manticore

If I need to do any work on the computers I have, even something simple like vacuum dust off of a noisy fan (or replace the fan if necessary), the lid comes off the case after removing a couple screws. The case of an iMac on the other hand is glued together. You have to cut through the glue with a sharp tool all the way around the edge before you can get it apart. Then once you're inside, because Apple fit everything into a sleek package, you may have to take several things out first to get to what it is you want to work on. Apple deliberately makes their products hard to work on. They use screws with a specific-to-Apple head. Yeah you can buy a special tool (from someone else, not Apple) but why buy stuff from a company that treats you this way.

Much of the frenzy can be resisted. I give TotallyOz credit for not upgrading frequently for the sake of updating. He started this thread saying he got 5+ years out of his current machine. I get 5+ years out of computers too. And I don't find that the industry requires me to spend a lot with each round. I use commodity PC hardware (to run Linux, not Windows) and I don't need to replace everything when I get a new computer. I can usually re-use the cabinet, power supply, disk drives, keyboard, mouse, and monitor. PC hardware standards are actually fairly stable considering how much the industry changes. I can't speak for the Apple situation, as I don't use their products. Many things have gotten cheaper and simpler with time. It used to be I'd need a new video card with each new CPU+motherboard but nowadays Intel CPUs have graphics built in that is more than adequate for my purposes; I don't buy video cards anymore.

Every hit song needs a "na na na na"

Victim (1961, England). Notably thoughtful treatment of gay issues for a 1961 film. Nice black and white cinematography. The film is of course dated but that is part of what makes it worth seeing: it is a window into what gay life was like at that time and place. I like thoughtful films where characters are faced with difficult choices, and this movie delivered. A historically important film, extreme subject matter for its day (originally X rated in Britain), and one that holds up fairly well 50+ years later. Wikipedia page: Victim_(1961_film).

This site's forums are less inviting than they could be. I'm referring to how a login is required to view images in forum postings. The 'keep me logged in for 2 weeks' option does not work when I try it. People will always view more than they post, and if viewing is a hassle then they may not stick around long enough to post. If you want participation, why are you hiding the images?

No. No. No. (sorry, couldn't resist)

from Reuters.

“The key difference between the M.T.A. and my former escort agency is I operated one set of books and I offered on-time and reliable service,” Ms. Davis said to laughter and applause. as reported by the NY Times: Albany Governor Debate Verges on Farce

Note that there is nothing in the following DoD article that says who is affected by DADT. Neither gay nor homosexual appears in the text. Yes, anyone reading it already knows what DADT is about. Even so... some people are still in the 'dare not speak its name' mode. http://www.defense.gov//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=61279 Department Abides by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Injunction By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2010 – Pending an appeal, the military services have halted discharges under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, DOD officials said today. Judge Virginia Phillips of the U.S. Central District of California ordered the halt to discharges and investigations. Phillips found the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell statute unconstitutional in a Sept. 9 ruling. On Oct. 12, she issued an injunction ordering the Defense Department worldwide to halt discharges and investigations. “Earlier today, the staff judge advocate generals from the military services, in consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Office of General Counsel, sent to their service staff judge advocate counterparts in the field an e-mail informing them of the ruling by Judge Virginia Phillips of the Central District of California, issuing an injunction barring the enforcement or application of 10 United States Code 654, commonly known as the ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ statute,” Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan said in a written statement. “The e-mail noted that the U.S. government is contemplating whether to appeal and to seek a stay of the injunction,” Lapan said. “The Department of Defense will of course obey the law, and the e-mail noted that, in the meantime, the department will abide by the terms in the court’s ruling, effective as of the time and date of the ruling,” he said.

Guess which Senator sponsored a bill (that didn't become law) in 1994, saying (among other things) That was around the time the US government aspired to impose compromised encryption technology on telecom equipment makers, but that attempt (fortunately) went nowhere. I have no idea whether a new initiative will go any farther. It makes so little sense. Encryption is easy to implement and is widely used, generally for the benefit of society (e.g., secure transactions over the web). It was Joe Biden who introduced that bill in 1994.

Agreed, but he's not the 29 he claims in his ad.

Film is shot at 24 but the projector's shutter typically interrupts the light 48 times per second, i.e. each frame is flashed twice.

Manticore means man-eater. (anyone remember the Lion Pub (SF) t-shirts from around 30 years ago?)

I said "pretty much" through in the spirit of "never say never". But recent experience there (regarding reviewing, not forum moderation) has left me disinclined to participate further. Reviewers provide the content that makes the site what it is; you'd think Daddy would see reviewers as a resource and show them more respect than he does. I was happy to contribute when HooBoy ran the place, but not now.