How to convert epoch time to human readable timestamp?
from http://www.unixguide.net/hp/faq/5.13.3.shtml
This can be accomplished using 'adb' as follows:
echo "0d$timer=Y" | adb | tr -d '\011'
where $timer is the timestamp you wish to convert.
« August 2004 | Main | October 2004 »
September 27, 2004
So I guess it was a Chinese assault bb-gun?
Kerry has backed away from the claim that the favorite gun he owns is a Chinese assault rifle.
From nytimes.com:
No Assault Rifle for Kerry, After All
By JODI WILGOREN
Senator John Kerry's campaign said yesterday that Mr. Kerry did not own a Chinese assault rifle, as he was quoted as saying in Outdoor Life magazine, but a single-bolt-action military rifle, blaming aides who filled out the magazine's questionnaire on his behalf for the error.
Michael Meehan, a spokesman for the campaign, said Mr. Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, owns two guns, a double-barreled 12-gauge shotgun and the rifle, which Mr. Meehan said Mr. Kerry "keeps as a relic" and had never fired. Mr. Meehan said the gun had no make or model markings on it and that Mr. Kerry "got it from a friend years ago," adding that such rifles were first manufactured in Russia more than 100 years ago and were used by the North Koreans and the Vietcong.
The clarification came in response to an article yesterday in The New York Times quoting Mr. Kerry's response to a question by Outdoor Life: "What is your favorite gun?"
"My favorite gun is the M-16 that saved my life and that of my crew in Vietnam," said Mr. Kerry, a veteran, according to the October issue. "I don't own one of those now, but one of my reminders of my service is a Communist Chinese assault rifle."
Though the comment was presented by Outdoor Life as part of an "exclusive interview with the two presidential candidates," four pages that included many long, conversational answers using first-person pronouns, Mr. Meehan said Mr. Kerry's portions were written by his staff. A public relations representative for Outdoor Life did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Phrase of the day
The SEP field is a fictional technology from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" by Douglas Adams. It is a cheaper alternative to an invisibility field.
The letters stand for "Somebody Else's Problem". An SEP field can be erected on, or projected around a bizarre and unbelievable scene so that the unconscious minds of the observers instantly abdicate responsibility for its existence, assert that it's "somebody else's problem", and therefore don't perceive it at all. The primary example of this was given in the third book Life, the Universe and Everything, when a UFO (a spaceship powered by the Bistromathic drive owned by the character Slartibartfast) landed in the middle of a cricket ground during a match, and the assembled crowd failed to notice it.
Neat site of the day
20Q The online twenty questions game.
Homeschool kerfuffle
Peggy Boyce has written an anti-homeschooling screed. I ran across it first on about.com's homeschool section. I then read further details from tulipgirl, the zero boss, and Tim Berglund. Ms. Boyce seems quite a piece of work, and yet she does also seem to be very active in her community. She is involved in the Saugatuck Art Club, The League of Women Voters, and the Saugatuck Historic District Commission.
My favorite quote:
What an ego trip for a parent -- to be all things to your children, to control every thought, every concept that enters their world. Is this education, or programming?
I hope this was just an ill considered rant, and not her heartfelt position. Although having been a Government School teacher and a school board member I am not holding my breath.
While there is room for abuse when homeschooling, I am positive the rate would be lower than in the general population. The thought that only the state can safeguard children is laughable. I saw nothing in Ms. Boyce's article discussing the abuse heaped on children in Government Schools. Such gems as lemon passing, bullying, multiculturalism, condom distribution, ritalin pumping teachers, loss of student discipline, and more time spent on self-esteem than actual learning. Those in glass houses should NOT write articles for newspapers. I remember the "socialization" I received in school. It wasn't that great. I do remember fondly the great teachers I had, but in the main the teachers were intellectually soporific.
Here is Ms. Boyce's biography:
Margaret "Peggy" Boyce is a lifelong resident of Saugatuck and a graduate of the local school system. She taught art at Douglas Elementary for one year and then at West Ottawa High School for 20 years. Boyce was an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University for seven years and is the owner of Discovery Art Center.
Boyce has served two terms on the board for Saugatuck. She has served on a state education committee and on numerous local boards and programs
"I have spent much time in a classroom setting and believe in teaching life skills like common courtesy because these are people who will grow up needing these skills," she said. "We also need to take time to show these young people common courtesies."
She and her husband Jim have eight children, all of whom graduated from Saugatuck.
Home-schooling robs children
By MARGARET W. BOYCE
I read with interest the recent article in The Sentinel about home-school families. I find it strange that we send our young men and women to help assure that children can go to school in Afghanistan, yet we allow parents in Michigan to keep their children at home.
One of the best and brightest moves that our Founding Fathers made was to make it possible for all children in America, not just the rich, to be educated. Eventually, all children were expected to attend. If they did not, they were considered "truant" and parents were held responsible and could go to jail. This public education still is the very cornerstone of democracy.
This strange phenomenon called "home schooling" at best undermines these principles. For many children, it is far worse. Who is monitoring these families? Many a child of abusive parents has an observant teacher to thank for a rescue, some for their very lives. To whom can these children turn when they are kept at home? They are being denied a basic right, which has been fought for all the way to the Supreme Court -- the right to attend school.
We don't allow people to play doctor or nurse without a license, nor can one play lawyer without passing some rather rigorous tests. But today, anyone who wants to "play school" can do so, regardless of their educational background. Recently, some parents have been jailed for withholding medical treatment for their children, yet we are almost making heroes of these parents who do the same with their children's education.
Some parents of home-schooled children speak glowingly of the "wonderful imaginations" developed by their lonely child, who, being surrounded always by adults, has little opportunities to develop friendships with real children. Others associate only with small groups of like-minded people. What happens when they enter the world and cannot control everything, as they do in their sheltered home environment?
What an ego trip for a parent -- to be all things to your children, to control every thought, every concept that enters their world. Is this education, or programming? To deny them the stimulation of working and playing with their peers is unfair. It's far better to send them out into the world for brief forays, such as the school day, and then discuss the day's adventure while they are still young enough to want to work out values with their parents.
There are other losses, such as never being "on the team," never cheering for "our school," never being in a class where the interaction of ideas is more important than the text, or doing any of the myriad of things that make up the process of "belonging," from the first day of school to the 50th class reunion. There is far more to an education than a curriculum -- it includes summer break, Friday nights and graduation.
I have met and talked with a variety of home-schoolers, both children and parents. Many have great gaps in their knowledge. Many are incredibly naive. Some do quite well -- they would have been superstars in school. Others can't wait to leave home, knowing full well that they have been cheated.
Parents often believe that they are protecting their children from the "evils" of life. However, children cannot be brought up in a bell jar. Remember that the school day is only six hours long, five days a week. That leaves many hours during the week and summer for the parent.
Give your child the wings needed to grow outside of that jar. If parents wish to be involved in the education of their children, there are many opportunities to be part of the school day. Volunteer to be a lunch or recess monitor. Offer to tutor children in reading or math. Help the art teacher. Be a part of the process of building your community, not a member of the opposition.
A recent Harvard study following home-schooled children over many years found that these children did not do better at the college level than traditionally educated children. The real trip was for the mothers, who received the big emotional rewards. My response is: Mothers, get a life. How unfair it is for you to take away your own child's life in order to gratify yours? Is this what we must expect from the "me first" generation as it raises their families?
The role of a parent is vital in a child's education. However, without all four of the pillars provided by home, school, church and community working together, we have a precarious foundation for the next generation. The public school system is the very cornerstone of democracy in America. We need to cherish it and nurture it.
Margaret W. "Peggy" Boyce is a resident of Saugatuck.
September 25, 2004
Funny top ten list
From the September 23 Late Show with David Letterman, the
"Top Ten Messages Left on Cat Stevens' Answering Machine." Late
Show home page: http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/
10. "We at Iraqi Airlines heard what happened, so we'd like to
offer you 20,000 frequent-fatwa miles."
9. "I've been waiting to pick you up at Dulles for three days.
Where you at?"
8. "Hi, this is Hall and Oates. How can we go about joining
Al-Qaeda?"
7. "It's Johnnie Cochran. Without a trial in court, you must not
deport. Call me."
6. "I'm calling from CBS News to confirm reports of a cat that can
fly a plane."
5. "It's Britney. Sorry you couldn't make it to my fake wedding."
4. "I must have the wrong number--I was looking for Steven Katz."
3. "Dude, It's Osama. I have an extra ticket to see James Taylor.
You in?"
2. "It's Casey Kasem. Good news! You're on the Jihad Top 100."
1. "It's Sean Penn and Michael Moore. Wanna triple date with the
Dixie Chicks?"
Bike in Campground
I ran across this campground next to the Silver Comet Trail. It would be nice to camp there and bike out, or to bike to it and camp.
Ask the pilot
I hadn't seen the Ask the Pilot column on Salon.com before. I found out about it because I saw their associated book at the book store.
Amazon also popped up another flying related book that looks good. Window Seat.
I got a reply at least...
The reply from WGCL to my email:
WGCL will continue to be attentive to your concerns regarding recent
reports by Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes. The
complete CBS statement and an apology by Dan Rather can be found at
www.cbs46.com. We understand your concern and your belief that CBS
should take additional action. Although we will forward your comments
along to CBS, you may also call 212-975-3247 to voice your concerns or
send them via e-mail to audsvcs@cbs.com.
Most recent, CBS News statement:
60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY had full confidence in the original report or it
would not have aired. However, in the wake of serious and disturbing
questions that came up after the broadcast, CBS News has done extensive
additional reporting in an effort to confirm the documents'
authenticity. Based on what we now know, CBS News cannot prove that the
documents are authentic, which is the only acceptable journalistic
standard to justify using them in the report. We should not have used
them. That was a mistake, which we deeply regret. Nothing is more
important to us than our credibility and keeping faith with the millions
of people who count on us for fair, accurate, reliable, and independent
reporting. We will continue to work tirelessly to be worthy of that
trust.
Thank you for contacting us and sharing your concern about these
reports. WGCL has made every effort to respond to all inquiries
regarding these reports and we hope you will consider remaining a
valuable viewer to WGCL.
WGCL Program Department 404-327-3192
September 24, 2004
Mediterranean diet gets more kudos.
There is more evidence that the mediterranean diet is beneficial for you. It appears to help mitigate metabolic syndrome and inflamation. Both of these appear to have an effect on cholesterol and heart disease.
An excerpt from the scienceblog.com article:
In a new study research have demonstrated that a Mediterranean-style diet had beneficial effects on endothelial (a layer of flat cells lining the closed internal spaces of the body, including the blood vessels) function and in reducing vascular inflammatory markers in patients with the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome consists of several factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Recent estimates indicate that the metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in the United States, with an estimated 24 percent of the adult population affected.
Iron Maiden is gonna get ya
An article by my friend John Miller about Iron Maiden. A good read... I listen to Powerslave or any other albums from that era and it brings back nice memories of high school. I saw them on the Powerslave and Live After Death tours. Both were great shows at the now deceased Hollywood Sportatorium. Man that place was a hole.
A letter to CBS
Here is the letter I wrote to my local CBS affiliate:
"I have been a viewer of WGCL 46 and CBS's news programs. I have been watching CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes for years. I regret that I will no longer be able to watch any news programs on WGCL until Dan Rather and Mary Mapes no longer work at CBS News, and a full apology has been issued (not the half hearted apology already issued). They have abused the trust that I and the rest of the public have put in them. They have either accepted as fact documents of dubious origin out of incompetence, or they accepted them for ideological reasons. Either case is unacceptable.
You can also see it on The Corner.
September 15, 2004
The little train who couldn't
Bathists testing WMD?
Captain's Quarter has written about a story from Germany about Syria testing chemical weapons in Darfur, Sudan. This is really worrying. As if shooting, stabbing, and raping wasn't enough. As Colin Powell declares genocide and calls for action, the Europeans declare a commision and call for study.
Warning signs
A letter to Dear Abby caught my attention...
WIFE REGRETS IGNORING SIGNS THAT WARNED OF BAD MARRIAGE
Mon Sep 13, 8:00 PM ET
By Abigail Van Buren
DEAR ABBY: Two weeks ago, my husband let it slip that he wants a divorce. Since we were married, his personality has changed completely. He is not the man I married.
I would like to pass along some tips for anyone considering marriage, and share some of the bright-red flags I chose to ignore.
# If your parents or siblings have doubts about him, pay attention. Listen and check it out.
# If your intended has nothing good to say about his ex, beware. This is a pattern. Divorce is rarely only one person's fault.
# If his children have nothing to do with him, do not believe him if he says his ex brainwashed them against him. My stepchildren have told me it was because they hated him, and they have good reasons.
# Look closely at his credit and job history. They are sure predictors of what your life will be like.
# If he's over 30 and has no money, do not let him move in with you, and don't marry him until he's financially solvent. If he has any respect for you (and himself), he'll insist on it.
# Be sure in your heart that you can live with him AS IS. You cannot change another person.
# This is a biggie: Beware if he has no friends. It is not true that they all chose to side with his ex.
# If your friends dislike him, pay attention. This is also true if he hates your friends.
# If he has more than one DUI and still drinks, run!
# If he is one personality at work or with others, and another person alone with you, run.
# If he has nothing to do with his parents, investigate why. Don't take his word for it.
# If he's an expert at everything and brags a lot, understand that he will turn off a lot of people, eventually maybe even you.
# If he has sexual problems, go with him to a doctor before you marry him. Believe me, his problem will become your problem.
# If he is emotionally or verbally abusive, it will only get worse. Yelling, name-calling and glowering are classic signs of an abuser.
# If he is never wrong and never apologizes, everything will be "your fault" forever. And after years of hearing it, you may even start to accept the blame.
# If he does something wrong and says, "That wouldn't have happened if you hadn't ( )," that's another sign of an abuser.
# And if he's mean to children, pets or animals, recognize that he's pathological, and the next victim could be you.
I am now 100 percent disabled and in danger of losing everything. I was taken in by someone who came to regard me as a disposable item. I only hope my letter will save someone else from the heartbreak I'm experiencing. -- EYES WIDE OPEN IN MISSISSIPPI
DEAR EYES WIDE OPEN: Your letter is brimming with well-thought-out advice, and I hope my readers will heed it. Now I have some advice for you: Start asking around for the name of the best divorce lawyer you can find, and be prepared for a fight. I wish you luck.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $5 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)
September 13, 2004
Lenin^h^h^h^h^h Putin to consolidate control of Russia.
This scares the hell out of me. He is on a fast road from oligarch to despot. This sounds oddly Soviet. I was willing to give Putin a lot of room for manuver but......
Putin said he would propose legislation abolishing the election of local governors by popular vote. Instead they would be nominated by the president and confirmed by local legislatures. He said the change was needed to streamline and strengthen the executive branch to better combat terror.
Putin also asked for an overhaul of the way Russians elect their parliament. The entire 450 seats would be elected from candidates on party lists. At present about half are chosen that way, meaning many candidates can win seats while representing no party. It also had allowed a candidate to win a place in the legislature even if representing a party that garnered too few seats as an organization to win representation.
All he needs is to lose a little more hair and add a goatee. and.......
Rather biased...
From a Rather funny email from a friend:
LSB 2.0 released
From linuxbase.org
LSB 2.0 was released on August 30, 2004. This major new version adds Pthreads support, C++ support, a modular specification, alignment with current standards (Posix 1003.1-2001 / SUSv3) and a large number of quality improvements to the LSB
gmailfs
I am currently testing gmailfs. I am copying a file to the filesystem now. I will post my review in a few days.
Fun, free, and online
Fitting the average lady.
The Seatle Times has an article (via Big Fat Blog) about available clothing for normal (today's normal rather than 60 years ago) women. I still think women's colthing is a joke. I can find clothes in an hour. It takes my wife weeks. She is not a clothes hound, and I consider her a reasonable person. Also why is clothing for women either slutty or ugly. What happened to decent clothes.
My scary halloween costume.
I found it. Man is it scary. Check it out
September 12, 2004
Russia moves to "New Europe"
According to Kedwards and the rest of the left we are alone on the precipice. Well it looks like we have room for one more. I have a great idea. Let the Islamists keep attacking Europe. Maybe the rest of them will wake up. Radical Islam is a danger on a par with communism. Their only goal is to destroy the west.
Cheaper than Clark Howard?
Are these people really the worlds cheapest?
The best seat in the house..
Seatguru is a great reference if you are going to be flying. It helps you find seats on each airline that are the best situated. For example, the well known exit row seat....
September 11, 2004
Cooking for engineers
September 07, 2004
What is a euphamism for obfuscation?
A great story from Dhimmiwatch about the euphamisms the media is using instead of terrorist for the Beslan Bastages. Some of them are:
Assailants - National Public Radio.
Attackers – the Economist.
Bombers – the Guardian.
Captors – the Associated Press.
Commandos – Agence France-Presse refers to the terrorists both as "membres du commando" and "commando."
Criminals - the Times (London).
Extremists – United Press International.
Fighters – the Washington Post.
Group – the Australian.
Guerrillas: in a New York Post editorial.
Gunmen – Reuters.
Hostage-takers - the Los Angeles Times.
Insurgents – in a New York Times headline.
Kidnappers – the Observer (London).
Militants – the Chicago Tribune.
Perpetrators – the New York Times.
Radicals – the BBC.
Rebels – in a Sydney Morning Herald headline.
Separatists – the Christian Science Monitor.
And my favorite:
Activists – the Pakistan Times.
September 06, 2004
Children support targeting Cleric?
I think that this makes turnabout fair play. I think the children and women of the world should start targeting all Clerics that advocate violence against them. I think they should declare a jihad against them.
I also like that our European allies are finally waking up to the fact that distancing themselves from us won't save them from dhimmitude.
Heck you can even get cut high and tight for just changing you mind.....
Joke for the day brought to you by fortune(6)
Recently deceased blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan "comes to" after
his death. He sees Jimi Hendrix sitting next to him, tuning his guitar.
"Holy cow," he thinks to himself, "this guy is my idol." Over at the
microphone, about to sing, are Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, and the
bassist is the late Barry Oakley of the Allman Brothers. So Stevie
Ray's thinking, "Oh, wow! I've died and gone to rock and roll heaven."
Just then, Karen Carpenter walks in, sits down at the drums, and says:
"'Close to You'. Hit it, boys!"
-- Told by Penn Jillette, of magic/comedy duo Penn and Teller
[Listening to: Comedian - - (01:21:26)]
September 02, 2004
Bin Laden 'Saddened by Incivility' of Republican Convention
From Scrappleface
(2004-09-02) -- A spokesman for Usama bin Laden today said the revered Muslim leader was "saddened by the incivility" of the speakers at this week's Republican National Convention.
"We're hearing a lot of anger and bitterness," said the unnamed al Qaeda source. "Mr. bin Laden is chagrined at the provincial thinking and partisan spirit of Vice President Cheney, Senator Zell Miller and others. It makes one want to reach out and hug them and share with them the peace we have found in Allah."
The reclusive philanthropist, who has raised millions of dollars for Muslim causes worldwide, plans to watch tonight's speech by President George Bush.
Mr. bin Laden is said to hold out hope that "President Bush will strike a more conciliatory, sensitive tone and paint a picture of global harmony based on our shared values."
I always have to look twice at bloglines when I see a scrappleface headline.
Quote of the day
From the Telegraph:
Relate said: "We need to make sure that people are properly prepared for marriage. Sometimes they think about the lovely wedding day and assume that the rest of their life will echo that. But it is just the beginning.
"You have two people coming together into one relationship and you have to be prepared to make adjustments."