Friday, March 13, 2009

Flexing your brain

I'm not sure if this could be called a meme, or not. It's pretty simple in concept, but something of a challenge in implementation:

List all of the things that you could think of to make from a block of wood (generic; nothing exotic) that was three feet on a side (in other words, a three-foot cube). You aren't limited on what tools you can use -- anything you can imagine to do to it is allowed.

I'm going to tag...

The Blonde Goddess
Good Sir Jimbo
LeeAnn and
Erica

Pbbbbbbbbbbbbt!

So that there isn't any "cross-pollenation", I'll post MY list on Sunday morning.


Scroll down to see what I came up with...
















I could make:
  1. table
  2. chairs
  3. table AND chairs (triangular cuts in from sides to leave top and legs)
  4. sawdust for padding/cleanup/etc
  5. grind up and make into paper/cardboard
  6. cut into really thin sheets and make a 'home'
  7. sets of steps
  8. dishes (cups, saucers, plates, etc)
  9. ball(s) (such as for croquet)
  10. toy blocks for kids
  11. dominoes
  12. playing cards
  13. chess set
  14. step ladder/stool
  15. boat & paddle/oars
  16. barrel
  17. firewood
  18. charcoal
  19. sculpture
  20. landscaping accent
  21. couch
  22. shelves
  23. tools (i.e. yardstick, clamps, shovel, etc. -- nothing requiring a cutting edge)
  24. ashtray
  25. cut into pieces, carve, and make totem pole
  26. eating utensils
  27. cooking utensils
  28. storage cabinet
  29. door(s)
  30. fence
  31. sled (winter)
  32. sledge
  33. clothing
  34. toothpicks
  35. tire chocks
  36. clubs
  37. sign
  38. bed
  39. podium
  40. jewelry
  41. sieve
  42. paperweights
  43. trash can
  44. pool
  45. water tank
  46. desk
  47. cabinet
  48. dresser
  49. locker
  50. airplane (glider)
  51. dice
  52. deck
  53. floor
  54. box
  55. steps
  56. musical instruments
  57. fishing floats
  58. fishing rods
  59. fish hooks
  60. archery (bow, crossbow, arrows, quiver, etc.)
  61. footstool
  62. roofing shingles
  63. railing
  64. ladder
  65. flowerpots
  66. toolbox
  67. deadweights for traps
  68. blocks for pulleys/tackle
  69. atlatl
  70. pegs
  71. hooks
  72. bench
  73. shoes
  74. stilts
  75. cage
  76. comb
  77. sundial
  78. windmill
  79. plumbing (rough pipes/troughs)
  80. slingshot
  81. wheels
  82. tablets
  83. umbrella
  84. wheelbarrow
  85. wedges
  86. waterwheel
  87. fasteners (pins, etc.)
  88. shield
  89. assorted weapons
  90. handles for non-wooden tools
  91. counterweight
  92. stylus (like for clay tablets)
  93. fan
  94. pump
  95. cold chest
  96. fishtank
  97. door latch
  98. brushes
  99. rollers
  100. raft
  101. buoy
  102. bridge
  103. basket
  104. bucket
  105. snowshoes
  106. shutter(s)
  107. cart
  108. yoke
  109. pillory
  110. chopping block
  111. plugs
  112. plow
  113. rails
  114. gallows
  115. guillotine
  116. fertilizer
  117. mulch
  118. shepherd's crook
I know some of this stuff may seem a little strange (clothing?) but it could be done (thin sheets laced together. Uncomfortable? No doubt. Covering? Yup!). I also didn't include every variation on a basic premise (i.e. a horizontal surface can be a table, chair, shelf, cutting block, desk, etc).

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Aaaaargh!!

Is it me, or is this about the most fucked-up thing going on at present?

Nadya Suleman, a.k.a. the Octomom, is "buying" a bigger (by 1,000 square feet; the new place is just over 2,500) house.

Now, she's unemployed and living on government assistance... so how is it she's buying this new home?
"I earned it. ... No, my father did not purchase this house for me. I did it on my own," Suleman told Radar magazine's Web site during a video tour of the home.
and
She did not say specifically how she was paying for the house, but told Radar: "My ultimate goal is not to be a burden on ... taxpayers. So there have been a couple of offers. ... I selectively picked a couple of opportunities to earn some resources for the kids."
Somehow, I don't think so...

Something I may have missed somewhere along the line is: just how did she manage to get 8 embryos implanted, anyway? I mean, I doubt the asshat that did it worked for free, nor the facility staff where it happened -- so who paid for it?

Monday, March 9, 2009

The patient survived...

Got the replacement cable for my laptop via eBay today, got it installed, and the patient has survived the surgery.

I could have bought the cable outright for something like $10, but figured it was worth seeing if I couldn't win it via an auction -- which I did, getting it for $0.99. Shipping, either way, was pretty close to the same, so I saved 9/10 the price by being willing to wait a couple of days.

Mr. Laptop is a happy camper once again - his display is bright, regardless of what angle it's set at, he fires up into Linux just like he's supposed to, and even as I'm typing this he's getting a few program updates (which, by the way, are free for Linux, and don't require the system to be rebooted except in rare cases).

The USB port in the back has been soldered back into place, and supplemented with a little extra mechanical fastening to help keep it from coming loose again, too.

Life Is Good! :-)