Tuesday, October 30, 2007
How Would THESE Conversations Go?
One of the more unusual sections of the bookstore is Biography. While most of the books in the store are sorted by subject matter, biographies are alphabetized by the name of person the book is about, regardless of what they may have done. This means that you might find people from wildly different fields next to each other.
When I’m in the Biography section, I often get a chuckle thinking about the conversations that would result if the person featured in one book could talk to the person in the book next to them. Here are some pairs of people (in some cases larger groups) whose biographies really were next to each other today:
Blackbeard and David Blaine
Al Capone and Truman Capote
Daniel Boone and Lucrezia Borgia
Charles Grodin and Che Guevara
Wild Bill Hickok and Paris Hilton
Alfred Hitchcock and Adolf Hitler
Jesse James and Jenna Jameson
Ron Jeremy, Joan of Arc, and Lyndon B. Johnson
Stephen King and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth (Teddy’s daughter), Traci Lords, Trent Lott and Louis XIV
Charles Manson, Marilyn Manson, Mao Tse-tung
Queen Noor and Chuck Norris
Sandra Day O’Connor and Rosie O’Donnell
Theodore Roosevelt and Diana Ross
Helen Thomas and Hunter S. Thompson
Shirley Temple and Studs Turkel
Alice Walker and Queen Victoria (OK, Victoria WAS in the wrong place, but still….)
Gene Wilder and Laura Ingalls Wilder
Chuck Yeager and Frank Zappa
When I’m in the Biography section, I often get a chuckle thinking about the conversations that would result if the person featured in one book could talk to the person in the book next to them. Here are some pairs of people (in some cases larger groups) whose biographies really were next to each other today:
Blackbeard and David Blaine
Al Capone and Truman Capote
Daniel Boone and Lucrezia Borgia
Charles Grodin and Che Guevara
Wild Bill Hickok and Paris Hilton
Alfred Hitchcock and Adolf Hitler
Jesse James and Jenna Jameson
Ron Jeremy, Joan of Arc, and Lyndon B. Johnson
Stephen King and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth (Teddy’s daughter), Traci Lords, Trent Lott and Louis XIV
Charles Manson, Marilyn Manson, Mao Tse-tung
Queen Noor and Chuck Norris
Sandra Day O’Connor and Rosie O’Donnell
Theodore Roosevelt and Diana Ross
Helen Thomas and Hunter S. Thompson
Shirley Temple and Studs Turkel
Alice Walker and Queen Victoria (OK, Victoria WAS in the wrong place, but still….)
Gene Wilder and Laura Ingalls Wilder
Chuck Yeager and Frank Zappa
Labels: books humor
Monday, October 29, 2007
Following the Spam Trail
Ever wonder where those spam messages come from? (No, probably not.) Ever wonder who is behind them? Or what would happen if you tried to buy something from one?
Well, a guy named Mark (not me, I'm nowhere near this tech savvy) did an experiment -- he backtracked the spam, placed an order, and followed the money. Here's what happened.
Moral of the story: Don't. Just don't. I wouldn't anyway, because even if they're not trying to rip you off, you just encourage them to send more spam.
Well, a guy named Mark (not me, I'm nowhere near this tech savvy) did an experiment -- he backtracked the spam, placed an order, and followed the money. Here's what happened.
Moral of the story: Don't. Just don't. I wouldn't anyway, because even if they're not trying to rip you off, you just encourage them to send more spam.
Labels: spam internet crime rip-off security
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Educational Links
When you think of a university website, you probably think of pages that describe the campus, the courses, sports teams, student organizations and the like. But there can be a lot more. This week I received the fall edition of my alumni newsletter (from the University of Florida), and it lists some links on a number of subjects:
www.arts.ufl.edu/asb -- here you can see more than 90 works of public art located around the UF campus.
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/fl-guide/snakekey.htm -- the Florida Museum of Natural History offers a layman's guide to help identify snakes.
www.cba.ufl.edu/podcasts/tuesdayswithtosi/index.asp -- the home of "Tuesdays with Tosi," an issue-driven podcast produced by UF's Warrington College of Business Administration. Recent topics include "Is Your Boss in Love with the Person in the Mirror?," "You Call That A Bargain?," and "Who's Afraid of the SEC?" (That's the Securities and Exchange Commission, NOT the Southeastern Conference.)
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/puzzle/puzzles.html -- Another offering of the Florida Museum of Natural History, this is a collection of word games that teaches about sharks.
www.fireinflorida.com -- With the wildfires burning in California, this site is probably more timely than anyone expected when the newsletter was put together. UF's School of Forest Resources and Conservation teaches how to protect your home from forest fires, and why some fires are beneficial.
www.arts.ufl.edu/asb -- here you can see more than 90 works of public art located around the UF campus.
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/fl-guide/snakekey.htm -- the Florida Museum of Natural History offers a layman's guide to help identify snakes.
www.cba.ufl.edu/podcasts/tuesdayswithtosi/index.asp -- the home of "Tuesdays with Tosi," an issue-driven podcast produced by UF's Warrington College of Business Administration. Recent topics include "Is Your Boss in Love with the Person in the Mirror?," "You Call That A Bargain?," and "Who's Afraid of the SEC?" (That's the Securities and Exchange Commission, NOT the Southeastern Conference.)
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/puzzle/puzzles.html -- Another offering of the Florida Museum of Natural History, this is a collection of word games that teaches about sharks.
www.fireinflorida.com -- With the wildfires burning in California, this site is probably more timely than anyone expected when the newsletter was put together. UF's School of Forest Resources and Conservation teaches how to protect your home from forest fires, and why some fires are beneficial.
Labels: websites university of florida links
Monday, October 22, 2007
More on my car....
...that is, if I still have one. The insurance company totalled it out. I have some pictures, but I can't get my phone to send them. The damage is all confined to the left rear, but the body is pretty badly damaged, and it apparently pushed into the frame. That means that to fix it would require cutting off the entire quarter panel and putting on a new one. The body shop ballparked it at $4000-$6000 -- not good for an 11-year-old car, even if it ran great. In the almost 8 years that I had it, I spent a total of less than $1100 in repairs (not counting tires, routine maintenance, and the rear brake pads that I replaced last year at about 110,000 miles)...and over $700 of that was to replace the odometer, which was probably too much considering I've since found that the place that did it charges more than any other place I know of.
In fact, USAA is only going to pay out $2249 if I give up the car, and $1095 if I decided to keep it. I really don't see how I can get a decent car for that little money.
But there is a slight bit of hope. The body shop guy said his figure was to fix the car like new. When I asked how much it would cost to make it driveable, he said, "It's probably driveable now." There are two main issues I have to check out. One is the rear end alignment -- if that's shot, then the car is dead. But if the alignment is reasonably good, then I may be able to deal with the second issue for much less than the $1095 I can collect. That is the left tail light assembly (including the brake light and turn signal). That's almost destroyed, and the body is so smashed up that there currently is no place to mount it. But I may be able to get something rigged up so the car is street legal.
Tomorrow I'm going to check out a place that specializes in Mustangs to see what they think, and I also need to call the insurance company to see what is involved in taking the car out to be looked at. If I can get this done, then maybe over time I can have the body work done in stages, especially once I get my tax refund.
On the other end, no word on finding the bastard who hit me and drove off. But rest assured, there are lots of eyes out there watching the road. Not that I expect to get any sort of compensation if the driver is found, but it would be somewhat satisfying to see him busted.
Wish me luck. By the way, that isn't MY car in the picture, but it looks exactly like that, even down to the same style wheels.
In fact, USAA is only going to pay out $2249 if I give up the car, and $1095 if I decided to keep it. I really don't see how I can get a decent car for that little money.
But there is a slight bit of hope. The body shop guy said his figure was to fix the car like new. When I asked how much it would cost to make it driveable, he said, "It's probably driveable now." There are two main issues I have to check out. One is the rear end alignment -- if that's shot, then the car is dead. But if the alignment is reasonably good, then I may be able to deal with the second issue for much less than the $1095 I can collect. That is the left tail light assembly (including the brake light and turn signal). That's almost destroyed, and the body is so smashed up that there currently is no place to mount it. But I may be able to get something rigged up so the car is street legal.
Tomorrow I'm going to check out a place that specializes in Mustangs to see what they think, and I also need to call the insurance company to see what is involved in taking the car out to be looked at. If I can get this done, then maybe over time I can have the body work done in stages, especially once I get my tax refund.
On the other end, no word on finding the bastard who hit me and drove off. But rest assured, there are lots of eyes out there watching the road. Not that I expect to get any sort of compensation if the driver is found, but it would be somewhat satisfying to see him busted.
Wish me luck. By the way, that isn't MY car in the picture, but it looks exactly like that, even down to the same style wheels.
Labels: cars collision driving hit and run Mustang insurance criminal
Monday, October 15, 2007
Watch for This Car....
Below is an e-mail I sent to all of my acquaintances in South Florida. I know I'm not getting a lot of readers here, but all it takes is one person. If you find this person, please let me know.
= = = = = = = = = = =
OK, I realize the odds are slim here, but it's worth a shot.
This morning on my way to work, I was heading north on I-95 in Pompano Beach when I was hit on my left rear by another vehicle, which then continued on its way without even slowing down. I am unhurt, but my car was hit hard enough to trigger my fuel shut-off switch, so as I coasted to the side of the road, I wasn't able to get the other vehicle's license plate number. I'm also going to have to bring the car to a body shop and hope that there wasn't enough damage for the insurance company to write off car, as I am not in a position to finance another one right now.
I would appreciate it if you could keep an eye out for a Chevy Impala, probably mid-1980s model year or maybe 1990s. What really stands out is that the car is brown and tan -- I think it was basically tan (maybe yellow) with dark brown bars running the length of the car. It would likely have some damage on the front right. If you see such a car, please try to get the tag number and let me know.
The highway was pretty empty, as it was a Sunday morning, and because I wasn't looking in my rearview mirror at the time, I'm not sure how he managed to hit me. As I mentioned, he just sped off without any regard for anyone else's safety, and I'm betting he's driving around with no insurance. He might even have taken off because he needs to avoid the police for some other reason, so on the off-chance that you come across this person, you might be doing a lot more than just helping me out.
Thanks for your help with this.
Mark
= = = = = = = = = = =
OK, I realize the odds are slim here, but it's worth a shot.
This morning on my way to work, I was heading north on I-95 in Pompano Beach when I was hit on my left rear by another vehicle, which then continued on its way without even slowing down. I am unhurt, but my car was hit hard enough to trigger my fuel shut-off switch, so as I coasted to the side of the road, I wasn't able to get the other vehicle's license plate number. I'm also going to have to bring the car to a body shop and hope that there wasn't enough damage for the insurance company to write off car, as I am not in a position to finance another one right now.
I would appreciate it if you could keep an eye out for a Chevy Impala, probably mid-1980s model year or maybe 1990s. What really stands out is that the car is brown and tan -- I think it was basically tan (maybe yellow) with dark brown bars running the length of the car. It would likely have some damage on the front right. If you see such a car, please try to get the tag number and let me know.
The highway was pretty empty, as it was a Sunday morning, and because I wasn't looking in my rearview mirror at the time, I'm not sure how he managed to hit me. As I mentioned, he just sped off without any regard for anyone else's safety, and I'm betting he's driving around with no insurance. He might even have taken off because he needs to avoid the police for some other reason, so on the off-chance that you come across this person, you might be doing a lot more than just helping me out.
Thanks for your help with this.
Mark
Labels: collision driving hit-and-run criminal cars
