broomeman.com
Monday, December 31, 2001
Courtney and I had a very enjoyable weekend. On Saturday we did some shopping. Courtney found a nice leather jacket. I bought a watch for everyday use, a sweater and some jeans. On Sunday, we had lunch with Vicky and Brian on Sunday. My car needs a serious washing, but I hate washing my car when it's cold outside.
Weekend Box Office - Fellowship of the Ring is still on top. I've changed my mind: I want to see this one again. It's hard to digest everything in one viewing.
Another year has come and gone. What a year! Good stuff, great stuff, lousy stuff, and bad stuff. The two things about 2001 that I'll never forget are (1) finding the love of my life and (2) September 11th. These are on the opposite end of the spectrum, to say the least.
I've added the little CSS and HTML validation links to the lower left of this page. This should amuse all of you that realize how little I know about either of them. Believe it or not, the main page validates. I've got some 'warnings' on the CSS that I intend to look at soon.
Sunday, December 30, 2001
Observation Deck Opened at WTC Site - No more peeping through fences. Visitors can view ground zero from a new observation deck, opened today.
We had tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala at an Indian restaurant in Ridgeland last night. Good stuff.
Saturday, December 29, 2001
Windows XP Clean Install Guide - When you install a new operating system, there's really only one option: a clean install. The XP newsgroups are full of problem posts by people that performed the 'upgrade' installation. This page by Paul Thurrott will guide you through the process of a clean installation.
Snow Squalls Cause Deadly Pileups - "National Guard troops were at work Saturday helping Buffalo dig out after a record-breaking, five-day storm, and crews from nearby Rochester, N.Y., and Toronto also helped out. The 83.5 inches of snow this month - 82.3 inches since Monday - made it by far the snowiest month in Buffalo history. The old record was 68.4 inches in 1985."
Friday, December 28, 2001
Dead or Alive Party - If OBL is captured or killed, the owner of the Best Western Hendersonville Inn said he will provide free food, drink, entertainment and rooms for whoever shows up.
"But as the trend grows across the country, some parents and principals are wondering whether female fashion has officially reached rock bottom."
Michael Jordan has never played this poorly in his NBA career. He scored six points last night against the Pacers.
CD Prices Set to Make a Plunge - It's about time. Charging $17.99 for a music CD has always been insane.
For some reason, the local theaters are not playing 'A Beautiful Mind'. What's the deal with that? Update! This film goes into wide release on January 4th.
Thursday, December 27, 2001
This gave me a good chuckle. It also made me recall what Greg McPhail, who has naturally curly hair, said, when my mother asked him if he gets his hair permed: "Yeah, I get perms. Every time it rains."
The Strangest Stories of 2001 - My vote is for the Osama/Bert story. Of course, the story about the guy who cut off his U KNOW WHAT is a close second.
The All-Star Team of Online Games - "Take a break with the Web's most addictive puzzles, sports simulations, and other diversions -- no CD required."
We both enjoyed our time away from work. Misha and Derek stayed with us Monday night, and we had a good time. On Tuesday, we enjoyed a nice lunch at Nathan and Laura's house in South Jackson. Charlie and Jared were there, so there were eight of us all total. We enjoyed a few games afterwards, including a good game of Spades. Courtney's has a nasty cold, and it has entered the "non-stop coughing" stage. She's taking some over-the-counter medicine, which helps a little. I wanted her to stay home today, but her job is short-handed right now. What a trooper! I hope she stays home tomorrow. She's not running any fever, so I don't think she's contagious. I hope I don't get it, but you'd think that I would have to. We'll see. My esophagus is much better. I enjoyed a few drinks over the weekend, with no effect. The feeling that something is always in my throat has almost gone away. I've been careful not to recline an or lie down until I've been upright one hour after eating. I think that this is the key factor to preventing future problems. I'm not looking forward to going to the GI doctor, since I learned that the scope procedure that he'll do will cost $1,300. I don't know what percentage my insurance will pay. I'm going to find out before he sticks anything down my throat. If I'm feeling fine by January 7th, I will most likely cancel my appointment.
Tuesday, December 25, 2001
Monday, December 24, 2001
Ten Habits of Highly Effective E-Mailers - This is a good read. I would like to think that I put some of these suggestions into practice.
Boy, howdy! What did you do with that possum? Let me also add this: don't put gasoline onto a fire. Ever.
Pray for me. I'm about to venture into a retail store.
Orange County, California will begin tracking sex criminals with GPS. This idea just might catch on.
Learning to Win - Jordan and the Wizards have won nine straight games, after a sad start. What changed? Can they keep it up?
Sunday, December 23, 2001
My esophagus is much better, but not fully healed. The first week without coffee and alcohol wasn't too bad. The coffee headache lasted about three and a half days, but it wasn't very severe. Courtney's sinuses have been acting up for a couple of days. All in all, we've both been feeling a little 'poopy pants' to be quite honest. Tomorrow will prove to be better. I have the day off, and Courtney will get off early. Misha and Derek will be spending the night with us, and we'll all be hooking up with Nathan, Laura, Charli and Jared on Tuesday for lunch. We can't wait to see everyone, and especially little Evan. (OK, we love the rest of you, too.)
LAME v3.90 has been released. You can download the DLL or the EXE. If needed, you can also download software that uses LAME. The LAME encoder is perhaps the best encoder available. If you're new to MP3 ripping and encoding, visit these two sites.
Inside Al Qaeda's Secret World
- "It is perhaps the first time we have seen a terrorist organization hijack an entire state," said one Western diplomat with many years of experience in the region."
Cinnamon Challenge 2001 - One tablespoon of cinnamon is enough to make 30 cinnamon rolls. Can a human being eat one tablespoon of cinnamon at one time? These guys are nuts.
Inside the War Room - "...as the President's top advisers filed in early on Sept. 12, their faces drawn and eyes puffy from lack of sleep, the room was jammed to capacity. Arrayed around the table was one of the most seasoned foreign policy teams ever assembled by a President, and every one of them had just been caught completely off guard..."
NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year today. I'm sure it was a tough decision. OBL and Dubya were no doubt second and third on their list.
I'm beginning to think that Blogger is problematic at best. Yesterday, the entire template section was jacked up on multiple blogs. I'm going to give it another try today. I'm beginning to believe that I'm getting what I'm paying for - nothing.
I've scrapped the pages that were dedicated to photos, music and commentary. The content of those pages can now be reached via the new archives page. Any substantial commentary in the future will either have it's own page or be included in a daily post.
Thermobaric Bomb Added to U.S. Arsenal in Afghanistan - "Each thermobaric bomb -- also called fuel-air explosives -- contains two explosive devices and a highly flammable chemical that sends a deadly shock wave through enclosed spaces such as caves and tunnels without collapsing them."
Thursday, December 20, 2001
Swiss Cheese Update - "Microsoft's newest version of Windows, billed as the most secure ever, contains several serious flaws that allow hackers to steal or destroy a victim's data files across the Internet or implant rogue computer software. The company released a free fix Thursday. A Microsoft official acknowledged that the risk to consumers was unprecedented because the glitches allow hackers to seize control of all Windows XP operating system software without requiring a computer user to do anything except connect to the Internet." Patch
New Software: CloneCD 3.3.2.1, DivX 4.12
Windows XP Services Tweak Guide
We saw Fellowship of the Ring last night. What a production! It's very impressive. It's much darker than I had anticipated and the battle scenes are a wee bit brutal. I have not read the books, so I cannot comment on the adaptation. Courtney has read the books and she thought they did a good job. I thought the film was very well-acted, and the costumes and sets were incredible. I don't wish to see it again, but it was entertaining.
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
W32/Maldal.c@MM - "The mass-mailing worm arrives in an e-mail file attachment called "christmas.exe", the filesize is 37376 bytes. It uses the MS-Outlook address book to mass-mail itself. The worm might also be using entries from MS-Messenger." What part of "scan all email attachments" don't some people understand?
Suspect Claims Al Qaeda Hacked Microsoft - I'm assuming that this will prove to be false. It's pretty funny, though. It reminds me of the guy that said Windows 95 was by far the worst virus his computer had ever fallen victim to.
"Watchin' the game, havin' and Coke. True...true..."
Speaking of drinking, the local supermarket now has Vernor's Ginger Ale. My friends from the Midwest introduced me to Vernor's a few years ago. This is the best ginger ale I've ever tasted.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - It has arrived. Courtney and I are going to the late showing of it tonight. It's getting great reviews. More Reviews.
Would someone please email me and give me a personal review of Moulin Rouge? Some people are insisting that this is a great movie. I'm skeptical. Help me see the light.
Nexium - It's the purple pill that I'm taking. Monday, I devloped what I thought was a severe heartburn. After it persisted for more than 24 hours I knew that something was up. I went to the doctor yesterday and he thinks I have erosive esophagitus. Sounds scary, huh? Well, if this is the problem, the purple pills should do the trick. I'm scheduled to visit a gastro doctor in January. He'll be able to put a camera down throat and take a look at what's going on. I haven't even gotten to the bad part. I cannot drink caffeine or alcohol or eat any tomato products. Warning! Lifestyle change! This should all be temporary, as I now belive the source of the trouble is due to my habit of reclining (and even sleeping) immediately after I eat. This could have been allowing all sorts of funky things to "backup" on me and cause the erosive esophagitus. The doctor suggests that I remain upright for at least an hour after eating. This makes sense to me. I actually feel much better today after only two doses of the purple pill.
Monday, December 17, 2001
Captain Stripped of Kennedy Command - "It was a bad day for the Big John, and she burped," Capt. Maurice Joyce said. He added: "The week before, she was glorious."
Here is New York - A collection of photos.
Granny, Get Your Gun! - An 88-year-old grandmother is winning a hunting contest!
There are a lot of good movies coming out in May, including Spider-Man. The trailer is now available. It is awesome.
I fear that I will not be able to use my goose down Eddie Bauer winter coat this year. (I love my coat.) It was at least 80 degrees yesterday.
OK, now I'm thirsty.
We have plans to see the late showing of LOTR on Wednesday. I'm in the process of getting advance tickets. I cannot wait.
Courtney and I had a very pleasant weekend. We took a trip to Vicksburg on Saturday. What a cool town. Sunday we ate lunch at Hops with some friends. A guy performed card tricks while we waited on our food. He was very good. We did a little shopping in Ridgeland. What a mistake! Avoid the area! Because of the holiday shopping craze, Northpark Mall is completely off-limits to anyone interested in driving and shopping like a normal human being. The traffic is horrendous.
Friday, December 14, 2001
Yours is a Very Bad Hotel - These guys are 'taking it to the streets' and 'keeping it real'.
Thursday, December 13, 2001
Pentagon Releases Bin Laden Tape - "Bin Laden also said he told his followers there would be more destruction after the first plane hit the World Trade Center. ``They were overjoyed when the first plane hit the building, so I said to them: be patient,'' he said." Transcript
FBI Confirms Net Spying Tool Exists - "An FBI spokesman confirmed on Wednesday that the U.S. government is working on a controversial Internet spying technology, code-named "Magic Lantern," which could be used to eavesdrop on computer communications by suspected criminals."
USB Fingerprint Scanner - "Replace your password with the touch of your finger."
Internet Moving Images Archive: Movie Collection - Got bandwidth?
New Windows XP goodies are available:
Windows Messenger for XP Version 4.6
Add-Ins for Windows Messenger for XP
Windows Media Player Bonus Pack for XP
NPR RealAudio essay about Blogs.
AIM+ - "It integrates automatically and flawlessly with AIM, adding crucial features like IM/Chat Logging (with an integrated History Browser), Ad Removal, Translucent Windows..."
Wham, Bam, Thank-You Spam! - Judge awards man $2,000 for receiving spam!
Forget Segway, here's Megway!
Hello to Zack, in Oregon!
Wednesday, December 12, 2001
"An American Taliban fighter held captive by Marines in Afghanistan has told American officials that al Qaeda's next attack on the United States will take place in days and involve biological weapons, U.S. intelligence officials told The Washington Times."
Here's a new one: Kamikaze Camel Threat Scares U.S. Marines
Families of September 11 - "Families of September 11 is a non-profit organization founded by families of those who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Membership is also open to the families of people who die in related acts of terrorism, such as the anthrax attacks."
Dave got a 10-minute ride on a Segway, and here's what he has to say about it.
The first 'Lord of the Rings' film opened in London to great reviews. The film is three hours long.
"Then I started doing sort of the same mistakes in film, which is I'd just take a job, a job and a job," just to keep working, he said. The results were bad movies such as "Batman & Robin."
Groom Chokes to Death on Bride's Finger Nail
What's for supper? Roadkill. - "Clauson and her husband, John Wakeman, have started an informal petition aimed at changing an Oregon law that makes it illegal to collect injured or dead wildlife without written consent from the Department of Fish and Wildlife."
Somebody needs a fashion consultant.
Take the Fruit Test - I'm a strawberry.
Monday, December 10, 2001
DVD Menu Design: The Failures of Web Design Recreated Yet Again - Very good point.
WinZip 8.1 has been released. This is still the best compression utility, in my opinion.
CloneCD 3.2.3.1, the best CD copying software known to man, is now available.
Tora Bora Seige Continues - "The U,S. dropped its most lethal 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bomb on Tora Bora over the weekend, Navy Rear Admiral John Stufflebeem told a news briefing."
Ebola Outbreak Confirmed - This stuff makes Anthrax look like a walk in the park.
We saw the trailer for the new Jim Carrey movie. 'The Majestic' is a drama/comedy/romance set in the 1950's. It was directed by Frank Darabont, who also directed The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. After seeing the trailer, I definitely want to see the movie. Perhaps this will give Jim Carrey further recognition as a dramatic actor. 'The Majestic' opens on December 21st. The new Ron Howard film, 'A Beautiful Mind' opens the same day. It also looks pretty interesting.
Stay tuned! This weblog may soon be powered by Blogger!
Sunday, December 9, 2001
We saw 'Ocean's Eleven' (Ebert / IMDB) last night. This is a very entertaining movie. It's a comedy/caper/heist/con movie with twists and turns, and it never takes itself too serious. All of the roles are well-acted. We'd both like to see it again. Trailers.
New Videotape Points to Bin Laden - "The United States has obtained a videotape of Osama bin Laden describing the damage around the World Trade Center -- where the twin towers and other buildings were destroyed -- as being much greater than he had expected, according to senior government officials."
Saturday, December 8, 2001
I'm posting from "old reliable", my used Compaq Prolinea 575 (upgraded to 233 MHz, 64 MB of RAM, Windows 98 SE). The fan on the power supply of my HP went out. It's under warranty, so HP is going to fix it for free, but it will take 10 days.
"I'm Running." - Gary Condit (D-Calif.) announced yesterday that he would run for reelection, brushing aside concern that the controversy surrounding his relationship with missing intern Chandra Levy could imperil his political viability.
Windows XP Superguide - Compliments of CNet.
U.S. Forces Pursue Taliban Fighters - ``We are searching for members of the al-Qaida, not regular Taliban soldiers,'' said Marines spokesman Capt. Stewart Upton. ``We hope the Taliban lay down his arms and goes his merry way.''
RealNetworks Introduces Music/Multimedia Subscription Service - Their free stuff is so bad, I cannot imagine paying for anything that they offer. I've never liked how their software will attempt to control ALL of your media files if you select the wrong installation options.
Courtney and I watched 'Space Cowboys' (Ebert / IMDB) for the second time last night. We both laughed and laughed. Donald Sutherland is a riot in this flick. Rent it if you haven't seen it.
I did in fact purchase a Sony PSOne and Gran Turismo I and II. These two games are among the best car racing games ever created.
Friday, December 7, 2001
The first trailer for the new Spielberg movie 'Minorty Report', starring Tom Cruise, is available for download. Perhaps this film will make up for what a bore 'A.I.' was.
This is just plain wrong. Ouch.
Evacuation Plans Saved Thousands at WTC - ``It looks like maybe 90 percent of the people in the buildings survived that day. It's amazing,'' said Alan Reiss, the trade center's former director.
Segway-R - "This is not your Dad's Segway."
Bill Gertz has become my favorite reporter.
The White House is offering a Virtual Tour.
Jesse Ventura 'Body Slams' Selig in Hearing - "What the commissioner didn’t want was a full dose of the very large governor of Minnesota. But that’s what he got." Priceless.
Man Cuts Off Penis in Fit of Religious Fervor - "Doctors said the man's penis showed several wounds, indicating that the man had hacked at it several times before it detached." What the heck? I can't even make this stuff up!
Note to Zack: You can do it!
Kip and Angie will be visiting us this weekend. I hope to beat Kip at Gran Turismo 2, over and over again. I would like to see Ocean's Eleven, just for the heck of it. Sounds kind of cool.
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Eugene Mirman - Marvelous crooning child. Right.
Welcome to Zombo.com boys and girls! Don't fall off your Segway!
Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Errant Bombing
Rebel States Ready to Hit Uncle Bill Hard - A group of nine states plans to propose stiff sanctions against Microsoft that could include further opening the Windows source code and could extend to technologies not directly covered by the landmark antitrust case, sources say.
LEGO Technic Offroaders
QuickTime Comeback? - In a sign of its underdog status, Apple is tying the future of the technology to the acceptance of a new digital video standard known as MPEG-4.
WinZip 8.1 Beta 2 Build 4036 is available for download.
Nero 5.5.6.4 is available for download.
Tuesday, December 4, 2001
Mini Putt - 18 holes of minuature golf. Gotta love Flash.
Pentagone Virus - I've received this virus in my Inbox twice already. Be careful, it's a nasty one.
Zombo.com - Go here now!
U.S. Fears Bin Laden Made Nuclear Strides - "U.S. intelligence agencies have recently concluded that Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorist network may have made greater strides than previously thought toward obtaining plans or materials to make a crude radiological weapon that would use conventional explosives to spread radioactivity over a wide area, according to U.S. and foreign sources."
Three Taliban Claim to be American
My curiosity is killing me. Tell me what you think of Segway.
This company does not like it when you link to their site. Read about it here. Oops! I did it again!
Teacher Fired for teaching the truth about Santa Claus. I'll never forget the time I told a kid in my third grade class that there was no such thing as Santa Claus. I could see the pain in his eyes. He refused to believe it, and almost cried. My older brother broke the sad news to me when I was five, using these words: "It's just daddy with a pillowcase slung over his shoulder." I don't recall being sad, just happy that I knew a secret.
Mariah meets the troops in Kosovo. She told Reuters on the flight out that her top priority was to boost morale for the American peacekeeping troops stationed there.
Don't pee on this guy's house!
TNN will air The Godfather tonight at 8 PM ET. Part II will air tomorrow night at 8 PM ET.
Santa Accused of Slapping Child - "The man apparently lost his patience when he was taunted by a group of children who wanted to see what he was wearing under his red Santa Claus outfit, police said." Maybe the kid needed a good 'smackdown'.
Monday, December 3, 2001
Segway
- It's a scooter!
- How it Works
Israeli Gunships Hit Arafat Compound - This was only a matter of time.
What is going on in Kentucky?
Go here now!
We saw 'Behind Enemy Lines' yesterday and we enjoyed it.
Gas prices have plummeted. I bought 10 gallons for less than $10 last week.
Sunday, December 2, 2001
George Harrison recorded a secret last album.
Israeli Bus Suicide Blast Kills 15 - "The attack in Jerusalem occurred just before midnight Saturday, when two suicide bombers detonated their explosives at the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall. Ten people, most ranging from 14 to 20 years in age, were killed, along with the two suicide bombers, and more than 150 people wounded."
Ginger - "After nearly a year of speculation and media hype, inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen will unveil "Ginger" on ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday, an invention that some say could change the world and others believe is a motor scooter."