Archive for April, 2004
Appology Too Friend
Posted by A R Baboon in Life is Complex + sqrt(-1), Our Little Bundles of... on April 27, 2004
I would like to take a moment to appologise to my dear departed friend, Amber. Sure, Amber was of the canine persuation but my treatment of her was unnecessary. All of this business with a choker collar and negative corrections was all unnecessary. Eventhough I simply didn’t know about proper training and was directed by the instructor to do these negative corrections, that does not excuse my actions. I knew that what I was doing was bad, contrary to the advise of others. I feel like a subject in the Stanley Milgram experiments.
This appology arrises from my recent experiences training Kasha. All I have to do is stop and wait for the leash to go limp when she pulls and withhold reward when she does not obey orders. She is already excellent at leash walking and the other things we have taught her.
Shell Tricks #1 – When size matters
Posted by A R Baboon in General, Linux and Systems on April 23, 2004
We will start with something easy for Issue 1.
Ever need to clear some space fast? It may be easier to remove the largest files first. Use this trick to find which files to prune first:
du -sk | sort -n
Control Freak
Posted by Heather in Graphic Design on April 22, 2004
My place of work is seriously looking at a catalog generation software to take the place of the current system (me). That is not to say that they are going to fire me, they are really pleased with the work that I do. I will be doing other cool stuff instead.
Currently, they pick the products, I research them and gather images to populate the catalog.
Then I proceed to lay it all out in Quark. This is no small task. We’re talking thousands of products over many months. As tedious as this sounds, and it is, I like doing it. Call me a masochist, and maybe I am, but if I didn’t like to do it, why would I base my professional career on something that I can’t stand. Sure the catalog generation software could do the same job in weeks, but it wouldn’t look anywhere near as cool. I like taking something ordinary like HVAC equipment and making it fun and creative. Sure, I could layout the products in a plain grid, and it still gets the information across, but how is that fun and interesting? I want those HVAC contractors to think, “Damn, this is a nice looking catalog.” Whose to say that contractors don’t appreciate art. My father father falls into said category, and he likes to sculpt. He also happens to be my 2nd toughest critic. Why does everything have to be so dull and generic?
To be honest, I do think that it will cut production time in half. They should definitely get it. It would be foolish not to. Besides, it will free me up to do more creative projects. I just have a hard time letting go, even if it is in my best interest. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a creative control freak. Not completely unbending, but pretty damn rigid when it comes to artistic compromise. I tell the person what they’ve just suggested isn’t really what they want. They really want what I told them they should want 
9 times out of 10, I’m right. Mostly I argue with them until they cave. In the end, they really do like what I’ve done. Here’s my reasoning: those who aren’t the “creator” may not see the full picture, they only see one snapshot, and are too quick to judge. They can’t see the final product when 25% of the final piece is still in my head. If I am wrong, I back down. If I feel I am right I’ll fight tooth and nail to prove it. Besides, I make it my job to watch the market see what’s the latest trend in art and advertising. Just like CPA’s make it a point to know all of the latest tax codes. They should have a little faith that I want to do the best job I possibly can to produce quality creative work.
I think I may have gone off roading a little, and for that I apologize. I just feel passionately about what I do. The creativity part is what makes my job fun. I’m not willing to be plain “vanilla”, I was always the coffee heath bar crunch kinda’ girl.
Ford Sportka UK Commercials
Posted by Heather in HaHa Funny on April 20, 2004
I don’t know, maybe I have a twisted sense of humor (or I’m just twisted), but I think the UK Ford Sportka commercials are hilarious. I don’t know why some animal activists got their hair all up about it, it’s not like they actually killed a cat to make the commercial.
Anywho, they want the cat commercial to be taken off the air. They don’t seem to care much about the pigeon pancake. No one really cares about pigeons. The same kitty activists probably would’ve been laughing too if it was a squirrel that was decapitated instead.
I love this one, because it’s like I vicariously get revenge against every bird that’s ever crapped on my car right after I’ve come out of the damn car wash. *shake fist angrily*
Pigeon Pancake commercial
Ok, here’s the infamous kitty decapitation. Watch it , don’t watch it, but I didn’t make it. If you’re angry take your anger out on Ford… and buy a Japanese car
The Legend of the Headless Kitty Cat commercial
Kill Bll Vol. 2
Posted by A R Baboon in Movies on April 18, 2004
Holy, crap! How could anyone make a movie this good. I am speaking of the Kill Bill combination. I feel each is weaker standing on its own and together they make the best action film I ever seen. The attention to detail on music, choreography, and genre cinema was impecible.
This movie needs to be rated in nines like server availability. Id say two nines.
9.99/10
Perfection in a four wheeled vehicle form
Posted by A R Baboon in Technophilia on April 15, 2004
With an engine smaller than the one in my father’s car Toyota and Giugiaro have created the latest high performance vehicle.
3.3-liter V6 with an electric motor for each axle
408 Hp
0 – 60 acceleration in a mere 4 seconds
435 miles on a 13.7-gallon tank = 31.75 MPG
What is the deal with doctors recently?
Posted by A R Baboon in Life is Complex + sqrt(-1) on April 14, 2004
Why am I unable to find honest doctors since I was very young? Neither can my family. I would like to provide a few examples:
Jefferson University Hospital lost my father’s spinal tap results. Let me just explain what this means. Imagine that you had to undergo excruciating pain and all the lovely ways that the body reacts to such for two weeks so someone could evaluate the chemistry of a certain part of your body. You sign up to this because it is real important to know those results. Then after the entire ordeal of loss of work, loss of money, and the aformentioned suffering, they tell you they are having trouble locating the results and it was all for nothing.
My recent letter to Aetna regaurding my wife should explain the next instance:
A false, possibly fraudulent, item was charged by Dr. Harrer’s office listed as surgery for $600. There was no service provided that could possibly match this item. No X-Ray was taken and no surgery was performed. As a matter of fact, no service was provided other than a cursory exam, at best, and the application of a cast. The cast was applied so carelessly that it caused a subsequent visit to a second orthopedist for infection and recasting only ten days later.
Profession of medicine, I shake my head at thee.