NSA Chatters

massage, sailing, mech warrior

2007-11-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

[11/5/2007 12:33:39 PM] pD says: howdy!

[11/5/2007 12:33:42 PM] pD says: long time no talk

[11/5/2007 12:33:46 PM] pD says: how are things?

[11/5/2007 12:38:41 PM] nsy says: hi!

[11/5/2007 12:38:51 PM] nsy says: i'm on the phone with FB.. minute...

[11/5/2007 12:39:17 PM] pD says: no wories

[11/5/2007 12:39:19 PM] pD says: take your time

[11/5/2007 1:12:45 PM] nsy says: how have you been?

[11/5/2007 1:13:05 PM] pD says: ok

[11/5/2007 1:13:10 PM] pD says: i had a good massage this weekend

[11/5/2007 1:13:12 PM] pD says: very deep

[11/5/2007 1:13:18 PM] nsy says: nice!

[11/5/2007 1:13:19 PM] pD says: so, i am sore all over right now

[11/5/2007 1:13:32 PM] nsy says: i'm a whimp. i can't take that deep tissue stuff.

[11/5/2007 1:13:41 PM] pD says: but, i can feel parts of my body that i have forgotten...

[11/5/2007 1:14:11 PM] pD says: deep tissue is good in terms of pushing oxygen into parts of musle that has been deprived. but it sure hurt like hell

[11/5/2007 1:14:33 PM] pD says: so, a good therapist would be very helpful - that you are not just a dough but a human

[11/5/2007 1:15:05 PM] nsy says: maybe i should try it instead of acting like i know what i'm talking about. (but i'm good at that - just working with my strengths)

[11/5/2007 1:15:31 PM] pD says: hahaha! i know what you mean

[11/5/2007 1:16:04 PM] pD says: since deep tissue is pretty rough in the wrong hand, you would need to find the right person

[11/5/2007 1:16:22 PM] pD says: i would recommend the one that i use, but she is based in mountain view - not sure if that works for you

[11/5/2007 1:16:48 PM] pD says: did you do anything for the weekend beyond the usuals?

[11/5/2007 1:18:29 PM] nsy says: i took a sailing class - 2 of 4 down to get my sailing cert.

[11/5/2007 1:19:13 PM] nsy says: i want to get enough experience to take a boat out starting in the spring

[11/5/2007 1:26:26 PM] pD says: that is so cool!

[11/5/2007 1:26:39 PM] pD says: do you need somebody to run the sail for you?

[11/5/2007 1:26:53 PM] pD says: i got my sailing cert many years ago and have not been on a boat since then...

[11/5/2007 1:27:34 PM] nsy says: sure! i've met some good people to sail with in my classes too. that wouldbe fun!

[11/5/2007 1:28:47 PM] pD says: i am even better at sitting on my butt and drinking a cold one, but i assume you want somebody that is less inert on your crew

[11/5/2007 1:29:52 PM] nsy says: ha!

[11/5/2007 1:30:12 PM] nsy says: well - unless you bring enough for the skipper

[11/5/2007 2:14:33 PM] pD says: boozy skipper, huh. maybe we should just moor

[11/5/2007 2:15:42 PM] nsy says: LOL. yeah. good call on your part.

[11/6/2007 10:01:24 AM] pD says: hi nsy

[11/6/2007 10:01:35 AM] pD says: what is this arbor day thing?

[11/6/2007 10:01:40 AM] pD says: very cool!

[11/6/2007 10:01:41 AM] nsy says: hi!

[11/6/2007 10:01:55 AM] nsy says: I'm not sure. somethig about trees.

[11/6/2007 10:02:16 AM] pD says: hahah! indeed "arbor" being tree and all. :)!

[11/6/2007 10:02:23 AM] nsy says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day

[11/6/2007 10:02:38 AM] pD says: A was going to plant 10K trees with the arbor day foundation

[11/6/2007 10:02:55 AM] nsy says: whoa! i never heard about that

[11/6/2007 10:02:58 AM] pD says: sorry, i was referring to the press release about the VMware and the green initaitive

[11/6/2007 10:03:04 AM] nsy says: ah, yes

[11/6/2007 10:03:14 AM] pD says: it is a bit left field, but very cool, i thought

[11/6/2007 10:03:21 AM] nsy says: we're too cool for school, and too green to...

[11/6/2007 10:03:34 AM] nsy says: be mean? eat beans? i dunno

[11/6/2007 10:04:37 AM] nsy says: i have to get ready for our big 10:30 meeting, so i'll be available after about 11:30. intermittent until then ;) - not trying to be rude :)

[11/6/2007 10:04:38 AM] pD says: hahahah!

[11/6/2007 10:04:48 AM] pD says: no worries

[11/6/2007 10:04:58 AM] pD says: just thought that was pretty neat - lotsa trees

[11/6/2007 10:05:06 AM] pD says: talk with you in a bit after 11:30

[11/6/2007 10:05:35 AM] nsy says: okeedokee

[11/6/2007 12:51:00 PM] pD says: this is pretty crazy

A copyright row means that one of the most ambitious fan films ever made may never be shown before an audience.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7010484.stm

[11/6/2007 12:51:04 PM] pD says: a real shame too

[11/6/2007 12:51:16 PM] pD says: although i completely understand the point of the IP owner

[11/6/2007 3:12:05 PM] nsy says: wow, thats crazy!

[11/6/2007 3:12:48 PM] nsy says: you should ask AE about the story of how he invented that game

[11/6/2007 3:16:45 PM] pD says: AE invested that game?

[11/6/2007 3:16:55 PM] pD says: what is he doing working in PA?

[11/6/2007 3:17:04 PM] nsy says: no, he was working in a comic shop, and started it with the owner

[11/6/2007 3:18:04 PM] pD says: ok, sorry for being dense here

[11/6/2007 3:18:12 PM] nsy says: its sortof a long story.

[11/6/2007 3:18:16 PM] pD says: what is AE's relationship with this game/video now?

[11/6/2007 3:18:27 PM] nsy says: he started it. it was his idea

[11/6/2007 3:18:35 PM] nsy says: but he never got any credit for it

[11/6/2007 3:19:04 PM] pD says: AE created Warhammer 40,000?

[11/6/2007 3:19:09 PM] pD says: you are shitting me!

[11/6/2007 3:19:13 PM] pD says: that is very cool!

[11/6/2007 3:19:16 PM] pD says: really?!

[11/6/2007 3:19:17 PM] nsy says: no, my mistake. it was mech wariior

[11/6/2007 3:19:56 PM] nsy says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior

[11/6/2007 3:20:18 PM] nsy says: aka battletech

[11/6/2007 3:21:41 PM] nsy says: the comic shop he worked at was importing these toys from japan. he started up a RPG for the toy robots. they used to play it at the shop, and the guy that owned the place that he played with ended up taking that and it turned into battletech

[11/6/2007 3:21:53 PM] pD says: if it is on wiki, AE should assert his rights

[11/6/2007 3:22:01 PM] pD says: assuming he can prove it of course

[11/6/2007 3:22:11 PM] nsy says: i can't recall all the details off my head, but AE will tell you about it if you ask him.

[11/6/2007 3:23:19 PM] nsy says: he says nobody believes him, so he doesn;t usually bring it up. i've known him for about 4 years, and i just found this out recently. but knowing him - i believe it

[11/6/2007 3:26:20 PM] pD says: yeah, i know wht you mean

[11/6/2007 3:26:30 PM] pD says: i see no reason why AE would make a fib like that

[11/6/2007 3:27:06 PM] pD says: too bad that at the creative stage, it is kind of hard to say who was the "inventor" since it is a community effort for fun at first

[11/6/2007 3:27:16 PM] pD says:

[11/6/2007 3:28:05 PM] nsy says: yep. i told him that i always wondered if all the great ideas came from some back-room grunt, and were monopolized by business folks. and that answered my question ;)

[11/6/2007 3:28:41 PM] pD needs to know more grunts

joke, martini, prosecco,

2007-10-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

[10/15/2007 3:47:52 PM] pD says: just realized that you did not get to tell me your favorite (dirty) joke...

[10/15/2007 3:47:55 PM] pD says: darn!

[10/15/2007 3:48:04 PM] pD says: something about martini

[10/15/2007 3:48:12 PM] pD says: or, was it over a glass of martini...

[10/15/2007 3:49:09 PM] nsy says: yeah, it was over a martini.

[10/15/2007 3:49:20 PM] pD says: that good, huh!

[10/15/2007 3:49:35 PM] pD says: need to scheme for a martini lunch soon...

[10/15/2007 3:49:40 PM] nsy says: i'm a fan of the cosmo, actually. not a gin drinker.

[10/15/2007 3:49:55 PM] pD says: what's in cosmo

[10/15/2007 3:49:57 PM] nsy says: and straight vodka is too much for this girl.

[10/15/2007 3:50:23 PM] pD says: on the rock is a good solution for strong liquor

[10/15/2007 3:50:46 PM] nsy says: http://www.cosmopolitanrecipe.com/

[10/15/2007 3:51:08 PM] nsy says: best in an icy glass

[10/15/2007 3:52:54 PM] pD says: i do not like sugar in my drink - just a personal prefernece. although italian prosecco (sparkling) can have a touch of sweetness which I enjoy during the summer

[10/15/2007 3:55:08 PM] nsy says: ooh - looking that up...

[10/15/2007 3:55:55 PM] nsy says: ah, sparkling dry white wine

[10/15/2007 3:56:27 PM] pD says: it is not considered a serious drink like champaign

[10/15/2007 3:56:46 PM] pD says: but, who wants to be serious all the time - besides, it goes well in a summer picnic

[10/15/2007 3:57:14 PM] pD says: anyway, we will need to find a way to open a bottle of prosecco, maybe in lieu of martini/cosmo, for your joke

[10/15/2007 3:57:29 PM] pD says: (better be a really good joke, for all that work... :P!)

[10/15/2007 3:57:39 PM] nsy says: sounds good! i'll have to try it. i wonder if they have it at the village wine and cheese shop....?

[10/15/2007 3:57:48 PM] nsy says: no, its not a very good joke, sorry.

[10/15/2007 3:57:58 PM] nsy says: maybe only worth root beer.

[10/15/2007 3:58:15 PM] pD says: probably, they are fairly common - you can find them in most "fancy" markets like whole foods

[10/15/2007 3:58:42 PM] pD says: for around $10 - not a bad deal for the kind of careless enjoyment

[10/15/2007 4:36:10 PM] nsy says: hey - my ride is showing up early today - gotta go.

[10/15/2007 4:36:24 PM] pD says: ciao,

vmware, UPS, Kippers, larry craig, Ig Nobel, blackwater

2007-10-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

[9/29/2007 10:22:05 AM] pD says: say, where is my care package?

[9/29/2007 10:22:16 AM] pD says: btw, how did the new t-shirt come out?

[9/29/2007 10:22:31 AM] pD says: can you score me a couple, i am running low on t-shirts

[10/1/2007 10:22:38 AM] pD says: good day everyone, hope the end of quarter push has not been too brutal

[10/2/2007 2:14:30 PM] pD says: huh, hello?

[10/2/2007 2:15:53 PM] nsy says: well, i guess that answers your question about the end of quarter push

[10/2/2007 2:17:32 PM] pD says: so, it is brutal?

[10/2/2007 2:17:54 PM] pD says: i think we had this conversation a while back, why not create an image that is need to be plugged into?

[10/2/2007 2:18:05 PM] pD is asking for trouble...

[10/2/2007 2:43:10 PM] nsy says: i must have missed that one, sorry. what kind of image?

[10/2/2007 2:43:43 PM] pD says: ? what are you referring ot?

[10/2/2007 2:43:58 PM] nsy says: "why not create an image that is need to be plugged into"

[10/2/2007 2:44:24 PM] pD says: a HD image, i meant

[10/2/2007 2:45:56 PM] nsy says: i missed the backstory, sorry.

[10/2/2007 2:46:09 PM] nsy says: we're doing vmware now

[10/2/2007 2:46:31 PM] pD says: hahahah! this is a bit confusing for me as well

[10/2/2007 2:46:38 PM] pD says: the true spirit of NSA chatters, no doubt

[10/2/2007 2:46:45 PM] nsy says: so, lets start a new one!

[10/2/2007 2:47:01 PM] nsy says: how's everything in the land of leapers

[10/2/2007 2:47:09 PM] pD says: so, i was just wondering out loud about creating a HD image for the appliance, so the assembly process is more streamlined.

[10/2/2007 2:47:22 PM] nsy says: aaaah

[10/2/2007 2:47:42 PM] pD says: as for VMware, has A gone that way? i thought NJ has some reservatino on that idea, or was it YE who was not sure about it

[10/2/2007 2:48:22 PM] pD says: in any case, for the uninformed (moi), VMware seems to add one extra layer of variables into the equation. not sure if it is a good diea

[10/2/2007 2:48:24 PM] pD says: idea

[10/2/2007 2:49:14 PM] pD says: life in the leper colony is a bit slow

[10/2/2007 2:49:38 PM] nsy says: well, somewhere the software would have to be added to the drive anyway - so we talked about having PC connection do that, but there are some custom processes needed for adding drivers to the 250, and they seem to drop the ball on some things, so we don;t trust them yet.

[10/2/2007 2:50:06 PM] nsy says: yeah, vmware was a suprise to us too. but someone wanted it, and they installed it.

[10/2/2007 2:54:48 PM] pD says: who installed it? was it done from SG directly? Frank said soemthing about he has done it before.

[10/2/2007 2:56:36 PM] nsy says: yeah, it was FB and SG

[10/2/2007 5:02:35 PM] pD says: when would the madness subside? i can come back then. no need to be a nuiance...

[10/3/2007 12:19:09 PM] pD says: UPS 19 FedEx 5

[10/3/2007 12:23:38 PM] nsy says: what are the stocks looking like?...

[10/3/2007 12:27:23 PM] pD says: no idea, don't even know their symbols

[10/3/2007 12:28:36 PM] pD says: UPS - ticker UPS - $75.5 - day range 76.19-75.23 - 52 week 79.22 - 68.66

[10/3/2007 12:29:04 PM] AE says: http://finance.google.com/finance?q=fdx%2C+ups&hl=en

[10/3/2007 12:29:42 PM] pD says: FedEx - ticker FDX - $105.11 - day range 106.38 - 104.58 - 52 weeks 121.42-99.30

[10/3/2007 12:30:47 PM] AE says: fedex has increased in value 3000% since it's inception!

[10/3/2007 12:31:05 PM] nsy says: nice!

[10/3/2007 12:33:14 PM] pD says: but, for the last 12 months, both have lagged S&P500 and the technical indicators are not looking favorable

[10/3/2007 12:33:58 PM] nsy says: http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/ups-vs-fedex-battle-of-the-brands/

[10/3/2007 12:34:18 PM] nsy says: anything untoward

[10/3/2007 12:38:04 PM] pD says: fascinating article

[10/3/2007 12:38:15 PM] pD says: how about an image of the brown

[10/3/2007 12:38:45 PM] pD says: i never quite got the adverts where the office workers oggle at the man in brown

[10/3/2007 12:38:51 PM] pD says: since it is clearly not the uniform that attracts

[10/3/2007 12:39:05 PM] nsy says: hi!

[10/3/2007 12:39:20 PM] pD says: and, unless UPS thinks that they are just a bunch of pretty boys, what is the connection

[10/3/2007 12:39:58 PM] nsy says: i don't know - my fiend had a big crush on her UPS guy for a while

[10/3/2007 12:40:39 PM] pD says: on a related note, let's do an UPS style ad where the delivery person is a dominatrix and all the office workers are nerdy guys in glasses "wanting to be punished" - that would be funny...

[10/3/2007 12:40:42 PM] pD says: hi nsy

[10/3/2007 12:50:07 PM] nsy says: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950220/02170010.htm

[10/3/2007 12:51:51 PM] pD says: very disturbing

[10/3/2007 12:52:54 PM] nsy says: indeed

[10/3/2007 12:57:10 PM] pD says: another flick idea - how about an ad on brown *pants*, a delivery person was chased on crazed office workers and brown his pants...

[10/3/2007 12:58:57 PM] nsy says: LOL!

[10/3/2007 1:00:11 PM] nsy says: i bet we could get Troma films to produce that

[10/3/2007 1:00:56 PM] nsy says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troma_Entertainment

[10/4/2007 9:31:43 AM] pD says: UPS 17 FedEx 1

[10/4/2007 9:32:11 AM] pD says: btw, i think there is an UPS depot/DS around muffet.237, that is why i see a lot of them

[10/4/2007 9:32:24 AM] pD says: btw, whre is my care pakcage?

[10/4/2007 12:48:51 PM] pD says: new buzz word

[10/4/2007 12:48:56 PM] pD says: Kippers – Kids In Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings.

[10/5/2007 9:27:43 AM] pD says: UPS 2 Fed 1 - must be a slow day

[10/5/2007 9:27:58 AM] pD says: just heard that Larry Craig ain't resigning from Senate

[10/5/2007 9:28:01 AM] pD says: yes!

[10/5/2007 9:28:22 AM] pD says: this whole public bathroom thing is just silly

[10/5/2007 9:28:49 AM] pD says: it is his wife's problem, not a public issue

[10/5/2007 9:35:50 AM] nsy says: like how clinton's thing was just hillary's problem?

[10/5/2007 9:36:00 AM] pD says: more or less

[10/5/2007 9:36:24 AM] pD says: it sure ain't no political issue as far as i am concerned

[10/5/2007 9:36:47 AM] pD says: unless, larry craig has a specific promise that if he is gay, he would resign

[10/5/2007 9:37:07 AM] pD says: but, even then, it really is an issue of his integrity than anything else

[10/5/2007 9:37:46 AM] pD says: on that note, I am happy to say that News Hour of PBS did not have a single minute of Monica-gate coverage during that whole time

[10/5/2007 9:38:14 AM] pD says: talk about sensational yellow journalism

[10/5/2007 9:38:26 AM] pD says: or, the complete opposite, i should say

[10/5/2007 12:26:42 PM] nsy says: no coverage - wow

[10/5/2007 1:38:36 PM] pD says: yeah, they rock!

[10/5/2007 1:59:30 PM] pD says: Gay bomb! That is brilliant!!

2007 Ig Nobel Winners

Peace - The US Air Force Wright Laboratory for instigating research and development on a chemical weapon that would provoke widespread homosexual behaviour among enemy troops.

Medicine - Brian Witcombe, of Gloucestershire Royal NHS Foundation Trust, UK, and Dan Meyer for their probing work on the health consequences of swallowing a sword.

Physics - A US-Chile team who ironed out the problem of how sheets become wrinkled.

Biology - Dr Johanna van Bronswijk of the Netherlands for carrying out a creepy crawly census of all of the mites, insects, spiders, ferns and fungi that share our beds.

Chemistry - Mayu Yamamoto, from Japan, for developing a method to extract vanilla fragrance and flavouring from cow dung.

Linguistics - A University of Barcelona team for showing that rats are unable to tell the difference between a person speaking Japanese backwards and somebody speaking Dutch backwards.

Literature - Glenda Browne of Blue Mountains, Australia, for her study of the word "the", and how it can flummox those trying to put things into alphabetical order.

Nutrition - Brian Wansink of Cornell University for investigating the limits of human appetite by feeding volunteers a self-refilling, "bottomless" bowl of soup.

Economics - Kuo Cheng Hsieh of Taiwan for patenting a device that can catch bank robbers by dropping a net over them.

Aviation - A National University of Quilmes, Argentina, team for discovering that impotency drugs can help hamsters to recover from jet lag.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7026150.stm

[10/5/2007 2:02:31 PM] AE says: hahahahahaha! Jetlagged hampsters! That would be a good name for a rock group!

[10/5/2007 2:03:00 PM] pD says: gay bomb - that would be my choice

[10/5/2007 2:06:55 PM] AE says: maybe they could come up with a bomb that made politicians ethical.

[10/5/2007 2:07:13 PM] pD says: for that to work, you have to make it deadly...

[10/5/2007 2:11:41 PM] AE says: then drop that on capitol center and watch chaos ensue

[10/5/2007 2:12:02 PM] AE says: what, you're saying it's not possible to make?

[10/5/2007 2:12:34 PM] pD says: actually, if you drop it on capitol, then peace will start breaking out!

[10/5/2007 2:13:15 PM] pD says: but, seirously, politicians only represent the interests of the voters for the most part. so, unless you are advocating benevelent dictatorship like Singapore, it is awfully hard...

[10/5/2007 2:17:04 PM] AE says: i believe that's too naive a view, that politicians only represent the intrests of voters. too commonly, they represent the intrests of who is speaking with the most money.

[10/5/2007 2:18:05 PM] pD says: that is a fair qualification. but, that is assuming that there is enough disparity in income/assets. which, often is not a sufficient condition outside of the US

[10/5/2007 2:18:43 PM] pD says: for example, most of the conflicts on the news, has to do with president so-and-so doing something untoward to another group

[10/5/2007 2:18:53 PM] pD says: (seomtimes the majority in headcount)

[10/5/2007 2:19:23 PM] pD says: and, president so-and-so is really representing the will of his voter/people

[10/5/2007 2:19:28 PM] AE says: ah, see, i was thinking in my USA-Centric view.

[10/5/2007 2:19:46 PM] pD says: even in the US, i think it is not fair to assume money automtically wins

[10/5/2007 2:20:00 PM] pD says: after all republican always get more money in absolute terms than democrats

[10/5/2007 2:20:05 PM] pD says: but, republicans do not always win

[10/5/2007 2:20:07 PM] AE says: true. but the underlying current is there.

[10/5/2007 2:20:25 PM] pD says: oh, nobody will deny how important/helpful money is, but that is just one of the variables

[10/5/2007 2:20:43 PM] pD says: and, i think if you peel back all the issues, the money is to win elections/positions/power

[10/5/2007 2:20:54 PM] pD says: and, ultimately, it is derived from votes

[10/5/2007 2:21:23 PM] pD says: so, you still have to pander to the voters whose votes you want

[1:25:25 PM] pD says: a little background on the founder of Blackwater. pretty interesting guy...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/washington/08prince.html?th&emc=th

[1:58:14 PM] nsy says: all that by age 38, wow

[2:00:08 PM] pD says: yeah, gotta give it to him

[2:00:20 PM] pD says: surely, he has all the connections, but he made it work for him.

[2:01:58 PM] nsy says: all these families and corporations. i wonder who really runs the world...

[2:02:38 PM] pD says: not you or me

[2:02:46 PM] pD says: you know what they say about a card game

[2:02:57 PM] pD says: if you don't know who is the sucker....

[2:10:46 PM] nsy says: ha, strangely, i had never heard that one, so i guess it IS me. hahaha

[2:13:18 PM] pD says: this is one of the self-preservation principles that i subscrube to

[2:13:29 PM] pD says: very cynical, but seems universally true