Gollum as veep? Eep!

Speaking of people who may not always look human, the front page of Salon has a story on Joan Didion and next to the story a little thumbnail photograph. And I glanced at the photograph and thought, "What does an albino monkey have to do with Joan Didion?" And then I looked closer and realized that it was a b/w picture of Joan Didion.

But she totally looked like a cappucine monkey.

Is the document aimed at folks likely to have broadband, or home users?

Most of the users will be faculty, staff, and students, so they will be hooked into the gigabit backbone. So, honestly, a 7MB file shouldn't take more than a minute to download.

I'd either do one big file, or split the main body and the appendix, so there's two. We once did a 10 MB catalog .pdf both as a single file and as chapters, and more people just downloaded the whole thing.

Hmm. That'd work. And I can stick in bookmarks because I'm nice like that.

But I'm not sure anyone would want to download what would be 20 separate files.

I think people would go insane, unless it was very clear to them that they only needed to download, say, certain appendicies. Doesn't sound like this is the case, so I like DX's plan.

Rumour stage only, but still. Damn.

Condi's gonna ascend?

And now, the lie of the day, from the manufacturer of a HD I purchased a month ago:

Why does it take up to 8 weeks to process rebates?

We handle millions of rebates; each request is handled separately. This level of individual attention is why it can take up to 8 weeks to process a rebate.

They sent me an e-mail today, a week plus after I mailed in the rebate forms. Now, anyone with some decent computer savvy knows that all that happens is that $1/hour guy in India or Nigeria has a computer and has looked at all my rebate stuff and confirmed it's there. All they'd have to do is, once $1/hour guy approves my rebate, drop my name and addy in the queue and cut me a check posthaste. But they don't because "each request is handled seperately." This is because they want to hold onto the money for seven more weeks to make a buck in interest.

I'd love to see the Feds pass a law requiring that refunds be processed and checks mailed no later than four weeks after the postmark. But that ain't gonna happen.

Condi's gonna ascend?

Since she's GOP, does The Chris Rock Law apply?

But I'm not sure anyone would want to download what would be 20 separate files.

I don't think I'd download porn that was in 20 separate files, let alone work stuff. The only advantage I can see to putting it up like that would be if people are only likely to need a particular chapter.

President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Let's see, Cheney himself was security against something tragic happening to Bush that would cause him to lose office, because most people don't want Sauron, um, Cheney as Prez.

Condi as veep removes that protection, because you know that some in the GOP are saying, "First woman president should be a Republican--quick, check Commander-in-Chief's ratings, is America buying it? Imagine it, the first woman president and the first black president, all in one." Cue Party of Lincoln references. And if Condi did a good job, I can bet she'd be mentioned as a possibility in 2008.

On the flip side of this, though, are the knuckle-draggers who are inhaling their white robes in horror at the idea of either a woman or a black as president.

Me, I'm half-hoping McCain is the GOP's man, I could cope with him, he understands that having foreign allies is a good thing, plus he knows the meaning of the word "honor" without having to look it up.

...except for the minor issue of being willing to throw his hard-earned credibility behind things he knows aren't true, and for the benefit of people who pulled out no stops in smearing him in the most reprehensible fashion when he looked like a threat to them. Except for that, sure. Honor.

ETA: Sorry if that came out sounding like it was directed against you, connie. I just have McCain issues.

An excerpt from the Colbert Report via Salon's review:

Which brings us to "tonight's word": truthiness. "Now I'm sure some of the word police, the 'Wordinistas' over at Webster's, are gonna say, 'Hey, that's not a word.'" But Colbert goes on to explain, "I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart. And that's exactly what's pulling our country apart today. We are divided between those who think with their head, and those who know with their heart." Next to Colbert, a bullet point flashes "No Thinking." With the glorification of ignorance at its peak, this little rant couldn't feel any more timely. It's soothing, somehow, to witness Colbert tackling the profound absurdity of the times with such unbridled glee.

I haven't seen it yet, but - yeah. I'd watch that.