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Vlad!
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« Reply #2440 on: October 08, 2007, 02:52:03 PM » |
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Filed under "things that kind of creep me out": machine-generated e-mails that use 'Dear' in the salutation. For example, an e-mail I received from a vBulletin forum I have an account on: Dear Electronomancer,
You have received a new private message at EPForums from Vagabond, entitled "Thanks for the help".
Again, please do not reply to this email. You must go to the following page to reply to this private message:
[...]
All the best,
EPForums Dear? Really? You will notice that the Phorum software does not try to pretend like it cares about you. It just gets right to the meat of the message: You have just been sent a personal message by xxxxx on The Phorum.
IMPORTANT: Remember, this is just a notification. Please do not reply to this email.
The message they sent you was:
[...]
Reply to this Personal Message here: [...]
That's really everything necessary. Don't make me read through some programmer's attempt to make it look like the board administrators personally sent me this e-mail. Nobody at EPForums thinks I'm 'dear'. Side note: what happens if, ignoring the warning, you *do* reply to the message? Well, usually it goes to the board owner (in this case, Josh). I think some older systems actually put the e-mail address of the person who sent the message as the sender. However, there were two bad things that come out of this: first, it means that sending a PM exposes the members e-mail, which might not be what that member wants. Second, it means that replying to the e-mail takes the conversation out of PM. Which is OK, except it's awkward to use two different media for the same conversation. What would be cool is if the board itself could receive mail which would then be parsed and converted into PMs. I don't know of any board that does this, but it would be an elegant solution to the problem of people replying to a PM notification (but would still not justify the use of fluff salutations and closings in a machine-generated e-mail). |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Aaron
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« Reply #2441 on: October 12, 2007, 12:20:20 PM » |
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I don't use a certain descriptive term that much, but really, Ann Coulter is a total bitch.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2442 on: October 19, 2007, 07:21:51 PM » |
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I was telling a story yesterday and I realized most of the way through that it wasn't really going anywhere (this seems to happen a lot), so I ended it up with "but that was back when I was a woman". This grabbed the listeners' attention and improved an otherwise dull conversation. I recommend this tactic (if you are currently a woman, feel free to substitute "man").
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2443 on: October 26, 2007, 08:15:53 PM » |
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I'm pretty sure that, if I killed a bird with a shuriken, it would become one of the defining moments of my life.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2444 on: October 26, 2007, 08:58:46 PM » |
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in a good way or a bad way?
*puzzled*
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2445 on: October 26, 2007, 10:08:20 PM » |
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It's like, I imagine that Lance Armstrong sometimes gets into frustrating situations. And then he goes "oh, yeah. I'm Lance Freaking Armstrong. I had to quit the Tour de France just so that other people would have a chance. I am the man". In the same way, I would be able to go through the rest of life knowing that, come what may, I can (and have) killed a bird with a shuriken. That's the sort of thing that instills an almost supernatural sense of confidence.
Random bird-killing rhetoric aside, though, for some reason the thought came to me that it would take some pretty über skills to hit a bird (in flight, of course) with a shuriken. Then the thought (that it would be a defining moment of my life) came. And it was so completely random that I thought it would be funny to post it as-is, with no explanation.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2446 on: October 26, 2007, 11:23:40 PM » |
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heh, it was that.
the other day I had read about the title of To Kill A Mockingbird (no, I haven't read the book; sue me), and the idea that it is a sin to kill mockingbirds because they don't hurt anybody but only sing for us has been in the back of my head. then whoosh goes a shuriken and whammo, defining moment of your life.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2447 on: October 27, 2007, 09:14:57 AM » |
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TKAM is actually a really good book. There were very few books I was forced to read for class that I actually enjoyed. TKAM is one of them. I'm not saying to go out and read it right now, but if you have the time and the opportunity, I definitely recommend it.
That said, I can't stand mockingbirds. They're so loud and annoying. There's one near my parents house that has learned to imitate the ring of their phone, and that bird definitely needs to be shurikened when it's outside the window at six am.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2448 on: October 28, 2007, 06:48:48 PM » |
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oh, I didn't mean to indicate that I don't think it's actually good. it just seems like one of those books that everybody has read and it's terrible if someone hasn't. it's been on my list of stuff to read eventually.
there used to be a mockingbird that sings at midnight/1am outside my window but I haven't heard it for a while. the loudness can be annoying but I like the variety of sounds. it seems like they even know songs of birds that aren't local to this area. I'm pretty sure I've heard mockingbirds here sing cardinal calls but there aren't any cardinals here. (I grew up where the state bird was the cardinal and miss them.)
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2449 on: October 28, 2007, 07:52:58 PM » |
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I grew up where the state bird was the mockingbird and I hate them. They need to be shurikened.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2450 on: November 16, 2007, 05:31:59 PM » |
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Greg Dean answered a long-standing question about what it means when the tracking site says "shipment acknowledged". |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2451 on: November 16, 2007, 06:41:19 PM » |
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*snicker*
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leinad
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« Reply #2452 on: November 18, 2007, 09:08:45 PM » |
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I used to think that the caucus/primary system of nominating presidential candidates was rather silly, but now I'm thankful for it. If they did all the states on the same day, Hillary's nomination would be a foregone conclusion. But it's likely that one anti-Hillary candidate will emerge from Iowa and take the vast majority of anti-Hillary votes from there on out. It might actually benefit her to finish third in Iowa, so two other candidates might split votes against her for a while.
(Nothing personal against her, I just think this Bush-Clinton business has to stop.)
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2453 on: November 18, 2007, 09:33:47 PM » |
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You may be thankful for it, but that doesn't make it less silly.
What I think is silly is that we're still almost a year away and all this is going down. I plan on voting libertarian unless the two farces we call the top political parties manage to produce a candidate worth more than a bag of llama droppings. I might consider voting for Obama.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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leinad
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« Reply #2454 on: November 18, 2007, 09:50:58 PM » |
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I might consider voting for Obama. The current caucus/primary system is the reason he still has a chance. I also wonder why Democrats see Hillary as the most electable of their candidates. I bet plenty of independents and some Republicans would consider voting for Obama, Edwards, or Richardson, but not Hillary. And I bet very few would consider voting for Hillary but not any of the others. And if the Republicans nominate Huckabee or Romney and the Democrats nominate Clinton, Obama, or Edwards, we probably get another Republican administration, since Governors always beat Senators in the general election. |
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Aaron
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« Reply #2455 on: November 18, 2007, 11:44:26 PM » |
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I live in New York. F Hillary Clinton.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2456 on: November 20, 2007, 06:04:02 AM » |
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I could watch this for approximately ever. |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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who me?
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« Reply #2457 on: November 25, 2007, 07:51:19 PM » |
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Elections are for losers. As stated by someone who can't vote because
a) I am under age and
b) I'm not Australian anyway.
Aussie elections were yesterday and Kevin Rudd won.
*is grossed out*
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2458 on: November 27, 2007, 03:41:29 PM » |
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For all our technology, the United States really sucks at the fundamental problem of Moving Stuff Around. Would it kill us to have a decent train system? Or dirigibles? I would love to travel in a dirigible. I don't care if it would take ten hours to get from Morrisville to Knoxville. I'd be going in a freaking dirigible.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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leinad
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« Reply #2459 on: December 03, 2007, 01:08:35 PM » |
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Aaron
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« Reply #2460 on: December 13, 2007, 09:28:18 AM » |
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heh..so Jodie Foster is a lesbian. interesting.
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bethany
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« Reply #2461 on: December 15, 2007, 10:32:31 AM » |
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heh..so Jodie Foster is a lesbian. interesting.
Where have YOU been?  |
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Aaron
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« Reply #2462 on: December 15, 2007, 11:07:17 AM » |
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Where have YOU been? I guess I had never really heard rumors or anything. I saw a story on CNN.com about her at some awards thing thanking her partner. Also, I really don't pay much attention to the lives of celebrities because I don't give a damn. |
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2463 on: December 15, 2007, 07:11:27 PM » |
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you say you don't give a damn but you came here to post about it? ;P
I noticed that Jodie Foster is quite petite. the height given at imdb is a quarter inch shorter than me. a whole quarter inch shorter than me! that is quite short.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2464 on: December 15, 2007, 07:13:06 PM » |
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you say you don't give a damn but you came here to post about it? ;P
Oh snap! Burnsauce! |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Aaron
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« Reply #2465 on: December 16, 2007, 09:22:25 AM » |
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you say you don't give a damn but you came here to post about it? ;P
I noticed that Jodie Foster is quite petite. the height given at imdb is a quarter inch shorter than me. a whole quarter inch shorter than me! that is quite short.
It was on the front page of cnn.com and was like "well interesting". When I say I don't give a damn, I mean I don't go out searching for it intentionally. |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2466 on: December 16, 2007, 01:15:25 PM » |
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Bah, since when is celebrities' sexuality front-page-news worthy? Or anyone's, for that matter?
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Aaron
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« Reply #2467 on: December 16, 2007, 01:35:16 PM » |
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I know. That's what I was wondering.
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2468 on: December 16, 2007, 04:52:33 PM » |
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When I say I don't give a damn, I mean I don't go out searching for it intentionally.
heh, I just have to give you a hard time about it. I didn't see the cnn page but I would think it mentioned the award she was accepting. but I guess nobody really cares about that; it's just her public acknowledgment of her partner that gets all the attention. the World Entertainment News Network summary said this: Jodie Foster has been honored with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award for her success in the entertainment industry - but insists she isn't worthy of such an accolade. The actress, 45, was presented with the prize at the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100 brunch at Los Angeles' Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday, but admits the secret to her long-lasting success is her "nutty" personality. She says, "There's no way you can do that and not be as nutty as a fruitcake. I always feel like something of an impostor. I don't know what I'm doing. I suppose that's my one little secret, the secret of my success." And despite being the guest of honor at the luncheon, she insists she feels like a newcomer to entertainment: "I don't feel very powerful. I feel fragile - unsure, struggling to figure it all out." I'm trying to imagine the media furor over a businessman receiving some award and thanking his wife. I can't imagine a businessman saying he doesn't feel powerful and doesn't know what he's doing, so I guess that's what the furor would be about. panic on Wall Street! |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2469 on: December 18, 2007, 09:47:27 AM » |
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RO: I am tired of businesses claiming to be X's best-kept secret", where X is some geographic location. The apartment complex I live in claims to be "Morrisville and RTP's Best Kept Secret". First of all, why is it in Title Caps, and why is the hyphen missing from best-kept? Also, if Morrisville has already shared the secret with RTP, maybe it's not kept so well after all. And why is it a secret anyway? Are the apartments so bad that we don't want to tell anyone about them for fear that the health or fire inspectors will find out? Plus, I found out about these apartments on the web, since I had a grand total of half a day to do apartment hunting in. That's not a very well-kept secret if it's on the Internet and I find it through a Google search.
When you say "best-kept secret", I read "we suck at advertising and our customers hate us so much they don't tell other people about us". This is not something to brag about.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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dgp11776
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« Reply #2470 on: December 18, 2007, 02:47:23 PM » |
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Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee ftw! I'm sure he'll get plenty of flack for it, though. Who knows, he may even lose the nomination. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xn7uSHtkuA |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2471 on: December 18, 2007, 03:31:15 PM » |
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IMO the candidates which look the least like complete jackasses are Obama for the Dems and Ron Paul for the Reps. Not that I'm necessarily endorsing either of these candidates, merely pointing this out to show the sad state of affairs in politics today.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2472 on: December 18, 2007, 08:09:48 PM » |
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it's stupid to do the Abbey Road pose and FACE THE WRONG WAY.
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leinad
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« Reply #2473 on: December 18, 2007, 08:38:13 PM » |
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Uh-oh. The National Enquirer says that John Edwards has a love child on the way. Maybe this will give Richardson or Biden a chance.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2474 on: December 18, 2007, 08:44:25 PM » |
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First of all, this is the national enquirer we're talking about. Second of all, "on the way"? Third, and I realized this has been in usage for at least as long as I've been alive, how did "love child" become a euphemism for "bastard child"? Fourth, who are Richardson and Biden?
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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leinad
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« Reply #2475 on: December 18, 2007, 08:48:42 PM » |
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It says the woman is "pregnant and in hiding" per drudgereport.com . Bill Richardson and Joe Biden are Democratic presidential candidates who have been hovering below Edwards but above Kucinich in the polls. The National Enquirer was right about Jesse Jackson's love child. I have no idea where the expression comes from.
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #2476 on: December 18, 2007, 09:01:18 PM » |
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wait, love = bastard? I was told love was a bitch.
confusing.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2477 on: December 18, 2007, 09:06:43 PM » |
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The terms aren't mutually exclusive, I guess.
TBH I couldn't name half the candidates for either party. Thankfully I'm registered independent so I don't get campaign craps in my mailbox.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Aaron
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« Reply #2478 on: December 18, 2007, 09:33:56 PM » |
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The terms aren't mutually exclusive, I guess.
TBH I couldn't name half the candidates for either party. Thankfully I'm registered independent so I don't get campaign craps in my mailbox.
independent or unaffiliated? |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2479 on: December 18, 2007, 09:50:10 PM » |
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The latter.
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
-Mark Twain
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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