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I just made a wonderful discovery

Collecting My Thoughts is a very good read!
 
Norma, at Collecting my Thoughts, has a text-dense blog that is information rich and thoughtful.  Easily on a par with another information rich favorite of mine, Jerry Pournelle’s Chaos Manor.  Start anywhere, but this post is the one that prompted me to write.
 
I do wonder where Norma found a link to this post of mine.  You see, that’s how I found her blog: she commented on my lil post, so I decided to see what she had to say on her site.  Thanks, Norma!
 
I do wish I’d seen Collecting my Thoughts early on in my blogging.  Her system oganizing her posts is very… Dewey-ish.  (And since I’m married to a librarian and have provided “heavy-lifting” aid in her service from time to time, I now wish I’d had her input—or Norma’s :-)—before my blogs became such messes!)
 
Oh. Well.  🙂
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Some Good News via Confederate Yankee

Marines follow common sense and military law—duh
 
Confederate Yankee posts a link and commentary to the followup on that young Marine who was videotaped in Fallujah following the rules of engagement, common sense and normal military practice, shot a wounded enemy (“aif”—anti-iraq forces) and was lambasted in the media.
 
“This has been the way of warfare, or for that matter, nature, for millions of years. I thought liberals usually favored Darwinism over creationism.
 
“I guess that was until they got to see Darwinism at work.”—CY
The Fox News article cited adds this:
“In the Nov. 13 shooting videotaped by [Kevin] Sites, a Marine can be heard can be heard shouting obscenities in the background, yelling that one of the men was only pretending to be dead.”
As though this information were news.  Common knowledge that that was (is?) a tactic followed by “aifs”—feign death in order to launch a surprise, sometimes suicide bombing, attack.  Under any commonly-accepted rules of war, that alone is grounds for shooting first and sending flowers (preferrably poinsonous) later.
 
Is there any way that Mass Media Podpeople who villified this marine could be put into harm’s way and told to “just pretend to be dead; you’ll be safe”?
 
heh
 
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Dirty lil meme update #3

Boudicca’s Voice roars… reluctantly 🙂
 
Bou has done the deed. What a trouper. I’ll be slaving in outer darkness for a while working off having tagged her on this one…
 
heh
 
Further, Bou tagged Sissy and she’s already dittied her duty (heh).
 
 
It’s outa hand folks.  Soon there won’t be a punchbowl in this arm of the galaxy (warning: mp2 download) that’s safe to drink from…
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Best Web Browser, IMO

See the Opera mini-banner in my sidebar?  Please CLICK that puppy, OK?  [note:  I know, I know. The “sidebar” is now buried at the bottom of the blog   Fixed!]

I don’t usually talk about stuff that’s work-related, here, but I’m breaking that trend with this post. (Yeh, I do computer stuff for warm, soft cash.)
 
First: if you use Internet Explorer as your only or primary web browser JUST STOP DOING THAT! NOW!!
 
heh
 
But seriously, do switch to a better, more secure browser as soon as you can!
 
Here’s a site that’s done a good job of summing up choices in web browsers.  HINT: The name of the nseries of pages is Opera Lover.  Got it?  🙂
 
 
While everyone I know who has extensive experience and knowledge about web browsers agrees that Internet Explorer (or, as I prefer to call it, Internet ExploDer *heh*) is definitely the worst choice among current browser offerings, the choice about which is best is more complicated.
 
While in general I agree with the widely-diseminated conventional wisdom that Mozilla.org’s Firefox browser is the best choice for a wide array of average users (especially those who need a more familiar experience when changing softwares), I use the Opera web browser almost exclusively for a wide variety of reasons, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a bit more flexible about learning new software.  If you’re using Firefox and happy with it, though, you may not want to switch to Opera, no matter what advantages it offers: both are much more secure (the primary concern) than Internet Exploder.
 
The site listed above,  while dealing with an earlier, less-capable version of Opera than I now use (Opera 8.0 which has some very cool additional capabilities), details nearly all the reasons I find Opera to be  the best web browser available.  It’s a lengthy read (30 web pages?!?) but well worth it, IMO, as a tutorial in advanced web browsing.
 
[NOTE: the author of the site expects the new  http://operalover.tntluoma.com/8/  site to be finished by the middle of May with all-new Opera 8 information/tutorials! UPDATE: Site now up-to-date.]
 
Take note: your workplace may require the use of a particular browser—and not allow installation of individual software by users.  If that’s the case, you can still have better security and browsing by trying out a different (different to IE, that is) browser at home.
 
If you decide to give Opera a try, keep in mind that it comes in two versions: a fee-based version ($39) or an ad-supported version.  The nice thing about the ad-supported version is that you can specify that the ads be simple text in the upper right-hand corner of the menu/tool bar.  Easy to see if you want to and easy to ignore if you don’t want to bother.
 
If you fit into the “there’s gotta be a better way to browse the web” category of user, trying a different browser may just fit the ticket for you. I think Opera is the best of the bunch, by quite a wide margin.  YMMV, of course.
 
 
Oh, and if you use a Mac, run on Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD or OS/2, there’s an Opera browser for you, too. Even for your phone or other mobile device.  Just CLICK.
 
Download Opera
 

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Confederate Yankee Analyzes Modern “Liberalism”

Dissecting the rotting corpse of the undead
 
Liberalism is dead.  We are left with the Night of the Undead Liberalism-that-isn’t.  Liberal, that is.  Confederate Yankee analyzes the pathology of soi-disant liberals, progressives, whatever-they-call-themselves-today.  Be sure to read Part I and then continue to Part II .
 
 
Brief sample:
 
“Liberals really do live in a “reality-based community.”

“On a strict linguistic level, “-based” simply means something similar to, but other than. Water-based paints have water in them, but the paints are hardly water. In this same way, the “reality-based community” has some reality in it, but reality is only a small component of their constructed world… “

 

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Geek Rating

I dunno about this… (I still have a shadow of a memory of how “geeking” got started: a geek in a carnival was someone who bit the heads off chickens or some other such gross deed. heh)

Your Geek Profile:
Academic Geekiness: Highest
Internet Geekiness: High
General Geekiness: Moderate
Fashion Geekiness: Low
Geekiness in Love: Low
Movie Geekiness: Low
Music Geekiness: Low
SciFi Geekiness: Low
Gamer Geekiness: None

The only assessment I have any real quarrel with is the sci-fi geekiness question. My collection of sci-fi books was once above 1,000, and I often “read ahead” (works in progress) of publication books by fav sci-fi authors, correspond with sci-fi authors, buy their books as eBooks before print publication, etc.

 
The multiple choice offered by the quiz was weighted toward the stupid end of sci-fi, though, so naturally it’d catch only Trekkies or others of their ilk. Trekkers included. The whole Star Trek thing is dumbed-down Buck Rogers—the 1970s “abysmally stupid” Buck Rogers TV series, not the 1930s Buck Rogers or even the 1950s TV series… Both beat the ’70s  Buck Rogers and Star Trek hands down for intelligent content.  And if that isn’t daming with faint praise, I dunno what is, cos the earlier Buck Rogers shows/movies/characters were dumber than rocks. OTOH, the 70s Buck at least had a hot Erin Gray and Twiki, played by Felix Silla… Turn the sound off until Twiki comes in.  Watch Erin Gray for the pure eye candy aspect, and it’s bearable.  Can’t say anything similar about the Star Trek franchise.
 
—whew— Well, I certainly feel better.  LOL
 
Can’t quarrel with the music geekiness assessment, because there’s absolutely nothing I have in common with the criteria the test-writer uses to assess it.  IOW, I like music. heh.
 
Internet geekiness only “High”?  Didn’t give enough options. heh
 
Academic geekiness… ::sigh:: what can I say?  I am educated far beyond my intelligence. And what I lack in paper training I more than make up for in autodidacticism. And then there’s my honorary degree in Bovine Scatology.  My PhDBS…
 
 

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Government by Kakistocracy

We are ruled by an elite, but elite what?
 
It’s no surprise to anyone who’s watched politics, the media and academia for a few years. We are no longer the republic forged by the Founders and Framers. We are ruled by kakistocrats—a government peopled, by and large, by the most venal and corrupt among us.
 
I’ve known a few politicians.  On the local level, their venality wreaks no great harm and is generally limited by a short feedback loop: we know where they live, and they know we do. heh  I’ve even known one who aspired to and reached high national office.  As a member of the state legislature, he seemed firm in his principles.  As a governor, he was clean and competent.  But after just a short time as a senator, every public statement I heard from him was mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy and self-serving.
 
And he was the best of a bad lot.
 
Sure, there are probably a few honest people in government. And there are even a few competent people in government.  But the number who are honorable and competent seems vanishingly small.
 
Note: yes, I know that all generalizations (including this one) are false, but still… It seems as though the folks on the left are nothing but liars, though sometimes competent liars.  And the folks on the right are sometimes honorable… as far as their (tiny degree of) competence and lack of courage takes them (wimps and dunces for the most part).
 
Rule by the worst: kakistocracy.  Yep.  Fits politics.
 
How about the Mass Media Podpeople?  Yes, that was a rhetorical question. One in one thousand are not useless or harmful to society.  Maybe.
 
And what about academia? I can honestly say that I have met some brilliant and honorable people in academia.  None in the fields of social work, education or political science, of course.  And most of the rest who do have sense enough to pound sand in a rat hole are so cowardly, fearful of violating the politically correct mores, that they are virtually useless in promoting… virtue, the common good. 
 
YMMV.
 
The “elite” are the best of the worst.
 

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Early Carnival Entry—Javascript Cookies™!

[Special notice: Be sure to get in on spreading the Blogmothers Dayâ„¢ meme! And if you don’t have a Blogmother, consider “adopting” one, eh?]
 
Thanks, Dave; thanks, Kris: y’all were the inspiration for this stuff
 
Back story: I don’t particularly like baking, but… A longtime buddy (how long, you ask? College roomie long, long ago: we now trade stories about memory loss… ) mentioned an idea a bit ago about computer snacks—computer chips, web cookies, javascript—and today Kris mentioned in comments to this post that coffee just wasn’t on her “Breakfast of Champions” menu.  Hmmm… sad missing coffee at breakfast, thought I, when—wham!—Dave’s idea hit me.
 
So, this evening, I modified a chocolate/chocolate chip cookie recipe into
 
Javascript Cookiesâ„¢
 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely ground coffee powder*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened**
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chop your own from your fav semi-sweet chocolate)
1/2 cup hazelnuts or sliced almonds, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar for coating
 
Whisk together flour, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until combined.
 
Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer or 4 minutes with a handheld. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until combined well. Add chocolate and nuts and mix until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
 
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
 
Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a 1-inch ball, then flatten slightly with palm of your hand to form a 1/3-inch-thick disk and coat with confectioners sugar. Make more cookies in same manner, arranging them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
 
OK, that was the original recipe directions.  this is easier, and the cookies taste just as good. Put 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar in a bowl (I used a soupbowl/LARGE mug with a handle).  Drop the appropriate amount of dough in the bowl and swirl the bowl to roll it around.  Pick the doughballs up and flatten them onto the ungreased baking sheets. No (or less) messy hands, quicker and easier.
 
Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until they puff up and tops crack slightly, 8 to 10 minutes total, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Recoat cookies with confectioners sugar, if you want (they’re sweet enough for me without the extra, but I have one tester who likes ’em that way). Oven times may vary.  Add time if you make your cookies larger, of course.
 
Too much dough?  As chocolate/chocolate chip it refrigerates well for a short time.  I’ll keep some of this dough around for a couple of days, then bake some cookies and see how it lasts. 
 
*coffee powder: either from your fav ground coffee or fav whole beans (preferred); grind in a blade or burr coffee grinder until a fine, powdery consistency.  If using a blade grinder, grind in bursts, as the coffee may overheat, especially if you’re grinding from whole beans, before becoming powdery. 
 
So far, the caffeine–head testers in my family love these things, and I’ve even made a decaf version (but please, don’t tell anyone about the decaf! LOL)
 
Dunk in a nice warm cuppa joe and eat, pausing every now and then for a verse of “O Blessed Holy Caffeine Tree.”
 
**Note: as a sop to my wife’s cardiologist, I used some extremely low trans fat margarine and a little olive oil subbed for the butter.  Butter will taste—and bake—a lil better, though.
 
N.B. Being careful about nutrition and sensible exercise does pay off: it looks like Wonder Woman may have her pacemaker/defibrilator removed this month…
 
UPDATE:  If I don’t have my sidebar fixed by now, locate it at the bottom of the page.  And if you want to show me where I’ve fragged my template, fee free . —Fixed! 🙂
 
Hey! If you’ve gotten this far, don’t stop now! Christine at Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea has posted some great coffee recipesshe’s gathered from around the web. Visit Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea and glom onto one or more to go with your Javascript Cookiesâ„¢.

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Readability quotients

This link at Boudicca’s Voice leads to a site that calculates readability quotients for just about any html document… including your blog, if you want
 
Here are two sites compared.  Well, one’s a site and the other’s a representative sample of an author’s work. Now, which is Shakespeare’s and which is mine?
 
(Jeopardy music plays in background—ok, imagine it is.) 
 
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If you thought the “more difficult read” was Shakespeare, go to the back of the class.  The Shakespearean sonnet I selected (semi-random, just clicked on first one my mouse rode over) was this one:
 
SONNET 6 
Then let not winter’s ragged hand deface 
In thee thy summer, ere thou be distill’d: 
Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place 
With beauty’s treasure, ere it be self-kill’d. 
That use is not forbidden usury, 
Which happies those that pay the willing loan; 
That’s for thyself to breed another thee, 
Or ten times happier, be it ten for one; 
Ten times thyself were happier than thou art, 
If ten of thine ten times refigured thee: 
Then what could death do, if thou shouldst depart, 
Leaving thee living in posterity? 
Be not self-will’d, for thou art much too fair 
To be death’s conquest and make worms thine heir.
 
It’s almost a rule: great writing is easy to read. Suckitudinous writing is most often the opposite.
 
NOTE: I am not asserting that because my blog features generally short sentences and easy vocabulary that it’s great writing. Accessibility is just the entry level for writing that’s worth reading.
 
UPDATE: If I don’t have my sidebar fixed by now, locate it at the bottom of the page.  And if you want to show me where I’ve fragged my template, fee free.  🙂