Casual Friday

I love it!

PC update

My lovely GX270 was returned today from the shop.
The technician told me that anytime they work on one of these, & have to remove the heat sink, they're likely to pull out the CPU and damage it.

I thanked him for making me feel less embarassed!

Oops of the Day...

Boy do I feel embarrassed!
I have four computers in my office that run all the time, & even with the AC running, it gets a bit warm sometimes. So I tried to order a desk fan, thinking that I could use it to blow some more air over my machines.
But since we have air conditioning, the state won't purchase an extra fan... Go figure!

I did the next best thing, & ordered some cooling fans for the computers themselves, including a low profile heat sink fan for my Dell Optiplex. It was slow enough today that I decided to go ahead & get it installed.
Unbeknownst to me, however, Dell uses a superstrong thermal compound on their CPU with the OEM heat sink.
When I removed the heat sink, it pulled the CPU right out of the Ziff socket, bending quite a few of the 478 pins!

Now I've been forced to call campus Tech Support & tell them the whole story, much to my own chagrin. Admittedly, it helps that I used to work in that office, but the tech on the phone, who doesn't know me, said, "Wait, you took your processor out?!"

Even though Dell used a superglue based compound, I'll take all the heat (get it? take the heat). And I won't be able to show my face over in that part of campus for quite some time I'm sure.

It's nice that my boss is off this week, so he's not here to be (rightfully) pissed off at me over it.
And I'm sure that I'll be without my workhorse for the rest of the week, so I'll just hook my trusty tablet to the big monitor!

Kids Game?

I was just visiting www.nabiscoworld.com
Apparently, as well as nutritional information, they have online games for kids.
There's one on their homepage called Cornhole!
I'm not sure I want my kids playing that!

Why not just go with the clip-on?

Croatia to knot world's biggest tie

Full Text of Bush's Private Exchange at G-8 Summit

Full Text of Bush's Private Exchange at G-8 Summit

President Bush was caught on an open microphone talking with other leaders at the Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg as they ate lunch before adjourning on Monday. At times the television camera was on Bush, at times it was panning the room. Some of the exchange was hard to hear over the clinking of plates and pouring of drinks.

Today's Horoscope

Pisces

For Saturday, July 15 - Poke around some potential new hobbies or diversions today -- you're in need of a distraction to take your mind off negative influences that may be popping up in your life.

Does an extra round of hot sex in the middle of the afternoon count as a potential new hobby?
'Cause it definitely counts as poking around!

Uh-Oh!

According to new research, women could make sperm.

A new scientific breakthrough may lead to women in future being able to produce sperm.
Scientists in England have turned stem cells from am embryo into sperm which are capable of producing offspring.
The breakthrough is likely to lead to new advances in treating male infertility and even the possibility that women could manufacture sperm.

Wondering where to Buy Your Next Fish bladder incased in a glass container?

Look no further!

Local Sports Editor Arrested by Karma Police

...Sentenced to Ride 'It's a Small World' in Perpetuity

City editor: Do you think they give you your money back if your kid dies at Disney World?
Editor-in-Chief: No, but Mickey Mouse volunteers to be a pallbearer at the funeral.
Sports editor, in a Mickey Mouse falsetto: Hey guys, what's in the box?

7 North Jefferson Street
Huntington, Indiana
Overheard by: tricky nikki

via Overheard in the Office, Jul 11, 2006.

How 'bout those Wheels of Justice?

Woman accused of witchcraft in 1706 cleared

Nice Day for a Drive

In this photo provided by Jerry Patterson, a bear cub sits in a vintage red Buick convertible in a Lake Tahoe neighborhood, in Stateline, Nev., in this Sunday, July 2, 2006 file photo. The bear drew a crowd of spectators as it munched on barbecue chicken & jalapeno pizza in the back seat of the 1964 Buick Skylark. It also apparently washed it down with a swig of a Jack Daniel's mixer, an Absolut vodka and tonic, and a beer taken from a cooler, the vehicle's owner said. (AP Photo/Jerry Patterson via The Tahoe Daily Tribune)

Compassionate Conservative

Do I sense a little hostility?

Compassionate Conservative

Black woman: You know that girl you bumped into? She was handicapped. And you didn't say, "Excuse me."
White boy: Um, she bumped into me.
Black woman: So, she's handicapped. Is it her fault?
White boy: Shut the fuck up and go pick up your welfare check, you entitlement-addicted bitch.


--53rd & 5th
via Overheard in New York, Jul 7, 2006

Thank God He's Not the Captain!

As a Fetus, He Redecorated the Uterus

Gay flight attendant, frantically running down aisle: Excuse me! Coming through. Scusa, signore. Excuse me, I need to get the back of the plane. It's an emergency! Excuse me!! [Runs past woman, stops, walks back.] Oh my God, your scarf is fabulous; did you buy it in Venice?
Woman's husband: Did you say there was an emergency?
Gay flight attendant: Not as big as the one that'll happen if I don't get that scarf!

--flight into JFK

via Overheard in New York, Jul 6, 2006

Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star

I have to agree with the sentiment expressed in this piece that the VA is worried about offending all of those conservative Bible Thumpers out there that managed to foist George Jr. upon us lo those many years ago.

Fallen Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star — Washington Post

At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev., there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes. But one space is blank. There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.

That's because Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion -- a five-pointed star within a circle, called a pentacle -- to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials or grave markers.The department has approved the symbols of 38 other faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like an atomic symbol for atheists.

Stewart, 34, is believed to be the first Wiccan killed in combat... .