So, it seems that California may have to ask the feds for a $7 billion loan in order to meet their bills, because no one else will lend it to them. (They're blaming the tight credit market)

Even assuming a disparity in credit scores, isn't the national government about to try borrowing $700 billion? While slipping in some new tax cuts and spending ( Read more... )

It's hard to remember the internet without my favorite Firefox extensions, but I've never actually done anything to customize the companion mail program, Thunderbird.

That may have to change. From the description, attachment reminder:

"...scans your outgoing email when you click the send button and checks it for the presence of user-defined ( Read more... )

It's been an insanely busy few weeks, so besides not having a great chance to update here, I've also managed to go without seeing any of the Olympics events quite yet.

(Will have to dig through the online footage soon, as my TV at home doesn't get NBC reception)

While I'd regret missing the actual Olympics, though, I have to say that I'm more curious ( Read more... )

It's been a bit busy lately, culminating in preparing something like seven reports this week for various audiences.

(These symposia and poster sessions do tend to be worth it, though. So yay.)

Some random updates are in order before I go sleep tonight:

- Congratulations to
( Read more... )

For various reasons, it's been years since I've done much of anything in the way of computer programming- and this probably wasn't helped by the fact that the one language I studied in college (Visual Basic 6) was heavily altered before I'd even graduated.

On the other hand, the long delay does make for some pleasant surprises.  I recently ran into ( Read more... )

The local gas station has installed a new digital sign to update gas prices, in real time.  Maybe a good move- prices have gone up some 25 cents in the last two weeks.

When kayaking, always remember to sunscreen your legs too. I didn't know skin could turn that red.

Lastly, Target now sells "soft roleplaying whips" in the "toy" section. It wouldn't ( Read more... )

Here's an interesting way to sideline a law you don't care for: refuse to nominate leaders for the agency in charge of implementing it.

Yesterday, I learned that the Consumer Product Safety Commission had too few members on the panel to call a quorum: while it should have five members, it actually only clocks in at two right now. Apparently, agency ( Read more... )

A few months ago, it dawned on me that there was no point in paying for the default phone plan (unlimited local calling) when my only reason for having a home phone was as a prerequisite for DSL service.

So, I called the local phone company and switched over to a more basic local plan (fewer outgoing calls) for $5/month less. Apparently this was a ( Read more... )

This past weekend, we said farewell to our undergraduate students for the summer. This marked not only the graduation of my first-ever crop of students, but also a number of friends who at last wound their way through the adventure that is the PhD.

And just when that starts to feel sad, I learn that Ben and Jerry's is hosting "free cone day" this ( Read more... )

It's almost time for graduation. Are your students looking for the next big thing?

Why not try a degree in pre-ninja?