Sneakey

Interesting research from troublemakers in San Diego (post forwarded from Gavin).

Duplicating keys via distant digital images

Today's top searches

The top searches on Yahoo today. Check out #10.

What if

check this out

If Grant Had Been Drinking At Appomattox

She's had it up to here with these people

Paul posted this -- this is just the most fun financial posting I've seen in a while, for some reason (from last week). I recommend Wallstrip in general.

Everyone is making

the obligatory joke about Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.

Police Officer Shoves Finger in Gun to Stop It Being Fired at His Colleagues (Fox News)

Wheeeeee

Stéphane posted this good one:

Chicago, eh?

So the question is, who do you think she's going to vote for?

Dead Goldfish Offered Chance To Vote
(10news.com)

40 new donors? Sounds like it worked.

College Alums Miffed By 'Blah Blah' Letter (10news.com)

BOSTON -- Former students who attended Framingham State College were miffed recently after they received a fundraising letter that repeated the word "blah" 137 times.

The school said the Sept. 5 letter was an attempt to inject a little 20-something humor into an effort to raise money for its Legacy Fund, but some of the 6,000 graduates who received the missive said they didn't find it funny at all.

"With the recent economic downturn and loan crisis, it has become even more important for Framingham State College to receive your support. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," reads the letter, which was signed by the president of the school's alumni association.

Job I don't want

This sight greeted me when I went to my local bank branch this morning. Two Window Washers Rescued From Broken Scaffolding (CBS 8 News San Diego). Actually, by the time I got there they had been successfully rescued and the police and fire department were gone, but the construction and security people were still working on getting the platform down, it was just dangling there.

Creepy

Hopefully Patrick will be embarrassed by this. We were having a discussion about what day All Souls' Day falls on, and the subject somehow came up of having an All Souls' Day Bunny, like the Easter Bunny.

I asked him what the All Souls' Day bunny leaves in your basket.

Now we're both creeped out.

It's safe I tell you

toothpastefordinner.com

My experiences exactly

more music charts

Keep up to date on things

For our multitudes of San Diego readers, you can get the latest updates about the fires here at the San Diego Union Tribune breaking news blog, if you are looking for an online alternative to the TV news.

Fire and lobsters

It's fire season again -- there was one fire right down the freeway from here earlier this evening, but they jumped right on it and put it out in a couple of hours. Still a big one burning up at Camp Pendleton though.

But that's unpleasant to think about. Possibly even more unpleasant than a lobster in your pants, another fine piece of San Diego news.

Alleged Poacher Stuffs Lobsters Down Pants

As is usually the case with these stories, the last line is the best. Bet you didn't know this.

Lobsters in the San Diego area do not have pincers.

Pangur Ban

A poem for you, I got it via this interesting article in the New York Review of Books about the Ruthwell Cross and the Dream of the Rood, a rich subject for another day's discussion, I suppose. The author is a monk in an Irish monastery who spends his days studying and meticulously copying the writing of Virgil.

Pangur Ban
I and Pangur Ban my cat,
'Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.

Better far than praise of men
'Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill-will,
He too plies his simple skill.

'Tis a merry task to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.

Oftentimes a mouse will stray
In the hero Pangur's way;
Oftentimes my keen thought set
Takes a meaning in its net.

'Gainst the wall he sets his eye
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.

When a mouse darts from its den,
O how glad is Pangur then!
O what gladness do I prove
When I solve the doubts I love!

So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban, my cat, and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.

Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade;
I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light.

-- Anon., (Irish, 8th century)

In defense

In defense of the apparent idiots who let the ballot get printed in Rensselaer County with Obama misspelled as Osama -- Microsoft Word apparently autocorrects Obama to Osama:

Here is the full story about the incident at the Albany Times Union: Barack 'Osama' on Rensselaer County ballots

How's it going?

I went out of town for a few days at the beginning of the month, came back, stock market crashed, etc.

Nothing much to talk about. Maybe we can get back to talking about Barack Osama, and listening to how news reporters in San Diego pronounce Rensselaer.