In this morning’s New York Times, Sam Lubell writes about cell phone jammers that can be used in environments where one doesn’t want to hear cell phones ringing. There’s some question on the future legality of the devices, which of course means you can find them on eBay. I’m a bit concerned about the concept […]
Cell phone jamming Read More »
I received my semi-annual proof of auto insurance cards yesterday. As is custom, inside the envelope is a sheet of addendums to the coverage. This one contains two specific policy exceptions that seem juxtaposed: fungi and radiation. I could joke that this means I’m no longer covered by automobile losses caused by radioactive mushrooms. Radation
Radioactive Mushrooms Read More »
Last month, I was musing about my phone bill. One mystery was why I was being charged $0.02 more for the Federal Excise Tax than the 3% mandated. I called the phone company, but they were unable to provide any explanation. I asked the public utility commission, who provided the information below. The legal interpretation
My two cents (of Federal Excise Tax) Read More »
Self-checkout kiosks have been appearing in various stores over the last couple of years. Businesses believe they can save money by having one employee monitor mulyiple registers. Customers are sold these as a convenience. Here’s how it’s supposed to work: You place all of your items on the input tray While there are items on
Home Depot’s Self-Checkout Doesn’t Work Read More »
I received an invite to join a group of friends in Orkut, “an online community that connects people through a network of trusted friends.” My first reaction was oh, brother, yet another linking portal. I already have entries on Friendster, the “online community that connects people through networks of friends” and LinkedIn, where you can
How many degrees of Kevin Bacon can be sliced? Read More »
NASA is currently holding a press conference after the successful landing of “Opportunity” and potential workaround of the flash memory problem on “Spirit.” I’m reslishing seeing all the engineers cheering and high fives. Much like Pathfinder, this is an amazing opportunity to witness the highs and lows of exploration in near real time. If you
Dear Qwest: While watching the NFL playoffs the last couple of weekends (sadly, the only football I’ve had time for this season), I have seen several of your commercials touting your new tagline, “The Spirit of Service.” The commercial I just saw features an older couple eating ribs when the phone rings. They look at
Drinking too many Spirits of Service Read More »
I usually delete anything with multiple forwards… unless it’s from my friend Steve Leahy. The text claims to be from “The Washington Post’s Style Invitational,” though I couldn’t find this on the www.washingtonpost.com site for proper accreditation. The premise is to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one