Herein lies a tale of woe that may amuse the system administrators in the audience. ;)

The Town of Celebration is run by the seven-person Board of Directors of the Residential Owners Association. Every month they hold a public board meeting, but one afternoon in March an "emergency meeting" was suddenly announced for the following morning:

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and approve the rental agreement of unused Class B IP Address space owned by CROA to Innersat Networks. This agreement will give Innersat the use of a range of IP addresses that CROA does not currently use.

In short: The town used to maintain a modem bank for residents without broadband to dial in for Internet access, but this service was removed back in 2001. The modems used the IP addresses 168.205.0.0 through 168.205.255.255 (also referred to as 168.205.0.0/16, a "Class B" range) which had been given to the town by Disney back in the mid-1990s. This was a block of more than 65,000 internet addresses which Celebration still held and everyone had forgotten about.

Then somebody remembered, and figured the town could make money off it.

This announcement immediately got attention among townspeople wanting to make more money off it. Said one resident: The world is running out of IP addresses. This means that our unused Class B IP block might become a valuable commodity. I hope someone can convince me that we are not about to give away a potentially valuable asset. Said someone else: If we can get some cash now and still have the addresses to sell in the future that seems worthwhile for the Board of Directors to consider.

Don, a member of the Board, stepped in to provide more information. CROA has been sitting on this unused, valuable asset for MANY years. For all of these years these addresses have made us exactly $0. He explained that a company had been found which was very eager to use these addresses for its clients — so interested in closing the deal right away, in fact, that they had signed a contract to pay Celebration $10,000 every month for an entire year, and they had agreed to a contract which was entirely in Celebration's favor! If we found someone to pay us even more money for the addresses, we could terminate the contract immediately! If we discovered that Innersat was using the addresses to spam anybody, we could terminate the contract immediately! The CROA board does not have the time or expertise to shop the country for a better deal, Don added. This is not an area of expertise for any of us.

Wow, this sounded too good to be true!

( Read more... )

I'm making sadkittyeyes at you!



Image courtesy of shadow_weaver! It's great work, and she put up with my various suggestions with good grace. };)

I need to sync a few folders between a mac laptop and a mac desktop. What should I use?

I have a lot of storage available on my web hosting site. I am willing to shell out for .mac or mobileme or whatever the latest such thing is, if it's easy.

rsync has already been suggested. I could do it that way, but after looking at the man page, I decided I don't want to think that hard.

  A friend of mine is searching for a series, might have been a trilogy, she's not sure. It was kind of like escape to witch mountain, but she doesn't think it was anything to do with it, although it might have been a spin off.

  Basically (From what I can gather) it was a series she read about 20 years ago. These kids with paranormal abilities (Might have been adopted) start emerging, their powers start surfacing, some can read minds and move things with their minds, different powers and such. And they are all drawn to this place, but they have to go together, she remembers one had to levetate a car to get there (Cause the road was blocked I think)
 
  Again, it was similiar to Witch Mountain, might have been a spin off, but she knows there was more than two kids.

  If anyone has any suggestions, they would be much appreciated.

and all their retro Margaret Keane glory! plus delicious photos of sweets--that's the fanciest version of "pudding" I've ever seen (it usually looks like flan), although it's the ugliest montblanc ever.

So, if people crazy enough to try translating this want to divide it up, please do so, and let me know if these scans are too small to read the kanji. Darned small Japanese type--it's hard to scan well!

Page One. Instructions and chart with years; chart with desserts and letters; random Keanesque chick with seashell. I doubt this needs translated, but for completeness, here it is.

Page Two. Shortcake, "roll cake" (Swiss roll), and "fruit jelly" (fruit gel?).

Page Three. Yes, it originally said *A*strology at the top. This insert is smaller than the magazine but still wider than my scanner. "Pudding" (flan/creme caramel), montblanc (I don't even know if those exist outside Japan), "tart" (fruit tart). Also includes the marriage sidebar from shirotama on page 4.

Page Four. "Choux creme" (cream puff/profiterole), chocolate cake (that looks more like a bombe to me), shirotama (mochi dumpling thing? I don't think I've ever eaten one of these), gelato.

Page Five. Years 2004-2006 are obviously irrelevant, but the key that explains the icons and concepts would be interesting. However, I don't know that the kanji are legible at all. If anyone is actually willing to translate this and years 2009-2015 for the letters that people have gotten, I'll rescan it.

Page Six. 2007-2011. (Obviously only 2009-2011 are relevant. I mean, inasmuch as ANY ASTROLOGY OR ~*~ CAKE-BASED ASTROLOGY~*~ is relevant, LOL.)

Page Seven. 2012-2015. THE FUTURE.

(There are no cupcakes here but I had to use this existing tag anyway.)

Today, artisanal_xara came up with her little one, and we hit Chik-fil-a for lunch and then the Bur Mil Water Center for entertainment. The pool is way, way cooler than it looks, with a splash area with sprinklers, a very large shallow area, a slide, a whirlpool (literal, not hot tub), etc. It was lovely to spend a couple hours in the sun and the water (though I got sunburned, because I'm occasionally absentminded.)

Nice day. Tired now.

( todo list, tired version )

Work continues hectic. Coworker didn't make it in, but worked from home. Thank goodness for email and communicator.

I am left with little brain. Hope the release is over soon.

---

The Great Bird of Love

I want to become a great night bird
Called The Zimmer, grow intricate gears
And tendons, brace my wings on updrafts,
Roll them down with a motion
That lifts me slowly into the stars
To fly above the troubles of the land.
When I soar the moon will shine past
My shoulder and slide through
Streams like a luminous fish.
I want my cry to be huge and melancholy,
The undefiled movement of my wings
To fold and unfold on rising gloom.

People will see my silhouette from
Their windows and be comforted,
Knowing that, though oppressed,
They are cherished and watched over,
Can turn to kiss their children,
Tuck them into their beds and say:
Sleep tight.
No harm tonight,
In starry skies
The Zimmer flies.

-- Paul Zimmer

Vivienne Westwood: "Take the tablecloth if it's beautiful and even take a towel if it's good enough, or the curtains or anything, and put things together yourself. Take things from your husband or your boyfriend, like boxer shorts or whatever — and you can take a beautiful thing as well and put it with a bit of rubbish. Don't spend money, just take what you can find. Take your old things, keep on wearing them. Don't buy much fashion anymore, but if you do buy it, choose really well, wear it for a long time, till it sort of drops off your back, it'll get even more wonderful, maybe. Even if it's horrible, if you wear it for ages it'll probably look better. Forget all this business with the washing machine and buying all these clothes. Choose well, if it's dirty, don't bother. Dirt is patina. It's patina." "Dirt is patina" is totally our new catchphrase. [WoW]

From Jezebel

My friend's description of a short story: 'government civil planner trying to figure out why
population shifts happen. Notes sudden population spikes in several
locations around country. Outcome is that late middle age people move into
down, send for there belongings to be forwarded on to them from prior
residence. McGuffin: older couple(s) out for a Sunday drive get
unintentionally swept onto major super multi-lane highways, unable to find
their way off for hours, when they do get off they are too frightened to get
back on so they re-locate.'

Can anyone find this one? Thanks for all help!

Today was a very peaceful day for me. Restful. Serene. I have not been on a plane for twenty-four hours.

'Surely,' you might say to yourselves with a puzzled frown, 'Surely, Sarah, that is a common state of affairs?'

So you might think.

On Friday I flew from Dublin to London, where I had a photoshoot for Company magazine. It was held in a laundrette: I was told they once held one in a biker bar. It was me, a lady who sells ceramics, and two other ladies who run a boot camp, and the idea was all to be extremely glamorous and strike fabulous poses, offset by the ordinary surroundings of a laundrette.

Of course not being the glamour model type, I instantly made some terrible mistakes. As for instance, I assumed that the elderly lady whisking her clothes out of a washing machine was involved in the photoshoot.

SARAH: Do you just have to take the clothes in and out all day?
OLD LADY: *HORRIFIED STARE*
SARAH: Oh right. Right. Sorry, I understand.
OLD LADY: *eyes soften*
SARAH: You have to stay in character, right?
OLD LADY: *RIGHT BACK TO HORRIFIED STARE*

The other ladies in the photoshoot were, to use an eighties phrase, stone cold foxes, which was intimidating, but the wonderful magazine people made me look quite nice. I was in a rather daring red corset dress, which I believe only horrified the elderly lady more: all she wanted was lemony fresh laundry, and she was accosted by a minx with a plunging neckline and eyelashes that were black as my sinful heart.

Afterwards I just missed meeting orexisbella to my woe, and then caught up with Cassandra Clare and our friends Josh and Clary.

Everyone was very taken aback by my upswept hair and impeccable eye make-up. And by the way I entered the room.

SARAH: STOP. PAUSE. ADMIRE ME.
EVERYONE: *stare*
SARAH: This is the most glamorous I will ever be. I hope it was good for you.

They thought it might be the start of a whole new radiantly lovely me, but I woke up the next day with my usual Scared Hedgehog do, and that dream died.

Saturday we got the plane from London to Scotland.

We arrived in Glasgow and upon entering my hotel room I discovered a man directly below my window playing a bagpipe. 'Yes, I realise this is Scotland,' I told the air. 'No need to overdo it: you have made yourself perfectly clear.'

At the Borders in Glasgow we were welcomed by the awesome booksellers, who gave us GIFTS. Chocolate and one pink and purple sock monkey each! I was so delighted.

SARAH: ... CASSIE. I have a NOTION. Our sock monkeys.
CASSIE: Yes?
SARAH: THEY SHOULD FIGHT.
CASSIE: Uh, I think my sock monkey is a pacifist.
BOOKSELLER: All sock monkeys are pacifists.
SARAH: Not my sock monkey. I see the light of battle in his button eyes.

My sock monkey's button eyes searched for new worlds to conquer. I named him Alexander. As Cassie refused to name hers, I named him Gandhi.

Everybody agreed that I should not bring Alexander out to meet our awesome audience. I feel this was a mistake.

Nevertheless we had a fabulous event! Cassie was poised and winning: I mostly told crazy stories and aired ridiculous theories about books. We passed around a box for questions called The Demon's Instrument's Question Box, and I read out from The Demon's Covenant and Cassie read out from The Clockwork Angel, as they are both not yet published and thus thrilling and secret.

Afterwards we gave out copies of the first chapters. I was meant to have a system, but I forgot it completely and sort of vaguely waved copies at people. I apologise if someone feels gypped because they did not get a chapter!

Also my lovely Scottish cousin came by and gave me a box of chocolate.

SARAH: Aw, thank you!
CASSIE: Whoa, did that girl give you chocolates?
SARAH: Yes, she's... (pause) She's a big fan.

Oh, the evilness of me!

I like Scotland a lot. Sock monkeys, chocolate, book lovers and excellent questions, what is not to love?

The answer: bagpipes.

The next day, I flew from Glasgow to Dublin, where I re-packed my tiny bag, collapsed in a heap, had my first kaffee klatsch with some awesome students, and then flew back to London where I attended Cassie's London party. I was primed to put up my hand and ask her ridiculous questions, but unfortunately there were too many fans with great questions, and also she refused to call on me.

I met many great people there as well, and also had an opportunity to harass Maureen Johnson, which I enjoy doing.

SARAH: You should write a book. Set in Dublin.
MAUREEN: I should get the boat to Ireland and have an adventure!
SARAH: Yes! You should stay with me. We could have cereal fights.
MAUREEN: Explain yourself. If the plan is not sufficiently crazy, I will not agree.
SARAH: You take the plastic bag of cereal out of the cereal box. You open it, fill it with milk, and then tie the bag up again. Then, you hit each other on the head with your bags of cereal until the bags EXPLODE.
MAUREEN: ... Agreed.

Sales continue steady but not up for the US Demon's Lexicon: remember to harass your friends and your genetically engineered to read household pets, so as to get the next part of Sorcerer and Stone next week! In the meantime, The Demon's Lexicon just sold in Indonesia and the Czech Republic, so give me five and let off some fireworks in a remote location out of doors!

Tomorrow I give a talk with two other lovely author ladies about Demons, Fairies and Ghosts which may turn into an all-out fist fight. I could say that I will not start it, and the madness will not be entirely my fault, but I don't like to lie to you guys.

The day after Cassie and I fly back to Dublin, where we will have another Fabulous Event at 6:30 16th July, with readings and advance chapters and shenanigans, definitely crazy stories and perhaps a secret, ninja sock monkey appearance. Also there will be Mortal Instruments T-shirts and badges with Demon's Lexicon ravens and 'Of course Nick had to get rid of the body' on them.

I like my badges. My mother wears hers to the tennis club. They look at her with suspicion, these days. Who is Nick, they wonder to themselves, and where, oh where, is he putting the bodies?

Until next time, I hope you will be betting on me to win in the Demons, Fairies and Ghosts fist fight. If some canny librarian youtubes it, you can rely on me to provide you with a link.

This is not an FAQ. This is a short statement. Leave your questions below and I will work on getting them into an efficiently and sufficiently answered form.

Let us all agree that "This is your father's Readercon" is a really bad slogan. It has a deskful of negative associations and nothing to do with the current plan for Readercon 21, which is a temporary simplification of the program to something whose creation and coordination will not cause nervous breakdowns among members of the committee. Note that I do not mean simplified intellectually. The only issue is the density of program items. The dealer's room will contain its usual stacks of books. The traditional events—Meet the Pros(e), the presentation of the Rhysling, Shirley Jackson, and Cordwainer Smith Awards, and the Kirk Poland Memorial Bad Prose Competition—will all take place. And please, if there aren't parties all over the place in 2010, something has gone terribly wrong with the whole de-stressing idea. Further information will be forthcoming as soon as I have it, i.e., after the committee has a chance to check its e-mail, breathe for the first time since mid-April, and perhaps water some of its plants or pets. For now, please repost and link as you see fit. And if you have any concerns about Readercon, ask.

Don't Panic.

26. Faith Adiele, Meeting Faith: The Forest Journals of a Black Buddhist Nun

Faith is the daughter of a Swedish mother and a Nigerian father; she grew up in a small town in the Midwest. She is smart, motivated, and involved, and her drive to succeed gets her a scholarship to Harvard, where she is involved in social work in addition to her classes.

And the pressure quickly causes her to fail and drop out.

This book is a memoir, mainly focusing on the time Faith spent in Thailand, where after leaving Harvard she went to work on an Anthropological research project about the status of women, particularly Buddhist nuns. Faith eventually decides to live as a nun herself for a season. The book jumps around in time a great deal, following a chapter about daily life as a nun with one about Faith's childhood, and then with another about prostitutes in Thailand's big cities. This style sometimes made things a little hard to follow, but it also was great for focusing on thematic issues instead of narrative. Another thing I disliked was that the book is published in a style that has quotes from scholars, Buddhist practitioners, and Faith's journal along the edges of the pages, making it look more like a textbook than a memoir.

However, I did like this book a lot. It's written in a style that accommodates both people who know nothing about Thailand or Buddhism with those who have more knowledge. Faith's comparison of the pressure and the succeed/fail mentality of Western culture against the more internal processes of Thai Buddhism are also pretty insightful, although they can be a bit simplistic at times. I really enjoyed her descriptions of meditation and mindfulness. She is a very vivid writer, and very readable. I really enjoyed this book.

Also recommended: If anyone is looking for more recommendations of books by POC, I really liked this podcast/blog post. Three African-American women talk about books they like. Not all the books mentioned have POC authors, but many do. Plus, though I'd never listened to this podcast before I stumbled on it today, these guys are really funny.

Because I desperately need a smile today:

What is it with green-eyed Asian women in fantasy novels, anyway? Why green? It's not impossible (except under some sort of No True Scotsman rule) but green eyes appear to be very rare in Asian populations.

Not that they are exactly common in other populations (leaving aside the People Who Have Green Eyes group, which have a high percentage of members with green eyes).


[Added in a hurry]

That turns out to be something you shouldn't google for images of if you are at work.

The AC is fixed, finally. I had to go Thursday and Friday until 6:00 PM or so without AC. (And Friday was spent IN the Hot House waiting for the repair guy who was supposed to get there before 11 AM.) And then they had to come back again today to replace an expensive thingamajigger. Sigh.

Parenting: We took Jack to Space Center Houston. My highlight was to once again touch a moonrock. There's something so mind-blowing about touching something from another world. Jack remains skeptical that it was actually a piece of the moon. It looked like a shiny piece of metal to him. Ages and ages ago, I ran an over-the-top old World of Darkness crossover PBEM where the McGuffin was that moon rock. A bunch of Black Spirals busted through Void Engineer Security and stole the rock and were going to use it to do something horrible in the umbra with it. I recall they referred to it as "The Unmaker Stone" and that their plan was pretty darn apocalyptic, but the details escape me.

Watching: True Blood. I like it a lot - not just because of the vampires but because Bon Temps brings me back to when I lived in Louisiana. Oh, not in a little one roadhouse town like Bon Temps, thank goodness. But it still brings me back.

Reading: Still working through some Star Wars novels as brain candy.

Playing: Lots of Wii games. Jack got Ben 10: Protector of Earth for his birthday, so I've played that a bunch with him. I'm also working through Lego Star Wars, which is all kinds of silly fun. Tonight is D&D in our Tuesday rotation, and next week we're experimenting with a split format. The two games we're kicking off with are Shadowrun 4E and a Gamma World homebrew.

Creative: Nothing really. Been waaaay too busy.

And one more, where a certain kitty jumped up on the bed to get her picture taken:

Politicians finding themselves embroiled in (sometimes hilarious) sex scandals. It's not so much that the US is good at this (although I think they've really delivered in recent years) but that Canadian politicians for some reason show very little aptitude for that sort of thing.

The CBC listed just eight sex scandals that occurred over about seven decades and one of them, the Margaret Trudeau one, is pretty weak tea, more of a reflection of the sexism of the time (See "Maureen McTeer, press reaction to her keeping her surname when she married Joe Clark").

Speaking of McTeer, I had no idea she was so young when Clark became PM. She was just 27. He was unspeakable ancient [1] and I guess I assumed she was about the same age.



1: He was one day short of 40 when he was elected in 1979, you say, or eight years younger than I am now? Shutupshutupshutupshutup.