Fridge Idea

I don't know if they have this (I'm assuming they don't because I've never heard of it), but I think that they should have a power socket inside fridges. I suppose this would lead to people doing stupid things (like running their computer in there), but I think it would be really useful for other reasons (for instance running a small fan or air de-odorizer). For all of us not buying this new amazing fridge, they should make a air de-odorizer (possibly with fan) that sits between the light socket and the light. You might have to mess with your door opening thing to keep power flowing to the whole assembly.. or better yet, a air cleaning thing with fan, bright LED light, and motion sensor to detect when you open the door so it can turn the light on. That shouldn't be expensive, so I can afford it and stick it in my fridge, which stinks.

Evil

It used to be that the word 'Evil' seemed to be reserved for stories and cartoons and the like. You know, fiction. You had your bad guy (the best of which rated as the 'evil bad guy') in your made up story that takes place in the distant past, or the remote future, or in a galaxy far, far away.. you get the point.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but it just feels like people are using 'evil' in reference to the real world more and more recently. The fact that this has happened so much that I'm noticing it through the sleepy daze and general not knowing what is going on-ness that is me disturbs me just a little. Again, I could be completely off base here, but what with the "axis of evil" (I can't help but give that a halloween leer when ever I say it in my head - as terrible as that is), Google's pledge not to be evil, and 'evil video games rotting our children's heads', it's like evil is everywhere. I almost feel like using a permanent marker and lableing a couple things as 'good' to balance things out.
Someone tell me that I'm just being wonky on a monday morning.

The thing about no power

Having experienced 2 weeks of not having power in my apartment, here is a list of things that I both liked and disliked about it. (Normally, I would not post this, but it might serve as a happy reminder of an almost forgotten world, minus the stinky fridge)

+ Candles

• Playing with fire, always fun


• Reading books / writing by candlelight is an interesting experience. Candles are definately a mood setter. Do it the way they did it before electricity, and be glad for lightbulbs.


• Playing with wax, also, always fun. (Less fun when the lights do come back on and you find it everywhere)

- Flashlights

• Large Maglights are blinding! I worry for the eyesight of my various pets


• Depending on the flashlight to find the matches to light the candles kinda blows when you forget where you put the flashlight

+ The Sun Rises and Sets

• Being forced to plan events that require good light around the natural cycle of the day is also something I'd recommend trying out. It's kinda cool to actually pay attention to the sun, and revel in its wonderful brightness every once in a while.


• Everythings quieter with no electricity. Listening to the crickets and such at night, and the birds in the morning is really relaxing.

+ No Computers

• Of course, I had access to the internet at work, but you don't realize how chained you are to your computer til you can't turn it on.


• Doing all the stuff you've been neglecting, noticing the thousands of projects that you meant to do and have completely ignored in favor of the thousands of computer projects that you keep meaning to get around to. (procrastinate much?)


• No monitor glow fatigued eyes

- Stinky Fridge

• If anyone knows how to get the smell out a fridge and freezer thats already been scrubbed with baking soda and 409, with more baking soda strewn about for good measure, let me know.


• Cleanup's a pain

Python and Puzzles

Amongst my recent searching for something pythonic that I don't remember, I stumbled across this:
The Python Challenge
which is based off of this:
The Riddle - notpr0n
(which I must investigate at a later time)
Also, in my googleings, I found this
Python Puzzles
which looks interesting as well.

I started the python challenge, and got through the first couple, spending only a couple minutes on each (less for the first one). You basically use the riddle given by the page, and put the answer in the url for the next puzzle. (You can also see the long explaination of the solution to the last puzzle) I have to admit that my solutions were a bit simpler than theirs (such as using 'chr( ord('k') + 2)' as opposed to some mapping scheme using a string.trans() that I didn't see the documentation for in the python quick guide), but everyone's different. If you know python, or any programming language, check it out. (The faq says that only 2 of the challenges are python specific)

Interesting Finds

Its a bit technical to explain, but if you have a *nix computer, and you look around in your named service config files (/etc/named.conf), you'll notice that 'localhost' refers you to a file at ( /var/named/chroot/var/named/localhost.zone) which contains the following information:

$TTL    86400
$ORIGIN localhost.
@              1D IN SOA       @ root (
                               42           ; serial (d. adams)
                               3H           ; refresh
                               15M          ; retry
                               1W           ; expiry
                               1D )         ; minimum

                1D IN NS        @
                1D IN A         127.0.0.1

Note the line with the number 42 and (d. adams) in the comment.
I find this highly amusing..

In case of Fractal Obsession, break glass.

Now, that is a nice Fractal. My next step should be to determine what program created that and make sure that Rachel never gets her hands on it, for the sake of her hard drives.