"Voted (Barack +1)" written by Jim on estrip.org

11/04/08 08:31 - 53ºF - ID#46507

Voted (Barack +1)

The line wasn't bad at all. Our old school mechanical voting booths are actually pretty awesome. The only bad part of the experience was that I almost missed the referendum above the political offices.

Not sure what I'll be doing tonight, but probably will be at the Erie County Democratic Headquarters with (e:James) once he's done working.

If Virginia and Florida are both called for Obama before 8pm, it's going to be a huge night for him. Otherwise we may be up very, very late :)

Detailed info on poll closing times across the country:

Don't forget to vote, even if it's not for my guy, Obama.

Permalink: Voted_Barack_1_.html
Words: 120
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: politics

11/01/08 09:44 - 41ºF - ID#46468

Election Countdown

Today is Saturday. The election is Tuesday. I can't wait for it to be over - I can't stop paying attention to it. Will miss it, too, it's very exciting this year.

Don't forget to vote!

Permalink: Election_Countdown.html
Words: 39
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: politics

10/30/08 10:37 - 34ºF - ID#46423

Synchronized Debating

(from

keep an eye out for 'my friends' at the end of the clip)

On a side note, I hardly know what to do with myself while I'm on vacation. I've already checked in with work twice this morning to see if they need me. Sigh...

My goal today is to finish learning map/reduce in CouchDB views, maybe posting that here will be incentive to finish it :)

Permalink: Synchronized_Debating.html
Words: 81
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: work

10/29/08 10:38 - 36ºF - ID#46405

Official!

My new position is actually a position, instead of some de-facto thing! I clarified that I have the authority to back up my responsibilities, and my Projects Manager title will be made public to everyone next week when my boss gets back from vacation. Happy day :)

Permalink: Official_.html
Words: 46
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: culture

10/28/08 11:58 - 39ºF - ID#46384

ALL MUSIC VIDEOS EVER

MTv just posted an archive of all music videos in their archives:

Check it out here:

Super-sweet. And embeddable.

Permalink: ALL_MUSIC_VIDEOS_EVER.html
Words: 25
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

10/28/08 09:28 - 40ºF - ID#46381

Thermostat Poll

How high to you keep your thermostat? (I know you might not have yours on yet, but I'm talking in general during the winter.)

James only allows me to ever put it at 58 degrees. :)

tinypliny writes at 08:55:15 10/28/08 - Comment #41147: My flat is always cold since there is really no heating. So whenever I am at home (about 3-4 hours at night/evening, I sit and work about 5 inches away from a small 900W heater-air-fan (that is more like a hairdryer) and drink a gallon of hot tea. When I am not working, I dress like an astronaut. I don't have a choice or say in this. :/

jenks writes at 08:51:58 10/28/08 - Comment #41145: Ok so sue me for killing the environment, but one thing I cannot stand is being cold, so mine is set at 66 at night and while away, 71 when home, which often gets bumped to 73 since I'm still cold.

So there- that can make you all feel better about indulging a little, since I'm sure I have you all beat.

libertad writes at 03:12:23 10/28/08 - Comment #41104: I love how there is fighting about the thermostat. What easier thing to fight about than the settings we place it at?

dragonlady7 writes at 02:02:15 10/28/08 - Comment #41098: That is NOT why we got rid of the programmable thermostat! We got rid of it because it was intractable, and started completely losing its shit. Also it would turn on at like 5 am and just blast hot air straight into your face until you got a nosebleed, daily.

My weird little hangups aren't really that weird, dude. They're based on a childhood in poverty, and given my adult life, it's a pretty good show that I have them.

Now you wouldn't be implying that you installed the thermostat off-level, now would you? You know we have another thermometer sitting right on top of the armoire. So I already know what temperature it really is, and whether the thermostat is right.

zobar writes at 01:38:52 10/28/08 - Comment #41096: We had a programmable thermostat, but (e:dragonlady7) is a fiddler and she'd always set it manually and screw up the programming. So we got one of these :::link::: instead, which you could tell by the ridge in the paint on the wall was the exact same thing that was there when the house was built.

Anyway she has weird little hangups about when you're allowed to turn the heater on [Veterans' day?! For real??] and how high you're allowed to set it [60 during the day but only if you're having company over].

But that's ok, it's got a mercury switch which means if it's just a little bit off-level it says 60 but turns on at 65.

- Z

james writes at 12:50:54 10/28/08 - Comment #41091: Why are you trying to arm yourself to fight me? ^_~

Besides, The Ben thinks it is sweltering when it gets above 53 degrees.

jim writes at 12:38:47 10/28/08 - Comment #41089: By the way, this post was inspired by someone asking the same question on Twitter, not me trying to arm myself to fight James over the temperature.

jim writes at 12:30:42 10/28/08 - Comment #41087: :)

jim writes at 12:30:35 10/28/08 - Comment #41086: SOMEDAY, JAMES!!! SOME. DAY. SOON.

james writes at 12:28:55 10/28/08 - Comment #41084: Come on Jim. In a discussion with friends we admitted we never fight. Do you really want to kill that spark of hope that one day you may be punching my guts till I puke over the thermostat?

jim writes at 11:50:55 10/28/08 - Comment #41083: I think the answer is to get a programmable thermostat :)

Thanks everyone!

matthew writes at 11:41:18 10/28/08 - Comment #41082: 7:30am - 11:30am 62
11:30am - 5:30pm 60
5:30pm - 11:30pm 64
11:30pm - 7:30am 58

mrmike writes at 11:01:51 10/28/08 - Comment #41080: I left my thermostat at my former house, so now I'm stuck with whatever the landlord is over charging me for.

jim writes at 11:01:35 10/28/08 - Comment #41079: ouch.

james writes at 10:59:32 10/28/08 - Comment #41078: I would let you keep it on higher if you didn't leave it on all night and while you are work. :p

Oh, and the couch says thanks. The living room is really toasty even though no one is there to enjoy it.

hodown writes at 10:06:13 10/28/08 - Comment #41075: In a perfect world it would be 68 at night and 71 during the day.

pmrk writes at 10:05:48 10/28/08 - Comment #41074: 62 from 8:00am - 5:00pm
68 from 5:00pm - 10:00pm - sometimes 70 if its really chilly in the house
65 from 10:00pm to 5:00am
68 from 5:00am - 8:00am

we have a boiler so it takes a little bit to get the house warmed up so I don't program huge temp changes as it seems more efficient that way. I swore I crunched the numbers one year as I'm a nerd like that to make sure it was worth keeping the house a little warmer.

janelle writes at 09:57:19 10/28/08 - Comment #41071: We have a programmable thermostat. It's 65 degrees between 5pm to 10pm on Monday through Friday. For the rest of the day it's at 60 degrees.

On the weekends it's 65 degrees in the afternoon and evening and 60 degrees at night and in the morning.

If anyone needs help installing a programmable thermostat, let me know. I already figured out all the things NOT to do when installing one!

libertad writes at 09:49:48 10/28/08 - Comment #41070: 58 is a bit too frigid James. Turn up the heat! Yes, I have mine on now. I keep it between 60 to 68 at the highest.

drew writes at 09:33:25 10/28/08 - Comment #41069: Whatever it is set at, I am not allowed to touch it.

Permalink: Thermostat_Poll.html
Words: 34
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: games

10/27/08 05:36 - 43ºF - ID#46370

World of Warcraft

From McSweeney's:

I do not think I am, as you so eloquently screamed, "addicted to World of Warcraft." I have, however, made a number of unfortunate mistakes, for which I would like to apologize.

and ...

Also, what you stumbled upon me doing with that Level 64 blood elf in the back room of the Silvermoon City Inn was neither "sick and perverted" nor "cheating on you." We were role-playing. That I called you by her character's name later that evening was just a weird coincidence. I do not wish your body looked like that. You and I both know that it's physically impossible for humans to have those proportions, at least while retaining all of their internal organs.

ahem.... James!

Permalink: World_of_Warcraft.html
Words: 124
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: bacon

10/27/08 12:58 - 42ºF - ID#46365

Baconaisse!

Is it a joke? Who knows!

Permalink: Baconaisse_.html
Words: 23
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: family

10/26/08 03:12 - 57ºF - ID#46350

Grandpa

My grandfather is not doing well, I am looking forward to when I go out to see everyone at Thanksgiving. Hopefully things stay stable until then. Lots of deaths in my life the past few years.

(My grandpa and my Dad)

Permalink: Grandpa.html
Words: 43
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: travel

10/25/08 11:45 - 51ºF - ID#46335

Snap Decisions

I idly was looking at airfares, thinking of going to see my family at Thanksgiving. They were all $800+, except I found a couple deals on Delta for $400. I had to snap that up since it's only going to get more ridiculous the closer we get to the holidays.

So my decision was made: home for the holidays! As much as home can be where my James is not, of course.