Old-Style Upload Jun 13, 2006
I started using another one of Il Filosofo's plugins last week, but it only affects the WordPress admin area.  It's his Old-Style Upload plugin.  It adds the upload functionality that older versions of WordPress had.  There are configurable options, including where to upload the files and what types to accept.  The cool thing is that these options have no effect on the upload capabilities that already exist within post-writing.  The reason this is cool is because I can use the in-line upload tool to upload pictures or other files to my posts, and I can use the Old-Style Upload plugin to upload plugins to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.  And that's exactly what I'm doing!  It's great!  I can't believe this functionality isn't already there.  I used to have to use FTP to upload new files.  What a waste of time and security! 

One change I would make to the plugin is to comment out line 146, which says $img1_name = preg_replace('/[^a-z0-9_.]/i', '', $img1_name);.  This line renames the uploaded file by taking out certain characters and symbols.  I think this is stupid, and commenting it out solves the problem. #technology
Garbage water Jun 13, 2006
Garbage water is that mysterious liquid found in the bottom of garbage bags that leaks onto the floor when you take the bag out of the can.  Where does this stuff come from?  I don't throw out entire containers of liquid!  I don't dump out cups of coffee into the trashcan!  So how does it get there?  The explanation to this mystery continues to elude scientists and researchers around the globe. 

One time when I was about 11, I was riding my bike along the side of a road (not on the sidewalk because there was none).  As a garbage truck drove past me, I felt a drop of liquid hit my face.  Then all my skin melted off and spawned new little Daves, like the movie Gremlins.  Actually, it wasn't that big of a deal except that it was really gross.  I haven't ridden a bike or touched the side of a road since. 

I used to work at a McDonald's, where garbage water was king.  I used to have to take the big bags of garbage out to the dumpster.  Those bags had so much disgusting garbage water in them, they left a 50-foot trail of mystery liquid all the way from the can to the dumpster.  Disgusting. 

So the next time you think about throwing your drink in the garbage, think of that poor jerk who has to clean up after you.  You're ruining his day, his weekend, and his entire life.  Say no to garbage water! #science
Adolescent books Jun 13, 2006
Some dude made a list (via Cynical-C) of the "top 10 books about the darker side of adolescence".  I've read Lord of the Flies (his #1) and maybe Catcher in the Rye, as well as several others that didn't make the list. 

The problem with adolescent books is that schools force kids to read them.  And I don't think an adolescent can fully appreciate a book written about him/her until he/she is no longer an adolescent.  Maybe it's just me, but I developed a hatred of reading by being forced to read books I didn't understand (granted, I have a documented reading comprehension deficiency).  But when I look back on it and re-read some of the "classics", I'm amazed at how much truth and wisdom is contained in their pages.  I compared an incident in high school with the Lord of the Flies after realizing (again) that human nature has a tendency towards evil.  Some of the books I read in high school had such an amazingly clear message in them, yet their meaning and applicability were lost in the heyday of high school life, memorizing chemistry formulas, playing stupid sports, joining clubs that would "look good on my transcript", and (very infrequently) dating bimbo girls.  I wish somebody told me, "Grow up first, then read about what was happening while you were growing up.  It'll make so much more sense later.  Plus, you can't do anything to change what's bound to happen anyway." 

In conclusion, fake your way through high school, go to a big state college, and learn everything about life when you're ready and able.  My childhood was corrupted by a forceful compression of perceived knowledge. #entertainment
Zeeba neighba (5) Jun 13, 2006
Ever since I was turned on to Pearls Before Swine (thanks, Shara), I can't get enough.  I can't stop laughing at today's: 
[Image: pearls20060613.gif]
The message:  Deer Zeeba, You is valued neighba!  Thanks for being you! 

The "sublibabal" message:  Run outside!  Pour steak sauce on head!  Kill self! #entertainment