Friday, December 31, 2004
Say Goodbye to 2004
Donate Airline Mileage to Help Tsunami Victims
firedoglake asks:
Donate Airline Mileage to Help Tsunami Victims
Feeling a little cash strapped and still want to help? Got airline miles kicking around? You can donate airline mileage to The Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, OxFam, Unicef and others through links provided below.
C'mon. You know they're only going to expire.
A full list of airlines and the charities they work with (links to all) at the above address .
Good idea . . .
Posted at 01:43 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Interspecies Interaction
There's something about animals from different species interacting that is simply amusing:
(click for larger photos)
Posted at 08:37 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
1st Person Tsunami Videos
Waxy has gathered an amazing collection of first-person videos from the Asian tsunami.
His bandwidth is shot, so use the mirrors linked at site . . .
Posted at 07:54 AM in Science, Travel, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
the 2004 Falsies Awards
No, not those falsies -- these are awards given to those "people and players responsible for polluting our information environment"
These new year-end prizes we call the "Falsies Awards" go to the top ten finalists, who will each receive a million bucks worth of free coupons, a lifetime supply of non-fattening ice cream, an expenses-paid vacation in Fallujah, and our promise to respect them in the morning.
There are 10 winners of the Falsies Awards for 2004 are:
1. I'm Karen Ryan, reporting
2. War Is Sell
3. The Hidden (in Plain Sight) Persuaders
4. Food Industry Foxes Guard the FDA Hen House
5. Shell Game With Human Rights
6. Ghostwriters for Bush
7. Frank Talk
8. Not-So-Democratic Convention
9. Iraq War Supporters Profit From Reconstruction
10. Wal-Mart Gets PR Help From Hill & Knowlton
And plenty more. If you are a media junkie -- or merely follow the news closely -- this is a must read . . .
Source:
Thanks for the (False) Memories: the 2004 Falsies Awards
Laura Miller
Center for Media and Democracy, Tue, 12/28/2004 - 05:11.
http://www.prwatch.org/node/3144
Posted at 09:25 PM in Finance, Media, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Car & Driver's 10 Best Cars 2004
Nice to see that our new wheels made it onto Car & Driver's best list -
The Mazda RX-8:
Car & Driver has a pretty solid description of the ride but overlooks the best aspect of the high revving engine :
The chassis is as stiff as a double shot of Dewar’s, the steering is laser accurate, the suspension hits the sweet spot between firm and punishing, and the weight distribution is about as close to perfect as perfect gets. We’re talking about the ingredients that distinguish automotive athletes from the plodders—traits that make the car an extension of the driver’s will.
Consistent with previous Mazdas wearing RX badges, the RX-8 is propelled by an engine lacking pistons and valves. Mazda put itself on the U.S. sales map with the rotary engine back in 1970, and the RX-8’s 238-hp 1.3-liter twin-rotor Renesis is the latest edition. Like other naturally aspirated rotaries, it’s a little short on torque but long on smooth and a pleasure to live with.
Not only does the RX-8 deliver exceptional sports-car pleasure, but it’s also capable of delivering it to more than two. The rear seats can accommodate two adult-size passengers, in comfort, and the rear demi-doors, à la Saturn quad coupe, make the RX-8 easy to climb into and out of. Wow. A practical sports car. What’ll they think of next?
It takes a bit of experience with the Renesis engine to wring out the full power band -- once you learn how, its a sheer delight. Yes, off the line the car is no match for big V8s. The torque is light at the low end -- but it comes on strong once the tach swings past 5,000. From there, it kicks you back into the seat as it revs towards the 9,000 RPM red line. 0-60 in under 6 seconds is very respectable -- but I'll bet it beats many big blocks in the 30-70mph sprint.
My only complaint about the car -- accurately described as a practical sports car -- is the lack of a 2 driver memory. If you build the car for practicality, as Mazda did, they should assume there will be more than one RX8 driver per household. Adjusting the side view mirrors and seats each and everytime me or the wife gets behind the wheel is a bit of a pain. Considering that the car has nearly every imaginable electronic gizmo -- Navigation, heated seats, heated sideview mirrors, Xenon headlights, auto dim rear mirror, multi garage opener -- it makes little sense not to offer the memory setting as an option.
By the way, if you are not taking the car from dealer stock (we got our 2004 at a year end sale), then order the indash multi disc CD player. You'll have less stuff lying around the door pockets.
.
Source:
10 Best Cars
BY CSABA CSERE AND TONY SWAN
January 2005
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=33&article_id=8914
Posted at 07:51 AM in Design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
"Of the Year" lists
The ultimate collection of The Best of 2004 lists.
If you can think of it, its here: Sex, Music, Film, Books, Video Games, Ideas, Science, DVDs, Blogs, Words, Media, Architecture, Dance, People, Art, TV, Tech, Law, Radio, Sports, Automobiles, Comics, Travel and more.
If you can think of a "Best of 2004" list topic, its here.
List junkies will spend a week on this one . . .
.
Source:
Fimoculous "Of the Year" lists
http://www.fimoculous.com/year-review-2004.cfm
Posted at 07:13 AM in Books, Design, Film, Food and Drink, Games, Music, Sports, Television, Travel, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, December 27, 2004
Denis Leary is an asshole
Denis Leary is an asshole
Too funny . . .
Posted at 07:01 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, December 25, 2004
The Rebel Jesus
We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel JesusBut pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgment
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
We have need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus- Jackson Browne, from his song The Rebel Jesus
Posted at 11:38 AM in Philosophy | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday, December 24, 2004
Off the Beaten Path
Mixed CD: Off the Beaten Path
| Song | Band | Album | Time |
| Gender Bombs | The Stills | Logic Will Break Your Heart | 4:04 |
| Sunshinin' | The Vines | Highly Evolved | 2:43 |
| Are You Gonna Be My Girl | Jet | Are You Gonna Be My Girl | 3.36 |
| Closer To You | Wallflowers | Red Letter Days | 3:17 |
| Top Of The Pops | The Smithereens | Blown To Smithereens | 4.32 |
| Nice Guy Eddie | Epperley | The Tao Of Steve | 4.45 |
| Blister in the Sun | Guster | MTV2 Album Covers | 2.43 |
| fashionably uninvited | m e l l o w d r o n e | A Demonstration Of Intellectual Property | 3.53 |
| Set You Free | The Black Keys | Thickfreakness | 2.45 |
| just like larry | dispatch | who are we living | 2.10 |
| Closing Time | Semisonic | Feeling Strangely Fine | 4.32 |
| The Fun Lovin' Criminal | Fun Lovin' Criminals | Come Find Yourself | 3.11 |
| Going The Distance | Cake | Fashion Nugget | 3.00 |
| Song 2 (Wahoo) | Blur | Blur | 2.01 |
| A Little Less Conversation | Elvis Presley | E1vis: 30#1 Hits | 3.31 |
| The Outdoor Type | The Lemonheads | The Tao Of Steve | 2.33 |
| Spill the Wine | Los Mocosos | Shades of Brown | 4.58 |
| Hits from the Bong | Cypress Hill | Black Sunday | 2.40 |
| Wannabe | Zebrahead | yakdog26@aol.com | 2.31 |
| I'm for You | Stewboss | Wanted a Girl | 3.35 |
| Buddy Bug (Milo Z) |
Joey Miserable and The Worms | Live at Nightingales | 5.42 |
| Here Today, Gone Tomorrow | Dada |
Puzzle | 4.42 |
About half of these songs are available for legal download on iTunes.
I have permission of the band to distribute Buddy Bug, by Joey Miserable and The Worms
Posted at 11:48 AM in Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Happy Festivus!
"There must be a better way. And, out of that, a new holiday was born. A Festivus, For the Rest Of Us!" — Frank Costanza, Seinfeld
What is Festivus?
Festivus is a holiday held on 23 December of each year. It was created by Mr. Frank Costanza, father of Seinfeld character George Costanza. Frank became tired of holiday commercialism and wanted a holiday for the ordinary person. From this thought Festivus was born: "A Festivus for the rest of us!"
Festivus does not have all the commercial trappings of Christmas and Hanukkah, instead it approaches the holiday as a time to bring the family together and 'bond' with one another.
Festivus begins with the decorating of the Festivus pole, followed by dinner (at which time begins the airing of the grievances). Festivus is brought to closure by the feats of strength competition. And through it all, the family celebrats Festivus with a plain aluminum pole as a decoration.
The Festivus celebration includes three major components:
1. The Airing of Grievances
The airing of the grievances takes place during Festivus supper.
Each member present discusses a grievance they have with someone else present at the table.
This list of Grievances Worksheet will help you get your grievances organized.
2. The Feats of Strength
Once dinner is completed, the feats of strength takes place.
This is when the head of the family tests his or her strength against one participant and usually consists of some form of wrestling. Festivus is not considered over until the head of the family has been pinned.
A participant is allowed to decline to attempt to pin the head of the family only if they have something better to do instead.
This Official Challenge Card makes challenging someone for your Feats of Strength easy, and fun too!
3. The Festivus Pole
During Festivus, an unadorned aluminum pole is displayed in opposition to the commercialization of the decorated Christmas trees and because the holiday's creator, Frank Costanza "finds tinsel distracting."
Decorations should be kept to a minimum. The idea is to keep the cost down.
About the Festivus Pole:
Material - an aluminum pole works well
Height - about 6 feet tall
Diameter - about 2"
Building a stand for your Festivus Pole: A simple stand can keep it upright (a couple of 1x4 boards work well).
via Soupuser
http://www.souperuser.com/festivus/
Posted at 09:29 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
HearUsNow: a Consumer Resource
Consumers Union has released a new telecommunications and media online resource: HearUsNow
Its worth checking out.
The site offers in-depth reading on over 60 consumer related telecom issues. Consumer tips on what to do before you buy, understanding your bills after and making companies listen when you are unhappy (from phone services to copyright rules on digital content). There are also 7 different ways to make a difference in less then 2 minutes (see "Get Heard" on the left bar and click the red link). Hearusnow.org gives consumers the ability to work for change on an individual level and provides hundreds of resources to join efforts already going on across the country.
And there is a fun movie to watch, a spoof on a current TV show, but more importantly puts media consolidation (a somewhat dry topic) in to a nice, easily digestible, package.
You can help spread the word by going to HearUsNow
http://www.hearusnow.org/
Posted at 05:18 AM in Shopping | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The Graphing Calculator Story
A very funny explanation as to how a former employee of Apple kept breaking INTO the building to code software: He ended up creating the Graphing Calculator:
"This is an old story, but I've only told it in person before. Now that I've put it in print, I thought you might enjoy it.
"It's midnight. I've been working sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. I'm not being paid. In fact, my project was canceled six months ago, so I'm evading security, sneaking into Apple Computer's main offices in the heart of Silicon Valley, doing clandestine volunteer work for an eight-billion-dollar corporation."
The story behind the Macintosh Graphing Calculator is at
Be sure to read the simple explanation as to why this never made it to Windows (at the very end) . . .
.
Posted at 06:27 AM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
The Beastles
I'm a huge Beatles fan. I also think Paul's Boutique is the greatest rap album ever made.
So how can I not love this mash up?
Grab it soon before its gone . . .
Posted at 10:07 PM in Music, The Beatles | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, December 20, 2004
50 things to eat before you die
50 things to eat before you die . . .
Posted at 05:37 PM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Freeboard
Can you Snowboard on pavement?
Wicked cool . . .
Posted at 09:19 AM in Design | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Express this
If its the weekend, then its time for Gaping Void:
Posted at 11:54 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday, December 17, 2004
Big Truck . . . Really Big Truck
click for larger graphic
via http://www.stud.ntnu.no/~shane/stasj/pics/humor/div/271.html
Posted at 02:16 PM in Design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Cheeburger! Cheeburger!
That's a big ass burger!
.
Open Wide!
Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania
via Snopes
Posted at 11:30 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Fortune's 25 Best Products of the Year
Fortune's 25 Best Products of the Year showcases some interesting designs. Quite a few did nothing for me, while more than a few were intriguing.
Here are my favorites:
Pro Paint Bucket
Underarm Thermometer
.
Source:
25 Best Products 2004
Fortune Magazine
December 2004
http://www.fortune.com/fortune/photoessay/0,18467,785792,00.html
Posted at 06:24 AM in Design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Scorsese on Scorsese
.
'Scorsese on Scorsese'
TCM, tonight at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time.
A must see!
NYT: It is possible not to like some of Martin Scorsese's movies ("The Last Temptation of Christ" comes to mind ), but it is impossible to dislike hearing him talk about movies. And in deference to the director's loquacity, there is no on-camera interviewer hogging time and space.
In the TCM film, Mr. Scorsese is seated against a purple backdrop and just talks about his movies, with a lot of infectious wheezy laughter. Mr. Scorsese speaks at a speedy clip, whether he is explaining how his own Italian-American childhood informed "Goodfellas" or recalling his mind-meld with Robert De Niro during the making of "The King of Comedy." (They did 26 takes to fine-tune one bit of dialogue, a shared obsessiveness that Mr. Scorsese describes as "kind of excruciating." ) And he has something interesting to say about almost every movie he has made or seen. (Though tracking his influences, from Italian neorealism to Kenneth Anger's "Scorpio Rising," a 1964 experimental film about sadistic bikers, is a taxing job worthy of a Joyce scholar.)
Mr. Scorsese is a film historian and an avid mentor to young directors, but there is nothing solemn or sanctimonious about his view of the movies, including his own. His interviews are something between a lecture by a fun-loving college professor and an avant-garde European director - who speaks English. And it is worth nothing that Mr. Scorsese speaks of "we" and not just "I" when recalling the making of movies like "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull" and "The Age of Innocence." The names of collaborators, like the screenwriter Paul Schrader and the cinematographer Michael Chapman, spill out effortlessly.
Actors are so often a bore when discussing the art of filmmaking. Directors are less glamorous to gawk at, but they have so much more to say. And Mr. Scorsese has more to say than most.
TCM, tonight at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time.
Produced and directed by Richard Schickel.
Sources:
The Fun-Loving Professor, Starring Maestro Scorsese
ALESSANDRA STANLEY
NYT, December 14, 2004
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/14/arts/television/14stan.html
Posted at 04:53 PM in Film | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Round Sound
These are pretty wicked looking . . .

http://www.roundsound.com/ref3_big.html

http://www.roundsound.com/ref3_big_II.html
Posted at 07:34 AM in Design, Music | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Monday, December 13, 2004
Does Cars.com suck?
I went to Cars.com a few months ago. We ended up buying a new car in November.
The experience at Cars.com was neither good nor bad; It merely wasn't very helpful. The new lease programs -- actually returnable purchases with a balloon payment at the end -- do not lend themselves well to email communication. This is due to their complexity: There's a down payment, a monthly payment, and the balloon at the end. The total cost is different than just plunking down X to buy a car.
Additionally, the manufacturer year end incentives for buying a 2004 car (at the end of the year) were significant -- they also did not show up in the emails (it was probably too early in the calendar year).
So I ended up buying a car from a dealer based upon an advert, and got what I thought was a pretty fair price.
Here's the problem: I continue to get email junk, contests, etc. from cars.com, despite having unsubscribed several times.What once was a potentially useful service is now spam to me.
I'm curious as to anyone else's experiences with them . . .
I am less interested in some flack from the company calling me to explain why my experience is an aberation, they are not spammers, etc. After one hears that line from the 4th PR person, it starts to smell an awful lot like bullshit. One may even suspect that some of PR people aren't (shocker!) all that truthful.
Anyway, I'm curious as to anyone else's experiences. Please post in the comments (a lack of valid email address subjects you to deletion or editing by me)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Also, if I catch any corporate trolls posting nonsense, I will call in every favor I have from every reporter I know at the WSJ to embarass you publicly. If you beleive that there is no such thing as bad publicity, then go ahead and try me. Capiche?
I believe that the phony posting behavior is emblematic of poor ethics, and suggests an eventual scandal or bankruptcy.
Posted at 07:11 AM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Sunday, December 12, 2004
the Trifid Nebula
Reflection nebulosity around M20, the Trifid Nebula
AAO image reference AAT 69
via the Anglo-Australian Observatory
Posted at 09:10 AM in Science | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, December 11, 2004
The Worms
Last August, I mentioned my despair over losing a Joey Miserable and the Worms tape.
If you missed that, here's what you need to know: The Worms were a kickass NYC bar band in the 80s. I used to catch them over at Nightingales (2nd Avenue and & 13th Street) on a regular basis with my bud Jeff. They played everything from funk to surf to rock to rap to rockabilly. They were major players in the New York roots rock scene.
These guys would blow the roof off the dump every time we saw them.
I posted my lament, ended up hooking with Dave Arbiter, who graciously lent me all of his Worms recordings. I have a pal over at Park Avenue Audio, who converted all of the analog recordings -- tapes & LPs -- into digital.
No label ever owned these. The band put them out themselves. But for the internet, these recording would be lost forever. For your listening pleasure, Joey Miserable and the Worms (my favorite cuts are 7, 1, 2 and 6).
Live at Nightingales
01 Hangin Out for Your Love.m4a
02 Worm Opus (Can You Sing).m4a
.
I could not figure out why they never scored a major recording
contract. Nightingales saw a parade of bands that later went on to
greatness -- Blues Travellers, Spin Doctors, a bunch more. Despite
being great, The Worms never made it big.
The Worms never got the recognition they deserved as a band. Their members managed to crank out quite a few discs, If you like the Worms, checkout the solo projects:
Posted at 07:20 AM in Music | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack
Friday, December 10, 2004
Post-election Maps, Take 3
Ilir Topalli, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He put together quite a fascinating list of maps.
As Doc Topalli explored the Red State/Blue State issue, he noted that the seeming sea of red on the electoral map is a scam to panic the 49% who voted blue. The nation is actually more Purple.
Delving into the details, he discovered quite a few interesting data points:
Blues are more educated, make more money, are more successful, and have to carry the Red welfare states on their backs:
-College and High School Graduation
Blue staters graduate HS and are more likely to go to college
Red staters are poorer
Blue states achieve higher success rates
-Tax Burden / Parasites States
The Red states are a tax burden on the rest of the country.
What about that vaunted Moral superiority we hear so much about?
Blue staters are more likely to stay married
Blue staters are less likely to get pregnant in their teen years
Red staters get more STDs
How about abiding by the law?
Blue Staters are less likely to shoot each other to death
-Fatal Driving Accidents / DUI
Blue Staters drive better, and don’t let their friends drive drunk
Blue staters are less likely to ignore the law
click for larger graph
How about Obesity? Time to loosen that Bible belt another notch -- Red state voters are fat
And lastly, lets see about America's favorite pastime:
Baseball Blue states kick ass (OK, now we’re just rubbing it in)
click for larger graph
Posted at 05:52 AM in Politics | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Thursday, December 09, 2004
On Evolution and "Intelligent Design"
"I'm designed intelligently? As far as I can see, I was designed by anidiot. My parts are neither interchangeable nor replaceable. I coulduse a new ankle right now, and almost everything I do injures my back.Some of my internal organs are useless, and can even kill me. Myrisk-calculation engine is useless. I am afraid to eat beef, but haveno problem catapulting myself down tree-lined roads on my motorcycle.My judgment is so bad I can be convinced to send my life savings to acomplete stranger with just one phone call.The final stake in the heart of intelligent design is that there arepeople we might otherwise consider intelligent, who, in the face of allthis, maintain we are functioning as intended."-Eric Dietiker, Twain Harte, California
Posted at 10:07 AM in Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
BBC Rocks
Back on March of this year, I mentioned how BBC 6 had become my new favorite radio station.
I am apparently not the only one:
"Nearly six million people visited the BBC's radio Web sites in October, listening to more than 10 million hours of Internet radio and generating nearly 160 million page views, according to the first set of monthly statistics released by the BBC's Radio and Music Interactive department. "The BBC is at the forefront of digital radio and these figures reflect the growing importance of new media in the industry and our commitment to offer audiences a range of ways to listen," said BBC Radio director Jenny Abramsky. "The BBC Radio Player allows people to listen to our programs whenever they want and its remarkable success marks another step towards a digital Britain."
Kudos to BBC for providing programming that commercial radio stations have forgotten how to do. If satellite radio ever adds BBC 6 (or the rest of their channels), than it clinches the deal for me.
Incidentally, this comes from THE online REPORTER (December 4-10, 2004 - Issue 423), and excellent source of news and analysis for all things digital; (I'm trying to track down a public source)
.
UPDATE: December 6, 2004 2:49 pm
BBC press release has all the details.
.
Source:
THE online REPORTER
December 4-10, 2004 - Issue 423
Published weekly by Rider Research
Millions flock to BBC Radio online
23.11.2004
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/11_november/23/radio_online.shtml
Posted at 10:02 AM in Music, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, December 06, 2004
Monday Morning
Yeah, its gonna be one of those days. . .
Posted at 07:27 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sunday, December 05, 2004
BOSE Suspension System
How's this for a new suspension system:
Inset: Bose’s invention uses a linear electromagnetic motor to push and pull the wheel in and out of a dip without jostling the car body.
"Supplanting almost 100 years of traditional spring-and-shock-absorber suspension systems, this new system from Bose—a company best known for its stereo speakers—uses electromagnetic motors in place of traditional shocks. Mounted on each wheel, the motors use input from sensors throughout the vehicle to react to bumps and potholes instantaneously, exerting downward force to extend the wheel into potholes while keeping the car level and you comfy. As the wheel pops back up onto the road, the suspension recaptures nearly all the energy expended; it uses only one third the amount of power your AC does. And beyond smoothing out bumpy roads, the system improves handling, virtually eliminating body roll in tight turns and minimizing pitching motion during braking and acceleration."
-Popular Science
Source:
Popular Science
Auto Tech
Tom Clynes
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown/2004/autotech/article/0,22221,750777,00.html
Best of What's New 2004
Posted at 08:11 AM in Science | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Saturday, December 04, 2004
C5s are tough to park!
You know those little matts they make for your garage -- so you don't drive too far in when you are parking?
They need one of them at the airport in Virginia for the C-5s:
Read the entire story to get an idea of the mayhem this caused . . .
.
Source:
C-5 makes surprise appearance Military transport overhangs I-564 at Virginia base
By SONJA BARISIC
Associated Press
03/07/2003
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/03/07c5makessurprise.html
Posted at 08:42 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday, December 03, 2004
Why are you still using Hotmail?
Seriously, how badly does Hotmail suck? Is it just me, or is this simply a clueless outfit?
Who are the idiots still using this refuge for spammers hunk-o-crap? Between Gmail and Yahoo, there simply is no reason for this to exist any longer.
Which brings me to today's rant. After getting a piece of offensive email from some jerk (Quote: "Y'all Niggaz anyway") I forwarded it to Abuse@Hotmail.com.
Here's the response I got a few days later:
On Friday, December 3, 2004, at 07:30 AM, MSN Hotmail Technical Support wrote:
Hello Ritholtz,
Thank you for writing to MSN Hotmail.
This is Leonel and I am writing in response to your abuse complaint.
The account you reported [**faithful_guy08@hotmail.com**] is an existing Hotmail account but I need the full message headers that accompany the message so that I can fully investigate the issue.
Please forward the message to us with full message headers exposed so that I may be able to evaluate and, if needed, take action against this member if it is proven that the account is in violation of our Terms of Use.
Please consult the Help section of your e-mail account or client to learn more about exposing the full message headers.
I appreciate your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Leonel L.
MSN Hotmail Technical Support
Stop to ponder the stupidity of that policy:
Hi Leonel,
Um, no. Like the rest of the universe, I do not retain these abusive emails, but delete them after forwarding to you. (Why would anyone retain abusive emails from a random Hotmail user?)
Surely, it is not Hotmail's position that people who should be saving these for future investigation?
Its your client, check their outgoing email.
Meanwhile, I will follow the advice of others: Since so much of the spam I get is from Hotmail, I must consider whether to set my filters to auto delete all hotmail traffic.
I know lots of other people who do this -- partly because of the spam, and in part because
of ridiculous suggestions such as you made today . . .BR
Is it just me? Are these guys totally clueless or what?
Rant mode off . . .
Posted at 08:05 AM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
































