wysereeser.com

I keep seeing these advertisements for *Shaft* on TV every now and then, I can’t help but think the following quote is great.

I may TAKE you down, . . . but I’ll never LET you down.

I use a little application called Time Stamp at work to help keep track of where some of my time is spent throughout the day. Previously, I installed version 2.0, in looking today to find the download site it wasn’t where I remembered it. Luckily Google came through again. And, WOO HOO, its still supported and has evolved to version 3.1. It only works under Windows at the moment.

Interesting. The Coming Software Patent Crisis: Can Linux Survive? I never thought that the entirety of google(open-source) might be more at risk, because of patent infringement. The author makes a valid point toward the end. Essentially the patent process will continue to the point of absurdity, at which point, everyone involved will *have* to admit that the process needs to be reformed.

So I help the neighbor lady who’s a little older clear out her driveway of snow. The time before last I, cleared off her car and tried to free her windshield wipers from their frozen state. In the process I ended up ripping both wipers. So, before she notices I wanted to replace them. Sort of it, I needed to know what year/model/etc. her car was. Several sites provided the same information around deciphering your vehicles VIN number.

Tips to understanding your vehicles serial (VIN) number

They are as follows:

* 1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured. For example: U.S.A.(1or4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
* 2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A), BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C), Dodge(B), Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
* 3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
* 4th to 8th characters- Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
* 9th character- Identifies VIN accuracy as check digit.
* 10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J), 1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), 1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T), 1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)——2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
* 11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
* 12th to 17th characters- Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production as it rolled of the manufacturers assembly line.

Whether or not these are true, I was forwarded a list of anti-war slogans that supposedly were on signs at the recent anti-Iraq war rally in DC.

1) These colors don’t run the world
2) One nation under surveillance
3) How did our oil get under their sand?
4) Go Solar, not Ballistic
5) Who would Jesus bomb?
6) Start Drafting SUV Drivers Now
7) Don’t blame me, I voted with the majority
8) Buck Fush!
9) It’s NUCLEAR, not NUCULAR, you idiot!
10) Patriots are idiots - Matriarchy Now!
11) Resistance is Fertile
12) (Pictures of sheep carrying flags) Stop Mad Sheep Disease Now
13) (UFW sign) Pick Fruit, not Fights
14) (On a five year old) More Candy Less War
15) Say can you see my democracy?
16) (With pictures of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld) Asses of Evil
17) It’s the oil, stupid
18) War is expensive, Peace is priceless
19) Read between the Pipelines
20) No More BuSh
21) Smart weapons, Dumb president
22) The only thing we have to fear is Bush himself
23) How many Lives per Gallon?
24) Peace Takes Brains
25) Anything War can do, Peace can do better
26) Negotiation Not Annihilation
27) Make touchdowns, not war
28) Another patriot for peace
29) Oh, Say, can You Cease?
30) Star Spangled Bummer
31) Don’t Arm a Son of a Bush
32) Don’t do it, George, Dad will still love you
33) Power to the Peaceful
34) The last time we listened to a Bush, we wandered in the desert for 40 years.
35) War: How Americans learn geography
36) George W. is pro-life*
*certain areas of the world excluded