gary’s web sofa

This picture on Graham Linehan’s blog reminded me of the all-night MUD, Usenet & IRC sessions in UL’s VAX lab back in the day. Those who couldn’t go the distance woke up with a case of qwertyface. These were the early days of the Internet in Ireland (1991-1995), and IOL and the like were only getting started. Universities, via HEAnet, were the only connections to the net.

Many of the old timers still called it ARPANET and begrudged the intrusion of undergrads into what was supposed to be a serious academic and scientific tool. We were the kind of people who would post requests for budgie roasting recipes to the rec.pets.birds Usenet group just to see how many people we could upset.

Boredom, thy name is whatever this game is called « Why, That’s Delightful!

Now this is scary. These barriers, designed only for narrow central medians on rural roads, are all over the place in Ireland, even on motorways. They were probably chosen because they were cheaper than the old style corrugated steel ones, or the more modern solid concrete barriers. While they are very effective in preventing cars crossing into oncoming traffic, motorcyclists don’t come off so lightly. In New Zealand, where they’re also used, they’ve acquired the name “cheese cutters” after a 22 year old was sliced in two when he hit one at speed.

The UK were looking at deploying them but the Institute of Advanced Motorists, who were originally lobbying for them (probably because they were better than nothing) are now coming out against them. Maybe someone should have a word with the RSA here in Ireland before someone here is killed or maimed…

UK motorcyclists saved from being sliced in two by wire rope barriers – Autoblog

I’m watching the boob tube and this ad comes on for a new product called "Fibresure". If you didn’t Google it you’d have a hard time guessing what it was for. The ad has lots of girls larking about in a swimming pool looking all happy and stuff and they talk about a powder that you can mix with water, but you don’t taste it. Even their website says that you need fibre, but nowhere does it say why.

Dudley Moore was right in Crazy People.  Why not just say that it helps you go to the toilet!!!!!

I had to pop over to the UK this week for a few meetings & presentations so I booked my Tuesday flight out on Monday @ aerlingus.com, (who are about the same cost as Ryanair, but actually provide things like assigned seats and don’t cancel flights at the last minute and leave you stranded) but didn’t book the return flight because I didn’t know at the time if I’d be flying home on Thursday from Birmingham or Friday from London.

I’m starting to use my Laser debit card more and more. Virtually everywhere that takes credit cards will take a debit card too. I frequently leave my Visa and MasterCard at home. The sole wrinkle is that laser payments can only be made in Euros. That’s a non-issue with retailer’s point of sale terminals and 99% of websites, but Aer Lingus are the exception. Regardless of what country you select on the front page, it will insist on using the currency of the country of departure when booking, so I ended up having to call the Irish sales phone line to book, and pay an extra ???15 handling fee for the privilege!!!!!

Oscar Pistorius is on track to become the first disabled runner to qualify to run at the next able-bodied Olympics. He’s currently 2 seconds off the qualifying time, but he’s already improved his personal best by 4 seconds in the last two years, so it’s very possible.

A birth defect left him missing his shin bones, so the two options open to his parents were a lifetime in a wheelchair or amputation. He used to play water polo (where no legs isn’t a huge handicap) and rugby (???) at school, but a knee injury pushed him into athletics in 2004. The following year he was running the 400m in the South African able-bodied championships. Tom Hanks is looking to make a movie about his life.

His purpose built legs, designed by a Finnish company called Ossur not only enable him to run as fast as single leg amputees, but even reach the speed of professionals with both legs. The fun will start when the IOC need to decide if his legs are the amputee equivalent of running shoes or are they “performance enhancing”?