Category: Uncategorized

We got a nice notice today that we have to get rid of our gas grill within two weeks. Why? Because of something called the International Fire Code of 2003 (sounds very official, doesn’t it?). The book, if you’re looking for it, is available from Amazon for $63.00, or it’s ISBN: 1892395606. Note, this is not a local ordinance, but a book of codes published by the International Code Council, a group which requires paid membership and, as far as I can tell, has no authority to enforce any of their codes.

Of course, in Ann Arbor, things like this are done in the summer, so as not to invoke the wrath of students. See, students tend to show up at council meetings, planning commissions, and the like to protest idiotic changes like this.

Other states have tried to enact this same code and have decided, after the public got a chance to offer their opinion, not to enforce the code. See Nebraska, Ohio, Alabama and Washington.

So, get on the phones, write a letter, do whatever. Tell the city to stay off your porch. Again.

UPDATE: Thanks very much to Arbor Update for the mention and link. Hopefully someone wiser than I can help all of us non-house owners out.

I should mention that this isn’t just for renters. If you own a condo, but have more than one unit per building (like the nice units going up on Eisenhower), you’re affected as well. The ban isn’t on the grills, but on the propane tanks. Anything over 2.5 pounds cannot be stored or used within 10 feet of “combustable construction”. I know someone will be splitting that hair if we ever get a chance to comment, but the effect is the same.

According to the Ann Arobr Fire Department, this code has been in effect since April 1st. I wonder why property managers weren’t notified until very recently about this?

AAFD – (734) 994-2772

AA Housing Inspector – building@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us – (734) 994-2678

Mayor John Hieftje – JHieftje@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us – (734) 994-2766 (guess who’s up for re-election this year, too?)

Contact your City Council member

The Dutch are the tallest people on the planet, and getting taller (and fatter, but who isn’t).

I stomp on those puny Brits!

Link

God I love the Onion.

“We have strong evidence that the University of Michigan granted academic degrees to students in exchange for hefty payments, often totaling tens of thousands of dollars…”

Link

Sorry for the hiatus, but I’ve moved. Now residing in the reality-surrounded land of Ann Arbor, MI. (It’s an old joke; “Ann Arbor?” “Yeah, you know, the six square miles surrounded by reality.”)

I’m back to technical writing, not that I’d left for long. I’m still working through the first week newness and computer policies (no admin rights!?!?) and a Dell laptop I’m pretty sure pre-dates the written word.

I’m being a little harsh obviously, and a new computer is on it’s way, but I wanted to be witty and all that for the returning post.

Someone I know has a habit of making up words when the real word to describe a thing is lost in the rush to get it out (much like this sentence). The list that follows are just some of the gems that will eventually lead to a (hopefully) lucrative book deal

• Pokery (adj.) – 1. Sharp 2. Able to poke.
• Chocolate Mouth (regional slang) – 1. Sweet Tooth
• Turning Place (locational term) – 1. An intersection or corner
• Underneathness (locational term) – 1. The position from which things waft (with a long “a”, no less).
• Pee Hole (locational term) – 1. The fly on pants (surprisingly, this was never a biological term).
• Scrumbly (adj.) – 1. Rough, as in unshaven. 2. Scruffy, plus stubbly.

To this person, sorry, I had to put this somewhere or the paper I had noted these on would get lost. You, for now, remain anonymous.

Update: Had to add “scrumbly”

How’s this for pressure? You’re a Hollywood stunt pilot on contract to NASA to catch a 500-pound canister returning from a three-year, two-million-mile mission containing particles ejected from the Sun. The project cost NASA $300 million and, in order to preserve the samples, you have to catch the parachuting canister with a helicopter under any weather conditions possible. Fun, eh?

The project is called Genesis, and is due to arrive back on Earth on 8 September.

“The pressure will be on to do a perfect capture,” Mr. [Dan] Rudert said. “When you’re on live television and you are catching something that cost $300 million to make, you are either going to be a hero or a goat.”

Good luck to Dan Rudert and the second pilot, Cliff Fleming.

Link (NYT) [via Boing Boing]

You gotta give this kid credit for sticking up for his rights. He wanted to protest the political indoctrination he was receiving by putting posters around his school.

So, why the big hub-bub? Because he’s a conservative, hawkish protester, not a liberal, anti-war protester. Shenanigans ensues and, predictably, his voice is silenced. For now. But, the story of his brief struggle with the school is a great illustration about why free speech is supposed to apply to everyone.

Link [via Blogcritics]

Thanks to Boing Boing.

Hate RealPlayer? So did the BBC, enough that Real made a version of RealPlayer without all the crap that normally comes with it.. You can download it here (for Windows) or here for others.

I don’t know who runs Ottawa Wireless, but good on yah, boys! These geniuses (and for once I’m not being sarcastic) set up a WiFi network to cover six square miles of the city (I’m assuming this means downtown and the lakeshore). Unlimited calls to anyone in Canada or the US for $30 a month (plus a WiFi phone). Looks like they also have high-speed WiFi Internet starting at $20 a month.

Who thought that the West side was so with it? Certainly not me.

via Engadget (!)

I don’t know why I’m so excited; I didn’t watch a single game.

In other news, a few rowdy fans did manage to tip over… Aretha Franklin (gratuitously stolen from Chick McGee on the Bob and Tom Show, 16 June 2004)

Ah, that’s why I needed to post.