29 April 2004
Full Text of the 'al-Qaeda memo'
The full text of the intelligence briefing of 6 August 2001, declassified on 10 April 2004.
18 April 2004
05 April 2004
Walmart screws customers
Okay, not a shocking headline to most. But it made sense after my mortgage payment failed to clear the bank last Friday!
Seems that April 1st & 2nd (an April Fool's hack, maybe?), Walmart's computers triple charged Visa & Mastercard customers.
Along with the triplicate charges, I also received $50 in fees from the bank, and -- before the facts were in -- a tongue lashing from the spousal unit concerning my fiduciary irresponsibility!
After calling the hotline set up by Wally World (I can see the non-English speaking call-center employee now, sitting at a desk with a red phone on it), they agreed to cover the bank fees and send a $25 gift card for said SuperScrew Center.
Seems that April 1st & 2nd (an April Fool's hack, maybe?), Walmart's computers triple charged Visa & Mastercard customers.
Along with the triplicate charges, I also received $50 in fees from the bank, and -- before the facts were in -- a tongue lashing from the spousal unit concerning my fiduciary irresponsibility!
After calling the hotline set up by Wally World (I can see the non-English speaking call-center employee now, sitting at a desk with a red phone on it), they agreed to cover the bank fees and send a $25 gift card for said SuperScrew Center.
31 March 2004
Affiliations
Sensei & I often discuss the pros & (mostly) cons of having our dojo on the university campus.
The biggest frustration we have, of course, is the constant turnover in students.
That we give them a good foundation for them to go on with is nice, but the fact that we produce so few yudansha can be a letdown.
Were we to move our dojo off campus into town, I believe that our numbers would go up, & that we would have more long term students.
That gets to the part that is frustrating for me, personally.
The way we are structured under T. Shihan, it seems very difficult for anyone to go beyond Sandan in the American schools.
Our only Yondan, who is now not training due to health problems, received his promotion after an extended trip to Japan to train at the xyz hombu. And since T. Shihan does all yudansha promotions himself, unlike a fair number of other organizations, there seems very little long term room for growth.
I don't worry about this for myself, but I do feel that if we start gaining students who stay at the dojo for 10 or 12 years (as I have now), that they will feel frustrated when they hit the tatami ceiling, and look for somwhere else to train.
The biggest frustration we have, of course, is the constant turnover in students.
That we give them a good foundation for them to go on with is nice, but the fact that we produce so few yudansha can be a letdown.
Were we to move our dojo off campus into town, I believe that our numbers would go up, & that we would have more long term students.
That gets to the part that is frustrating for me, personally.
The way we are structured under T. Shihan, it seems very difficult for anyone to go beyond Sandan in the American schools.
Our only Yondan, who is now not training due to health problems, received his promotion after an extended trip to Japan to train at the xyz hombu. And since T. Shihan does all yudansha promotions himself, unlike a fair number of other organizations, there seems very little long term room for growth.
I don't worry about this for myself, but I do feel that if we start gaining students who stay at the dojo for 10 or 12 years (as I have now), that they will feel frustrated when they hit the tatami ceiling, and look for somwhere else to train.
26 March 2004
19 March 2004
Quandary
Some background info: a couple of years ago I had a supervisor who it turns out was having an affair with one of my co-workers -- she was his supervisor also. While a couple of folks may have had vague suspicions, I don't think anyone knew it was going on.
She was also a fellow student in a martial arts class, and was missing one night a week or so, telling us she was taking a class through the local YMCA, which is not uncommon for people to do.
Well, everything blew up eventually. She had told her husband that she was travelling to a martial arts seminar with me and my wife, then staying overnight. Of course, she was spending the night with her lover, and her husband happened to call me a couple of days later to ask about it. So I was the guy on the phone with him when his wife's affair came to light.
Now I've inadvertantly found out that two of the married folks in our office are probably having an affair, though of course I don't know for sure. And the question is do I keep my nose out of it & hope it blows over? Or let them know that other people might be finding out...? I have no idea.
She was also a fellow student in a martial arts class, and was missing one night a week or so, telling us she was taking a class through the local YMCA, which is not uncommon for people to do.
Well, everything blew up eventually. She had told her husband that she was travelling to a martial arts seminar with me and my wife, then staying overnight. Of course, she was spending the night with her lover, and her husband happened to call me a couple of days later to ask about it. So I was the guy on the phone with him when his wife's affair came to light.
Now I've inadvertantly found out that two of the married folks in our office are probably having an affair, though of course I don't know for sure. And the question is do I keep my nose out of it & hope it blows over? Or let them know that other people might be finding out...? I have no idea.
17 March 2004
Long Day
Today looks like it probably won't be a great one. On top of trying to finish two projects in the office -- and being distracted by Dave Barry's efforts to help us get more done in the office -- my mother-in-law is going in for a biopsy today on a mass they found in her pelvis over the weekend. No one thinks that it is malignant, but she told J that she does expect to have to have a hysterectomy. I'm not sure if that will be soon, as in the next couple of weeks, or sometime this spring, but certainly, we'll take some time off to help her recovery.
And the vet called yesterday to let us know that Cyrano's ashes are back at the clinic whenever we're ready to come for them. I'm sure that won't be as easy as it feels like it will be.
In our house there we have a small altar set up, and it seems to be filling up with containers of our pets' remains. Cyrano's will be the fourth. We've talked about combining all of them into one urn, which I seem to remember being a tribal custom from somewhere in South America, though I could be wrong. Either way, I like the idea of them being all together again.
And the vet called yesterday to let us know that Cyrano's ashes are back at the clinic whenever we're ready to come for them. I'm sure that won't be as easy as it feels like it will be.
In our house there we have a small altar set up, and it seems to be filling up with containers of our pets' remains. Cyrano's will be the fourth. We've talked about combining all of them into one urn, which I seem to remember being a tribal custom from somewhere in South America, though I could be wrong. Either way, I like the idea of them being all together again.
15 March 2004
Oops!
Okay, so I may have been in a bit of a hurry this morning when L. asked me to re-install Outlook since she's been having calendar issues with the server. And I may have been a little distracted by my mother-in-law's news of a mass found in her pelvis that she'll have to have biopsied in the next few days.
But, it's still my problem that a possibly huge quantity of saved mail & info was lost. It's hard not to think that she is exaggerating some, as she often does, but I do still feel pretty bad about it; that's pretty much a rookie tech support mistake that I haven't made in years! And I'm sure I'll have to take some flack for it, as well, but I'll just have to choke it down and get on with other work.
But, it's still my problem that a possibly huge quantity of saved mail & info was lost. It's hard not to think that she is exaggerating some, as she often does, but I do still feel pretty bad about it; that's pretty much a rookie tech support mistake that I haven't made in years! And I'm sure I'll have to take some flack for it, as well, but I'll just have to choke it down and get on with other work.
11 March 2004
Cyrano
As I've thought more about Cyrano over the last day or so, I realize that he was ready to go and had been letting us know in his own way. Over the last few weeks, we had been seeing less & less of him as he stayed by himself, usually in a nice warm spot in the closet.
J mentioned on Monday morning (just after he had died) that she had dreamed about him, & that he had seemed like his old self. I find that comforting, & I hope that he didn't feel that we were making him stay longer than he wanted by giving him special diets, fluids, etc. to keep his strength up.
The tag from his collar is on my key chain next to his best friend's Solomon's, & though I miss them both, I'm happy to know that they're able to cuddle & give each other baths again like they used to.
I'll have to find a picture of them together to post.
J mentioned on Monday morning (just after he had died) that she had dreamed about him, & that he had seemed like his old self. I find that comforting, & I hope that he didn't feel that we were making him stay longer than he wanted by giving him special diets, fluids, etc. to keep his strength up.
The tag from his collar is on my key chain next to his best friend's Solomon's, & though I miss them both, I'm happy to know that they're able to cuddle & give each other baths again like they used to.
I'll have to find a picture of them together to post.
09 March 2004
For Cyrano
- Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
My feline masseuse and good buddy Cyrano has been sick for a few months now with CRF (Chronic Renal Failure), and we lost him Sunday night.
The part that hurts is that we didn't find him until this morning. Apparently, on Sunday when the weather was nice, he got into my wife's car through the sunroof, and I didn't see him when the weather turned and I closed it!
As cold as it got on Sunday night, I'm sure he just fell asleep and didn't wake up. At least I hope so -- it would break my heart to think that he was trying to get out and couldn't!
We started looking for him Sunday evening, & by last night had pretty well figured out that he had gone off somewhere to die.
Then this morning as she was getting into her car, I could see him underneath and behind the passenger seat; J's very upset, because that means he was in there yesterday when she went to work! But he's always been hard to find because of his dark coat, & we used to call him the stealth kitty :)
But I know he's getting a nice bath from his buddy Solomon again at the rainbow bridge after being apart from him for too long.
04 March 2004
Hard Times
I realized last night how concerned I am becoming about Cyrano as he continues to lose weight. He's almost 10 now - as old as Solomon was when he left us...
But I'm sure he will know what's best for him.
But I'm sure he will know what's best for him.
07 January 2004
Shiner
Winter is back, with a vengeance.
It was 11 degrees this morning, so I figured I'd let the cars warm up a bit before we each went our separate ways to work.
I started mine, then got out to start the wife's. It was so cold (how cold was it?) that I was wearing my heavy mittens, which slipped off the car door as I closing it and turning around at the same time.
The result? A nice shiner under my right eye where the corner of the door caught me hard enough to draw blood. The cold numbed it for a while, but by lunch, I was really able to feel it, and it hurts like hell!
It was 11 degrees this morning, so I figured I'd let the cars warm up a bit before we each went our separate ways to work.
I started mine, then got out to start the wife's. It was so cold (how cold was it?) that I was wearing my heavy mittens, which slipped off the car door as I closing it and turning around at the same time.
The result? A nice shiner under my right eye where the corner of the door caught me hard enough to draw blood. The cold numbed it for a while, but by lunch, I was really able to feel it, and it hurts like hell!
25 November 2003
Aarrgh
I'm flying to Chicago for a conference in two weeks, & staying in a hotel that's only about 15 minutes from Midway Airport.
So, of course, the purchasing office booked me into O'Hare International, which is on the other side of the freakin' city! And since it's a non-refundable ticket, I'm stuck with it.
There is plenty of time, so that's not an issue; it's just a pain in my tookus!
So, of course, the purchasing office booked me into O'Hare International, which is on the other side of the freakin' city! And since it's a non-refundable ticket, I'm stuck with it.
There is plenty of time, so that's not an issue; it's just a pain in my tookus!
30 October 2003
party night
They must have been hard at it while we were asleep last night. I awoke to find one mouse running around the bathtub, where apparently he had been put to be used as a snack later, and the wings and feathers of at least one bird all around the living room and kitchen!
You'd think we don't feed them at all. I do wonder, though, if the Calico isn't trying to be nice by bringing in food for Blackjack. He is too young to hunt on his own, after all, and has already consumed at least one mouse!
You'd think we don't feed them at all. I do wonder, though, if the Calico isn't trying to be nice by bringing in food for Blackjack. He is too young to hunt on his own, after all, and has already consumed at least one mouse!
24 October 2003
16 October 2003
What Breed?
There is some speculation after looking at BlackJack that maybe he is a Jack-Russell | Dachsund mix. I can see that, I guess.
He's got a good sniffer, loves to dig, and has already eaten at least one mouse!
I was surprised to find that Jack Russell Terriers are named after John Russell... . In what universe did someone decide that Jack is short for John?!
He's got a good sniffer, loves to dig, and has already eaten at least one mouse!
I was surprised to find that Jack Russell Terriers are named after John Russell... . In what universe did someone decide that Jack is short for John?!
Meet BlackJack!
These are a few quick pics of BlackJack, the newest member of our household.
He's a dachsund mix, weighing in at 7 pounds -- he's 14 weeks old now -- that we found hiding behind his water bowl at the County pound. I can't believe that anyone would leave such a sweet shy boy.
He's a sweetie, though the cats aren't convinced of it just yet!
He got the name because when I called the vet for his first appointment they asked if he had a name. When I said, "No", they said they'd just add him to our file... and that he was number 21 for us!
He's a dachsund mix, weighing in at 7 pounds -- he's 14 weeks old now -- that we found hiding behind his water bowl at the County pound. I can't believe that anyone would leave such a sweet shy boy.
He's a sweetie, though the cats aren't convinced of it just yet!
He got the name because when I called the vet for his first appointment they asked if he had a name. When I said, "No", they said they'd just add him to our file... and that he was number 21 for us!
Somewhere along the way, the pictures got moved/lost... sorry!
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