The house window kind, this time.

We have Andersen casement windows.  The window operator has a little plastic housing over it.  On some of these windows, the plastic housing has popped off.  When I have replaced the operator with new hardware, the act of cranking the window shut causes the handle to pull against the plastic housing and pop it out again.

Does anyone know how to fix this problem?  I have already left a comment on one article about fixing casement window cranks, the only one on the Web I can find that mentions this problem at all.

I might not be so desperate if we had not already fixed the cranks (or so I thought) only to find the day before a scheduled home inspection that several of them are still malfunctioning.

Through fj's journal today I found the journal of bitterlawngnome, an Ontario photographer.  His journal is filled with portraits and outtakes from his work that I find totally engrossing.  Especially the lighting.  He makes me want to just relax into a big luxurious bed of raddichio.  Lovely, fascinating stuff.

"How dirty is your Qwerty?  It turns out that your computer keyboard could put a host of potentially harmful bacteria -- including E. coli and staph -- quite literally at your fingertips." (ABC News)

I may never again be able to think about any of these things without laughing hysterically:

• cavemen
• Scrabble
• dinosaurs
• Spartans
• Latin
• the moon
• the Stone Age
• Noah's Ark
• giant squid

If you have a chance to go to the show, here's a tip that may allow you to perform magnificent acts of prankery: bring a Web-enabled phone or PDA and be prepared to make very fast Wikipedia edits.

Highly recommended.

This is the "unread books" meme that's been going around. The list is the 106 books most often listed as "unread" by LibraryThing users.

Titles in bold: I've read.
Titles in italics: I started but never finished.
Titles underlined: School assignments.

Following moominmolly's lead, the ones that I couldn't put down, did not want to be over, or otherwise filled me with unspeakable glory are in purple.  Some comments about selected books at the end.

( books! )

Commentary:

( Read more... )

It has come to my attention that while we were away, some sort of debate has been raging over whether men should be allowed to fondle the breasts of women they do not know.  Or something.  I have not been able to unwind the threads far enough to understand the full context, and frankly, I suspect that even if I had it would not enrich my life.

But I wish to observe here that no one (as far as I know) has yet asserted their right to fondle the jongly bits of men they do not know.  And I must say how deeply, deeply disappointed I am that this has not yet happened.  My dream will have to remain, for now, just a dream.

Hi.  We went on vacation last week.  I am going to be recovering this week.  Thanks for your patience.

I have not written up a travelogue, which is probably just as well, because my best stories are best told in person anyway.  I will write some short reflections later.  But this post is about the pictures: http://flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/sets/72157604783271981/.

I actually edited out the worst ones from that set, honest.  I know I have some more editing to do.  But here are some of the highlights:

( M and Q explore the train )

( it's real, it's really real )

( Morgan and grandpa )

( ghosts? what ghosts? hah! )

( fireworks )

( two days here and already bored )

( one of these things is not like the others )

( leave a legacy )

( the greenwoman of Anandapur )

( FRUITBAT! )

( does this horn make my ass look fat? )

( I said KING ME, dammit! )

( already? but we just got here! )

(Morgan disagrees)

Somewhere outside of Philadelphia, 9:59am.

Once a space cadet...

"You WILL get wet. You may get SOAKED!" said they.

Boy, these people know how to put on a parade.

MY BLUNESS.
LET ME SHO U IT.

a souvenir Blue Glow Cube!

exclusive blend created by Disney sommeliers!

The menu says "the goings-on can get a little loud and that's the way we like it" -- code words for "Chuck E. Cheese overrun by a yodeler's convention." Phear.

This. This is a MAP of our HOTEL.

OF OUR HOTEL.