Strike
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Dec 21, 2005
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I wrote about this a while ago, but I figured I'd rehash my thoughts about the current NYC transit workers strike.
I think unions are stupid. The fact that millions of New Yorkers can't get to work because they can't depend on public transportation really burns me. It riles me. And the reason these people are on strike: "We want more money. We want nicer bathrooms. We want to work less and make more."
But instead of just complaining (though I'm quite good at that), I have a solution: Fire everyone. Fire the entire union. Put them all out on their butts on the street. Then hire a bunch of hard-working Mexicans (not meant to be racist) or other people who are willing to work. Some people actually want to work for the money they make. Let's employ them. And forbid them to form a union. So instead of promoting Communism (everybody gets the same thing), we'll promote Capitalism (everybody gets what they work for).
There. I said it. #business
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NameVoyager
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Dec 20, 2005
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Wow. This is cool. NameVoyager is a website that lets you see how common certain names were at certain times. Just click on the link to launch it and type in a name. It generates a graph on the go. #technology
Update (2018/06/05): Names.org does some similar stuff.
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Communication while driving (2)
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Dec 20, 2005
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I think that one of my biggest downfalls is my inability to communicate with other drivers while driving. Instead of shooting paintballs at their cars or ramming into them with a 1970s clunker, I think it would be more beneficial for everyone if I could effectively communicate my feelings towards these people. Thus my invention idea: An automated sign-switching device, or an electronic sign scroller. The idea is that there would be a collection of standard things that I usually think or yell, such as "Stop riding my tail," "Please turn off your blinker," "I think your high beams are on," and "You cut me off and you'll pay big time". These are obviously slightly toned down from what I would normally like to yell. So instead of getting raging mad and pumping my fist at someone who can't understand what my problem is, I could just press a button to show the corresponding sign. Maybe that person doesn't realize they've had their blinker on for the past 57 miles. Maybe they're on their cell phone and didn't realize they cut me off. Maybe they're just dumb and need to be told that. Whatever the case, I'm patenting this idea.
Common events that need signs: Blinker on for too long, blinker not used, cut me off, riding my tail, high beams, driving too slow, get off the phone, driving like a drunk, shouldn't have a driver's license. #travel
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Brutally honest (1)
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Dec 20, 2005
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I really love it when people are brutally honest. I walked into church on Sunday morning after a painful Saturday (consisting of ripping out an old window, installing a new window, and getting my hands ripped apart in the process, all the while fighting a nice little cold), and somebody said, "Did you wake up any more than 20 minutes ago?" Ah, honesty. Sure, it was called-for. I looked tired. I was tired. But did that person really need to say that? It's like calling a fat person fat, or making a joke about an old person's age. Give me a friggin' break. #psychology
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Buckley's
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Dec 20, 2005
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There's this cold medicine called Buckley's that has a great tagline: "It Tastes Awful. And It Works." That's awesome. At least they're honest. #health
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Google AdSense
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Dec 20, 2005
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I tried using Google AdSense for about a month and a half recently, but I decided to stop just a few days ago. My idea was that I knew my website was getting a relatively large amount of hits per day, so I wanted to see if I could make any money from it. AdSense works by displaying some "non-intrusive" ads wherever you want, and you make money when someone clicks on any of the links. That's the catch. The user has to click on a link.
So it turns out that no one clicks on ads. In a way, this is good. I recommended this a while ago. But at the same time, it means that I made no money. So instead of letting ads slow down the loading of my website, I removed the ads. You're welcome. #entertainment
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Localhost
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Dec 16, 2005
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I finally figured out how to run a webserver from my computer. I used EasyPHP and got help in setting things up from lineman.net. The reason why this is significant is because now I can run PHP and other related things from my own computer. Ever since I started using PHP and WordPress, I've had to test new things directly on my website. Now I can try them out before I implement them. This obviously wasn't a problem with plain text HTML, which automatically opens in any browser. #technology
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Tooth fairy
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Dec 16, 2005
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Sometimes I wonder about things like the tooth fairy. Who came up with this idea? Why does this magical tooth fairy harvest children's teeth for money? What does she do with all those teeth? And where does she get all the money? How did Hallmark not invent a holiday centered around this idea?
Wikipedia says that the myth may be used to offer a reward to a child after a harrowing experience like losing a tooth. No pain, no gain. Another explanation is that some European folklore mentioned mythical creatures that would "perform useful tasks or exchange valuable treasures for things humans view as mundane or useless". Money in exchange for teeth. Clean house in exchange for nail clippings (my contribution; not in Wikipedia article). Weird. But the most compelling explanation is that it gives children a sense of faith in things that are unseen. That's something I never really thought about before. Maybe that can explain Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Interesting. #psychology
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GotVoice
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Dec 16, 2005
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GotVoice is a web service that converts voicemails to mp3 and sends them to an email program or a personal GotVoice page. Download Squad wrote a review. #technology
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Flatulence in Japan
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Dec 16, 2005
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This article talks about this article, which is about the results of a survey to find out when Japanese husbands heard their wives break wind. What I find most amazing is that 12% of the men never heard their wives fart. I applaud those women. That's a tough thing to do. #entertainment
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