This Entangled Bank: Tag computers

the muppet-savvy robot army is coming

Ed — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 07:17:00 +0000

When the computers turn against us, Terminator-style, we may find out, amongst much else, that they know more about the Muppet Show than we expected.

This is because of the Muppet Wiki made possible through the work of Wikipedia creator Jimmy Wales, interviewed by Paul Marks for the New Scientist

This resource is really useful. Remember seeing Billy Joel on the Muppet Show but have no idea which episodes to seek out? Muppet Wiki:

Billy Joel (b. 1949) appeared on Sesame Street during Season 20 (1988), singing “Just the Way You Are” with Oscar the Grouch.
He also sang “The Alphabet Song” to the Anything Muppets.
His song, “New York State of Mind,” was sung by Floyd in episode 209 of The Muppet Show and by Rowlf on the album Ol’ Brown Ears is Back.

Not that we should be surprised when intelligent computers seek to out-compete us as this will surely represent just another day in earth’s evolutionary story. The fact that the “wedging out” of our species is being performed by machines may make interesting but probably incidental news around the galaxy and beyond.

Less insanely-priced HP toner, no hidden shipping

Ed — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:36:00 +0000

Needing a new B&W toner for an HP 2100 (C4096A) and seeing that Viking Direct and Staples were both seeking to gouge me for more than £70 plus delivery, I soon found http://www.tonergiant.co.uk who sold me the same HP-branded toner for £51 including delivery.

Webrick on XP: starts OK then hangs on first request?

Ed — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:09:00 +0000

I had this problem and found the solution:

netsh winsock reset

here: http://www.db75.com/new_blog/?p=249

If anyone knows how to get XP to un-confuse itself without requiring a reboot, then it would be good to know.