Archive for February, 2008

From popgadget, I found this “Viking Mortar and Pestle from Drinkstuff.com”

However, at $130 plus shipping, they can keep it!

Yikes, Vikes!

from onelook.com:

1. noun: a scale for weighing; depends on pull of gravity
2. noun: equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
3. noun: the difference between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account
4. noun: equality of distribution
5. noun: a state of equilibrium
6. noun: a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat
7. noun: harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design) (Example: “In all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance- John Ruskin”)
8. noun: (astrology) a person who is born while the sun in in Libra
9. noun: something left after other parts have been taken away (Example: “He took what he wanted and I got the balance”)
10. noun: the seventh sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about September 23 to October 22
11. noun: an equivalent counterbalancing weight
12. noun: (mathematics) an attribute of a shape or relation; exact correspondence of form on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane
13. verb: compute credits and debits of an account
14. verb: bring into balance or equilibrium (Example: “She has to balance work and her domestic duties”)
15. verb: be in equilibrium
16. verb: hold or carry in equilibrium

Balance is part of who I am.

1. Two days ago, when we were pruning limbs away from the cable (city/utilities won’t do it ’cause it’s not power lines; “SadderLink” cable won’t do it ’cause “they don’t cut trees.”), we noticed several trees with new buds and new leaves. That same day, I saw my first red wasp of the season.
2. Last night, while we were sorting GAYla decor, the crickets/grasshoppers/etc. were loud. It sounded like a summer night.

And tonight, it’s supposed to be 33 degrees! Yep, it’s spring in Texas.

“Thanksgiving Football For Aggies And Longhorns

The Big 12 Conference and its television partners announced the 2008 Texas A&M vs. Texas football game will be televised by ESPN and the game will be played on Thanksgiving night. This marks the first time for the game to return to Thanksgiving since the 1993 game, which is also the last time ESPN televised the rivalry game. “When I arrived in Aggieland, one of the first questions I was asked was when would we get the Texas football game back on Thanksgiving?â€? Aggie Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. “I knew the Big 12 contract called for the game to be played the day after Thanksgiving on ABC, but that didn’t stop the questions or desire to move the game back to Thanksgiving. I am thrilled that ESPN has offered to move the game back to that traditional date of Thanksgiving. I applaud the Big 12 Conference and our television partners in making this happen.â€?”

From today’s Aggie Hotline (.tamu.edu)

“Second Code Maroon Test Set For Tuesday

Texas A&M will conduct a second test of the Code Maroon emergency notification system on Tuesday morning (Feb. 26). In addition to subscribers receiving an email and/or text message, the Code Maroon test message also will be broadcast via KAMU-FM radio (FM 90.9). Only those enrolled in Code Maroon will receive the test message. To sign up, go to <https://codemaroon.tamu.edu/>. Subscribers will need to use their NetID and password as part of the enrollment process. For assistance with NetID and/or password, contact CIS Help Desk Central at (979) 845-8300. To better assess the effectiveness of the Code Maroon system, a group of subscribers will be randomly selected to participate in a post-test survey. Those selected will receive a separate email inviting them to participate in the survey. Please be sure to record the time you received the Code Maroon Test message because timeliness is the focus of the survey. For more information about the test and troubleshooting information, go to <https://codemaroon.tamu.edu/campusTest.php>.”

Twitter.com

It’s good for Editors (and headline writers, I’d guess).
It’s 140 characters Max.

If you have to say it “all” in 140 characters, including spaces; you are forced to say whatever it is concisely.

You are forced to be direct and get to the point.

You are forced to be straight up, which can lead to honesty.

You don’t have room for the context that will imply sarcasm or satire to your readers.

There has been the analogy made:

• my grandparents’ generation had the attention span of ~80 minutes from attending the “picture show”
• my parents’ generation had the attention span of ~30 minutes from watching sitcoms
• my generation had the attention span of ~5 minutes from MTV videos

Will “today’s” generation have the attention span of 140 characters?

Emil and I use Twitter…it’s like a blog except tiny. I real the “tweets” of a lot of people. Some I know, some I don’t. If they are interesting, I follow them so I can read what they post.

There were two very funny tweets today.

1. First, I got a link to the sneezing panda. Intrigued? I was. And then I had to share it with my co-workers who wanted to know what I was laughing at.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8922875251875301807

2. Second, I got this

“Wife pull her over -taillight out. She’s tired and sober.”

Man, I love twitter.