The Bayer Family Blog: August 2006

Another interesting tidbit, this time from Government Technology magazine from govtech.net, about the types of data stored on personal computers which is vulnerable to loss if not backed up.

71% Digital Pictures

58% Personal Contact information

43% Work-related files and documents

41% Music or mp3 files

41% Personal financial files or documents

35% tasks and to-do lists

20% Movies and videos

14% Other

Personally, our main Bayer Family PC is mostly digital pictures, mp3 files, and video files. I don't have much work-related stuff on our computer, we don't keep financial records with the computer, tasks and to-do lists are in a handful of documents that could easily be rebuilt if the computer crashed...

I've got most of the files backed up. Not all - most though.

What do you want in a cell phone?

A recent issue of Mobile Government from govtech.net had a blurb on features that cell phone owners wanted in their phones.

The list was:

27% Printer/Scanner/Fax

17% Thermometer

15% Money/Business Card holder

15% Credit Card

13% Keychain

7% Mirror

I can see a cell-phone having built-in scanner and fax capabilities, maybe for that business card further down the list... I can't envision printing from a cell-phone though - unless you have one of those cell-phones that is also a mobile computer. I can also see the convenience of having your credit card built-in to your cell-phone - basically serving the same convenience as those "new fangled" swipe-and-go credit cards.

Also, I'm guessing by "thermometer" they really mean an air temperature meter that gives you the current temperature and maybe some other weather-related readings.

But why a mirror? Why a keychain? You want the keys hitting you upside the head when you answer the phone?

"Hello-OWW!"

Friday, August 25, 2006

Three Meme

Pet Peeves:
Talking on the cell phone while driving.
Cursing when there's no call for it.
Memes that ask you to list your Pet Peeves.

Favorite Sounds:
Thunderstorms
Silence
Rubi's laugh

Favorite Candy:
Smarties.
Chewy sweettarts.
Lemonheads.

Biggest Fears:
Losing my family.
My family losing me.
Turning in to my dad (it's inevitable, and already happening).

Biggest Challenges:
Being patient with my kids.
Being patient with anyone.
Making it to the gym.

Favorite Department Stores:
Wal-mart.
Don't really like anywhere else, unless B&N can be considered a department store.

Most Used Words:
I love you.
Stop that!
"Dispatch, Kevin" when answering the phone at work.

Favorite Pizza Toppings:
Pepperoni
Chicken
Bacon

Favorite Cartoon Characters:
Transformers
Gargoyles
???

Movies Recently Watched:
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (at home).
Failure to Launch (at home).
The Lake House (at the theater).

Favorite Fruits:
Bananas
Apples
White grapes

Favorite Vegetables:
Really? People have favorite vegetables?
Okay, I'll try: Ketchup.

taken from Mommybrain.

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Alas, poor Pluto, We Hardly Knew You

Smug scientists around the world: "Let's kick Pluto out of the club!"

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Hahahahahahahahaheeehahahahahahahaha!

Again: Hahahahahahahahaheeehahahahahahahaha!

I know it's an expressionless mask - but can't you just see him saying "What?! Did the the 501st mess with my suit and mask again while I was napping the hyperbaric chamber?"

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Continuous use of Contiguous

Someone please tell me the substantive difference between "Contiguous" and "Continuous".

I realize there is some nuance of difference, but not enough to make that much of a difference.

I think writers just like "contiguous" because it makes them sound smarter to the general population.

Dictionary.com provides this definition of "Contiguous": Connected in time; uninterrupted. Or Sharing an edge or boundary; touching.

And this for "Continuous": Uninterrupted in time, sequence, substance, or extent. or Attached together in repeated units.

To summarize: They are synonyms but aren't listed as synonyms for each other (at least not at Dictionary.com or in Microsoft Word's thesaurus). And, personally, I think the word "contiguous" just sounds bad - like you mispronounced "continuous".

I think we should start a petition to ban the word "contiguous" from the English language and common usage... along with that first "r" in February.

Whywhywhywhy? Oh, and yay!

Why?:
SCI FI Channel confirmed that it will not renew its record-breaking original series Stargate SG-1 for another season, but will pick up its spinoff series Stargate Atlantis for a fourth year. SG-1 aired its 200th episode on Aug. 18, and the SF series is the longest-running SF show on American television.

SCI FI issued the following statement on Aug. 21: "SCI FI Channel is proud to be the network that brought Stargate SG-1 to its record-breaking 10th season. Ten seasons and 215 episodes is an astounding, Guinness World Record-setting accomplishment. Stargate is a worldwide phenomenon. Having achieved so much over the course of the past 10 years, SCI FI believes that the time is right to make this season their last on the channel. SCI FI is honored to have been part of the Stargate legacy for five years, and we look forward to continuing to explore the Stargate universe with our partners at MGM through a new season of Stargate Atlantis."

I will admit, SG1 has been running a long time, and has had some rough spots. But it's just started getting good again. SGA is okay, but definitely has that spinoff/rehashed feel to it. Maybe some of the SG1 cast will go over to SGA full-time, or at least recurring. I don't see SGA lasting more that another season though. I just hope SG1 gets to wrap up their story line all nice and tidy.

Now, onto "Yay!"
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, writers of the upcoming Transformers movie, told fans that the movie will take a real-world approach to its depictions of the robots that can change from everyday objects such as cars into futuristic fighting machines. "In translating this thing to live action, ... all of these Transformers are being designed in the movie such that, when they transform, there's no cheating," Orci said in a a live video Q&A on Yahoo! on Aug. 18. He added: "It's very much what it would realistically look like if a Transformer was sitting right there as a car, and it turned into the character that you know."

As a consequence, some of the everyday incarnations of well-known characters may change for the movie: Bumblebee, for example, is now a Camaro instead of a Volkswagen. "All the vehicle decisions were made based on literally sitting and staring at the actual vehicles and seeing how they would actually transform and deciding based on what is going to be the coolest version of seeing this live," Orci said.

I'm looking forward to this movie. I've seen the concept art and some pics of the 'bots and their vehicle modes. I'm not crazy about them, but I still think the flick has potential.

Monday, August 21, 2006

A Few Books

Over the past couple of weeks I've finished a few books...

The Mask of Atreus: not bad - Museum director gets involved with a Nazi/archaeology conspiracy. I enjoyed it.

The Ruins: supposedly the big suspense novel of the summer. Hated it. I couldn't get into it, but I really wanted to know what the big deal was about so I skimmed through it to get the basics. Several people on vacation in the Central or South American (never really found out because I was skimming) go investigate some ruins on a hill. While there, the hill is surrounded by Mayan natives armed with guns and spears and bows and arrows. The Mayans won't let the people leave the hill. Eventually, the plants on the hill start eating the people and driving them crazy by making noises, talking to the people, and moving around... Yeah - it's that bad.

Star Trek: Vanguard Book 2, Summon the Thunder: set on a space station during the early part of the original series, using some long-lived characters from future series - it's kind of interesting.

Dragonlance - Dragons of the Dwarven Depths: not as good as the original Dragonlance trilogy that started it all, but still pretty good. This book is set between the first and second books of that original trilogy and tells a missing story. It's nice revisiting with those original characters. And it's written by the original authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Dragon's Fire, by Anne Mccaffrey and Todd Mccaffrey. Another good dragon story on the world of Pern. Set during the early years when that world was settled. I want more set farther in the future of that world though.

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Friday, August 18, 2006

Five On Friday - Return To Sender

Return to Sender

1. How often do your letters/cards come back to you?
Only when I forget to put a stamp on them.

2. If you buy something that turns out to be defective or broken, how likely are you to return it to the store or manufacturer?
Quite likely. Makes sense to me to return something that is defective or broken.

3. Describe your own personal "return policy" for items you've purchased or received as gifts.
Depends on the gift and who it's from. And if it's broken or defective. I don't really have a problem doing returning a gift to the store.

4. When you borrow library books, do you return then on time?
As often as possible. I might go through as many renewals as I can, but I don't want to have to pay that fine.

5. What is your opinion on Elvis? Do you think he's really dead?
Elvis has left the building. Address unknown.

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Wednesday, August 16, 2006

What the-?!?

Rubi and I recently saw this sign a few blocks from our house.

I just, I don't...
Whahuh?

Friday, August 11, 2006

Ten Things About Me

Because, you know, this blog is all about me, isn't it?

(Note to Rubi: Start posting more!!)

(Note to Kev and Rubi: might be time to sign Elizabeth up.)

1. What is your main cell phone ring-tone?

Usually set to vibrate actually, because if I had it set to ring audibly I'd forget to change it to vibrate when I got to work. However, on the rare occasion it is set to ring, it's the Stargate SG1 theme - unless Rubi is calling, then it's the Angel theme (Catharsis of Sufferance).

2. What station is your car radio permanently tuned to?

Normally, it's set to one of the local Christian pop-music stations. I'll usually switch at the top of the hour to catch the local news. If it's morning or afternoon drive and I'm alone in the vehicle, I'll listen to Morning Edition or All Things Considered on NPR. If it's late at night and I'm alone in the vehicle, I'll switch to AM radio and listen to Coast to Coast AM if they are talking about something I find interesting.

All that being said - usually, if I'm alone in the vehicle and I'm going to be driving for more than 10 minutes, I'll probably be listening to one of the many podcasts I like.

3. What is your computer desktop image?

It changes every time I log on. I have 215 different images it rotates through randomly. Some are scenic images, some are space scenes (like from the Hubble), many are Science Fiction related (Star Trek ships, SG1 stuff, Robotech, DC superheroes, lots of Star Wars, some family pics, and pics of Rubi, some dragons, some Firefly/Serenity, some art of sailing vessels). I go through every so often and weed some out. A few months ago I probably had over 300.

4. Is there something you wear every single day?

My wedding band. Deodorant. Underwear. Glasses.

5. I wish I had a tracking device on:

Rubi's car keys. In a few years, I'll wish I had one on my kids.

6. What page does your internet browser open with?

A local ISPs (not mine) home page that has a local news feed from the local newspaper and one of the local TV stations, plus the daily forecast.

7. There is no number 7.

8. This item never leaves my car:

The trash on the floor.

9. What TV show do you never miss?

I try not to miss the 'gates, the4400, and Eureka. Later this year I'll add BSG to that list, and probably House and Bones, because I like to watch those with Rubi.

10. What phrase do you hear yourself repeating too often?
"Stop that!"

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80s Cartoon Meme

MCF tagged me for this meme.

1. One '80s Cartoon that changed your life:

Probably Transformers. I watched the cartoons way back when and collected the toys, then when I hit about 7th or 8th grade, I gave them up. A few years later, I noticed occasionally that there were what I thought were rip-off versions of the toys being sold, or what I considered a sad attempt at re-imaging the Transformers as animals and bugs (Optimus Primal, monkey. Primal? Really? Come on!). Then somehow (probably the internet), I heard about Beast Wars, a new TF cartoon that those toys were based on. This cartoon was really a sequel to the old TF cartoon and comics. I looked it up, loved it, and then the 80's revival really kicked in over the past few years and now I'm collecting the new Transformers comics based on the original G1 characters (and Beast Wars).

2. One '80s Cartoon that you have watched more than once:

Again, Transformers. I watch those cartoons every now and then, especially Transformers: The Movie.

3. One '80s Cartoon you'd want on a desert island:

What?! What kind of question is that? I'd want a boat and a fully charged satellite phone. Maybe a boat that transforms into an airplane.

4. One '80s Cartoon that made you laugh:

G.I. Joe, when Snake-Eyes break-danced.

5. One '80s Cartoon that made you cry:

I don't think any of them made me cry. Cringe, definitely, at the cheesiness of them (too many "Oh come on!" moments that went way beyond suspension of disbelief even for the particular series). Not even in the theater the first time I saw Transformers: The Movie, when all my favorite G1 characters turned gray, black, and white as their sparks were extingushed, and then Prime passed on the Matrix.

6. One '80s Cartoon you wish would have been made:

I'm going to have to agree with MCF on this one, a TF/Joe cross-over might have been really good. Then again it could have been really really bad.

7. One '80s Cartoon you wish had never been made:

Too many to name.

8. One '80s Cartoon you are currently watching:

I actually haven't watched cartoons in awhile. The most recent I watched was Gargoyles, and I'm pretty sure that was the 90's.

9. One '80s Cartoon you have been meaning to watch:

Thundercats. I remember enjoying that cartoon until the extra refugees showed up.

And I'll end with this question for the masses:

Why are they called "cartoons"?

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Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Seasonal Meme

What are your favorite seasons in order:

Fall

Winter

Spring

I'll give summer a miss and go straight to Fall again.

What are your favorite smells for each season:

Fall: smells of fried food at Evansville's West Side Nut Club Fall Festival - also the smell of cooler air moving in.

Winter: That Clean, cold air scent.

Spring: Rolling down the windows in the car for some fresh, not from the vent, air.

Summer: chlorinated water in large quantities.

What are your favorite foods for each season:

There are different foods for each season? Really?

Can I answer "Pizza" for all of them?

What are your favorite colors for each season:

What? Colors for each season? What kind of question is that?

I like Blue. That doesn't change with the seasons.

What are your favorite activities for each season:

Fall: Not being too hot anymore.

Winter: Not being too hot.

Spring: being comfortably warm.

Summer: finding any way to avoid being too warm.

Better late than never? MCFAT 15

I completely missed that MCF had posted another Astonishing test last week, until he lamented that only a handful had responded (sans me). Sorry MCF!

So, here are my answers to the M.C.F.A.T. Volume XV.

1) Your life is going to be a graphic novel. Who's writing it, and who's drawing it?

I'd write it (if I ever can make the time to sit down and do so), with plenty of assistance from others.

Who's drawing it? My kids. Nothing like stick figures, scribbles, and big smiley faces to tell the story of my life!

2) Weather patterns are shifting every year. Wars are exploding across the globe. When and how do you see the world coming to an end?

Wow. Depressing question. While the Bible tells us about John's Revelation of the end of the world as we know it, I don't think we understand completely what he was writing. He was after all, a first century (ish?) person seeing events taking place in our future. How could he comprehend much of what he was seeing? The internet? Space shuttles? Cell-phones? Cartoons? Airplanes, jets, helicopters, tanks, submarines?

I haven't the foggiest idea when it will happen. Much still has to take place according to the prophecies in the Bible (but even that's open to debate!). It could be years, even ages from now, or it could be tomorrow.

All I know for sure is we win!

3) What, if anything, would turn you into a supervillain?

If I recall the origin of the Punisher, something along those lines. The wrongful, terrible, death of my family.

4) Let's try another showdown question: TMNT vs. The Kurgan; who wins?

Definitely the turtles. They'd have way too much fun surrounding him and mocking him as the defeated him, while all he would do is talk all gravelly and then do that Pez-dispenser thing with his neck...

Really, an immortal with a big sword against four mutant turtles trained in the martial arts and armed with swords, nunchucks, sais, and a staff? No match at all.

SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: The year is 3994. What's a Mok?
I can't answer this one fairly, as I saw MCFs answer before I started mine.

Or! I could be silly and say amok is to be in a jumbled, confused, or uncontrollable state ( paraphrased from dictionary.com). Like the Star Trek:TOS episode Amok Time.

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Wednesday Mind Hump

It's humpday. I haven't blogged anything worthwhile in awhile, so I'll blog something useless again.

Another meme!

From http://bdinsanity.blogdrive.com

1. Do you use email much?
I use email daily. At work and at home. I get probably over a hundred emails a day, usually more. At work, I'm subscribed to various work-related listservs. At home, I'm subscribed to various listservs that interest me. Plus the occasional emails from family; I send email to Rubi from work letting her know about my schedule changes or what to put on the grocery list or questions about plans - that kind of thing.

Basically, way too much time spent with email.

2. When did you start using email?

1992 maybe? I had free dial up email through a BBS system the local PBS station had set up (through a local university), and I had the free Juno email.

3. How many email addresses do you have?

I have three maybe five email addresses at home (two that I use daily, one that I use occasionally and one or two that I've setup but never use). At work, I have my main work email address - but the system is set up so that I really have an email address for just about any domain on the city system.

That makes a total of three that I use daily, plus several others that are available should I want to use them.

From http://bdinsanity.blogdrive.com

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Monday, August 07, 2006

I am so Smrt

In the words of Homer Simpson (in song):

"I am so smart.

I am so smart

S-M-R-T

I mean, S-M-A-R-T!"

Nod to MCF for this test.

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The Bayer Family Blog

Monday, August 28, 2006

Testing

PodCasts

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Vulnerable Data

What do you want in a cell phone?

Friday, August 25, 2006

Three Meme

Alas, poor Pluto, We Hardly Knew You

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Hahahahahahahahaheeehahahahahahahaha!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Continuous use of Contiguous

Whywhywhywhy? Oh, and yay!

Monday, August 21, 2006

A Few Books

Friday, August 18, 2006

Five On Friday - Return To Sender

Return to Sender

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

What the-?!?

Friday, August 11, 2006

Ten Things About Me

80s Cartoon Meme

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Seasonal Meme

Better late than never? MCFAT 15

Wednesday Mind Hump

Monday, August 07, 2006

I am so Smrt

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