Year: 2001

Categories
Just Shelley

Bad girl

I still can’t believe my mother sent me a telescope for Christmas. I guess parents know what a kid needs — no matter how old the kid is.

I’m a ba-a-ad, bad girl. I missed the deadline for my quarterly state and federal employer tax filings. I’m late. I forgot. They’ll probably do something nasty to me, now. I’ll send the filings in today and hope that the holiday season will warm the hearts of the California EDD and IRS workers and they’ll be kind to me.

Yeah, right. And a big fat guy with a white beard dressed in red carrying a sack load of goodies is going to break into my apartment at Christmas just to give me presents.

A huh. Sure.

Categories
Weblogging

Dave getting over himself

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Last night, Dave Winer had a chance to try out the Segway, the new personal transport device that’s causing all sorts of excitement. In his writeup, he said the following:

“The one negative of the evening was Kamen’s hubris, which he can be forgiven for. I’d like him to be serious, not self-indulgent, if his invention is to have the chance it deserves, he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little.”

How I found out about the writeup is that Dave was complaining in Scripting News that his piece hadn’t been slashdotted by now. Let’s see, now, what was the operative phrase? Was it “…he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little”? Too juicy, man. Just too damn juicy. I love crap like this in the morning.

Categories
People Places Weblogging

Just stuff

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Currently waiting on callback from PT about status of worker’s comp claim. Same old BS.

However, the weather is beautiful again today and I’m off to rent a car at Enterprise. I have Christmas shopping to do this afternoon and I want to go for a hobble along Crissy Field one of my favorite places within San Francisco. Tomorrow if I’m stupid enough, I want to go to Point Reyes for a much longer hobble — most likely ending up 4 miles from nowhere with no one around and knee goes out, resulting in a boy scout troop finding me 4 months later after the local seashore crabs have had a full meal deal off my wasted body. Or something along those lines.

Rageboy got a nice review in USA Today and is in a particularly fine mood. I’m happy for Chris, he’s had a bad week and needs positive book vibes. Positive book buys wouldn’t be bad, either.

You know, the problem with writing computer tech books is that you never get reviewed in something like USA Today. Sigh. However, work is progressing on both my Practical RDF and the Unix Power Tools Third Edition books, and that’s a goodness.

Maybe I should write a book on failing systems, based on my “Why Systems Fail” articles — this might get into the mainstream journals. Nah — probably not.

Categories
Healthcare

More knee problems

I’m barely able to walk today. In fact, my lack of mobility is a bit scary as well as frustrating as walking and hiking are some of my favorite activities. Not to mention essential when you’re living alone. Tomorrow I’ll call the PT and tell her we have to act quickly. In fact, we might be too late for therapy — thanks to the wonderful insurance company that refuses to answer its phone, and sends providers on wild goose chases when getting authorization for payment.

I don’t have medical insurance, so I can’t get treated and then tell the various providers to duke it out between ’em. Neither the Orthopedic surgeon nor the PT will start any treatment without getting pre-authorized payments. Don’t ya love our medical system?

Categories
Legal, Laws, and Regs

Microsoft settlement

Recovered from the Wayback Machine. 

I don’t blame Microsoft for the abysmal settlement that’s ticked off so many states (see States urge Microsoft penalties). Corporations work for themselves — It’s the way of the capitalist world. To prevent corporations from being complete assholes, you have consumer and fair trade protection laws such as the antitrust laws, and legal organizations such as the Justice Department to enforce them.

It’s not Microsoft’s fault that the Justice Department’s decision ranks up there with England’s “let’s increase the tea tax for the colonies” as one of the worst decisions in history.