blog.arithm

Got a note from Japanese Grand Papa (“Jiiji”) in Nagoya.   He and “Baaba” have been obsessed with getting clothes for Layla.  A couple of days ago he apparently spotted a cute little Santa outfit and, without a second thought, whipped out his wallet and snapped it up.

Walking proudly out of the store he noticed that a number of people shopping with dogs in tow.  Looking around he also noticed that the store mannequins were… dog shaped.  He made his way back to the sales counter and asked, tentatively, “This wouldn’t happen to be a dog outfit, would it?”

“Of course” replied the confused sales clerk.

Fortunately Jiiji returned the outfit.

The Bulk Rename Utility is a free Windows app from the makers of ViceVersa.

And it is awesome.

Of course, this is something only a true geek like myself can get excited about… but in all honesty it is the single most welcome addition to my arsenal of software tools in many years.

Every so often (or, as seems to be the case lately, every freaking day) I need to rename a large number of files from pattern X to pattern Y.  Usually this involves firing up Cygwin and working out some kind of rename script snippet.  Not rocket science this, but enough to make me groan inwardly.

I’ve tried a couple of rename utilities over the years; none powerful enough to replace script writing.

BRU is different.  You can see from the screenshot that it has intuitive (well, kind of) filters for just about any possible renaming combination.  Best of all it gives you a preview of how your files will be renamed… before you accidentally mung that entire directory tree.  BRU includes many, many more features, including exotic transformations such as renaming photos from EXIF extensions as well as renaming MP3 files using ID3 tags.

Anyway, enough gushing of the geekery.  It’s a nice tool.  Recommended.

What the.. This is annoying.  And all I wanted to do was write a hack to see my AdSense pittance from within WordPress.

Remember when Fox called this a “Terrorist Fist Jab”?

Whatever the future may hold, today is a good day.

This whole Obama tax misquote propaganda thing is getting out of hand.

As seen on Facebook:

1. McCain Supporter changes status to “thinks she better run and buy her new ride today before all her money is taken by taxes after tomorrow”
2. Obama Supporter changes status to “<Obama Supporter> is wondering if the <McCain Supporter> is making over 250k a year, and if so, can he get a bit of the action. Hook a brother up!”
3. <McCain Supporter> at 1:24pm November 3
   Apparently you don’t watch the news, you only need to make $120K to get screwed now.
4. <Obama Supporter> at 2:03pm November 3
   Hmmm… haven’t heard that on the stations I watch. Send me a link.
5. <McCain Supporter> at 2:09pm November 3
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G88ebXY2uaI
   Bill Richardson stumping for Obama
6. <Obama Supporter> at 2:20pm November 3
   That clip says if you make <120k, you’ll get a tax cut. It does not say that if you make over it, you’ll get a tax increase, which is what I’m assuming you’re referring to. Are you defining getting screwed as not getting a tax cut, or by having your taxes raised?
7. <McCain Supporter> at 2:24pm November 3
   It’s only a matter of time.

   Moment of Zen
   

8. <Obama Supporter> at 2:26pm November 3
   In 5 billion years, the sun will turn into a Red Giant. After a few million years, it will become a White Dwarf. Then, after tens of billions of years, it will burn out. It’s only a matter of time.

The Obama guy was honest enough to follow the McCain-ite’s bulletproof logic through to it’s natural and inevitable conclusion:  If Barack Obama is elected to the Presidency of the United States of America, the sun will cease to shine. He’ll get your money… AND YOUR SUNLIGHT.
BOOGAH BOOGAH BOOGAH!

Oy vey.  Go Obama.

According to the latest Federal Reserve figures.  Woah.

Banks are now actually asking for credit card debt forgiveness from the government.  And I was wondering why suddenly those damned “blank checks” from credit card companies were no longer filling up the mailbox.

Is the age of living beyond one’s means finally coming to and end?

We’ve been wondering what to do with our mother’s old fur coats.  They hang in the back of the coat closet closet; a poignant reminder of things lost, and left to lose.

Considered giving the furs away to the local Glad Rags, however donating “thrift furs” didn’t really seem to make a lot of sense.  Looking around for alternatives I came across Coats for Cubs, a campaign run by the US Humane Society.

Coats for Cubs repurposes furs into “blankets” for orphaned animals.  According to the C4C site, “The furry blanket becomes a surrogate mother to orphaned animals, reducing stress and giving comfort.”  Over 200 rehabilitators in the US and Canada participate in the program.

See the Coats for Cubs web site for to learn more about the program and how to donate.