Gloria: I have a job for you. It's pretty gross.

Thane: What?

Gloria: There's a dead baby opossum outside your office door. You have to clean it up.

Thane: Are you sure it's dead? Can nothing be done? Did you attempt mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?

Gloria: You are disgusting, I am not listening to you...

I have spoken with Microsoft representatives about the losses they incurred as a result of the Blaster worm, and in particular the variant that JEFFREY LEE PARSON released on the Internet. Microsoft expended significant internal and external (e.g., contracted) resources to respond to the DDoS attack launched by JEFFREY LEE PARSON. Those resources were used for a number of different purposes related to the Blaster worm, including, but not limited to, minimizing any damage to Microsoft, conducting damage assessments, restoring full access for its customers to Microsoft resources including, in particular, the patch for the Blaster worm, and the like. The loss to Microsoft significantly exceeds the $5,000 threshold set forth in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(c)(4)(A). In addition, at least 7,000 individual Internet users' computers were compromised by the variant of the Blaster worm that was released by JEFFREY LEE PARSON. As a result, each of those users had to disinfect their systems resulting in a presently unknown, but significant aggregate loss, to them.

It is impossible to consider all the possible permutations of job offers and their consequences. We will merely suggest one completely fictional possibility—in some ways, a "worst case" scenario; in others, not bad at all—to give an idea of what can happen.

Although you said only last week that you would take "anything, anything!", a phone offer has just been extended to you, and you are very seriously considering rejecting it.

The offer is from St. Patrick's of the Tundra, a small four-year school that you and your significant other soon begin to call "SPOT", situated in Mosquito Net, Minnesota, a town of 2,300 located five miles from the Canadian border. The chair has called to tell you that you will be getting a letter in the next mail offering details of a two-year nontenurable position in the department without possibility of renewal. He says that SPOT values teaching and wants you to do eight sections a year, only four or five of which will be precalculus. He knows you will have to think it over, but he needs a decision by "early next week."

You tell the chair...read more..

Mars seen by Hubble around 5:51 a.m. ET on 27 August 2003,
during Mars closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years.

It was a dark and stormy night when R.H. Bing volunteered to drive some stranded mathematicians from the fogged-in Madison airport to Chicago. Freezing rain pelted the windscreen and iced the roadway as Bing drove on—concentrating deeply on the mathematical theorem he was explaining. Soon the windshield was fogged from the energetic explanation. The passengers too had beaded brows, but their sweat arose from fear. As the mathematical description got brighter, the visibility got dimmer. Finally, the conferees felt a trace of hope for their survival when Bing reached forward—apparently to wipe off the moisture from the windshield. Their hope turned to horror when, instead, Bing drew a figure with his finger on the foggy pane and continued his proof—embellishing the illustration with arrows and helpful labels as needed for the demonstration.

Reserve Head
Pyramid district of Gîza
4th Dynasty, c. 26th century B. C.
Limestone;
H 27 cm, W 17.5 cm, D 23.1 cm
ÄOS Inv. No. 7787

The Portrait or Reserve Head is one of the major works of the [Kunsthistorisches] Viennese Collection. Found in an early tomb in the burial grounds of Gîza, it was not in the aboveground statuary chamber, but below the earth at the entrance to the underground burial chamber. Of some thirty heads that have been found to date, this one is considered to be the most beautiful. The portrayal while stylized is still full of life, with idealized, very regular features. Scholars still disagree about the purpose of this type of object. Traditional explanations proffer their use as surrogate heads for the soul (mummifying having then been only in its earliest stages).

In connection with the growing number of travellers on their grand tour, there developed in 18th-century Venice a special form of landscape painting that concerned itself with the exact topographical reproduction of urban panoramas. One of its main representatives was Bernardo Bellotto, nephew and pupil of Antonio Canal, both of whom were called Canaletto. As a sought-after specialist in this area, Bellotto worked at the princely courts of Dresden, Vienna, Munich and Warsaw, thereby spreading the idea of veduta (Italian: "view") painting far beyond Venice...

George Russell, Ezz-Thetics (recorded May 8, 1961)

The Bill Holman Band, Brilliant Corners: The Music of Theolonious Monk, recording Feb 11/12 1997

Kenny Dorham, The Complete 'Round About Midnight, recorded 31 May 1956

Miles Davis, 'Round About Midnight, 1956

The much-anticipated Aug. 27 opening of East Palo Alto's Ikea store could mean a traffic nightmare for Palo Alto as well as East Palo Alto, according to a report from the Palo Alto Police Department.

The Swedish-style home-furnishings store is near completion at University Avenue and Highway 101.

On opening day, traffic on University Avenue could be backed up all the way from the freeway to downtown Palo Alto. Frustrated downtown drivers attempting to avoid the possible traffic jam by taking Middlefield and Willow roads to 101 in Menlo Park might create yet another traffic gridlock along that path, the report warns.

In subdued language, the report, released Thursday, concludes that ``the number of vehicles coming into the area will far-exceed roadway capacities....''

Nestled on a leafy street in one of Palo Alto's most desirable neighborhoods, this charming 30's cottage offers the following:

Three bedrooms
Gracious living room with cozy entry and fireplace
Separate dining room with curved galss windows and view of garden
Enchanting, romantic garden with meandering pathways
Sunny, spacious kitchen with lovely views
Hardwood floors, two car garage
5000 sq ft lot, 1226 sq. ft. home per metroscan county records
Excellent Palo Alto schools
A wonderful opportunity to buy a home in a prime location
Offered at $969,000