First Federal Inmate with Website
Friday, October 12, 2007, 01:12 PM - Personal
So waaaay back in 1997 I was working for a company called Nextron. I was developing a template-based website builder that allowed noobs to construct their own websites using easy to fill out forms. One of the cooler aspects of EasySite was that we sold it in Office Depot stores. You didn't need a computer to get a website. All you had to do is fill out a form and mail it in (prepaid postage was included). In a few days Nextron's data processing folks would construct your website. Very cool.So one day in March '97 I am reading the morning newspaper and I see the lead technology story is about a federal inmate that has his own website. This was 1997 and so anything web related was big news and it was a time of many firsts. I spit out my current gulp of coffee when I realized this dude's website was hosted by Nextron, using Easysite, the program I was currently writing!
Sadly I cannot find any links to the news stories. This was one of the few matches:
Do-It-Yourself Web Site Solicits Money for Federal Inmate ...
Do-It-Yourself Web Site Solicits Money for Federal Inmate from Newsbytes ... California-based Nextron Communications' EasySite Web site creation workbook. ...
Oh yeah, since this happened in late march, I was able squeeze out a good april fools joke. On April 1, I came into the office acting all freaked out telling the data processing chick that the inmate was suing Nextron. She was soon freaked out also. Until I said, "April Fools".
(His website was asking for help and money for his legal fees etc...)
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( 3 / 390 )What I'm Read'n
Friday, September 28, 2007, 10:00 PM - Personal
;)
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( 3 / 363 )zebra sighting
Thursday, September 6, 2007, 03:30 PM - Personal
On monday, the Austin Motorcycle Riders Group did a small ride. We were driving down this country road and passing cattle ranches. In one of them was a bunch of horses, and one zebra. I am not kidding, and I don't think I was drugged. A zebra was in this field calmly eating grass with the rest of a herd of horses.Update: A little bit of web research has revealed to me that zebra owners in texas is common. They even train and ride them. These are typical links found:
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/FarmMom/ZebraPage.html
http://www.foresthillfarms.com/articles/zebras.htm
Asshole shoots zebra:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19754955/
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( 3 / 398 )A nice tuesday
Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 02:03 PM - Personal
The best thing about getting old is rediscovering old friends.(Note to self: send resume to Hallmark)
I love you Teena. I always wondered where you were, what you were doing and how you have been getting along. Thanks for calling.
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( 3 / 358 )Gross out!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 02:56 PM - Personal
So this morning I am walking up my stairs to my apartment. And on the thrid floor hallway is a giant winged insect. It looks like a fly, but giant. I am talking the size of a 50 cent piece. And bulky. Thinking it was dead, I kicked it. But it proceeded to thump its wings in some last burst of energy before death. The noise filled the hallway with a thutter/thutter/thutter noise.The noise was like a cricket but not high pitched. I could actually see its wings vibrate (it was a huge bug). It couldn't even get off the ground but hovered and proceeded to fly over the third floor down to the floors below. I could still hear it on the ground floor.
It scared the living shit out of me. I live in Austin Texas. If anybody knows what I saw I would like to have a reply. Here's something google reported for the search term: "huge fly"
http://bugguide.net/node/view/56473
It could be this thing, but the creature I saw didn't have any green eyes.
Except for the green eyes, it looked like this picture. GROSS ME FUCKING OUT!!
Here's another clue:
http://forum.insecthobbyist.com/flies/messages/31.html
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( 3 / 385 )motorcycle pic
Monday, July 30, 2007, 02:51 PM - Personal
;)
2007 Honda Shadow Spirit 750
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( 3 / 354 )900 miles
Friday, July 27, 2007, 12:13 PM - Personal
I've managed to accumulate 900 miles on my first motorcycle. I still stall occasionally when getting out of first (rarely). I love the dynamics of how to control a motorcycle. In the safety class the instructors tell you about "countersteering" and how you apply pressure to the left or right handle bar. But at the slow speeds in class I never really grasped the full signifigance of what they were talking about. (I assumed it was a dumbed down gimmick to teach us how to countersteer).But at speeds over 40 m.p.h this phenomenon is very pronounced. To turn left you actually push on the left handle bar AWAY from you. (at slow speeds this would turn the front wheel to point in the right direction, and move the bike to the right). But at high speeds it is reversed.
I think countersteering is a very pleasant way to control a machine. I can only compare it to how an astronaut controls a weightless vehicle using thrusters. I know, I know, how the fuck would I know what that feels like?!?!!?! (remember though, I have played the video game 'omega race', so I KNOW DAMNIT!)
A tiny impulse of pressure on right and you go right. I tiny impulse of pressure on the left handle bar and you glide to the left. It's a great feeling of control.
Anyway, 900 miles later I am much more proficient on the road for all kinds of situations (traffic, left turns, angry dogs, merging, stopping quickly)
motorcycle dynamics
bicycle and motocycle dynamics
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( 3 / 341 )macro picture of insect on cactus
Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 12:56 PM - Personal
;)
I took this using the Canon Rebel XT digital camera and 60mm macro lens.
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( 3 / 360 )"Hell's Satans" here I come...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 11:19 AM - Personal
;)
I think the best name for a bike gang was, "Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington".
If you ever programmed in PHP or C++ you know what that feels like.
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( 3.1 / 356 )128 miles
Friday, July 20, 2007, 02:12 AM - Personal
I got a bike today. It is a Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2. I just drove around town for about 128 miles. Driving home from the dealership was a real bitch. I stalled a lot and had horrible time trying to use my turn signals (and accidentally leaving them on).I also had two embarassing left turns. In both cases I was accidentally in 2nd gear instead of first gear. This resulted in not enough speed and very wide left turns. The first time this caused me to end up driving on the grass in someones yard.
But after 128 miles, I am starting to figure the machine out and get comfortable on the road. I took back roads to get home from the dealership so as to avoid lots of traffic. But now I am getting skilled enough to tackle most roads (I am still avoiding I35 for now).
I love riding a bike. It gives a whole new perspective on driving. You notice so much more. I can now identify all major organs and bones in road kill :-)
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