The story about hackers - how it all began. Part of a great series.
This was a part of my growing up. Good times, indeed.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Former Lulzsec hacker Jake Davis on his motivations
Four men were sentenced on Thursday for computer hacking. In 2011 they were all linked to the Lulzsec hacking collective which targeted organisations including the FBI and Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in a 50-day campaign which wrought havoc across the internet.
Among those sentenced was Lulzsec's self-appointed PR man, Jake Davis, who in his first TV interview has spoken to BBC Newsnight's Susan Watts about what he did and why.
Jake Davis, who went by the online alias Topiary, says he now regrets "95% of the things I've ever typed on the internet".
"It was my world, but it was a very limited world. You can see and hear it, but you can't touch the internet. It's a world devoid of empathy - and that shows on Twitter, and the mob mentality against politicians and public figures. There is no empathy.
"So it was my world, and it was a very cynical world and I became a very cynical person."
In the summer of 2011 Davis was Lulzsec's de facto head of communications, running the group's Twitter feed.
Full Article
1955 Map Shows No-Go Zones for Soviet Travelers in the U.S.
If you were one of select few private Soviet citizens granted permission to visit the United States in 1955, you could take in a Cubs game or ski Jackson Hole, but if you wanted to sample Memphis barbecue or check out the factories in Youngstown, Ohio, you’d be out of luck. That’s because a National Security Council directive had, on Jan. 3, 1955, allowed some “Soviet citizens in possession of valid Soviet passports” into the country, while extending controls previously placed on visiting Soviet diplomats and official representatives to apply to their travel.
This map shows where Soviet citizens, who were required to have a detailed itinerary approved before obtaining a visa, could and could not go during their time in the United States. Most ports, coastlines, and weapons facilities were off-limits, as were industrial centers and several cities in the Jim Crow South.
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| Click the picture to embiggen |
These restrictions mirrored Soviet constraints on American travel to the USSR. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had closely controlled the movement of all foreign visitors since World War II. A 1952 law in the U.S. barred the admission of all Communists, and therefore of Soviet citizens. (An exception was made for government officials.)
The Soviets’ decision to relax their controls after Joseph Stalin’s death in March 1953 left the U.S. open to charges that it, not the USSR, was operating behind an Iron Curtain. President Eisenhower and his foreign policy advisers decided to mimic Soviet policy as closely as possible: As of early 1955, citizens of either nation could enter approximately 70 percent of the other’s territory, including 70 percent of cities with populations greater than 100,000.
Travel restrictions on Soviet private citizens stayed in place, enforced by the Departments of State and Justice, until the Kennedy administration unilaterally lifted them in 1962 as a symbol of the openness of American society. Controls on visits from journalists and government officials, by contrast, lingered until the end of the Cold War. As the recent story of the American diplomat arrested in Moscow on charges of CIA recruitment activities suggests, the history of mutual suspicion still occasionally surfaces.
Full Article
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford denies crack cocaine allegations
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says allegations he was caught on tape smoking crack are "ridiculous," following reports that someone had been trying to sell a purported recording of such an event to U.S. and Canadian media outlets.
"Absolutely not true," he said outside his Etobicoke home on Friday morning. "It's ridiculous. It's another Toronto Star whatever," he said before getting into his Cadillac Escalade.
Later in the day, Ford emerged from his office at city hall to give a brief statement to reporters.
"Anyways, like I said this morning, these allegations are ridiculous, it’s another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me," Ford said. "And that’s all I’ve got to say for now.”
Ford then walked to a nearby elevator and did not answer questions from reporters.
Toronto Star reporters and the editor of the U.S. gossip website Gawker report viewing the footage, which they say shows the mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.
The Toronto Star says two of its reporters have seen the video. Robyn Doolittle told CBC News that she and Star colleague Kevin Donovan had reviewed the footage earlier this month. Doolittle wrote in her report that the video was shown three times to her and Donovan by men in the back of a car. The men were looking to sell the video, Doolittle told CBC News.
"The men were clear that they want the money for it. And we know that they have spoken with American outlets," she said.
"They wanted six figures for it and we did not pay it," Doolittle added.
The editor of Gawker, John Cook, also told CBC News he was approached by someone looking to sell the video.
Cook said he did not purchase it.
On Friday, the website said it was trying to raise $200,000 in order to purchase the video and publish it online.
Full Article
"Absolutely not true," he said outside his Etobicoke home on Friday morning. "It's ridiculous. It's another Toronto Star whatever," he said before getting into his Cadillac Escalade.
Later in the day, Ford emerged from his office at city hall to give a brief statement to reporters.
"Anyways, like I said this morning, these allegations are ridiculous, it’s another story with respect to the Toronto Star going after me," Ford said. "And that’s all I’ve got to say for now.”
Ford then walked to a nearby elevator and did not answer questions from reporters.
Toronto Star reporters and the editor of the U.S. gossip website Gawker report viewing the footage, which they say shows the mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.
The Toronto Star says two of its reporters have seen the video. Robyn Doolittle told CBC News that she and Star colleague Kevin Donovan had reviewed the footage earlier this month. Doolittle wrote in her report that the video was shown three times to her and Donovan by men in the back of a car. The men were looking to sell the video, Doolittle told CBC News.
"The men were clear that they want the money for it. And we know that they have spoken with American outlets," she said.
"They wanted six figures for it and we did not pay it," Doolittle added.
The editor of Gawker, John Cook, also told CBC News he was approached by someone looking to sell the video.
Cook said he did not purchase it.
On Friday, the website said it was trying to raise $200,000 in order to purchase the video and publish it online.
Full Article
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Sourdough guide updated
Made a few changes that should make the experience easier (complete with warnings about the mess!).
Additionally, I added a few paragraphs explaining the logic of using commercial yeast in your starter. This is often frowned upon by purists who insist that if you aren't using wild yeast, its not sourdough starter. This is what I added to the guide to clarify the method to my madness..
Additionally, I added a few paragraphs explaining the logic of using commercial yeast in your starter. This is often frowned upon by purists who insist that if you aren't using wild yeast, its not sourdough starter. This is what I added to the guide to clarify the method to my madness..
Yeast isn't very sensitive to the pH level of the growth medium, or acids in general, besides acetic acid. Acetic acid is produced to some degree by lactic acid bacteria (lactobacilli). In an ideal culture, both yeast and lactobacilli are present and thriving. It is the latter that produces the sour in sourdough, and it is already present in the flour. Once you add water, both yeast and lactobacilli will start to break down the carbohydrates and feed. As the acetic acid builds up, the commercial yeast will die off, while in parallel being replaced by wild yeast that is more tolerant of the acidic environment.
This, of course begs the question as to why to use commercial yeast at all? After all, it will eventually become extinct in the culture. Unfortunately it's not as simple as that, and that's why excluding commercial yeast at first makes a starter based purely on wild yeast so hit-and-miss. As the commercial yeast eats the simple sugar you added, it produces alcohol. This alcohol will inhibit the growth of leuconostoc bacteria which often gain an early foothold in traditional starters. They produce antibiotic proteins which in turn inhibit the growth of wild yeast and lactobacilli. Make sense? In other words, using commercial yeast can be thought of an as insurance policy against the development of the antibiotic proteins that will ruin your starter. And as I said earlier, eventually the culture will be too acidic for the commercial yeast to survive, and it will be supplanted by wild yeast that can flourish in that environment. Once your starter is established, all traces of the commercial yeast will die off after a few feedings, and you will have a "proper" culture.So there you have it, purists :) Full guide here.
Candles
While at the store today I was looking into some scented candles to drown out the hotel-room smell this place has. Almost got these..
Three of them for five dollars. Doesn't sound too bad if you really need a collection of empty glass jars at the end of the day. Since I already have a little glass shotglass for individual votive candles, I got two packs of those instead for the same five dollars, and I have 12 candles instead of three.
They had three scents, I got the two that didn't smell like they fell out of the back of a dog. Hope they are effective.
Three of them for five dollars. Doesn't sound too bad if you really need a collection of empty glass jars at the end of the day. Since I already have a little glass shotglass for individual votive candles, I got two packs of those instead for the same five dollars, and I have 12 candles instead of three.
They had three scents, I got the two that didn't smell like they fell out of the back of a dog. Hope they are effective.
Suspected Palm Bay home invader beaten, tased by residents
A 19-year-old suspected burglar continues to recover after Palm Bay police said he was beaten, kicked and shot with a stun gun by victims defending their residence as he and at least three other companions attempted to carry out a home invasion.
Michael Maxwell of Palm Bay was charged with one count of home invasion robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon and four counts of battery after police were called about 1 a.m. Wednesday to a home in the 700 block of Monterey Drive to investigate a disturbance.
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| Last time I saw a face like that it was sucking algae off the side of a fish tank. |
He was held on a $51,000 bond at the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, records show. Police also arrested a 17-year-old companion of Maxwell on the same charges.
Police said that several men, who arrived at the home in a gold 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, stormed the home but that the victims in the residence managed to fight off the attack.
Maxwell, who police said works as a tattoo artist, was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for treatment of his injuries sustained after he was repeatedly kicked, Tased and struck by the victims, reports show.
Police questioned the victims in the residence but did not immediately report whether the victims knew Maxwell, the teen or the other men. The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call police at 321-952-3456.
Best endorsement of KFC ever
KFC smugglers bring buckets of chicken through Gaza tunnels
Gazans with a hankering for the Colonel's secret recipe can call up a delivery company and get some finger lickin' food smuggled hot from Egypt in just three hours.
For six years, Rafat Shororo longed for the taste of a KFC sandwich he had eaten in Egypt. This week, he got his finger lickin' fix at home in the Gaza Strip after a local delivery company managed to smuggle it from Egypt through underground tunnels.
"It has been a dream, and this company has made my dream come true," says Mr. Shororo, an accountant, as he receives his order from the delivery guy.
The al-Yamama company advertises its unorthodox new fast-food smuggling service on Facebook. It gets tens of orders a week for KFC meals despite having to triple the price to 100 shekels ($30) to cover transportation and smuggling fees. The deliveries go from the fryers at the Al-Arish KFC joint 35 miles away to customers' doorsteps in about three hours.
The fact that the tunnels operate quickly and cheaply enough for the Colonel’s secret recipe to be enjoyed in the tightly controlled Gaza Strip shows just how much of a sieve the Egypt-Gaza border has become.
"All you need to have any KFC product is a short phone call and a few hours, then you can enjoy the great taste of fried chickens," says Shororo, checking over his chicken pieces, salads, and apple pies. Like other customers who are acquainted with KFC from their travels abroad, he says he doesn’t care how much it costs. “I just want it.”
Officials: 6 dead, dozens injured in Texas storm
Possible tornadoes cut a wide swath through north Texas on Wednesday night, killing at least six people and injuring more than 100 others, officials said.
There were "multiple fatalities" in the wake of the storm that touched down in Granbury, said Kathy Jividen, a spokeswoman for the Hood County sheriff's office.
Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds said six people were killed when the powerful storm struck a Habitat for Humanity neighborhood in the area. There were about 120 homes in the neighborhood and most of them were destroyed, Deeds said.
Music
What's that noise, you ask? I just added a playlist to this blog. I will make a point to keep adding songs to it.
You can, of course, pause it (stopping the noise) or look for a song you might like. It's the new gadget off to the top right.
Hope you like it! :)
PS - you can also click various buttons on the player to, for example, switch from random to sequential playback, change volume, and even pick any song. It's a good thing. Really!
You can, of course, pause it (stopping the noise) or look for a song you might like. It's the new gadget off to the top right.
Hope you like it! :)
PS - you can also click various buttons on the player to, for example, switch from random to sequential playback, change volume, and even pick any song. It's a good thing. Really!
Sourdough Starter - Day 2
Yesterday, I put together two sourdough starters using my own guide. Quart sized mason jars with folded cheese cloth to cover the jars, held in place by the jar bands. I wound up with three cups of starter in each jar instead of two, and that made one hell of a mess. Thankfully I had the jars in the sink.
The picture is a little blurry, but the degree of the overflow is clear. The jar in the back was finished just a few minutes before the one in the front. Eventually, the one in the front was just as bad.
Additionally, it turns out the band was on crooked on the one in front. Eventually the pressure was so strong that it blew the lid off. I was on the phone with Jenny at the time, and SHE even heard it.
I want to describe the degree of the mess the next morning, but words fail me. I cannot stress this enough: On day one of fermentation, use cheese-cloth, with the bands screwed all the way on.
By morning, the craziness had died down. I still let them sit for a while (since it had only been about 12 hours, and I had 12 to go before the next feeding) and went on with my day. The spillover dough had gotten all over the dishes in my sink, and I know I if i were not so lazy this would not have been a problem.
In any event, the experience has inspired me to modify my original guide so that you don't wind up with three cups of starter in a four cup jar OR something akin to "the blob" seething and growing in your sink. Nonetheless, it WILL still foam over, especially on the first day when using the sugar and packaged yeast method.
Janet came over this afternoon (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I figured it would be a good time to show her how to feed the thing, since one of these jars is going home with her this weekend.
I took the opportunity to drop the amount in the jars to 2 cups, giving it more room to grow without spilling over. About an hour after the feeding, one of them spilled over anyway. Then it settled down. I expect this will happen every time I do this, and I want to make sure everyone knows to never trust them NOT to spill over. This is potent stuff :)
That said, once they settle and you put them in the fridge, its very unlikely to expect a mess as the metabolism of the yeast is slowed down dramatically at low temperatures.
Bottom line, I will edit the guide accordingly tonight.
For now, here is how they look:
They both were at the 2 cup line at about 6PM. its been six hours and the one on the right overflowed for the first hour, but eventually settled down. As you can see, the one on the right also seems to be more active. I will probably discard the one on the left tomorrow, and split the remaining batch into two halves for the next feeding.
I am out of cheese cloth, so I am going ghetto and using paper towels as a porous cover so the mixture can still breath without allowing contaminates in.
I truly believe that cooking is a very practical application of both engineering and chemistry, and I encourage anyone with such inclinations to start doing it. You'll eat better, save money, and get chicks. No, seriously. Chicks dig guys that can cook.
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| Thar she blows! |
Additionally, it turns out the band was on crooked on the one in front. Eventually the pressure was so strong that it blew the lid off. I was on the phone with Jenny at the time, and SHE even heard it.
I want to describe the degree of the mess the next morning, but words fail me. I cannot stress this enough: On day one of fermentation, use cheese-cloth, with the bands screwed all the way on.
By morning, the craziness had died down. I still let them sit for a while (since it had only been about 12 hours, and I had 12 to go before the next feeding) and went on with my day. The spillover dough had gotten all over the dishes in my sink, and I know I if i were not so lazy this would not have been a problem.
In any event, the experience has inspired me to modify my original guide so that you don't wind up with three cups of starter in a four cup jar OR something akin to "the blob" seething and growing in your sink. Nonetheless, it WILL still foam over, especially on the first day when using the sugar and packaged yeast method.
Janet came over this afternoon (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I figured it would be a good time to show her how to feed the thing, since one of these jars is going home with her this weekend.
I took the opportunity to drop the amount in the jars to 2 cups, giving it more room to grow without spilling over. About an hour after the feeding, one of them spilled over anyway. Then it settled down. I expect this will happen every time I do this, and I want to make sure everyone knows to never trust them NOT to spill over. This is potent stuff :)
That said, once they settle and you put them in the fridge, its very unlikely to expect a mess as the metabolism of the yeast is slowed down dramatically at low temperatures.
Bottom line, I will edit the guide accordingly tonight.
For now, here is how they look:
I am out of cheese cloth, so I am going ghetto and using paper towels as a porous cover so the mixture can still breath without allowing contaminates in.
I truly believe that cooking is a very practical application of both engineering and chemistry, and I encourage anyone with such inclinations to start doing it. You'll eat better, save money, and get chicks. No, seriously. Chicks dig guys that can cook.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Remember this story? Common sense prevailed.
"Bartow Bomb" student Kiera Wilmot will not face criminal charges.
Bartow, Florida -- The State Attorney's Office announced Wednesday afternoon that it will not formally charge Kiera Wilmot who was arrested last month on felonies for mixing household chemicals in a small plastic bottle outside Bartow High that then went off on school grounds.
Kiera's many supporters will no doubt be excited to hear the news. Once the story aired on May 1, it quickly went national prompting online petitions, signed by thousands, calling for leniency for the honor student. Even the courthouse in Bartow was the site of protests in support of her.
The State Attorney's Office said after "completing its review and taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and her lack of criminal history" they decided to dismiss the case.
Bartow, Florida -- The State Attorney's Office announced Wednesday afternoon that it will not formally charge Kiera Wilmot who was arrested last month on felonies for mixing household chemicals in a small plastic bottle outside Bartow High that then went off on school grounds.
Kiera's many supporters will no doubt be excited to hear the news. Once the story aired on May 1, it quickly went national prompting online petitions, signed by thousands, calling for leniency for the honor student. Even the courthouse in Bartow was the site of protests in support of her.
The State Attorney's Office said after "completing its review and taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and her lack of criminal history" they decided to dismiss the case.
Like a boss...
Swedish Man Dies After Having Sex With Hornet’s Nest
A man in Sweden has died after trying to have sex with a hornet's nest on his farm outside Ystad.
The 35-year-old, known only as Hasse, had 146 sting marks on his body, including 54 to his genitals, News Sweden said.
His body was found by a neighbour, who said Hasse was so swollen he initially mistook him for a whale carcass.
Hasse was unconscious when he was found but died an hour later from the injuries he sustained.
Neighbour Bertil Ståhfrääs said he called over to his neighbour to ask what he was doing: "At first [I thought he was lying there by] of choice, so I called 'Hasse' to ask what the hell he was doing.
A man in Sweden has died after trying to have sex with a hornet's nest on his farm outside Ystad.
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| It was asking for it |
The 35-year-old, known only as Hasse, had 146 sting marks on his body, including 54 to his genitals, News Sweden said.
His body was found by a neighbour, who said Hasse was so swollen he initially mistook him for a whale carcass.
Hasse was unconscious when he was found but died an hour later from the injuries he sustained.
Neighbour Bertil Ståhfrääs said he called over to his neighbour to ask what he was doing: "At first [I thought he was lying there by] of choice, so I called 'Hasse' to ask what the hell he was doing.
Idiot Construction Crew Demolishes 2,300-year-old Maya Pyramid
An investigation is now underway after one of the largest Maya pyramids in Belize was bulldozed to extract materials for a road project.
Stuff like this drives me batty: The Ministry of Tourism and Culture in Belize is freaking out after the the Nohmul Complex was destroyed by construction workers to extract crushed rock for a road project. It's now investigating to find out how it happened, calling the wrecking of the ceremonial center "callous, ignorant, and unforgivable."
Stuff like this drives me batty: The Ministry of Tourism and Culture in Belize is freaking out after the the Nohmul Complex was destroyed by construction workers to extract crushed rock for a road project. It's now investigating to find out how it happened, calling the wrecking of the ceremonial center "callous, ignorant, and unforgivable."
My home town makes the news.... for this
LEESBURG, Va. - A statue of a Confederate soldier that has stood in front of the historic courthouse in Loudoun County since 1908 is now being called inappropriate and a local lawyer says it should be removed.
The statue was erected to honor the war dead at a time when many Civil war veterans were still alive.
The statue shows a Confederate soldier standing guard with his rifle ready.
An inscription, carved into the stone monument, says, "In memory of the Confederate Soldiers of Loudoun County, Va. Erected May 28, 1908."
But Loudoun County, deeply divided over the war in 1861, may not have healed old wounds.
The statue was erected to honor the war dead at a time when many Civil war veterans were still alive.
The statue shows a Confederate soldier standing guard with his rifle ready.
An inscription, carved into the stone monument, says, "In memory of the Confederate Soldiers of Loudoun County, Va. Erected May 28, 1908."
But Loudoun County, deeply divided over the war in 1861, may not have healed old wounds.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Sourdough Bread
I added a new page on how to make sourdough bread from scratch. Find it on the link list to the right, or just click here.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Janet
Most of my close friends know why I moved to Texas. If you don't, the rest of this post will mean nothing to you.
WARNING: Mushy stuff after the jump....
WARNING: Mushy stuff after the jump....
Thief sets off explosion while siphoning gas from U-Haul truck
A thief in Magnolia could have burned himself to death Thursday night over a few gallons of gas.
It happened at a storage facility along Corporate Woods Drive which rents out U-Hauls.
Cameras captured a man from several angles as he pulled up in a white Ford Explorer and parks by a big truck.
He starts siphoning gas, only to see first-hand how dangerous crime can be. There are two sparks before a blast lights up the sky, sending fire and smoke into the air.
It happened at a storage facility along Corporate Woods Drive which rents out U-Hauls.
Cameras captured a man from several angles as he pulled up in a white Ford Explorer and parks by a big truck.
He starts siphoning gas, only to see first-hand how dangerous crime can be. There are two sparks before a blast lights up the sky, sending fire and smoke into the air.
Haven't they suffered enough?
West blast victims may not get property tax relief
Some West residents may end up paying taxes this year on homes that no longer exist.
Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the April 17 West Fertilizer Co. explosion have until the end of May to protest the appraisals on which property taxes are based.
But under state law, appraisal values are supposed to reflect the value of the property on Jan. 1 of the tax year. That means the McLennan County Appraisal District isn’t authorized to take into account damage to the property since then, Chief Appraiser Drew Hahn said.
Hahn said his office is encouraging affected residents to file a protest anyway, allowing them to meet personally with an appraiser and seek a value adjustment. Afterward, they can take their case to the Appraisal Review Board, which is independent of the appraisal district staff.
Some West residents may end up paying taxes this year on homes that no longer exist.
Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the April 17 West Fertilizer Co. explosion have until the end of May to protest the appraisals on which property taxes are based.
But under state law, appraisal values are supposed to reflect the value of the property on Jan. 1 of the tax year. That means the McLennan County Appraisal District isn’t authorized to take into account damage to the property since then, Chief Appraiser Drew Hahn said.
Hahn said his office is encouraging affected residents to file a protest anyway, allowing them to meet personally with an appraiser and seek a value adjustment. Afterward, they can take their case to the Appraisal Review Board, which is independent of the appraisal district staff.
Michael Boggan Gets Fingers Blown Off From Bomb Built By Teens
Some unidentified teens allegedly threw a small bomb, disguised as golf ball, at Michael Boggan on Friday afternoon (video below).
As Michael picked the ball up, it exploded.
The homemade bomb injured his legs and blew away most of his fingers.
Michael's mother, Rebecca Boggan, wants the main teen prankster to be charged with attempted murder.
Michael, who is autistic, was trying to be friends with the group of boys when he unwittingly took the homemade bomb in his hands, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The bomb was reportedly made of ball bearings and white powder.
As Michael picked the ball up, it exploded.
The homemade bomb injured his legs and blew away most of his fingers.
Michael's mother, Rebecca Boggan, wants the main teen prankster to be charged with attempted murder.
Michael, who is autistic, was trying to be friends with the group of boys when he unwittingly took the homemade bomb in his hands, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The bomb was reportedly made of ball bearings and white powder.
Bread!
Just got home from Jenny's house. Had a blast! For the first time in about 8 years, I finally had a chance to bake some bread. I spent $40 of the extra money I had and got some food and everything needed to make tons of bread :) Wound up starting at about 9PM, which meant nobody was eating bread until well after midnight.
Could have made a little more dough, as I wound up with more than enough for one loaf, but not quite enough for two. So I made two smaller loaves. Janet brought over the bread pans and other implements of destruction, and I went to work.
Three hours later, two loaves of home made bread popped out of the oven.. I put them on the counter to cool, but the first loaf was gone in about 15 minutes, still piping hot. Yeah, i know you aren't supposed to do that, as the bread tends to be too soft. Nobody, myself included, cared. It was devoured!
When it came time to go home, there was one undisturbed loaf left, nice and cool. I lopped of a small piece and brought it home, leaving the rest for Matt.
Meanwhile, I have more than enough food for the rest of the week, and enough money to feel better about committing to job interviews.
Monday, May 13, 2013
A Pleasant Surprise
As some of you know, I have been in Houston, TX for the past several weeks staying at an extended stay hotel. This is a temporary arrangement until I get on my feet and can move into a more permanent home.
Today I went down to the office to spend the lion's share of my weekly income on the rent, just as I do every Monday. This usually leaves me with about $50 to carry me through the week. Not much, I know, but with the help of Janet, and her daughter, Jenny, along with other friends of mine, I have been able to eat and get around.
This week, there was an increase of $10 per week added to my rent, ostensibly to keep their rate in line with other hotels. So being prepared to have 20% less money than usual for the week, you can imagine my surprise when the woman behind the counter said that since I have been here 30 days, the state of Texas now considers it a "permanent residence" that is no longer subject to the staggering 8.5% state sales tax. A savings of just under $20 per week. So as a result I am actually paying $10 LESS per week than before.
I would have been happy there, but then I discovered that they were going to credit me back all the tax I had spent to date!
So instead of having just a little more to spend this week, I have a LOT more. As in about $200 more than I was prepared to have to stretch for a week.
This may sound trivial to you, but having spent the last month living hand to mouth, without enough money to both eat and attend job interviews (gas isn't cheap, and Houston isn't small), I now have a much needed infusion of cash that will greatly expand my job search options, among other things.
To celebrate, and as a way of showing my appreciation to Janet and Jenny, I am going over there today and make them some homemade bread.
Still no word from the folks at the department of labor concerning my unemployment benefits, but today I am not even thinking about that.
Today, life is good.
This week, there was an increase of $10 per week added to my rent, ostensibly to keep their rate in line with other hotels. So being prepared to have 20% less money than usual for the week, you can imagine my surprise when the woman behind the counter said that since I have been here 30 days, the state of Texas now considers it a "permanent residence" that is no longer subject to the staggering 8.5% state sales tax. A savings of just under $20 per week. So as a result I am actually paying $10 LESS per week than before.
I would have been happy there, but then I discovered that they were going to credit me back all the tax I had spent to date!
So instead of having just a little more to spend this week, I have a LOT more. As in about $200 more than I was prepared to have to stretch for a week.
This may sound trivial to you, but having spent the last month living hand to mouth, without enough money to both eat and attend job interviews (gas isn't cheap, and Houston isn't small), I now have a much needed infusion of cash that will greatly expand my job search options, among other things.
To celebrate, and as a way of showing my appreciation to Janet and Jenny, I am going over there today and make them some homemade bread.
Today, life is good.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Wilkommen!
Welcome to my blog.
Here I will share things I found interesting, my opinions on all things, and irreverent rants.
In other words: Nothing special.
Hope you stick around!
Here I will share things I found interesting, my opinions on all things, and irreverent rants.
In other words: Nothing special.
Hope you stick around!
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