HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com (Gillett, David)
Subject: Re: Basic Trivia (was Re: BAH! HUMBUG!)
Reply-To: dgil@ipsaint.ipsa.reuter.com (Gillett, David)
Organization: Reuters APL Software Division
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 12:48:08 GMT

     The "trinary" computer, based on three-state logic, was "imminent" as much
as twenty years ago.  I've given up waiting for it.

     Okay, the underlying circuitry is binary, right?  So writing numbers in
binary is occasionally useful because it corresponds exactly to what is
"really going on".  But it quickly gets awkward.
     So, how can we express these binary numbers in some notation that's
easier for humans to deal with?
     How about base 10?  Humans use that all the time.  Unfortunately,
converting between base 10 and base 2 is a little too hard to be called
"trivial".
     What would make it easier?  Well, how about if we took groups of bits and
converted them between binary and some other base which was a power of two?
Eureka!
     There are two obvious candidates.  8 is close to 10, but less than 10, so
octal numbers just consist of symbols we already regard as digits.  Octal
numbers look an *awful* lot like the decimal numbers people already use.  (Too
much so, in fact.)
     The other problem with octal is that each digit represents three bits.
This works out okay when popular computers use 36-bit words and 18-bit
half-words.  But as architectures which divide memory into 8-bit bytes, 16-bit
half-words, 32-bit words and 64-bit double-words become more popular (and they
did...), three-bit digits hardly ever go evenly.
     So there's a bit of a pressure to go to a scheme with an even number of
bits per digit.  And since octal representations of 32-bit and 64-bit values
are already getting ridiculous, it should have *more* than three bits/digit,
rather than less.
     Base four doesn't solve any of the problems which binary presents.  Octal
and hexadecimal are close enough to decimal to capitalize on our years of
training with decimal numbers, and easy to convert to and from binary in
trivial bits of hardware.
                                      Mentor the moderately-old computer coot

-----------Message forwarded from IPSA Mailbox-------------
From: jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu (Jimmy Malcolm Pierce)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Suicide (Was: Friends ... forever ...)
Date: 6 Oct 92 17:48:15 GMT
Organization: University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus

( Didi-Sprite) writes:
>(Dreamy Jim) writes:
>> (The Didi-Sprite) writes:
>>>Now that I have had my say, Goldie ...
>>>Could I please have a *hug*?
>>
>>      <Hug!> "Of course a hug !" Dreamy Jim. { eventhough I'm not Goldie. } 
>>
>>>----<--<@    <- Out in the desert a rose grows... 
>>
>
>The Didi-Sprite loses herself in Dreamy Jim's arms and sighs
>contentedly.
>
>"Ummmmm ... just what I need!  Thank you Dreamy Jim!"

    "You are very welcome !" DJ.

-- 
 Jim Pierce Bach. of Sci. in Applied Computer Science
 jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu  Disclaimer: Standard.
  "Is it the weekend yet ?" me :-)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: moh2@quads.uchicago.edu (Kateri/Mary Anne)
Subject: Re: Friends ... forever ...
Reply-To: moh2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 22:50:30 GMT


Kateri steps up to the fire with a piece of parchment much like Didi's
and reads aloud:
In Memoriam

Emerson said that the definition of success included such things as:
To laugh often and love much...to win the respect of intelligent
persons...to appreciate beuaty...to find the best in others;
to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better...
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived...

And I find myself confronted with the abrupt ending of a life,
and a wish to justify it...to say,
"Yes, he did all those things, he succeeded..."

The man who lived that life wrote words of skill,
enabling others to see the beauty he found in seemingly barren desert.
He extended his hand in friendship, and did not hesitate to take
the outstretched hand of another.
He had the respect and affection of many,
And the love of a privileged few...
So I'm tempted to claim that at least he succeeded in his life...
short though it was.

But while this may in fact be true,
It isn't enough.

Because my friend killed himself.
And so, no matter how beautiful his life may have been,
He didn't see it.
And no matter how much he was loved,
He didn't feel it.

For if he was truly at peace with his decision,
He could at least have had the courtesy to say goodbye.

I have somehow failed him.
He will be missed.

*****

M.A. Mohanraj
September 28, 1992

*****

Kateri drops the parchment in the fire, and watches silently as it
burns to ash.
-- 
The autumn leaves are falling like rain.
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups at my table.		 - A T'ang Dynasty poem
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: rich@theophilus.msfc.nasa.gov (Rich Krum)
Subject: Re: BAH! HUMBUG! (was Re: Christmas is bus
Reply-To: rich@theophilus.msfc.nasa.gov
Organization: Boeing Computer Support Services
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 15:59:29 GMT

binary - basis of all computer logic, has 2 states (1,0) (on,off) - BIT
Octal - integers 0-7, natural group of 3 binary bits, IMHO easy to think in
Hexadecimal - integers 0-9, A-F, natural group of 4 binary bits.  I need
               a #$%^ programming calculator to help with this.

CODGER ALERT--------CODGER ALERT--------CODGER ALERT--------

Hexadecimal didn't exist when I started into computers--I used NOTHING
but binary or Octal.  Hexidecimal is some d#$% new-fangled pain in the butt.

Course, I still think CPM is the best operating system for speed and simplicity.

BTW, I still have an OPERATIONAL S-100 CPM system with (Count 'em) 2 double-sided
8 (thats eight) inch floppy drives.  Its a tank, but you can't beat it for 
durability.

No, I junked the teletypes years ago----

END CODGER ALERT-----------------------------------

--rich

The Boss Troll
---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My opinions are my own, and my employer (Boeing Computer Support Services)
 denies any responsibility for me, all opinions in general, and anything 
 I may say, do, or be otherwise associated with outside of work for them.
 -- Use at your own risk, your mileage may vary, no news is good news."

 REPLY TO:  rich@troll1.msfc.nasa.gov     PLEASE KEEP IT "G" RATED
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU (Jay Brandt (Jason) (for Julia))
Subject: Bio for Phoenix
Organization: The Polyhedron Group
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 06:50:39 GMT

Current Name: Julia Woznack

Alter Egos: Phoenix

Birth Date: 24 Oct. 1959 

Birthplace: Tyndal AFB, Parker, FLA

Residence: Portland, OR

Sex: not lately

Gender: female

Sexual Orientation: straight 

Marital Status: looking

Offspring: boy age 5yo, girl age 2.5yo

Siblings: brother and sister

Blood type: A negative

Hair: blond

Eyes: varies from blue to steel grey

Height: 5 foot on a good day

Weight: 152 lbs.

Dominant Brain Hemisphere:none right now 

Physical Deformities: none you can see

Music Preferences: Irish, Scottish, English, Classical, easy rock

Favourite Books: too many to enter

Pet Peeves: people telling me what I want can't be done, insensitive
beaurocrats

Favourite Movies: Hamlet (Mel Gibson) , Henry V (Kenneth Branagh), Dead
Again

Least Favourite Activities:dealing with beurocrats 

Most Favourite Activities: playing with kids and computers, reading and
researching historical problems

Quotes that can be attributed to me: Hmmmm Think I'm angry now?

Hobbies: kids, computers, books

Political affiliation: monarchist

Allergies: penicillin, demerol, codiene, aspirin, bee stings

Occupation: student

Favourite Foods: lasagna, hassenpfeffer, BBQ chicken

What I regret most: naming my son's father to welfare

Favourite TV shows: Star Trek:TNG

Parting words: I will be back!


Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: feath@agora.rain.com (Feather)
Subject: Coming in for a landing, ArchTeryx!
Organization: Open Communications Forum
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 19:57:01 GMT

Feather gets into a mischevious mood.

From out of nowhere, fluttering is heard, and the small gray avian suddenly
comes in for a landing...  right on Archteryx's huge beak, making him utterly
crosseyed looking at her.  Feather grins!

"Hi, there!"

 
 .  



Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: feath@agora.rain.com (Feather)
Subject: colorfully descriptive phrases
Organization: Open Communications Forum
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 15:36:40 GMT

Feather flutters to a nearby table and orders a small slice of pizza.  When
it arrives, she starts in on it.  Unfortunately, while in mid-bite, she
thinks about the phrase "three fries short of a Happy Meal" as posted by
a fellow Callahaner, and proceeds to almost choke on her food from laughing
so hard...

Gasping and grinning, the small avain recovers.  "I'm all right,  I'm all
right, don't worry!"  Then inspiriation strikes.  Feather remotely grabs a 
piece of chalk and pauses to speak before writing:

"Hey you guys, how many others can come up with colorfully descriptive
phrases like that?  Let me start off by writing that Happy Meal phrase
here on the chalkboard..."

She does so.

"...and then add my own."

And then proceeds to write:
-  As welcome as a hyperactive puppy at a housecat convention.
-
-
-
-
-

"I've made room for more here, I hope that someone else can come up with
some REAL creative phrases like that!  Hopefully better than the one I have
contributed...   THIS is a challenge to you, folks!"

-Feather
"...just a small gray bird of an unknown specie."

 


Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath)
Subject: Re: More old coots tests
Organization: The Cat Factory
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 01:09:22 GMT

In article <8414.11128@stratus.SWDC.Stratus.COM> jane@soave.swdc.stratus.com (Jane Beckman) writes:
}Jilara looks nostalgic.  "Ah yes, Bob Clampett.  That man had
}a wicked sense of humor that I only really began to appreciate
}when I watched some of his stuff as an adult.  Rather the way
}you can't full appreciate Rocky and Bullwinkle when you're a
}kid, either.  ...

"By all reports he was also an habitual practical joker, often to the
point of cruelty.  He just didn't know when to quit."

}... (Who remember's Jay Ward's first show, "Crusader
}Rabbit?")  ...

"I do!  I do!  I've got tapes of the first two crusades and some hope of
getting the other 15.  It was weird watching cartoons I'd last seen nearly
40 years ago and _remembering_ them.  More!  I must have more!" (-:

}... But I wonder if it's true that Bob got fired from
}Warner Bros. for perpetrating a cartoon called "Coal Black and
}the Seven Dwoaves" as a friend once told me..."

"I doubt it.  Warner brothers, and a number of other studios of the time,
produced a lot of stuff like that that would get them burned to the ground
today.  The original prototype of Elmer Fudd, that appeared in at least
one cartoon I've seen, was black.  Then there was "Tin Pan Alley Cats" and
a host of other black cast cartoons.  You can't blame them all on Bob.
Someone produced them."

The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@polymath.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp                   Turn the rascals out!
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (310) 450-9111, x2483     No incumbents in '92!
Santa Monica, CA  90405
From: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Yet Another Periodic Return...
Date: 3 Oct 92 22:21:54 GMT
Reply-To: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <1abqaaINNgaq@gap.caltech.edu>, lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals) writes:

A lot of stuff which he now regrets.  My apologies to everyone in the place,
especially the Unbeliever.  You've now all seen what some of the effects of a
moderately strong hypoglycemic attack can be like.  I'm sorry.

A short chronology of the evening in question:  I'd had a few drinks.  Not
nearly enough to explain the post in question, however.  But just enough to
cloud my judgement slightly.  Enough that I forgot to pick up a loaf of bread
on my way home.  Enough that when, upon starting to prepare my evening snack, I
realized that I'd forgotten the bread, and that I didn't have any other starchy
food at home, I decided that, rather than bicycling a mile or so (round trip)
to get a loaf of bread, I'd just skip the snack.  Just enough that, when a
hypoglycemic attack began, I dismissed it as just being a little tipsy.

The rest is, unfortunately, history.  My thanks to the Unbeliever for
mentioning that he was shaking.  That's what alerted me to the fact that *I*
was also shaking, and prompted me to check my blood sugar level.  My last
coherent memory of that evening is of eating several glucose tablets.

Again, my apologies to everyone.
From: daq@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom)
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 22:29:12 GMT
Subject: Re: Yet Another Periodic Return...
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: alt.callahans

In alt.callahans, lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals) writes:

[lots o' stuff deleted]

I must say, that was one of the most impressive displays
of almost completely incoherent vitriol I have ever witnessed.


doug
From: uribe@jarthur.claremont.edu (Lydia Uribe)
Subject: Re: Holding on to the light
Organization: Claremont Shelter for Maladjusted Singers
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 15:41:21 GMT


>>>susan:
>>>>>>I am sorry if the following post is not completely coherent.  I am 
>>>>>>trying to put many conflicting feelings into words.

>>>>>>   [deleted]

>>>>>>I try to hang on to the light, but I feel the darkness closing in and
>>>>>>I am just so tired.

>>>aahz has a WONDERFUL idea...

>>>>>Group hug!  Group hug!

Soprano comes over and joins in the group hug, hoping that it will help to
keep the darkness at bay.

					Soprano

"You're more than beginning -- you're learning to fly;
 You feel like you're falling, but it passes in time...."
			"From Me to You", Janis Ian
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Soprano (Lydia M. Uribe)                      uribe@jarthur.claremont.edu |
| Claremont, CA                                  uribe@hmcvax.claremont.edu |
|           Cats, quilts and diving -- what more could anyone ask?          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: keulen@possum.csu.murdoch.edu.au (Mike van Keulen)
Subject: Re: A Re-Intro (Very Long)
Organization: Murdoch University
Date: 29 Sep 92 07:28:52 GMT

sjg@terminator.cc.umich.edu (Susan Gavula) writes:

>"I *am* trying to take care myself; I'm just burnt out, and hug-deficient :)"
                                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Splash wanders over ...

Hi Susan!

<HUG>

Does that help a bit?

Splash!

--
***************************** Michael van Keulen *************************** 
* Snail: School of BES - Biology         e-mail: keulen@murdoch.edu.au     *
*        Murdoch University              phone:  ++ 61 (09) 360-2843 (work)*
*        Murdoch WA 6150  AUSTRALIA              ++ 61 (09) 417-3902 (home)*
*************************** "To Love is to _LIVE_!" ************************
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: mtemplar@redunser.demon.co.uk (Alan Ralph)
From: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: More old coot tests
Date: 26 Sep 92 21:48:17 GMT
Reply-To: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <1992Sep22.193911.2945@ttinews.tti.com>, hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
=In article <1992Sep21.145722.9493@nntp.uoregon.edu> JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU (Jay Brandt (Jason)) writes:
=
=}Do you remember bomb shelters? ...
=
="I remember driving by The Amazing Kreskin's (mentalist/psychic act)
=offices in Hollyweird and noticing he had a fallout shelter under the
=front lawn.  Gave me something to wonder about for a while. (-: "

Why?  If he was really psychic, he'd know when to take a vacation, and where to
go.  ObAdvice:  Never patronize a psychic who require that you call for an
appointment.

="Very obscure trivia:  What did Cecil's tail look like?"

Like a spearhead.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This text
is included
to satisfy
the obnoxious new
software recently
installed on my
NNTP server
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: cs_b173@kingston.ac.uk (Hotchkiss F G)
Subject: Redheads
Organization: Kingston University
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 14:01:06 GMT


In article <lc8d5nINN40r@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> carole@rembrandt.Sun.COM (Carole Parker) writes:
>In article <1992Sep22.134918.26558@cs.mcgill.ca> braley@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca  (The Didi-Sprite) writes:
>>In article <1992Sep22.115743.1933@ucc.su.OZ.AU> mar@physics.su.OZ.AU (David Mar) writes:
>
>[]
>
>>>After he has chewed and swallowed, DM begins to protest again...
>>>"But.. but.. what about all those brunettes and redheads out there?!!"
>>>
. . . 
>
>  And what is wrong with redheads?!?

Only the very distinct shortage of them.

Don't send help, Just send women !
(uh, for non-casual romantic involvement of course...)

Kane.



Single willing male hetero, good sense of humour even if not very
attractive.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu (Jimmy Malcolm Pierce)
Subject: Re: Old Coots Test (was A grinning Nightstalker)
Organization: University of Southern Mississippi
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 00:32:36 GMT

In article <1a4svgINNf12@gap.caltech.edu> lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU writes:
>In article <122420124@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM>, daq@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom) writes:
>=In alt.callahans, aaron@helios (Aaron Humphrey) writes:
>=> "I remember when the D&D Basic set first came out in its original format.  
>=
>=I remember when D&D was four or five shoddily produced pamphlets
>=that described a very crude method for making up games.
>
>I remember when it was three.

   "My first such game was Tunnels and Trolls by Flying Buffalo, about 1977.
After i got tired of the solo adventures, I noticed this blue book by some
phd and the salesclerk in the bookstore told me it was a better game. Ah well,
poorly written to be almost incomprehensible... I probably have some of those
'marble' dice that TSR was selling at the time. I later gamed at the store
owned by Lou Zocchi, the guy who invented 'high-impact' dice made of lexan.
I paid $1.50 each when they first came out. Later when he got competition, they
went down to went down to 75 cents each. He carried d4, d6, d12, and d20 as a 
set. Later he added, d8 and d10 dice to the sets. One thing he did that amazed
me that people would buy, were the sets he caled 'unique.' All they were was
dice of multiple colours. This occured when more plastic was added to the
tank. The color swirls happened when another color was used to top off
the tank, it wasn't allowed to go below a certain level otherwise air
bubbles got in the lines... So what you ask ? Well, he charged twice as
much for the 'unique' dice ! $15.00 for a set of 4 instead of the $7.50 for
a solid color set... Ah well, how do i know all this ? Well, i used to game
in his store. They would come in from the warehouse next door and say that
they needed help putting together 600 dice sets for shipment that day. So,
we got $2.95 in store credit for helping out. I always bought dice with my
store credit. He later found out he couldn't do that, so no more goodies !
I now have about 300-400 high-impact dice... I don't use them much anymore
as TOON only uses d6s. Wheww, i really ramble when I'm sad... Later, " DJ.

 Yes, I am better, I'll survive, I always do. 

-- 
 Jim Pierce Bach. of Sci. in Applied Computer Science
 jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu  Disclaimer: Standard.
  "Gad, I dislike beta-testing, it makes me fell all irky inside." me :-)
From: steve@Advansoft.COM (Steve Savitzky)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: ConChord
Date: 30 Sep 92 17:05:58 GMT
Organization: Advansoft Research Corp, Santa Clara, CA

"Some people have asked where in LA we're going to be this weekend,"
says the Mandelbear.  "The answer is ConChord, a filk (SF and Fantasy
folk music) convention in the Holiday Inn--LAX (310-649-5151).  We
will probably *not* have time for side trips; Katy has to get back to
school by Tuesday.  On the other hand, several other Callahans people
will be there."

The Mandelbear walks over to Table 28x to retrieve Snuggles (his
guitar).  "Ready for some traveling?"

"I thought you'd never ask."  Snuggles uses her built-in (in VR)
synthesizer to launch into a rendition of "Hard Travelin'" as the
Mandelbear packs her into a hardshell case and heads for the door. 
--
\ --Steve Savitzky--  \    343 Leigh Ave   \ Object-oriented software wizard
 \ steve@advansoft.COM \ San Jose, CA 95128 \ Presently seeking employment:
  \ arc!steve@apple.COM \   h:408-294-6492   \ Resume available on request.
   \__ steve@arc.UUCP _____ w:408-727-3357x246 (9am-6pm) _____________________
From: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: A Pair of Caramel Apples (was Re: Thanks)
Date: 6 Oct 1992 01:37:24 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Reply-To: lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <1992Oct5.005106.9552@data-io.com>, li@Data-IO.COM (Phyllis Rostykus) writes:
=In article <1992Oct2.202552.13308@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu> jwwalden@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Birith) writes:
=>  She blinks her thanks up at him and wanders off, chewing on caramel, the
=>  apple dangling at a dangerous angle from her hand.
=>
=>*CHOMP*  ...and the apple disappears into a rather large dragon's mouth. 
=
="HEY!!!!" yells Phee and bangs the dragon on his nose with one small and
=chubby fist.  "That was MINE!!" 

StM runs over to the child, gets down on his knees so he's looking her in the
eyes, and says, "Phee, I'm afraid that dragon's mouths are one-way streets. 
That apple is *GONE*.  He slaps Birith (I think Birith was the offender;  my
apologies if I'm mistaken) on the nose. *<*BAD* DRAGON>*.  Would you like to
make another?  I'll help you.  If you don't trust me (and you shouldn't; after
all, I'm still a stranger), ask your mommy first."
From: olson@husc8.harvard.edu (Chip Olson@somewhere.out.there)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: BAH! HUMBUG! (was Re: Christmas is busting out all over!)
Date: 1 Oct 92 02:24:08 GMT
 <6470@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> <1aa19dINNe0o@gap.caltech.edu><keulen.717828254@possum> <1992Sep30.192701.15210@nntp.uoregon.edu>
Organization: Spam-On-A-Rope Inc.
In-reply-to: JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU's message of Wed, 30 Sep 92 19:27:01 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.192701.15210@nntp.uoregon.edu> JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU (Jay Brandt (Jason)) writes:

>In article <keulen.717828254@possum>, keulen@possum.csu.murdoch.edu.au
>(Mike van Keulen) writes:
>> 
>> lydick@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Speaker-to-Minerals) writes:
>> 
>> >"After all, 31 oct = 25 dec."
>> 
>> Splash groans and rushes to the bar ... he grabs the nearest bowl of peanuts
>> and hurls them accurately, and Speaker-to-Mineral's face temporarily disappears
>> in a haze of peanuts.

><Jason looks up from the screen of his powerbook, and chuckles.>
>
>Hey Splash!! What's the matter? It was just a bit of -base- humor, right?
>Or was that two bytes? Well, I guess that's my two bytes worth on this
>topic.

"A hex upon you all," cries Castellan. 

--
-Chip Olson. | olson@husc.harvard.edu | ceo@{gnu.ai,silver.lcs}.mit.edu 
"Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free, silhouetted
by the sea, circled by the circus sands, with all memory and fate driven deep 
beneath the waves; let me forget about today until tomorrow"  -Bob Dylan.