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  • Someone Fired For Running SETI@Home… Again

    Once again, someone has been fired for running SETI@Home.

    Man Said He Used Computer During Off Hours

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The search for extraterrestrial life has ended at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

    The department on Thursday fired a computer programmer who admitted to using a state-owned computer server to process data for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence project, run by the University of California at Berkeley.

    Charles E. Smith, 63, told administrators he didn’t think loading the SETI software on the server was much of a problem because he ran the program only on weekends and on weekdays between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the server wasn’t being used, according to a disciplinary report.

    Department director Tom Hayes disagreed.

    “I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn’t find it in the mirror in the morning,” Hayes said. “I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building.” [newsnet5.com] [via AP]

    I’m not sure if I posted about this kind of thing the last time it happened, but without knowing more background I’m not sure how to react. At most places I’ve worked there has been an official policy that you aren’t supposed to install unauthorized software. This was mostly to try and stop people from installing every little thing they download from the net, and to be able to scold them when something they’ve downloaded broke their computer. In the case of something like this though, I almost have to wonder if the application was actually cutting into computer resources. But, the article doesn’t give us any information about that (though I’d be curious to know more). The other issue is that I think the department director’s comments are a bit unprofessional and unnecessarily insulting.

    Hmm, maybe I should give SETI@Home a download and start it running on one of the machines I have floating around.

  • Looking for a Date? Try a Wingwoman

    There’s an article in the New York Times today about Wingwomen.com. It’s a service where you rent a woman to help you meet other women.

    Are You With Him? Why Yes, Want to Date Him?

    10Wing.1842
    … When he expressed no interest in the next woman she pointed to, a brunette in a preppy sweater, Ms. Frenkel shrugged. “He’s the man, whatever he wants,” she said. “It is not about me.” Then Mr. Blumberg gestured toward the bar area. “What about that Kylie Minogue look-alike over there?” A moment later the couple headed over.

    Ms. Frenkel was not on a date with Mr. Blumberg, in pursuit of a kinky threesome; she was on the clock. A 29-year-old graduate student, she is one of a dozen women who work for a New York-based Web site called Wingwomen.com, earning up to $30 an hour to accompany single men to bars and help them chat up other women. The Web site’s founder, Shane Forbes, a computer programmer, started it in December after realizing he had more success with women when he went to clubs with female friends. “Every time I was with them, I would meet women,” he said.

    The wingwoman is the latest twist on the wingman, that devoted male sidekick who helps a buddy pick up women at bars and clubs. Originally a “Top Gun” kind of term that referred to a pilot flying protectively behind his squadron leader, its more recent meaning entered popular culture around 1996 through the movie “Swingers,” about two men road-tripping to Las Vegas, serving as each other’s wingmen in attempted conquests. [more] [nytimes.com]

  • QOTD 10/09/2004

    Peter Sellers
    “There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed.” [via Quotes of the Day]

  • reason #5

    Reason #5 Katamary Damacy rocks: You can roll up cows. They Moo. Reason #4 is the music for the game.

    ousamabase_up_g.gif

    If you haven’t seen this game, check out this clip of the gameplay.

  • Where is the Clow, hidden right now?

    Lately, whenever I find myself humming Magical Trevor (which is way too often as it is) I find myself inserting Clow for every occurrence of cow. Though I really want to figure out some alternate lyrics for what he saw in the parallel dimension.

  • Yay! More Looney Tunes!

    Looney Tunes: Golden Collection: Volume 2
    I was just looking at Amazon.com and noticed they had a little ad up for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2. I loved the first collection, it was a great start to them releasing many old old cartoons that I hadn’t seen in their entirely in ages. This one looks to continue the trend with a lot of early material. And even better, it comes out on my birthday next month (November 2nd)! I’ve added it to my wish list, anyone wanna pick it up for me?

  • It’s All About the Cheese

    Even drug abusers know that cheese rocks:

    Drug abusers target cheese

    ST. JOHN’S  —  Police in St. John’s say drug abusers trying to pay for their habits has led to a thriving black market for cheese.

    The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says stealing and reselling food from supermarkets and other stores to support addictions is becoming quite common.

    Earlier this week, they say a man threatened to stab people with a hypodermic needle in the parking lot of a supermarket.

    Staff Sgt. June Layden says he was holding a number of blocks of cheese when police arrested him “Right now we believe it was between 12 and 16 blocks, quite a quantity of cheese,” she says.

    Patrick Corrigan, 26, is charged with theft and assault in connection with the incident.

    Layden says cheese theft is a growing problem in this province — and that the people stealing it need quick money to buy drugs like OxyContin.

    “From speaking with a number of people yesterday including some employees at some of our larger supermarkets … they are finding people are coming in and stealing it by blocks,” she says. [read more] [via lonita.links.log]

  • Don’t Be a Victim!

    From my good friend Emilily: The Childhood Goat Trauma Foundation

    The Childhood Goat Trauma Foundation was created in 1982 by a small group that originally came together as a an informal support group for problems that were the result of traumatic experiences at petting zoos as children. This group realized that there were many others out there who were afraid to come forward with their horrific stories and wanted to find some way to help as many people as they could. The Childhood Goat Trauma Foundation is the result of their dream.

    Through its programs and workshops, individuals from all walks of life have been able to live happier and more fulfilling lives, without the ever-present ghosts of their personal goat traumas. Some have even made such progress that they have been able to put their traumas completely behind them and rejoin mainstream society.

    No matter what the effects of your trauma, we can help you. The effects of a childhood goat trauma vary widely from person to person, depending on the severity of their trauma. Such problems as irrational fears, unexplained twitching, and insomnia could all have origin in a goat trauma. [The Childhood Goat Trauma Foundation]

    Goats never really bothered me much. Hamsters though, I still twitch when I think about that one time…

    For bonus points: What childhood experience traumatized you? For me it was my uncle making me go to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyworld when I was like three or four. My face was hidden almost the whole time, and the one time I look out a skeleton pops up from behind a gravestone.

  • Coolness

    I sent a question in to Neil Gaiman the other day asking about an audiobook version of Good Omens, and he posted it to his blog. Pretty cool. Though I personally think it should be done as a podcast first, a chapter a week.

    I just recently finished listening to American Gods and really enjoyed it. This made me wonder if there is a chance we might see an audiobook of Good Omens. I’ve read it a number of times and think it would be quite fun to have an audio version of. Are there any chances of this ever existing? Thanks,Gregory Blake https://ezoons.com/wp-content/uploads/imported-legacy/

    I know that Harper Collins very much want to do one. And Terry and I would both very much like to hear it. So I think the odds are pretty good one will happen. [Neil Gaiman]

    Hmm, anyone wanna ask him if he’s read Move Under Ground and what he thinks of it?

  • Everyone Loves the Chocolate

    From the warped minds at weebls-stuff.com: Choccy
    chocolate.jpg
    Warning, may cause nightmares or chocolate cravings.