A real concern

In keeping with this theme of what's wrong with this computer, my question is why do people download music onto the lab computers in the first place? What are they going to do with the music? I guess they can put it on their iPods or something, but if they're just downloading music willy-nilly, and not covering their tracks, what's the point? Even covering their tracks is difficult and somewhat pointless because you have to LOG IN to use the computers. Everything you do can be written to a log file that the sysadmins read and they can come down on you like a ton of burning tires. And, not to get too technical, but even the downloading software itself (Napster, Grokster, Kazaa, etc) generates certain types of traffic on the network that is easily recognizable to a trained network admin. When they see this type of activity, they can stop it before it really gets going. I just don't understand it. It just isn't a good thing to go messing with the University computers. Those machines are paid for by state funds and charitable donations from people and therefore should be treated with respect. Any of you who have been on missions can understand this concept.

Other than that, I think the picture looks really funny with everything named Desktop.

Ta ta!

The Problem

I think the problem is that all types of music downloading in Lampros Hall is forbidden, and yet, right there on that computer is Napster! Gasp! Shame, shame!

It looks like...

...Microsoft forgot how to label directories and so called them all the first word it could think of: Desktop. I guess, since "Desktop" is such a vital place to store everything, why not just call everything "Desktop?" No, we can't be logical and just have a '/home/[username]' directory; we have to be hard and say 'C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Desktop'. Oh, and if you're lucky like I am at work, your username has a freaking space in it! Spaces are for delimiting arguments on the command line, not for use in filenames. Gaaaaa! That's what dashes (-) and underscore characters (_) are for.

Anyhow, I digress...

If you can't tell, I'm not a Microsoft fan and I don't particularly like using Windows. It's not that Windows itself is bad, it's that it engenders bad habits of computer users such as spaces in filenames and such things. And it uses big long words as directory names such as "Documents and Settings." Instead, all user accounts should be held in either the "/usr" directory or the "/home" directory. Settings can be stored in "/etc." That's the way the inspired operating system called Linux works.

So yeah, anyone pipe up if this has happened to you. The other day, I was driving northbound on I-15 through Salt Lake City. I got to about the 4th South offramp (you know, the HOV-only offramp) and was travelling about 72 MPH. I was keeping up with the traffic very nicely, not passing anyone and not being passed. The lanes to either side were occupied as was the space in front of me. I was trying to keep my distance from the person in front of me like any good driver should, when suddenly I looked in my rearview mirror to see a Dodge Ram Gigacab pickemup truck come cruising up behind me at what must've been about 90 MPH. When I saw that, I didn't think he was going to slow down. I thought he was just going to hit me and keep on going. It really scared me. But, since I couldn't safely change lanes, I just stood my ground. He decided that wasn't good enough and so tailgated me at a very close distance, say maybe a foot if I could count myself lucky. He held that position for probably twenty or thirty seconds before quickly changing [multiple] lanes and exiting the freeway. Now, I don't drive a large car, and sometimes I drive a motorcycle, so when something like that happens, it has the potential to really get me going. I was pissed off at that dude. How dare he treat other motorists who have just as much (if not more) right to use the road as he does. Just because I don't have a 360HP V8 engine that cranks out 25tons of CFCs a year doesn't mean that I can be bullied around by people who do. I think I want to side with Rob Hilton in joining or creating a Tailgate Law Enforcement Task Force.

Basically, the idea is this: you get an old car, like a 1972 Chrysler Newport (against the rules to use in Utah demolition derbies) and drive it down the road as you normally would. However, if some jerk decides to tailgate you, you can simply climb all over the brakes and cause a collision. Of course, since it's a rear-end collision, it's the other guy's fault for following too closely. You could probably make a lot of money doing this. Now, do keep in mind that proper safety equipment must be built into or supplied with said Newport. I think it might be a fun thing to do. Anyone want to design a logo?

Anyway, on to better subjects. I had a great Christmas! It was awesome because I got to be with my family and Kristin's family and I got some super cool gifts, too. For instance, Kris got me a really cool watch and a Slinky, Jr. I also got a bunch of movies, like War of the Worlds, Madagascar, and Moulin Rouge. Plus, I got the soundtracks to Memoirs of a Geisha (absolutely beautiful score) and Far and Away (a much better score than the movie itself.) So far, I have not seen Geisha yet, but I will be seeing it soon. Kristin, on the other hand, got a really cool pen tablet for her computer as well as a DVD writer. Both of us got Christmas socks, which are undoubtedly the single most desirable gift one can receive at Christmas.

Finally, my web server received a relatively minor upgrade. Persephone, as it is called in the Schill home, went from being a Pentium/233MHz computer with 128MB of RAM (very old and limited) to an AMD Athlon/1.3GHz machine with 512MB of RAM (very quick and responsive.) This was accomplished at no charge because of the parts I just had laying around.

Tootles!

ps: I appologize for the long post, but it's been a while! :)

"...you'll be able to find out whether the car you're planning on buying is good or French." --Jeremy Clarkson

Is the problem...

all main folders are named 'desktop'? It's just a casual guess, but I found that rather odd. It gave me a good chuckle...whether or not it really is what's wrong. Thanks Jon, I needed that. :)

So...Merry Christmas (sorry it's so late in the saying, but it's better late than never) and Happy New Year to all! My Christmas was nothing spectacular, but I did get a gift that is still giving at this very moment as I'm typing. I got a cold (and a small vaccum cleaner). Yippy! j/k I'm not that crazy about it, but at least I don't have to miss school for it.

Well....umm....have a good one y'all! :)

Happy New Year!!!!

What's wrong with this picture

Honestly, I didn't Photoshop this. It actually happened to me.

Holy Space of Unupdatedness

What a decided lack of Holiday posting.

Party?

Is anyone having a new years party? If someone is having one, please tell me! I have a friend here for the holidays from florida, and we are looking for a party! thanks all!

WSU Band Union, Local 799

Hey, congrats to all the Graduatin' Folks and all the Piano Proficient folks. Where and when is the party? :)

Anyway, Ben, I need to tell you that I still have your Play Station and your games and I want to return them. The only problem is that I have no idea where to find you. What is your address? If you don't feel comfortable posting it here in this forum, please email it to me (jschill [at] wintools [dot] com.) This way, I can finally get it back to you.

Roger, Oveur.

since everyone else was

talking about their passing of the piano proficiency, I shall tell you how I did. If you would like to know, please visit my blog. Ha, ha, ha, I am soooo evvviillll.

Way2Go

Congrats scoozanne on proficienting the pinano.

quote of the day: New members are urgently needed in the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Yourself. Apply within.

event of the day: sweet graduation

song of the day: Veruca Salt from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory soundtrack

what? of the day: those crazy Russians and their crazy nuclear stuff

discovery of the day: TMBG now has a podcast

hope of the day: I actually pass my classes and get my transfer credit accepted so I can graduate

Umkay, bye everyperson. I'll see you... sometime. Oh, and by the by, we need to have a huge party next week to zelebrate where all the graduatin' folks and all their friends gets together and throws back candy and soda and plays some game or other and/or watches some flick or other. Kay bye now.

Catch as catch can

Pfftshhhyeah! I'll congratulate Hava. Congratulations, Hava. I have seen what piano proficiency does to people. Nice people. It can break them. Way to go for conquering the 88-key monster.

(Not to be confused with Svarnik & Bill's smokey monster, although it is nearly as hazardous to your health.)

So... I'm taking a break. I've heard that you need breaks from intense productivity sessions once in a whiles so that you can come back from your break with renewed productivity capacity, rather than just plugging away with an ever-waning productivity capacity. It's actually productive to waste time once in a while (well, I guess then it's not exactly technically wasted, is it?)

Anyway, the reason I say that is that I'm in the middle of the last few hours of scholastic work in my career as an undergrad college student. After charging up my mp3 player, I started my musically enhanced portion of my productivity session (the actual work part was still happening at the time) with Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, mvt. 1. And yes, I really do think that the band should play the 3rd movement for commencement instead. That'd turn heads.

Last few hours!!!!!!!! (yay)

Thanks, thatBritChap. I believe Amy Koster, and Connie Ward, Jason Schill, and Wade Walton are also graduating this semester, some with Associates', some with Bachelors'.

Duck! Here comes the future! Look out!

New?

Hey y'all!

The annual musings of Brittany has been posted on my blog, if you care to read it go right ahead!
BTW, congrats to Jon, Cory, and Kristin! Graduation rocks! Someday I'll do it!

Rock on All!

Please help

Everybody totally congratulate Hava on passing piano perficiency. She needs some encouragement. Thanks.

In Excelsis

That was the best Institute Christmas show I've seen yet. It always seems to be better when there are people you know in the performing groups. But even aside from that it was still better, I think, than last years show in many ways.

Ben, I think it is a craft taken to the level of an art (as opposed to getting it down to a science). An artistic craft. (Kraft Maccoroni & Art?)

Diego, I know exactly the boat you are in with that whole "taking stuff to remain full-time". Two of my classes qualified for that distinction.

Scooze, I heard that the government is behind the X-Files. Seems they made it to cover up the fact that most of the episodes actually happened. (Just kidding. I enjoy watching the 'Files once in an X-While as well.)

.:Merry Christmas and a Happy New I'm Soooo Almost Graduating to you all:.

My definition, I guess

A craftsman is an artist, but an artist whose medium is also used for practical purposes (ie. a decorative plate, nice finished furniture, etc.).

art or craft?

That is an interesting question. In my art class we had on ongoing online discussion about what the difference is between an artist or a craftsman. There were many opinions about it. Most likely a similar thing will happen here. Already Jon says that it is art and Ben says that it is a craft. What will become of us?
Join us next time for another episode of "Something Diego learned in a class that wasn't necessary, but he took just to stay a full time student."

Correctivenessishingly

Actually Jon, that's craft, not art.

Wow

Now that's artform.

Brrrr....

It is cold outside, just in case anyone hasn't noticed. I really wish that I was a U of A Wildcat. It would be in the fifties today. If anybody wondered, I do not like the cold. It is way to cold for me, speaking of cold (whatever that means).
On another subject, I wish to say that I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas.
Until next time,
Stay warm.

Global Warming?

Actually Jason....
In my dinosaurs and fossil records class we are talking about current extinction and stuff. Evidence points to the fact that we actually haven't yet come out of our last period of glaciation yet and that the world should be colder than it is, that the atmosphere hasn't warmed up as much as it should have for all the stuff we've pumped into the atmosphere. Do you understand that if the polar ice caps melted that that would unhouse 90% of the worlds population? Not to mention the fact that with all of our cutting down of rain forests, added to all the CO2 we're injecting into our atmosphere, is causing the oxygen level of the planet to come close to going below the level of CO2. All signs have pointed to whenever that happens, there is large widespread extinction. In fact, that's probably what ended up killing all the dinosaurs. When the huge dinosaur extinction happened, it wasn't just dinosaurs, it was all animals ALL that were bigger than a certain size. The only reason mammals didn't die off too was because mammals had stayed really really small during the reign of the dinosaurs and all of a sudden the world belonged to them. Did you know that we are at a rate of extinction now that is like hundreds of species going extinct every day? as compared to 1 species going extinct every 4 years in the late 1800's? Don't scoff at global warming. Experts did a study and said that the point where the earth could sustain a certain amount of people and not have irrevocable damage done to it was around 1900. We have billions more people on the earth right now than they did then.
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.
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I just realized something... I went on a rant! Yay for me!
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I'm done now.
Bye.

Vespa?

Princess Vespa? Italian Vespa? Ooh, actually the word vespa is Italian for wasp, which is kind of what those little motorcycle-wannabes sound like. Yep, a wasp in a coffee can. I think it's hilarious to see people all tricked out in cool biker clothes putting around on a scooter. For cryin' in the mud, folks, get a motorcycle. They're much cooler and they're sweet to ride.

But, Vespas do pretty well in the little streets in Europe. That's what they're meant to do, so I guess they accomplish their design goal.

Okay, does anyone besides me think that it is unnatually cold? And who the heck invented windshield washer fluid? Um, product improvement suggestion: make windshield washer fluid have a freezing point of oh, -200F. The washer jets on my car are totally frozen up and therefore it is very difficult to wash my windshield. But yeah, according to Mark Eubank, we had a recorded temperature of -52F in Cache Valley the other night. And those liberal environmentalists say we're having global warming. Ha! Have they stepped outside in the last week?

Anyhow, enough of my ranting. I must rave about something. My raving is about a beautiful creation of man: the de Havilland Comet 4C. This aircraft was the first commercial jetliner. Although not a commercial success (due to stress fractures in the airframe and skin) it was a very cool looking airplane. The last of these old birds were retired in the late 1970s and early 1980s, though the Royal Air Force (RAF) still flies a modified version called Nimrod which is used similarly to our Air Force AWACS planes. More aviation history coming soon.

My Mortal Enemy

I swear, computers are out to get me. I just got a wonderful new laptop a few months ago and everything was going just dandy. (back up) Well, the other day, first of all...the elevator in my appartment breaks down. Thankfully I wasn't in it, but still....I hate stairs. Second, my interent won't work. I am now confined to the computer lab, which I very much detest. I've gotten so used to using the touch pad, I hate computer mouses (mice?). So...I've called thech support and the line is down, or something. So. I feel like quoting a song that is very 'dear to my heart'...in a sarcastic way. "I love technology" Anyways. Sorry to omplain. I just can't seem to win with anything that has to do with technology.In other news, I hope all that can will be coming to the institute Christmas show (evening shows Friday and Saturday, and a Satuday matinee at 2:30pm). It is such an awesome show and the music will totally put you in the mood for Christmas. (and I'm accompanying one of the songs...and so are Alisha and Jaron...good friends they are) So, there's my little schpeeiiilll...(???)Anyways. Come, you'll have a grand time...cuz...."It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!!!!!" Wow....I need to stop...I'm starting ramble on and stuff. Have a good one all ya'll (learned that one from Bro. Simon in institute yesterday).

Scripting?... !

thought of the day: Buy the best and cry once.

As for the video, you have to download the Adobe Atmosphere plug-in for Internet Explorer (sorry other-browser users) to view it. And you'll need a fast connexxion/commput'r.

I really hope that I pass my classes and graduate, then.

My apartment is really cold club

Really the only person who can join this club is Suz. But yes my apartment is so cold becuase my dumb landlord is really dumb! I also have fallen on my butt many times, i think the count is now up to 7 times i think, becuase again Kurt is stupid and doesn't know that he can buy ice melt and put it on the ice. STUPID!
Jon-i can't watch your little video, i don't know if my computer is pretty stupid or what but I would like to watch it if i can, e-mail it to me or whatever!
Anyway here's nifty website everyone will love it, at least I did because it made me smile...
http://www.thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi
Get your own Slogan, mine was Go on, get your Brittany On! I personally think its pretty cool and I am going to use it when i run for some sort of political office.

Listen to Christmas Music!
Batman Out!

Semigraphs?

If you like Star Wars you should go there.

As for the pants and shirts, I'm all for 'em.

As for homework, I'm all should be doing it right now.

So I will.

The No Service Club

If you are not in The Pants Club and The Shirt Club, forget about even trying to get into this one.

The Shirts Club

I like mine. Especially during the winter.

The Pants Club

On Katella Ave. between Long Beach and Anaheim, California, is a little place called the Pants Club. I saw this place last Thursday and thought to myself, "I need to blog that!" For one, I thought, I should be a member of the Pants Club. I mean, I wear pants. In fact, when I'm not wearing pants of some kind, I'm usually showering and one would hope that people don't wear pants while showering. Also, I found it to be such a random name for a place that it was amusing. So, for all who wear pants, the Pants Club is the cool place to be.

Okay, so with that in mind, what would non-Pants Club members be called? Sans-Pants Clubbers? Um, yeah, I don't think so, though it would be quite a sight. While I think that dresses are a very nice alternative to wearing pants, they do have some drawbacks - namely: they don't do most of the male population much good. (Now, don't even start with those Scottish kilts; I don't even want to hear about it.) Also, pants generally fill in where dresses lack in the pocket department. I mean, seriously, how do you sneak a bag of candy and a soda into a movie theatre without pockets? Eh? Eh?

So yeah, the Pants Club: A must-have for all pants-wearing people.

Well, I must report that the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Celebration is really cool. If you get a chance, go and see it. The fireworks show is absolutely amazing.

Now, to leave you with Winter Weather Tips, courtesy of Mr. Longmire.

Balrog or Trucker? Your call. 

The sweetest thing...

is eating neopolitan ice cream, at 1:30am, with a fork.