General on Steve Hatch's Blog

Missing: Silver 2000 Volkswagen Passat

Fri, 26 Mar 2004 23:13:19 +0000

So this morning I’m out walking my dog before I head off to work, chatting with my neighbor about the NCAA games at the Meadowlands the night before when I noticed that my car was missing from our driveway!

WTF!!!! It’s gone! Stolen while we slept during the night!

Called the police, insurance company, etc… Ugh! Frustrating!

However, if you happen to be in vicinity of West Orange, NJ and see a silver 2000 Volkswagen Passat with a black Thule roof rack, let me know, because apparently the driver “borrowed” it sometime early this morning without my consent.

Sleep Is Now An Option

Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:23:40 +0000

Well, in light of the fact that within a few months, sleep will likely become a scarce commodity for me and Catherine. So, I think perhaps I should investigate the “Sleep Is Now An Option” drug.

Provigil … was a drug originally developed to treat narcolepsy, the inability to stay awake. Now Cephalon, the maker of Provigil, has received a letter of approval from the FDA extending the approved uses of the drug to treatment of jet-lag and swing-shift syndrome.
In reality the drug is set to replace the caffeine in No-Doze as the all-nighter anti-sleep aid of choice. In fact, it’s much better than No-Doze – with Provigil, you can literally stay awake for days, alert and with a remarkable lack of side effects. “(via SciScoop)

Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Thu, 13 Nov 2003 14:13:50 +0000

It’s official, Guinness is good for you!

Pacman via Excel

Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:09:10 +0000

I’m truly amazed! I wish I knew Japanese to provide more details, but apparently Nobuya Chikada has created an excellent remake of the classics Pacman and Space Invaders in Microsoft Excel (Yes, I said Excel!) Do check it out. (Link via Les Orchard)

Note: you’ll need to lower your Excel macro security level to get it to run (at least that’s was what I had to do in Excel 2003), but it’s certainly worth it!

Tomacco Plant

Tue, 04 Nov 2003 16:04:16 +0000

LOL! This happens to be based on one of my favorite Simpson’s Episodes, but apparently a fan has created a real-life Tomacco Plant! There’s a link to a KPTV News Report and a thread on Slashdot regarding this “amazing science development”.

Mmmmm, Tomacco!

Doh! The cruller is no more!

Thu, 30 Oct 2003 16:32:31 +0000

Donuts?

“Walk into any local Dunkin’ Donuts and you can purchase a caramel-swirl latte or sourdough bagel, a pumpkin muffin or powdered Munchkin. You can get a jelly stick, chocolate stick, or chocolate-coconut stick, pastries that are shaped somewhat like conventional crullers and contain roughly the same lip-smacking number of empty calories.”

“But you cannot get a cruller anymore… ” (more here)

Ten Technologies That Deserve to Die

Tue, 30 Sep 2003 05:09:11 +0000

Add to this list the Fax Machine! I despise that retched device!

Reinventing Products

Wed, 10 Sep 2003 03:09:24 +0000

John sent me this article in Business 2.0, which seems to be demonstrating the application of Business Process Re-engineering in the Consumer Product Development area:

James Dyson says, “It is much easier to reinvent the wheel because the faults of the existing system are fairly obvious,” he contends. “The hard part is to find a solution that everyone who has come before you has not found.”

“Dyson has found ways to improve on such basic appliances as the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine, and the wheelbarrow.” [more here]

Anaconda of the Amazon

Mon, 25 Aug 2003 09:08:22 +0000

Anna Kournikova: “Excuse me Mr. Bezos, is that an ‘Anaconda’ in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

More Punk Nostalgia

Mon, 18 Aug 2003 11:08:11 +0000

The site is extremely slow right now, but with a little patience…

“You will find here [Philippe Carly’s] entire collection of concert and candid photos of popular and not so popular “rock”, “new wave” and “punk” groups from the 70s, 80s and 00s”

Wow! It’s like I’m back at CBGB’s all over again!

More Blog Evangelism at work

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 04:07:47 +0000

Well my constant nagging of my friend and co-worker Ed Hackney seems to be paying off.

Oh wait, maybe not! Doh!

However, perhaps I need to teach Ed how to click the post button once :-)

Home Star Runner

Fri, 27 Jun 2003 10:06:44 +0000

BTW, I’m now a huge fan of Home Star Runner (flash required). My favorites so far are “Teenage Girls Squad” and “System Down”.

Very funny!

Who needs Saturday morning cartoons anymore?

The Motive of Uncle Orrin (no relation)

Fri, 20 Jun 2003 04:06:33 +0000

Based on the recent comments by Senator Orrin Hatch (no relation) and the ongoing reactions, I remembered a quote of his I posted back in February of 2001, which implied that Senator Hatch (no relation) was coming to the defense of the fledgling granddaddy of MP3 swapping … Napster.

Here’s the interesting quote:

“The Napster community represents a huge consumer demand for the kind of online music services Napster, rightly or wrongly, has offered and, to date, the major record labels have been unable to satisfy,” (Feb 2001)

“You have a marketing problem”...

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 01:06:52 +0000

Steven Vore pulls out a great quote from George Gilder’s book Telecosm, which I think seems so relevant to the music industry — namely the RIAA. (link via McGee’s Musings)

“When your product is stolen by thieves, you have a police problem. When it is stolen by millions of honest customers, you have a marketing problem.”

Oh how I hope the music industry is listening. Unfortunately I highly doubt they would see the relevance.

Spike You!

Fri, 13 Jun 2003 02:06:42 +0000

Catherine rants about Spike Lee’s suit against SpikeTV. I’ll have to add to Cat’s “Spike” list with Elvis Costello’s album Spike from 1989.

And what about all those dogs named Spike? What will we do?

Geek Test

Wed, 28 May 2003 09:05:10 +0000

<wink>I stopped answering these after the first page because I overloaded the check-box buffer of my browser.</wink> (link via Doc)

Mature Music Mag?

Fri, 16 May 2003 11:05:43 +0000

Catherine just sent me a link to this
article in the NY Post about TRACKS, which is the name of a
new music magazine that will hit this fall from the Good Music Media…

“This magazine is the antidote to the hype and gloss of the
youth music marketing machine,” … “Tracks will deliberately pursue the
30-to-45 year old audience.”

Perhaps it’s a sign that I’m getting older in that the announcement of a
magazine targeted at the 30-to-45 year old audience appeals to me, but what
else is out there for a retro-punk with a revived interest in jazz? I
suppose a Jazz magazine, but that’s to niche for me.

Enterprise Meets the Borg

Thu, 08 May 2003 10:05:10 +0000

I think the Star Trek Enterprise Regeneration episode last night was one of the best in the series thus far. However, I have to agree with Jeremey Zawodny in that I was at first confused about the timeline, but I do think they pulled it together nicely.

As a few people have already mentioned on Jeremey’s blog, when the Borg contacted the Enterprise, they didn’t say, “We are Borg…”, which coincides with the storyline in ST:NG whereby they didn’t know of the Borg.

Suit Settled for Students Downloading Music Online

Wed, 07 May 2003 06:05:01 +0000

A quote in the [NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/02/national/02STUD.html?ex=1052539200&e n=62f647db4d1433df&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND) from Howard Ende
of DB&R about the suit:

“This suit is about the industry’s attempt to intimidate
Internet users and instill fear of lawsuits against users of the Internet,
particularly students,” said Howard Ende, a lawyer from Drinker, Biddle &
Reath who is representing Mr. Peng. “They need to find some other way to
protect their economic interests than bringing suits against bright creative
young people.”

How To Make A Telemarketer Cry

Wed, 07 May 2003 01:05:17 +0000

Mark Eckenwiler
details his experience suing a telemarketer (link via [Doc](http://doc.weblogs.com/2003/05/07#theContinuingDeathOfAdvertisingAsUsu al))
I love this stuff!
Good summary of Mark’s work:

“The Small Claims process in D.C. – at least what I saw of it – was so
painless as to be dangerously addictive. While the decor in the clerk’s
office leaves a lot to be desired, the staff were consistently helpful and
professional during my phone calls and in-person visits, and you can’t beat
the results if your case has merit. (While sharing news of my success, I
learned from a work colleague that she had used Small Claims previously to
recover $5,000 from a crooked used-car dealer.)”

Most spammers lie

Thu, 01 May 2003 11:05:31 +0000

Say it isn’t so!!

“Fraud in spam is a big problem that calls out for law enforcement, says the FTC, which found that 66 percent of the unsolicited messages contain fraudulent claims.” (via CNet)

You mean that those pills really aren’t going too… well nevermind…

Donating a Car to Charity

Tue, 29 Apr 2003 11:04:49 +0000

I was doing some research about donating a car to charity and I found a good checklist on the NY Better Business Bureau site

“If considering a donation of a vehicle to a charity, follow this checklist: - Check out the charity. Make sure you are comfortable with its mission, activities and ethics. NYPAS maintains reports on many New York area charities and the Council of Better Business BureausÂ’ PAS program has information on national organizations from around the country.

Extreme Ironing

Thu, 24 Apr 2003 02:04:44 +0000

Please, someone beat me senseless if I ever get involved with this a>

Jazz Legend Nina Simone dies at 70

Tue, 22 Apr 2003 12:04:40 +0000

Ms. Simone, we will certainly miss you. And yes, you indeed, moved us all.

“Legendary jazz and blues singer Nina Simone has died at the age of 70 at her home in southern France.”

More news below…

Jazz-Soul Singer Nina Simone Dies in France – MSNBC
Nina Simone dies at 70 – Reuters
Nina Simone Tributes – BBC
Nina Simone Dies – Rolling Stone
Jazz Soul Veteran Nina Simone Dies – Launch
Nina Simone Dies – Fredericksburg
Jazz Legend Nina Simone Dies At Age 70 – MTV
Nina Simone, 70, Soulful Diva and Voice of Civil Rights, Dies – New York Times

Read and listen to more of Nina Simone’s inspiring
body of work

Seed or hydroseed

Sat, 12 Apr 2003 10:04:35 +0000

I need to seed my backyard, but I can’t decide between hydroseeding and pain old seeding. I’ve already factored out laying down sod, because according to this it appears that sod will be 50% more than hydroseeding.

However, what’s benefit over seeding? This Old House seems to favor hydroseeding, but it’s still unclear of the cost gap.

Hmm…

BBC Reporters Blog

Sat, 05 Apr 2003 07:04:32 +0000

I’ve been trying to avoid posting about the war, but I just have to say that IMHO the BBC Reporters’ Log has been some of the best reporting about the war.

NextDraft Blog

Fri, 04 Apr 2003 08:04:53 +0000

Good news … Dave Pell has turned the NextDraft newsletter into a Blog.

However, it’s a shame that the new blog doesn’t have an RSS feed yet.

Iraqi variation on the Nigerian e-mail scam

Sat, 29 Mar 2003 03:03:33 +0000

CNet: “The war has inspired a new variation on the venerable Nigerian e-mail scam.”

Would you like paper or plastic?

Sun, 23 Mar 2003 11:03:14 +0000

Fast Company reports that, “The United States spends more on trash bags than 90 other countries spend on everything. In other words, the receptacles of our waste cost more than all of the goods consumed by nearly half of the world’s nations.” (via sysrick.com)

Punk rock girl

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 11:03:52 +0000

Ha! My wife Catherine goes off on SuicideGirls.com

Matisse Picasso

Sat, 15 Feb 2003 09:02:49 +0000

For Cat’s birthday, I got her tickets to the Matisse Picasso exhibit at the MoMa in Queens and I definitely recommend checking it out if you’re in the NYC area before May of this year.

Simpson’s Cast On Bravo This Sunday

Sun, 09 Feb 2003 09:02:47 +0000

So what do the voices of the Simpson’s cast look like? Find out tonight on Bravo (via Slashdot)

Top 25 Simpsons Episodes

Mon, 03 Feb 2003 04:02:42 +0000

“25 best episodes of The Simpsons according to Entertainment Weekly“

Links to the Columbia Shuttle Disaster

Sat, 01 Feb 2003 02:02:10 +0000

Scott Adams has been keeping track of links to the Columbia Shuttle Disaster (via Scripting)

So sad. My heart goes out to the crew’s families.

Kubrick 2001: the space odyssey explained

Fri, 24 Jan 2003 05:01:57 +0000

Ok, everyone is linking to this site, but the flash series that explains Kubrik’s 2001 space odyssey is awesome!

YourMom.com has a new home

Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:01:03 +0000

All right, I’ll admit it … I own the domain YourMom.com. I’ve had the domain and web site for a number of years. It’s a long story how I acquired the domain, but suffice it to say, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to own yourmom.com (ok, bad joke ;).

Anyway, your mom’s past hosting provider went belly up so she now has a new provider. However, I also used this move as an opportunity to port the site to a completely new code base and scripting language. It went a lot smoother than I expected thanks to the wonderful phpLinks, which is essentially a PHP/MySQL-based web link portal management application that I tweaked a bit to manage the hundreds of your mom jokes for the YM site.

State do not call lists

Tue, 07 Jan 2003 11:01:52 +0000

State-by-State do not Call Lists (via John and Slashdot)

However, why isn’t New Jersey on that list?

Star Trek fan site get Slashdot’d

Thu, 02 Jan 2003 11:01:37 +0000

Star Trek fans of the original series spent seven years, creating an all-new episode in the 1960s style. Unfortunately, the met up with the Wrath of Slashdot in battle.

Mod Foosball

Thu, 02 Jan 2003 09:01:43 +0000

Dennis Crowley: “Take a standard foosball table and make it a little bit smarter.” (via Slashdot)

Have a beer with those steamed vegetables

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 03:01:30 +0000

From: NY Times: “Thirty years of research has convinced many experts of the health benefits of moderate drinking for some people. A drink or two a day of wine, beer or liquor is, experts say, often the single best nonprescription way to prevent heart attacks — better than a low-fat diet or weight loss, better even than vigorous exercise. Moderate drinking can help prevent strokes, amputated limbs and dementia.”

Firing weapons on New Year’s Eve can be deadly

Tue, 31 Dec 2002 02:12:18 +0000

Ahh, in case you didn’t know … “La Quinta Cove [is] alerting residents that firing their guns into the air at midnight can kill.” Ok, happy new year then …

Give that clerk the finger!

Fri, 27 Dec 2002 08:12:06 +0000

No! Really … I mean pay them: Kroger lets shoppers pay via fingerprint

Billy Bragg: The Joe I knew

Thu, 26 Dec 2002 12:12:44 +0000

Billy Bragg remembers Joe Strummer: “Joe opened the back door of the theatre and let us in, he sneaked us back to the hotel for a beer, he too believed in the righteous power of rock’n’roll. “

Geek: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Tue, 24 Dec 2002 08:12:01 +0000

I can’t remember the first time I saw this, but I was recently reminded of it via BoingBoing and it’s still funny :-)

better !pout !cry
better watchout
lpr why
santa claus <north pole >town

cat /etc/passwd >list
ncheck list
ncheck list
cat list | grep naughty >nogiftlist
cat list | grep nice >giftlist
santa claus <north pole > town

who | grep sleeping
who | grep awake
who | egrep 'bad|good'
for (goodness sake) {
be good
}

Happy Holidays

Tue, 24 Dec 2002 03:12:21 +0000

Ok, I’m recycling the card we made last year, but it’s still my favorite picture of Pinto :-)

The Clash: Joe Strummer dies

Mon, 23 Dec 2002 05:12:18 +0000

This seems sudden and certainly too soon: “Joe Strummer, lead singer for seminal British punk band the Clash, has died at the age of 50.” We will miss you Joe!

World Trade Center Site Design Concepts

Wed, 18 Dec 2002 09:12:03 +0000

Seven new design concepts for World Trade Center site on display @ LMDC

Business Model for Music in the Internet Age

Sat, 14 Dec 2002 12:12:48 +0000

Interesting quotes from: I, Cringely | The Pulpit: ” .. classical or jazz, those two genres are already living in the future where musicians survive by performance rather than because they have a recording contract. If they had to rely solely on record sales, Branford Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma would starve.”

“An enlightened music company would see itself as being in the venture capital business. “

Heh, heh, they’re talking about boobies

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 04:12:48 +0000

Tonight A&E surveys, “mankind’s fascination with breasts and cleavage, from the goddesses of antiquity to today’s silicone-enhanced TV and film stars.” (via
BoingBoing)

ESP Experiment

Mon, 09 Dec 2002 05:12:31 +0000

Damn! Pick a card, any card … Dr. Cliff Pickover ESP Experiment (via BoingBoing)

Turkey Terrorizes Town

Wed, 27 Nov 2002 02:11:56 +0000

And people say Turkeys are stupid … “Two days before Thanksgiving, a wild turkey, weighing 15-20 pounds, staked out some turf at the Jewett City Savings Bank in Plainfield, Conn.”

From: ctnow.com

John (Jack) Pearson Federico

Fri, 22 Nov 2002 11:11:01 +0000

After 19 hours of labor (OMG!) and a slew of Blackberry messages from John, I’d like to congratulate Denise and John on the arrival of their new baby boy:

John “Jack” Pearson Federico
Born: November 21st, 2002 @ 11:26 PM
Weight: 9.2 pounds
Length: 21″ (I think he’s starting with the Nets next week ;)

Mom and child are both fine and healthy.

And of course, like John, Jack is already a geek with his very own pre-and-post birth weblog. Also he’s an amazing photographer like Denise, because I’m sure you’ll see some of his pictures online very soon :-)

Why does coffee taste so bad?

Wed, 20 Nov 2002 12:11:36 +0000

From MSNBC: “Coffee prices are at their lowest level in decades. So why does so much of the coffee you buy taste so bad?”

“This year, coffee makers are increasingly substituting low-quality beans in their ground coffee for high-quality beans … In addition, the purity of the average cup of coffee Â— the ratio of debris like twigs and rotten beans to actual fresh beans Â— has shifted markedly in the unappetizing direction over the past two years.”

Childhood beliefs database

Wed, 20 Nov 2002 01:11:05 +0000

Found this on BoingBoing: I Used to Believe: Childhood beliefs database

With gems like these:

When I first heard the expression, “post nasal-drip” I thought it was a cereal.
I used to think buying ice ceam from the truck was the same as taking candy from a stranger.
I thought that when newsreaders spoke of ‘guerilla fighters’, that they were referring to actual gorillas on the rampage.

Post wedding and Honeymoon

Sun, 17 Nov 2002 11:11:44 +0000

Cat and I just got back from our Honeymoon in Tortola BVI and it was beautiful. We stayed at the Long Bay Beach Resort, which was wonderful and just secluded enough for our tastes.

As for the Wedding, I think it went off well … The ceremony was beautiful; The reception was gorgeous; The food incredible and the band was great!

I’ll post some pictures soon.

Wedding ;

Fri, 08 Nov 2002 02:11:26 +0000

Wow! This time tomorrow … Catherine and I will be married!

Retro 80’s Gig Posters

Wed, 06 Nov 2002 12:11:52 +0000

My buddy Marc sent me a collection of old gig posters advertising shows from the 80’s at the legendary club City Gardens in Trenton, NJ. Wow! They certainly bring back great memories …

As an angst ridden teenager (who wasn’t ;-), living in the shadow of NYC during the 80’s, my room was wallpapered with these posters. I wish I could find some posters from the old Ritz, Irving Plaza and of course CBGB’s.

HogafflaHage

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 04:11:07 +0000

Very clever musical flash piece … click on the horse heads
[Update: I did not create this Flash short. I believe it was the fun folks at SVT.SE, but since I don’t speak Swedish, I can’t really say for sure ;]

Julia Grace Hackney

Thu, 31 Oct 2002 12:10:23 +0000

Congratulations to my friends Ed and Christine on their new baby girl Julia Grace Hackney

Raising Jack

Thu, 31 Oct 2002 03:10:46 +0000

John starts blogging pre-Jack: 10 days until the baby’s due date … kind-a like vapor-real-ware ;-)

Wedding ;

Sun, 27 Oct 2002 06:10:15 +0000

Wow … less than two weeks to go before our wedding and it seems like there are still more things to plan… eek!

Is the West Wing jumping the shark?

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 01:10:54 +0000

According to the NY Times it is.

Racer X

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 10:10:46 +0000

Mount an X10 wireless cam to your nitro-powered R/C car, sit back and enjoy the ride :-)

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Film | And now, Hitchhiker the movie

Wed, 18 Sep 2002 10:09:48 +0000

“Cult novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is to be turned into a Hollywood movie .”

The Barbie drug ;

Fri, 02 Aug 2002 05:08:35 +0000

Hmm, I wonder if it effects your math skills?
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=319949

All kids love Ren & Stimpy!

Thu, 18 Jul 2002 02:07:45 +0000

“Happy, happy, joy, joy! The Ren and Stimpy Show is coming back to TV!”

From TIPS to RATS

Tue, 16 Jul 2002 11:07:51 +0000

Why am I not surprised that soon after Operation TIPS [aka Terrorism Information and Prevention System], was announced, Operation RATS [aka Retrograde Activities and Treachery System], was announced [funny :]

Match Report: Mexico 0 – 2 United States

Mon, 17 Jun 2002 02:06:25 +0000

Wow! “The Americans continued their improbable run on the sport’s greatest stage with a 2-0 victory over Mexico=us) on Monday.”

Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics

Fri, 14 Jun 2002 10:06:35 +0000

Interesting and funny … http://intuitor.com/moviephysics/index.html

Dee Dee Ramone found dead

Thu, 06 Jun 2002 04:06:02 +0000

Really sad … I guess he really wanted to be “sedated” … Say hello to Joey for us Dee Dee

“Dee Dee Ramone, a founding member of the pioneer punk band the Ramones, was found dead of a possible drug overdose in his Hollywood home, the coroner’s office said Thursday. He was 50”

Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap

Fri, 24 May 2002 01:05:01 +0000

How long before you can pick up a frothy Grande bar of this at Startbucks?

“Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning java to brew? Are you one of those groggy early morning types that just needs that extra kick? Know any programmers who don’t regularly bathe and need some special motivation? Introducing Shower Shock, the caffeinated soap from ThinkGeek… "

Who Reads What and Why

Tue, 16 Apr 2002 10:04:05 +0000

Funny …
Who Reads What and Why?

Music labels collect $1 million fine

Wed, 10 Apr 2002 06:04:02 +0000

Wow! John just sent me this one: “An Arizona company, which dedicated a server for the exchange of music files between employees, has settled with the Recording Industry Association of America by paying $1 million. Integrated Information Systems offers technology and business consulting services. “This sends a clear message that there are consequences if companies allow their resources to further copyright infringement,” said Matt Oppenheim, senior vice president of the industry group. “We applaud Integrated for accepting its responsibility and working actively with us to settle this case out of court.” The group complained to IIS last August, at which time the parties began settlement talks."

Playboy plans ‘Women of Enron’ issue

Tue, 26 Mar 2002 01:03:01 +0000

I guess they gotta make money some how …

http://www.usatoday.com/life/2002/2002-03-26-enron-playboy.htm

Maybe next we’ll see fired Enron and Andersen executives boxing on FOX!

Six Months After, A Memorial Built On Beams of Light

Wed, 06 Mar 2002 03:03:01 +0000

"Ethereal towers of light, visible for miles around, will pierce the Lower Manhattan skyline starting Monday evening, six months after terrorism changed the world as we knew it."

The Kids are back In The Hall

Tue, 19 Feb 2002 06:02:02 +0000

Awesome! I can’t wait to see this tour! Kids In Hall book long reunion tour.

Go a head, make my New Jersey ;

Fri, 15 Feb 2002 12:02:01 +0000

A Texas jury on Wednesday found Thomas Mitchell guilty of aggravated assault for shooting his girlfriend because he thought she was about to say the words New Jersey."

Should we have spotted the conspiracy?

Thu, 14 Feb 2002 11:02:08 +0000

From: frontline: inside the terror network “Did the hijackers make any mistakes that should have tipped us off? Were there moments when our side could have and should have spotted these hijackers before they struck? The answer is yes.”

Guess the Beer Label

Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:01:46 +0000

match the beer bottles with the correct label?

Free Agent Forum in Newsday

Sun, 20 Jan 2002 07:01:17 +0000

nice … my buddy John Federico, president and founder of the Free Agent Forum, a firm that supports the free agent community, gets quoted in NY Newsday.

Do you have the time ; Mmmmm; Beer?

Thu, 17 Jan 2002 05:01:02 +0000

sweet! “Scientists have finally found a worthwhile use for technology and placed a pub-detecting global positioning system inside a wristwatch."

Military plane crashes near New Jersey highway

Thu, 10 Jan 2002 12:01:53 +0000

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — “An F-16 with the New Jersey Air National Guard crashed Thursday morning near the Garden State Parkway during a training mission, officials said.”

From: NJ.com – NewsFlash

CIA Using Mariah Carey Movie in Al Qaeda Interrogations

Thu, 03 Jan 2002 04:01:11 +0000

funny … “In a controversial interrogation tactic that one prominent human-rights organization says “borders on torture,” CIA operatives in Afghanistan have been showing Al Qaeda prisoners the Mariah Carey film Glitter.”

One Victim: A Son, a Sibling, a Fiance, a Best Friend

Wed, 02 Jan 2002 03:01:01 +0000

really sad story about our friend Bob McIlvaine who died in the WTC attack.

American Airlines flight 63

Mon, 31 Dec 2001 01:12:34 +0000

A webloggers account of the shoe-bomber incident on American Airlines flight 63

Protect the snowman from melting

Thu, 20 Dec 2001 11:12:01 +0000

my buddy marty “martoon” leone of step2media put together another hilarious game in flash. this one is for the holidays and it’s as he describes it, “another one of those protect the snowman from melting game for your flashing pleasure."

Suspect Claims Al Qaeda Hacked Microsoft

Tue, 18 Dec 2001 02:12:02 +0000

I suspect this is just disinformation and I’m just propagating it, but there’s an article in the washington post that says,

“A suspected member of the Al Qaeda terrorist network claimed that Islamic militants infiltrated Microsoft and sabotaged the company’s Windows XP operating system, according to a source close to Indian police."

there’s also an interesting (and funny) thread running on slashdot about this as well … freaky!

Coffee-Wielding Bandit

Mon, 26 Nov 2001 03:11:01 +0000

did you ever imagine reading “coffee-wielding bandit” as a headline?

“Florida police say a coffee-wielding bandit has robbed at least six Fort Lauderdale Dunkin’ Donuts stores. Police say the man hurls hot java at the clerks after they open the register and then grabs cash from the open drawer.”

how to get off death row ;

Wed, 21 Nov 2001 03:11:01 +0000

i think this picture needs no caption, but maybe a bad 70’s funk soundtrack … doh!

Underneath Ground Zero

Sat, 27 Oct 2001 10:10:01 +0000

Pictures taken of the 1 & 9 Broadway subway line underneath the World Trade Center collapse.

Spice Girls: Exactly the Reason Why Bin Laden Hates the West

Tue, 23 Oct 2001 01:10:01 +0000

from IslamOnline: “Having a Spice Girl and her bikini-babe dancers prance around in the deserts of Oman like so many trampy tarts, isn’t showing respect."

Anthrax worries find answer in e-mail

Wed, 17 Oct 2001 06:10:01 +0000

An obvious solution … “Congress is asking constituents to communicate with their senators or representatives through electronic means.”

Flight Transcripts

Tue, 16 Oct 2001 11:10:01 +0000

an article published by the NYTimes details the “transcripts of the communications between pilots and controllers capture the dawning awareness of the terror in cockpits and control centers."

Television Archive

Mon, 15 Oct 2001 11:10:01 +0000

The Television Archive has just launched. Its first collection — concerning the events of 11 September 2001 — contains television news from around the world. You can watch the broadcasts, read critical commentary, and see differing perspectives in coverage from television stations worldwide.

An aerial close up of WTC site

Sat, 13 Oct 2001 10:10:01 +0000

john sent me this devastating aerial view of the WTC site

NBC Says New York Employee Tests Positive for Anthrax

Fri, 12 Oct 2001 12:10:01 +0000

“An employee of NBC in New York has tested positive for anthrax, the network said Friday. The FBI and C.D.C. are investigating … The anthrax is not the same respiratory anthrax that killed a Florida man, NBC News said in a statement.”

Switzerland has left the building ;

Mon, 08 Oct 2001 03:10:00 +0000

CNN moves Switzerland to the Czech Republic

Chatting Doodz

Wed, 03 Oct 2001 12:10:00 +0000

disturbing (found via blogdex)
http://perceptions.diaryland.com/010927_61.html

What should be the response to violence?

Wed, 26 Sep 2001 03:09:01 +0000

Quotes from a rather long, but interesting article titled, The theory of power shows that weapons indicate weakness, not strength, by Michael Jennings:

“Showing a lack of understanding of history, President Bush, in a speech to the nation on Sunday, September 16, 2001, used the term “crusade” to refer to what he wants for the United States. During the Crusades [rhodes.edu], from 1095 to 1291 A.D., Europeans traveled to Arab countries to kill Arabs.”

Perspective on air travel

Mon, 24 Sep 2001 12:09:00 +0000

A pre-flight speech from the captain of Flight 564

Damage report from the city of New York

Mon, 24 Sep 2001 11:09:24 +0000

From: CNN.com In-Depth Specials

Six options beyond war and peace

Mon, 24 Sep 2001 11:09:01 +0000

Quotes from What Happens Next? by Jesse Walker

“1. The Gandhi Option: Wouldn’t it make more sense just to stop these clumsy interventions into other people’s battles? Why make ourselves a target for every tin-pot maniac in the Third World?"

“2. The Kojak Option: A terrible crime has been committed. … So it’s time for some expert policework, to track down and capture the people who did this."

Bush quote

Fri, 21 Sep 2001 05:09:00 +0000

i’m not sure if this is funny or frightening: “I’m not gonna fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt.”
http://www.snopes2.com/rumors/bush.htm

Rumors of War

Fri, 21 Sep 2001 04:09:00 +0000

this link has been passed around the weblogging community quite a bit, but i thought it valuable if you haven’t already see in:

“A collection of links to pages discussing the various rumors to come out of the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States of America.” http://www.snopes2.com/info/rumors.htm

Pro-bin Laden Pakistani vandal defaces World Trade site

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 12:09:11 +0000

from computer user: “The founder of a group called the Pakistan Hackerz Club defaced the Web site of World Trade Services, a California-based firm that facilitates international e-commerce."

“In a message left at the defaced site, an individual calling himself “Doctor Nuker” suggested the U.S. government may have orchestrated the terrorist attacks on America to justify widening its manhunt for Osama bin Laden."

Who did it? Foreign Report presents an alternative view

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 10:09:13 +0000

“Israel’s military intelligence service, Aman, suspects that Iraq is the state that sponsored the suicide attacks on the New York Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington.”

From: Who did it? Foreign Report presents an alternative view

a letter from an afghani american

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 03:09:00 +0000

The following was found on craigslist and written by Tamim Ansary who is an Afghani-American writer. It’s a very powerful letter in response to the events of the past week. Here are some quotes:

“The Taliban are a cult of ignorant psychotics who took over Afghanistan in 1997. Bin Laden is a political criminal with a plan. When you think Taliban, think Nazis. When you think Bin Laden, think Hitler. And when you think ’the people of Afghanistan’ think ’the Jews in the concentration camps.’ It’s not only that the Afghan people had nothing to do with this atrocity. They were the first victims of the perpetrators. They would exult if someone would come in there, take out the Taliban and clear out the rats nest of international thugs holed up in their country.”

Will more violence heal us?

Tue, 18 Sep 2001 12:09:03 +0000

SharedVoice.org was launched on September 17 to promote that the people want justice, but an end to more violence …

“We want to live in a world where we can live in harmony with other nations, and to feel safe from a sense of escalation that we as individuals feel little control over.”

“What is missing from the landscape of images and words is an expression of agreement among people who feel that as leaders in the world, the United States ought to uphold the values we so strongly affirm – freedom and justice. Is justice served in the taking of innocent lives, anywhere?”

Shattered

Mon, 17 Sep 2001 09:09:20 +0000

From Time Magazine … collection of photographs by photojournalist James Nachtwey

Fleeing from the 73rd floor

Sat, 15 Sep 2001 01:09:01 +0000

My sister’s friend and colleague Osman Altan was interviewed by the Princeton Packet about his experience fleeing from 73rd floor of the north tower Tuesday morning … I think Osman’s words become even more vivid and disturbing if you view these pictures after you read the article.

From the inside

Sat, 15 Sep 2001 01:09:00 +0000

john sent me a link to these pictures taken by an anonymous person, likely a tourist, as the disaster was unfolding. i think the pictures that effected me the most are of the firemen climbing up the stairs as the others were descending: http://www.phatmax.net/wtc/wow.php

Report if you are safe ;

Thu, 13 Sep 2001 03:09:00 +0000

fyi: here’s another Check-In Registry … use it to find out the status of
others and update your own status: http://safe.millennium.berkeley.edu/

Many lost. Why?

Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:09:32 +0000

i took this picture about a year ago from the staten island ferry and i cannot believe that we will never see it again! my heart goes out to everyone who has been affected both physically and mentally by the horrific events of this day.

Hollywood Moves to Rent Movies Online

Mon, 20 Aug 2001 03:08:01 +0000

now this is something i’d pay for … “Five major movie studios, including
some of Hollywood’s top players, unveiled plans today for a joint venture
that would allow computer users to download rental copies of feature films
over the Internet.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/17/technology/17STUD.html?searchpv=day02

Need a mover? Don’t Use Bekins Van Lines!

Fri, 17 Aug 2001 04:08:51 +0000

Cat details her gruesome experience moving accross the country using Bekins Van Lines.

The Jet powered beer cooler

Sun, 29 Jul 2001 01:07:00 +0000

this is hilarious (found on slashdot) … turbo cooled beer!
http://www.asciimation.co.nz/beer/

Tenth Star Trek film lands a director

Wed, 25 Jul 2001 04:07:01 +0000

“Director Stuart Baird (“U.S. Marshals,” “Executive Decision”) has signed on to shoot the 10th installment of the “Star Trek” feature franchise.” From: Tenth “Trek” beams up director

People stay in line at DMV after man defecates on floor

Tue, 24 Jul 2001 10:07:00 +0000

after spending a few hours at the DMV yesterday i’m certainly not surprised by this

excuse me miss, i need to do some exercise ;

Mon, 09 Jul 2001 03:07:00 +0000

found this one on geeknews: “Oglingover women’s breasts is good for a man’s health and can add years to his life, medical experts have discovered. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, “Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well-endowed female is equivalent to a 30 minute aerobics work-out” declared gerontologist Dr. Karen Weatherby.”

Body in suitcase found in South Mountain!

Tue, 03 Jul 2001 03:07:02 +0000

this is no joke … from the newark star-ledger: “While walking his dog in the park near South Mountain Reservation’s Bear Lane early Sunday, a man came upon two suitcases, one of which contained the body of a badly decomposed woman.”

Doh! is now a word according to Oxford

Fri, 15 Jun 2001 01:06:00 +0000

Doh! this is no joke, the following is quoted from the Oxford English Dictionary

doh, int. colloq. — “Expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish. Also (usu. mildly derog.): implying that another person has said or done something foolish (cf. DUH int.).”

“1952 A. BUCKERIDGE Jennings & Darbishire ixii. 183 Doh! An anguished gasp of exasperation rang out loud and clear as Mr Wilkins found his voice again. 1989 Beano 11 Feb. 23 (caption) [Speaker is a man who is knocked against a bus stop.] Doh! 1991 Chicago Tribune (Nexis) 15 Nov. (Friday) H, The movie had one good point: It wasn’t the worst movie I’ve ever seen. It was the worst movie I’ve ever seen. Doh! 1993 HP Professional (Nexis) July 28 Along their long path ISO sort of missed local area networks and network management, which gave the market over to TCP/IP and related technologies. As Homer Simpson would say: Doh! 1996 A. FEIN et al. Simpsons Comics strike Back! 14/2 Look out, you dern fool! You’re gonna cut off your… D’oh!!! 1998 N. JONES Hollyoaks (Mersey TV transmission script) Episode 256 44 Cindy: What are we doing here, anyway? Paul: Doh! Use your head, eh?”

So long and thanks for all the fodder

Mon, 11 Jun 2001 11:06:38 +0000

“Two of the Web’s longest-lived magazines, Feed and Suck, said on Friday that they had suspended publication and laid off their skeleton staffs because they were unable to raise the money needed to continue.”

From: 2 Long-Running Internet Magazines Shut Down

Have a smoke, but don’t stroke!

Fri, 08 Jun 2001 04:06:00 +0000

i saw this link on geeknews and it’s sinfully hilarious!

“Masturbation is more dangerous than smoking!!”

J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Geeks

Thu, 07 Jun 2001 01:06:58 +0000

very intriguing article in the Village Voice about Tolkien’s influence on geek-culture:

“If you feel that’s no particularly meaningful achievement, I understand. But maybe you could indulge me and imagine, just for a moment, that the fact that we live in a world increasingly made by geeks actually makes their collective imagination worth understanding.”

From: The Village Voice: Features: Lord of the Geeks by Julian Dibbell

18 million Car – Parts

Wed, 16 May 2001 02:05:19 +0000

tangential advice … when getting your car fixed, order your own parts and ship them to your mechanic. i was going to be charged $500 for a new distributor. i went online and found a refurbished distributor for $115 (including shipping) using the parts search service @ http://car-part.com/

sweet!

Boobytrap;

Wed, 11 Apr 2001 06:04:38 +0000

while exploring some of the community Groove spaces, i was given a link to Boobytrap.org i’m not sure what it is, but wow, is that done in flash?

Guess the job title ;

Wed, 11 Apr 2001 06:04:29 +0000

“Do you like being famous for accomplishing great things? Do you enjoy working with people of like minds? Do you look for flexible hours? Do you desire full health benefits with the world renowned Captain Dentist and Dr.Feelgood? Then you are exactly what we are looking for.”

Give up? Answer here!

Daily Show gets a Peabody Award?

Fri, 30 Mar 2001 09:03:46 +0000

“The Daily Show’s Indecision 2000 was awarded a Peabody Award for it’s coverage of the 2000 election! The Peabody is one of the most prestigious awards in broadcast journalism. Comedy central beat out ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CNN, and all thew other news programs. "

From: Slashdot | The Daily Show Wins Peabody

It’s no April fools joke either … look here

Eco-Challenge 2k airs tonight at 10PM ET/PT

Wed, 21 Mar 2001 11:03:50 +0000

The CBS show 48 Hours “treks along with the Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000 competitors every step of the 320-mile course through the jungle of Borneo, Malaysia.” See the previews here
[thanks Shue for the note!]

Carry the Olympic Torch in 2002

Wed, 14 Mar 2001 11:03:26 +0000

Nominate someone to carry the Olympic Torch in Salt Lake [hint-hint … nudge-nudge :]

The Bush Palm

Wed, 14 Mar 2001 11:03:06 +0000

The Pres-o-dent-al “Palm”

North Jersey

Wed, 14 Feb 2001 04:02:50 +0000

Usually, I delete any chain-mail-like lists and/or jokes that seem to get passed around endlessly via email.
However, the following was sent to me by my cousin Kim Hatch, who immediately gives the message credibility.
Of course Kim didn’t fail me, because IMHO the list is very funny — especially to those of us living and/or from “North” Jersey (thanks Kim!)

[note: I have no idea who wrote the following, I’m just quoting it in my blog.]

Cruise-Kidman split!

Tue, 06 Feb 2001 02:02:42 +0000

Oh no! what will the net do? Looks like Cruise and Kidman fan sites are frantic about yesterday’s breakup news.

disposable heroes of the hypocrisy

Fri, 02 Feb 2001 04:02:00 +0000

[thanks john] yes, we are the disposable society … throw-away cell phones

Depeche Mode to release new album

Fri, 19 Jan 2001 07:01:00 +0000

“Exciter, a sonic cousin to 1986’s diverse Black Celebration” cool! i can’t wait!

misdirected email ;

Wed, 17 Jan 2001 11:01:00 +0000

it always amazes me how many misdirected email messages i get to hatch.org.
below is just a “tame” sample … i’ll post more as it get them.

note: as far as i know, i have no blood connection to senator orrin.

Jello Biafra for President?

Sat, 29 Jul 2000 04:07:13 +0000

one of the things i remember most about seeing the DK’s live is how much Jello Biafra likes to rant … and now with his presidential run behind him he’s addressing the “hacker community” with great quotes like this one,

“Don’t hate the media, become the media …”

wow! despite the fact that i never thought i would see jello quoted in a technology publication, i still find myself agreeing with a few of his views …

True Elian

Wed, 26 Apr 2000 19:02:46 +0000

true elian … thanks dave!

2000 Census Forms

Fri, 07 Apr 2000 13:05:34 +0000

fill out your census forms online: U.S. Census 2000 Home Page

Super Whassup

Tue, 29 Feb 2000 21:42:18 +0000

funny … the super-whassup … if you didn’t see the bud version look here

NASA Image eXchange

Wed, 23 Feb 2000 19:44:37 +0000

the boy in me always wanted to fly a jet for NASA … here’s the next best thing … well, kinda … NASA Image eXchange (NIX)

Coffee

Mon, 21 Feb 2000 10:15:47 +0000

COFFEE!!!

Traffic Wave Physics

Mon, 21 Feb 2000 10:01:54 +0000

found this on memepool… traffic waves, physics for bored commuters … ahh … anything to make my commute better!

Simple Steps to Leading Better

Sat, 19 Feb 2000 09:16:16 +0000

found this on john’s weblog [newrules] … from fastcompany: Simple steps to leading better

Geek-ish Humor

Fri, 18 Feb 2000 11:32:43 +0000

a recently submitted your mom joke … “Your Mom is so dirty like me you smell mmmmkay if you dont like it i got two words for yaaaaaaaa suck me cuz im dirty” well said! it makes no sense at all! i love these!!
however, my favorite yourmomagory has to be the math jokes … geek-ish humor. i know.

Quote: Monica Lewinsky on CNN

Fri, 11 Feb 2000 19:06:47 +0000

ok … even though i’m tired of all things monica and bill … this monica quote is kind of funny …
Monica Lewinsky on CNN’s Larry King Live discussing her miraculous Jenny Craig weight-loss:

“I’ve learned not to put things in my mouth that are bad for me.”

NYC: Kids in the Hall

Fri, 11 Feb 2000 09:15:26 +0000

i saw just saw the Kids in the Hall live on tour in NYC and if you’re a fan, do check-out the show. i laughed so much my face hurt :-)

Communication Breakdown

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 02:28:36 +0000

sometimes what i think i’m saying isn’t what people hear …