When I was sysadmin/programming manager/lead programmer for a mid-sized company in Glendale (suburb of L,A,), I implemented a backup plan with 3 level incrementals and multiple media. I even went in on Sundays to do the weekly full, non-incremental backup. Then, the Northridge quake happened and every disk in house survived without a hickup. What a waste!

I know I like eating my dates. They seem to enjoy it also.

Yeah you did! They've got the keylog to prove it!

-1 too much time on your hands.

I've used an exacto knife to give my Apple ][+ lowercase. I've built 2 PCs from parts (and installed Windoze and Linux from scratch on them), I've edited the floppy driver on my Linux kernel to ignore the change line and always say the floppy is changed, recompiled and run the new kernel on a box with a broken floppy change line.

The laptop I am typing this on has not had the OS reloaded since it came from Toshiba. Life is too short and I can't be bothered.

It will probably burn karma, but Papa Don;t Leech

I helped found a non-profit to help divorced dads misjudged and considered "dead beat" when they are really "beat dead," so the scene where Homer meets Lurleen's Dad at the door and he offers to "Vodka up his Corn Flakes" then "Heroin up his Vodka" wearing a shirt saying "no child support" is making me uncomfortable even as I type this.

I still love the Simpsons.

Why do people complain about "offensive" material on Simpsons or Family Guy? That is (partially) what those shows are about. Over the years they've been offensive to Mormons, Unitarians, Hispanics, Texans, Single Dads, Republicans and probably every other niche group in the planet.

I've watched Simpsons since it was a short on Tracey Ullman, and they have once offended me enough that I turned it off. In fact, I turned the TV off for the night and went in the other room. In syndication to this day that episode makes me emotionally tighten up. I never filed a single complaint, wrote a single letter or missed an episode out of spite. If you watch that kind of series, you sign up for your ox getting gored occasionally.

You're talking about the guy who plays (present tense) William Bell, right?

1st and 2nd, actually.

A group of volunteers called "Loose Cannon Productions" has cobbled together reconstructions for most, if not all of the lost episodes from the existing audio, stills, existing short clips, etc. However, if not truly hardcore, those would be even harder to stomach.

I've actually been watching from the beginning, even the "Loose Cannon" reconstructions for the missing episodes. I'm around April of '72,
The first 2 doctors were interesting for the cheesy effects and acting and obvious attempts to keep it relatively non-violent, having started as a children's program.
I'm having a really hard time getting past this 3rd doctor/(almost) always on Earth/random new monster shows up and is battled by the navy/"The Master" is always behind it, however.

Many parts of Dallas swing Democrat as well. (I live there).

Of course, most TX Democrats would be considered Independents anywhere but TX or UT.

I don't care if it is the "spirits of the dead" or some other unknown cause, but things do occur that match the traditional story of ghosts.

My best friend for most of my life (I'm 47), the 2nd most intelligent person I know in my peer group, always completely rational, sane and scientific, once in confidence told me of clearly hearing his dead uncle's voice telling him how proud he was of him. At the time, I chalked it up to auditory illusion, then:

In college, my roommate and I went jogging one night. He is the 3rd most intelligent person in my peer group. We heard a female heavy breathing and foot-falls behind us, catching up. He even pulled forward and ahead of me to allow her to pass. She sounded out of breath and labored. Suddenly, it stopped. We simultaneously stopped to look back. There was no one there and nowhere for her to disappear to. He even said "weird!" I doubt it was a simultaneous illusion, We had not been drinking or drugging.

And before someone makes a smart-ass remark, I don't count myself as 1st most intelligent.

Never had a cell. Hopefully never will. I'm not so insecure as to need to feel "in contact" 24/7.

News is expecting tsunami to hit Hawaii around 8am CT, That will be pre-dawn for them. Hope they are waking up and climbing to high ground!

As someone who woke up 35 miles from Northridge that Martin Luther King Day, it is NOT silent. You can hear the rock grinding.

Many totally tech capable people (raises hand to indicate self) may be technically adept, building their own 'puters, posting to /., etc. etc., yet don't own a cell 'phone, much less one capable of text messaging because they hate them. Every 'phone I own has a cord to the wall. Does that mean I'm no longer allowed to send mail?