Curveball

I am seeking some hosting and/or software recommendations for the internet activity of an organization I am working with.

First, I am seeking a host for mailing lists using Mailman version 2.1 or higher. With as much control over the list server as possible (using our own domain/hostname, for example) without the responsibility for keeping the beast running. So far I have been choosing hosts based on price which doesn't seem to be the best approach -- "choosing hosts" in the plural as in "every time the previous one goes out of business without notice." Nice big stable businesses with responsive tech support (preferably support who will become aware that the server is down without relying on customers to inform them)

Does anyone even know of a list or directory of Mailman mailing list hosts? Too much google-spam for me to find one.

Second, some sort of software/mechanism/platform for creating user profiles. That is, each member gets to create a page about themselves with contact info, bio/resume info, an image maybe, etc. These can be browsed by category and searched. Actually, people would be fine with just a directory that the organization can maintain that can point to existing profiles on Yahoo or AOL, etc. (where people update their own directory entries).

Third, some sort of calendar software for coming events. Coming events have several categories and there are many contributors to the list.

Ideally, we would be able to use the same username and password for #2 and #3.

UPDATE: An idea solution would also require no more than average technical knowledge. That is, nobody in the organization would be required to know anything about installing or maintaining web software (cgi, perl, php, etc.), at least once it's up and running. But that might be too much to ask.

UPDATE #2 & 3: The mailing list is hosted seperately from the web site. We are happy with the current web hosting and aren't looking for a new web host, just software/platform recommendations for the second and third items (though if there's a hosted solution, that would be of interest also).

(1)
Michael Ignatieff is running for parliament. (Just to catch you up in case your scorecard is out of date: Canada's government was defeated in a non-confidence motion last night.) In the first 12 hours or so after the whole election coverage machine kicked into gear, I heard three different commentators talking about him as a possible future prime minister -- he's not even a member of parliament yet.

(2)
Do you read Star Trek novels? I've got 8 hardcover books to get rid of -- BookCrossing-style. Pick 'em up for free (Riverdale area of Toronto) or pay postage. Previous owner read them once. I haven't opened them myself yet, but the shelves must be cleared and there's too many books in my "too be read" pile. They're just over half a kilo each, so they'd be a little expensive to mail individually (you could probably get them at the used book store cheaper -- let me know if I'm wrong). For all 8 by mail, assuming a 4.2 kg parcel, to give a few examples, it would be (in Canadian dollars) around $8 locally, around $14 to Vancouver, around $17 to NY, and around $21 to California.

Bonus points if you already know who you can pass them on to when you're done reading.

Otherwise, I'll find a good place to leave them where random Star Trek fans are likely to find them.

Update with the titles coming soon -- right now someone upstairs needs to be retrieved from his crib.

UPDATE: Here's the list.

TOS:
The Lost Years - JM Dillard
Probe - Margaret Wander Bonanno
Sarek - AC Crispin
Spock's World - Diane Duane

TNG:
Imzadi - Peter David
Dark Mirror - Diane Duane
Kahless - Michael Ian Friedman

TOS/TNG
Federation - Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens

Grab the nearest book.
Turn to page 23.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions (and the title of the book).

Here's the sentence:

The chef adjusted his apron, which didn't really need adjusting, but he adjusted it anyway. It was a chef thing

Okay, I threw the sixth sentence in there too, because it's funnier that way.

From The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin.

How about we start by just putting down the cell phone when you're making a left turn? That's all I'm asking.

Does anybody here participate in bookcrossing.com? (Explanation: People leave books in public places for others to find. You pick up the book, read it, and release it into the wild again. The web site tracks the travels of the book and the various users' comments about it. You can also look up where books have been released in your area. If you sign up, say that readerguy referred you.)

So anyway, last week I checked the web site to find that someone had left all three books of the Neanderthal Parallax trillogy by Robert Sawyer at an ATM just down the street from me. So I went and got them, finished them off over the weekend (review forthcoming), and now I'm ready to pass them on. Anyone want them? I could mail them to non-Torontonians. (You have to register on bookcrossing.com and release them again when you're done with them).

When I was a little kid, my Mom had this thing she would do that still makes me smile when I think about it.

I'd be sitting on her lap and she'd look around furtively as though afraid that someone would overhear. Then she'd hurriedly whisper in my ear, "Psst. I love you. Don't tell anyone." And of course my response was to shout at the top of my lungs, "Mommy loves me! Mommy loves me!" while she desperately tried to sush me. Much giggling ensued.

I can't wait for Nathan to be old enough to play this game.

I was talking with my sister about it and her memory added a new dimension that mine didn't have. Apparently Mom did this shortly before our bedtimes each night. So my sister would do this with Mom and then go to bed. A while later she would hear my brother shouting "Mommy loves me!" and then a while after that she would hear me shouting "Mommy loves me!" So for her, Mom's playing this game with the other two of us is a significant part of the memory.

This JE inspired by Deamos.

There's a diner near our place called Dangerous Dan's (a.k.a. "The Double-D"). Sorta old-fashioned looking. A little run-down and dingy (genuine dinge, not carefully-engineered pseudo-dinge).

A while ago when we were walking by, we noticed that one of the items on the menu (which is entirely on chalkboards behind the counter) is "The Coronary." A burger with two 8 oz. patties, 4 slices of bacon, 2 slices of cheddar, and a fried egg on top -- served with fries and gravy, pop, and mayo on the side. $12.95 (Canadian)

We got a Dangerous Dan's flyer in our mailbox recently. Other items on the menu include
* The 24 oz. Bulls Balls Burger (with fries and pop for $12.95),
* The Colossal Colon Clogger Combo -- 24 oz burger, a quarter pound of bacon, a quarter pound of cheese, and 2 eggs -- served with poutine and a large shake ($20.99).

[Poutine is a delicacy from Quebec. Top some french fries with lots of cheese curd, while the fries are still hot so the curd melts. Then drench the whole thing with gravy]

Do you play chess? Do you get addicted to online puzzle games? Then, whatever you do, DON'T CLICK HERE.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050916/od_nm/australia_electricity_dc

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian man built up a 40,000-volt charge of static electricity in his clothes as he walked, leaving a trail of scorched carpet and molten plastic and forcing firefighters to evacuate a building.

And you thought that it was just because of fickle fashion that you shouldn't combine wool and nylon.

Here's an interesting electrical situation. I'm wondering if anyone has any guesses as to an explanation.

My parents are renovating and are sleeping in the family room while their bedroom is torn up. They have noticed an interesting phenomenon that occurs shortly after the light is turned off in the family room. Usually, the light in this room is turned off when the last person leaves, and thus not observed after it is turned off. So it is unknown how long this had been going on before they discovered it.

About 20 seconds after the light is turned off, it flashes briefly. If it had been on for a few minutes, it might happen only once or twice. At the other extreme, if it had been on for three hours or more, it might happen up to 25 times (once every 20 seconds or so). It is a compact flourescent "bulb" screwed into a regular socket.

Our first theory was that it was the bulb itself -- that somehow something was messed up in that base where the ballast, etc., is and it was managing to store some power somehow.

Switched the bulb with another compact flourescent. The same bulb didn't do the same thing in another fixture. The new bulb did do the same thing in this fixture. So much for the first theory.

Step two: Remove the fuse for that circuit and there's no flashing. So it seems that the problem does involve the fixture drawing power when the switch is off.

Step three: Replace the switch.

It still happens.

My vague theory at this point is that it has to do with something heating up and expanding, closing the circuit when it is expanded (and being hotter the longer the light has been on, thus expanded for a longer period of time after the light has gone off). But what? If it's not the switch, then I don't see how the connection could be made. It's modern wiring (1972) done by a professional electrician. If the switch is good, then a contact between two wires on the same side of the switch as each other wouldn't cause this (not to mention that it would be a short circuit which should blow the fuse). The only explanation is a contact between the wiring below the switch and the wiring above the switch (which my Dad did not observe when he replaced the switch).

I am also guessing that the flash is not because the electrical connection is not intermittent but the current is just at such a low level that it takes 20 seconds for the flourescent to charge up for long enough to light up for a moment (and that if he put in an incandescent bulb, he would see a constant dim glow -- I just suggested that experiment to him on this evening's phone call).

So there's these helicopters that are always circling my back yard (no, really!). There's usually at least one, sometimes 4 or 5. Most of them are black and they have big cameras on the front that they keep pointed in my direction.

I've noticed that when there are 4 or 5 of them the traffic on the DVP (in the valley on the other side of the house) is at a standstill. I can see this out the dining room window -- and if I can see them, they can see me, right? So they're watching me from both sides, and from above and below. But why?

http://my.opera.com/community/party/

Until midnight PDT. 4 hours and 30 minutes left.

Hey Ethelred. Shouldn't you be able claim copyright on this?

I'm going to be in NYC next week. The trouble with this work of mine is that I can never give a firm commitment to meeting up with people (/.ers or others). e.g. I'll be flying in on Tuesday evening, working Wednesday and Thursday and each day has the possibility of going late into the night (or ending early -- I really won't know until I'm done), flying out first thing Friday.

Working and staying in the Wall St area.