
http://science.slash...otect-against-cancer


""John Gever reports at MedPage Today on a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Buffalo, which found that people with more cavities in their teeth are 32 percent less likely to suffer from head and neck cancers. "

Given that it takes *years* of neglect/arrogance to get cavities, to pit Cavities vs Cancer is a scary battle!!

1970

Living Room / Re: Did Microsoft put a mole in Nokia?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 06:41 PM »

We need a new category.

Moles are usually Snowden types. Sending your guy as a CEO to crush a company is a new move!

1971

Living Room / Re: Did Microsoft put a mole in Nokia?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 05:51 PM »

Most moles aren't the CEO.

So this is a new spin - like an Uber Trojan Horse.

And this is the Snowden Age. (I just made that up!) So if "we/they" really want to, someone can post a leak. That level of epic company destruction can't stay silent forever.

1972

Living Room / Re: Did Microsoft put a mole in Nokia?

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 05:48 PM »

I should have put my thoughts on paper, when his move to Nokia was announced

-Ath (September 14, 2013, 01:37 PM)

I wish you did. It would have saved me the effort of making this post to begin with.

-40hz (September 14, 2013, 01:50 PM)

Heh we already did over at Slashdot!

But curses my family for trying to bring me up with "family values"! Clearly I didn't get the "real point" of my business degree!

1973

Living Room / Re: A School System goes NSA-Lite

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 05:46 PM »

^ You're devious... I love it!

But this is a classic use of FUD to sow the ground for other uses.  You know... it's for the children.  Do I even need to post a link to that Carlin skit again?

-wraith808 (September 10, 2013, 08:42 PM)

Heh I actually don't know the skit! 

But it's yet more ammo if I ever get the nerve to spend 88 hours on a visual graphic, it will be a list-based "let's strip new rights today" generator. Mad Libs for Orwell.

And Ren no, it's not safety, it's "safety". you of course know the difference. But between social media and this and the copyright gang and 7 others, the Powers are getting bolder. They always did mean crap, but they at least sorta saved it for the real criminals.

1974

General Software Discussion / Re: Facebook gently reminds its users that they are not Facebook's customers

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 07:42 AM »

Well, it's a great sound bite, but that phrase bothers me. I think it's even more dangerous because it is more complicated than that!

With a wink at the pun, people "Like" Facebook. I think because they are tapping a dangerous deep flaw in our brain wiring about fame but without the fortune.

This generation of social media is locked in. In their devastating marketing, they have convinced the rank and file that they can't live without it. I heard fourth hand an old childhood acquaintance wanted me to get a Facebook acct so she could "keep in touch". (?!) She clearly didn't want to do the hard work of sending me an ... email!

So once we go to these walled gardens, then "communities" have to watch they don't step on toes.

The people are customers... just non-cash ones! So with that new term, we have interlocking customer transactions with a Man In The Middle Broker.

1975

N.A.N.Y. 2014 / Re: Nany 2014 Entry - Early Alpha - JsRoboKey

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on September 14, 2013, 05:30 AM »

Hallo!

What's the "angle"? When people do stuff similar to something else, there's usually at least one aspect that's inspiring the attempt to improve on or fix something! So what's the nifty starter finesse that is inspiring this entry? I don't know anything about ahk so try to make it easy for us newbies!