Name Tools

My cnet RSS feed pointed me to an article on Usernamecheck, which tipped me off to a service called BustAName. The latter takes several keywords, generates various combinations of the words, and looks up domain name availability. Could be useful.

Absorption Refrigerators

While reading up on propane, I found out about absorption refrigerators, which use heat in the refrigeration cycle rather than a compressor. Apparently the technology was invented in the '20s (and that PR whore Einstein was co-named on a later patent), and is in use in some applications.

I dislike compressors because they're noisy, so silent operation is very attractive. Dometic makes refrigerators for RVs that use the absorption method. As a plus, they are typically "dual fuel", electric and LPG. Unfortunately, they're quite expensive relative to their size: $600 for the smallest non-portable model (BigDiscountRV).

Typical Democrat Response

So why is it that when Democrats get their hand caught in the cookie jar they respond with indignation rather than the shame they should be feeling? Take this piece of shit Charles Rangel, for example. A Republican would've been crucified for tax evasion and/or "violating the public trust", but Rangel says he did nothing wrong. U.S. citizens must by law pay U.S. taxes on all income regardless of source, worldwide. That includes income on rental houses in the Dominican Republic. Even corporate slave like me knows that, and I was liable to the IRS for those taxes. A scumbag legislator like Rangel should have to pay 10x in penalties because "ignorance of the law is no excuse" (the quoted text is sarcasm, but the preceding is not).

A Mommy Story

Katie was telling me (in IM) about her fiance's sister-in-law has a blog called "A Mommy Story". Somehow the subject of "mommy blogging" came up.

What's weirder is that I dated a girl Katie's fiance dated, and went out a couple times with a girl Katie's fiance's brother dated. I'm glad I'm not doing that anymore....

Random Articles

SSDs lackluster
Lights out for fireflies?
Chrome easter eggs

DRIcore

Daren was installing this DRIcore subfloor in his basement. Sounds like a great idea. The only problem is the impact on ceiling height, compounded by the necessity for any in-floor heating to go on top of the subfloor. However, this is probably a necessity for having flooring in the basement.

Kill Chavez

Die Chavez! Die! Die!!

Look at that picture—something's seriously wrong with the guy. He needs a cruise missile in the ass.

Or let me shoot him. I'll do it.

.50-Cal Ranges

Finding ranges where one can shoot .50 BMG is problematic. There are at least a couple in MN:

Oakdale Gun Club
Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club

There's a range nearby that might allow .50-cal, though I have yet to find out. Byron Sportsmen and Conservation Club's website is rather meager and references several PDF files, none of which seem to be accessible.

Concealed Carry Info

Apparently packing.org no longer exists. Some forum posts pointed to the following replacements:

usacarry.com
carryconcealed.net
handgunlaw.us.

Project Vote Smart

I'm not sure about this site, but it could be a supplemental source of information.

City Council

The downside of democracy is that stuff like this is possible:

Rochester MN 2008 Election Primary Results (Post-Bulletin, see Olmsted County)
Challenger tops incumbent in Ward 2 primary (Post-Bulletin)

I know Wojcik personally, having worked in the same department for five years, and I would emphatically not want him as City Council rep from my ward. The Mt. Fuji incident comes to mind when he talks about ethics and responsibility.

I'm shocked that he actually made it through the primary. The incumbent Marcia Marcoux had better get started campaigning! And I think I might have to help her out.

Democrats looking to get laid

I guess this is why they don't promote abstinence? (This is sarcasm, as I'm not particularly prudish when it comes to sex, I just think Democrats are illogical in general and like to take jabs at them.)

This is kind of like how Democrats tend to be the ones who go crazy and shoot people, not Republicans, which is Dems are against gun rights: they know their own tendencies.

HGST Rochester's "Black Monday"

The horrid news that HGST is terminating the internal channel mission was vaguely reported in the local newspaper as simply being "hardware design team" layoffs.