Tuesday, November 30

Make Love Not SPAM

337° 05' NET

Fight against the spammers! Lycos has released a screensaver which will make data requests to the spammer websites thus eating their bandwidth and effectively raising their costs for running the site.

If kicking back anyway you can is your cup of tea, then download the screensaver now.

Here is the article from BBC.

I'm going to intall right away and see how it works...spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam - yeah, you have to know your Monty Python to get that....


Vector at Tuesday, November 30, 2004

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Monday, November 29

It's the way men do it

301° 10' NET

How to change the oil?

Here are the examples how to do it. One for females and the other for us guys.

- - - -

How to change oil.

How women do it:

1. Drive to the service point, when it has been 10 000 miles since the last change.
2. Have a cup of coffee while waiting.
3. Pay up, start driving.

Expenses: oil change 25$ + coffee 50 c = 25,50$.

How men do it:

1. Drive to the parts-shop, buy oil, filter, can of CRC and a new Wunderbaum for a total of 15$.
2. Realize that the container you use for waste oil is full. You are not going to deliver it to a collect point, instead you dump everything in a hole on your backyard.
3. Get a beer, drink up.
4. Jack the car up. First go look for the jack for 30 minutes.
5. Find the jack under a soapbox car of your son.
6. Get a beer for consolation, drink up.
7. Push the waste oil bin under the car.
8. Search for a right spanner.
9. Give up, get a adjustable wrench.
10. Open the bolt.
11. Drop the bolt in hot oil. Smear oil all over.
12. Clean up.
13. Get one more beer and observe the leaking oil.
14. Look for pliers to change the filter.
15. Give up. Punch a screwdriver through the filter and use it to finish the job.
16. Beer.
17. A pal comes for a visit. Unanimously you get rest of the beer and decide to end the oil changing the next day.
18. Next day. Get the waste oil bin from under the car.
19. Clean up oil stains which were done in step 18.
20. Take the waste oil at the back of the yard, dump it in the hole and cover it up.
21. Beer - no, wait...it's all gone.
22. Go buy some more beer.
23. Squeeze new filter in and smear it up with oil.
24. Pour in a bottle of new oil.
25. Remember the bolt which was mentioned in step 11.
26. Go look for the bolt from the waste oil bin.
27. Remember that the waste oil is at the backyard, in the hole.
28. Get a beer.
29. Dig the hole up, find the bolt.
30. Find an oil puddle on the floor.
31. Get a beer.
32. While tightening the bolt, slip spanner and hit your knuckles against sharp undercarriage.
33. Because of step 32 hit your head against concrete floor.
34. Furious swearing.
35. Throw the spanner in rage.
36. More furious swearing for 10 minutes, because spanner hit left jug of Miss December in your Michellin calendar.
37. Beer.
38. Clean up your hands and forehead, stop the bleeding and use bandage as it should.
39. Beer.
40. Beer.
41. Pour rest of the new oil in the machine.
42. Beer.
43. Take the car off the jack.
44. Break the jack while doing step 43.
45. Back up the car so that you can clean up the mess from steps 24/30.
46. Beer.
47. Test drive.
48. Pull over at the road shoulder and give a breath test, walk the lines and touch your nose.
49. Vehicle is towed away.
50. Pay the fine and towing expenses, claim your car back.

Expenses: parts 15$ + fine 350$ + towing 100$ + beer 50$ = 515$.


Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Have you seen Bungles twanger?

255° 15' NET

For those of you who don't know, "Rainbow" was a credible childrens TV show from the 70's and 80's. Never saw it myself and even if I did I think I would have missed the delicious satire in the show.

This site has a sample, it's really worth checking. I was laughing double for a long time.

I better go and tune up my plucking instrument...

NOTE: This site brings light to the question where did the tape come from. See for 'Christmas tapes'.


Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Annual meeting of impossible

248° 55' NET

What women want? I'll bet this roomfull could give an answer.



So, I guess it's 'Dream on, girls'

Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


At work

248° 25' NET

How you drive tells what kind of worker you are or your position in the company.




Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Shopping

247° 40' NET

This is of course a well known fact, but just to make it as plain and visual as possible...



It's true, isn't it?

It is...

Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Get your issue today!

247° 10' NET

For the real men who are connected...




Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


More pictures

246° 43' NET

Why some people say women have it tough in the modern IT-business?

Here is the answer.



Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


The Air Force vs. The Army

242° 06' NET

Have you ever really thought about the difference between the Air Force and the Army?

One picture tells you more than enough and I have two of them.

This is pretty cozy...




And this is something else...shitty comes to mind.






Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 1


Oh, and one more thing...

226° 02' NET

I changed my blogtemplate...again. And I promise you, from the bottom of my heart, that it's not going to be the last time.

It's called "The ethereal cat visualizing a cybermouse while feeling blue-ish".

The template design comes from Noipo.org and the graphical side of the business is created with much artistic struggle and regardless of unfair criticism by yours truly.
The template is released under a Creative Commons License and if it is changed/altered/transformed etc. the resulting creation has to fall under a licence identical to CCL.

Links on the left....ah, no pun intented - anyone who speaks Dutch...


Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Soon, soon

223° 05' NET

Just over a week to go and I'm off to Portugal. The weather is not so warm anymore, but it's warmer than it is in here.
And as a reminder of how safe it is to fly, a KLM plane made a little rough landing in Spain. No one was hurt, only the plane got punished.

I bet those travellers could have got really exciting pictures...hmmm....


Vector at Monday, November 29, 2004

Comments 0


Saturday, November 20

What does she mean?

334­° 50' NET

Like a prayer.

Is she talking about a bj or just humping? My bet is on humping. I have a vision of something doggyish.


Vector at Saturday, November 20, 2004

Comments 0


Sunday, November 14

The Darkside Is Just Better

Anakin had his reasons.

Vector at Sunday, November 14, 2004

Comments 0


Monday, November 8

Headlines

249° 55' NET

Some pictures just scream for a good headline.

1. When Siamese twins - Huub and Bert - started a hobby, it never occurred to them that they might end up in different teams.

2. The Spanish Government is investigating claims implying that watching too much bullfighting migh make you aggressive and change your behaviour.

3. No one was more surprised than Alejandro himself when the opposing team member took his 'kiss my ass' remark quite literally.

4. Embarrassment at the Annual Plastic Surgeon's Charity Soccer Tournament; intoxicated assistant gave a new meaning to 'facelift'.






Vector at Monday, November 08, 2004

Comments 1


Sunday, November 7

Face of addiction

If you ever thought what a drug addiction can do to your body you may want to get a look at this.

Vector at Sunday, November 07, 2004

Comments 0


Saturday, November 6

I Hate School!!

238° 30' NET

This pilot might have some issues. Somebody get Dr.Phil!!


Vector at Saturday, November 06, 2004

Comments 0


George and The Gang

199° 35' NET

4 more years. Unbelievable from my point of view, and about 50% of USA too it seems. The good thing with his re-election is that it is going to be his last 4 years...right?! Unless the law gets changed. Also it may bring him nose to nose with the consequences of the decisions he made during his first 4 years.

Now why I would give a shite who wins or loses? Well, generally I don't, but these last couple of years have changed that and it is all thanks to mr. Bush and his foreign politics - which all seems to be born out of the smoldering holes of twin towers.

After Tuesday I was listening to the reactions around me and by far the most of the people here were surprised that he got re-elected. Part of those who were not surprised were just being pessimistic about republican right wing christian crusader losing no matter what. And it seems like the christian ayatollahs were active in these elections.

The two main parties in the US, Republicans and Democrats, are a source of confusion over here. The Republicans are talking about 'liberals' and 'leftists' in context with Democrats - who are more leaning towards the softer issues of humanity. The thing is that if you would pick Republicans and Democrats and plant then down on the political system and parties over here even the leftist part of the Democrats would still be considered right wing or maybe right side of the center. It is easy to see why people over here can't make a clear difference with Republicans versus Democrats. It's all the same to them.

Also people don't really see what is so fantastic about the two main party system anyway. I know that there are a lot of parties in the US, some of them really really weird, but anyway. Only their rise to power seems to be real life Mission:Impossible. Ralph Nader, as I understand, tries to make a change, but no luck so far. In the process he does 'steal' votes from mainly Democrats so you might say he is the Joker of Republican party.
In The Netherlands and in most of the European countries the number of parties which actually have a chance to play in the political arena is greater. Usually there are 3 or 4 'main' parties from which to choose. In addition to those there are smaller parties which can play an effective role in the government as coalition partners. The government is usually made out of number of parties, which have some common ground. Rest of the parties form the opposition (from those which get a seat).
This makes the Rep/Dem polar setting seem a little thin. Of course also even here some parties are bigger than others and some can stay in power for a long time, but the coalition partners usually changes if nothing else does. This brings new blood and ideas to government and at the same time opposition gets it's shot of change.

Anyway, George is going to lead America to it's future for the next 4 years. I predict problems if he is not changing his style in handling relations to the rest of the world. Would not surprise me if he even would be a target for a murder attempt in the States. The country seems to be really divided and that makes good ground for such ideas. It could be someone who thinks Bush should be removed from office or someone who thinks he/she got betrayed by promises which made him vote for the president.
Also I think that if there would be another twin tower style incident the response would not be like it was at 9-11. All the condolences would be offered and so on, but the feeling behind it would not reflect the same sincerity. It would more or less be tinted with the feeling that it was something which was coming since the way mr. Bush has handled relations.
How governments react to events in the world doesn't necessary go in sync with the way normal people think about them. That was obvious when Bush was asking partners for the Iraq war trip.

I heard he said it was 'an historic victory'. That may be more true than suspected if he doesn't make it good. I think he is in the position to screw up the world more than any US president before him. If he fails, it may indeed be a victory which stays in the books of history for a long long time.

Some parts of his speech are kind of confusing. Uniting the people, working together, no limits to the greatness...to me that sounds more worrying than not.


Vector at Saturday, November 06, 2004

Comments 1


Wednesday, November 3

November 2nd

330° 10' NET

It is November 2nd. This day probably will be remembered as a day when the voters of United States chose their course through the deep waters of history. In United States.

Here in The Netherlands it will be remembered as a day when the spirit of free men and free speech got murdered a little bit more.

Theo van Gogh. A director, journalist, columnist, writer. Man of the word and the pen was shot dead in bright daylight in Amsterdam around 9 AM, in a city which is perhaps one of the most tolerant cities in the world.

He said what he thought and that didn't always please people. He was a critic of Islam and it's extremist, fundamentalist teachings. He thought it was a real threat in modern world. He made a short movie about womens situation in Islam together with a Somali born dutch politician - Ayaan Hirsi Ali - who happens to be a woman and also was a muslim. That wasn't received too well in the islamitic circles. She and he both have had threats to their lives.

The difference between these two is - apart from that one is dead and one alive - that she has bodyguards with her when she goes somewhere, she has no doubt that there are people out there who would like to see her dead.
Theo van Gogh didn't. He may have thought about it, but I think he didn't really really believe deep down that someone would really go so far.

The guy who did it, has a double nationality, Dutch and Moroccan. He shot van Gogh multiple times and also stabbed him with a knife. I think he had an issue with van Gogh which he had made a personal issue. A knife is a up-close-and-personal weapon. If he just wanted van Gogh dead, the gun would have been enough. I think he wanted to make a point - which probably is put down on the letter he left to the body. What it says there comes out later, maybe.



Most of the people I know were shocked about the whole thing. They made references to Pim Fortuin, who was murdered a few years back for no real reason other than he also said things which made some people angry.

At 8 PM there was a gathering of people in Amsterdam who came together in memorial of Theo van Gogh and made sure that his death would not go by silently. They made a huge noise with drums, pans, pancovers and whistles and all kind of things which made some kind of a sound. The trains which were at the train station were blowing their whistles.

The elections are going on in the US, but today I have not seen very many reports about that.




Theo van Gogh 1957 - 2004

BBC News

Vector at Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Comments 3


Monday, November 1

Video vs Still

328° 25' NET

I have a problem. I'm going for a little trip in a few weeks and as most of the people would like to make nice pictures while on the trip. I was going to look around (and did) for digital camcorders, since I like to have those memorable moments on tape - or on DVD in this case - but I'm not sure if I want to buy one for 300 - 600 € with 800.000 pixel resolution. The tape would be ok, but any still pictures not.

(Un)fortunately I made a mistake and looked also for a new digital camera. And my eyes got hold of a Canon EOS 300D (or EOS Rebel for those who live in the US and around there). A nice piece of engineering, only with plastic covers, but at 745 € that is a bargain. So, here I am with a problem: should I get a camcorder or a new camera which is almost twice the price. I like the idea of being able to switch lenses and generally have a much wider use of the camera since it is a system, but I would also like to have that digital camcorder. I'm not going to get both of them, not at the same time at least.

I think I am for the camera anyway. It just seems that pictures are easier to present to others. For a tape or DVD you need to book a session, meaning you have to sit down and watch a recording of 1.5 hours or whatever. Pictures you can just flip through in minutes.

So, EOS it is! I love it when problems are solved :D


Vector at Monday, November 01, 2004

Comments 1