The arrow cursor explained

The secret is now revealed

You move your mouse, and the arrow cursor moves across the computer screen. Haven't you ever wondered how it works?

Now, through the miracle of high technology, and with the aid of a screen magnifying lens, you can see the actual mechanism. Click on the link below. The image may take a minute or two to download. When it appears, slowly move your mouse over the light gray circle, and you will see the technological secret behind the movement of the mouse arrow.

"http://www.1-click.jp/"

Terry Pratchett Quotes

Terry Pratchett is a British writer of fantasy novels, full of parody.

Here are a few of his quotes comparing Science with Magic:

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With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D and you still have the frog you started with.

Scientists have calculated that the chance of anything so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.

Magicians and scientists are, on the face of it, poles apart. Certainly, a group of people who often dress strangely, live in a world of their own, speak a specialized language and frequently make statements that appear to be in flagrant breach of common sense have nothing in common with a group of people who often dress strangely, speak a specialized language, live in ... er ...

Blackberry service disruption

As you no doubt know, the Blackberry network went down recently. Here at work, we've gotten numerous emails from the IT department telling us about it.

One of my co-workers has a fine sense of humor, and he put together an email that looked just like the ones that the IT department sends out. (same graphics, same font, etc.)

Below is the text that he put in his spoofed email notification:

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We are temporarily experiencing a disruption in our ability to notify you of disruption of Blackberry services. When this disruption disruption is no longer disrupting our ability to disrupt you from using your Blackberry, we will notify you of the end of the disruption disruption disruption. This is the end of this disruption. For now.

If you still experience problems or have any questions, please don't call us, we'll call you. Assuming your Blackberry is not disrupted.

Thank you for your cooperation

This explains all the foolish drivers

I understand the difficulty that radio commentators face when speaking extemporaneously. Errors of word usage are common, and generally forgivable.

However, there are occasions when the word that's used is exactly the opposite of the intended word.

This morning, on KYW news radio, the traffic reporter said, "Due to slippery road conditions, motorists should excise common sense while driving."

Google's sense of humor

Go to Google Maps

click on Directions

Type in "Dallas, TX" to "London, England"

Look at item #26. . .

Golem!

Golem! (punk klezmer band)

"This is not your father's klezmer band... unless, of course, your father was Sid Vicious"
- Jewish Week

http://www.golemrocks.com/

"Warsaw Is Khelm" is thir new album's accordion-fueled, gypsy-punk gem.

Download MP3 at: http://www.spin.com/features/heythisisawesome/2006/07/060726_golem/

MAFIA-STYLE VIOLENCE IN GAZA AND BBC REPORTER

excerpt:

"The truth is that the conflict [in Gaza] is portrayed as Israeli versus Arab. That's true, but it is only part of the equation of violence. Hamas versus Fatah is reported, but barely.

The real violence that regular Palestinians in Gaza face daily, and is now overflowing to involve kidnapped foreigners, is between families. "

full article at: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/09/116020.aspx

This day in English History

This day in English History: Apr 9, 1731:

Robert Jenkins's ear was cut off, sparking the War of Jenkins's Ear between Spain and England.

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The British certainly have more interestingly named wars than the Americans. We've got names like The War of 1812, The Civil War, and of course , [Insert foreign country name Here] War. Yawn.

Not nearly as interesting as The War of Devolution, The War of the Roses, or The War of Jenkin's Ear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_military_history

Roll call

Yesterday, I got a hankerin' for Sloppy Joes.

Easy to make; just brown some ground beef, add that magic "Manwich" sauce, and spoon it onto a hamburger roll.

Wait. It's Passover. No hamburger rolls.

Well, I thought, I could put it on matzoh.

and Sloppy Joe's becomes... Sloppy Joseph.

The Matzah Boxers

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For the ultimate in Passover Reclining Wear, introducing: The Matzah Boxers

However, if the guy wearing them sees a Shayna Madela, he gets excited, and the Matzoh becomes leavened.

"The Ghost Standard."

I read a science fiction short story by William Tenn, called "The Ghost Standard."

There are three characters; a computer, a human, and an alien.

The human is named Juan Kidd.

The alien is named Tuezuzim.

Hmmm, do ya think William Tenn's been to a Seder or two?

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Traditional Lyrics: http://www.usy.org/songs/view_song.php?songID=108
Chava Alberstein's modern interpretation: http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-chadgadyachava.htm

You, too, can look like a Spartan... maybe.

Here's an article about the workout that the actors and stuntmen did to get themselves into shape for the movie "300"

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/the-300-workout-can-you-handle-it?src=RSS_PUBLIC

excerpt:

Training for the actors required 90 minutes to two hours a day, five days a week, plus the same amount of time fight training. Stuntmen trained 90 minutes to two hours, five days a week, and another four to six hours fight training. Everyone was given just enough food to recover from the workout.

At the end of training, the following test was given:

• 25 pull-ups
• 50 deadlifts at 135 pounds
• 50 push-ups
• 50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
• 50 "floor wipers" (a core and shoulders exercise at 135 pounds)
• 50 "clean and press" at 36 pounds (a weight-lifting exercise)
• 25 more pull-ups -- for a total of 300 reps

There's no rest between movements and the score is based on total time

Google announces free in-home wireless broadband service

Google TiSP (BETA) is a fully functional, end-to-end system that provides in-home wireless access by connecting your commode-based TiSP wireless router to one of thousands of TiSP Access Nodes via fiber-optic cable strung through your local municipal sewage lines.

http://www.google.com/tisp/install.html