David Bradley spent five minutes writing the computer code that has bailed out the world's PC users for decades.

That's right. This is the fellow that wrote the code for the three finger salute (that's 'ctrl-alt-del' for the helmet wearers). He's retiring after 28 1/2 years at IBM and will be teaching at NC State University. Fare thee well oh handler of computers and bring some of that humor to the classroom.

At a 20-year celebration for the IBM PC, Bradley was on a panel with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and other tech icons. The discussion turned to the keys.

"I may have invented it, but Bill made it famous," Bradley said.

Gates didn't laugh. The key combination also is used when software, such as Microsoft's Windows operating system, fails.

You can use it for more than Windows crashes? Wow, the things you learn.

(Hat tip to Dopple-G)

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Weakened Parental Leave Bill OK'd

That's "weakened" as in lacking strength, not "weekend" as in Saturday, Sunday. The Georgia House passed legislation yesterday to mandate diddly squat. The original proposal was to allow parents up to 8 hours each year to attend school functions for their children. Things like parent-teacher conferences, volunteer work, etc would have been covered. But in a move that would do Armin Meiwes proud the Senate emasculated it before passing it.

House members approved the bill 158-6, but first they approved an amendment to change the wording. Instead of telling employers they "shall" give the parental leave time, the bill says employers "may" give the leave time.

So legislation has been approved that legally allows businesses to let parents attend their childrens' school functions. Were businesses not allowed to do this before? Another pointless law with no teeth that serves no function except to further clutter up the books. What a joke. more...

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Can you say holy shit?

(Hat tip to Jonny E)

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Gwinnett County, where I live, has passed a no-smoking ban. This will go into effect in April and is causing quite a bit of consternation with some local businesses.

Gwinnett Outlaws Indoor Smoking

Lawrenceville, Ga. (AP) -- Gwinnett County commissioners unanimously approved a broad indoor smoking ban on Tuesday.

The regulation covers virtually all buildings, public and private, except for smoke shops, private homes and designated smoking rooms in motels or inns.

The law, which makes no exemptions for restaurants or bars, will go into effect in two to three months.

It does not exempt restaurants and bars. Excuse me? Let me read that again. "makes no exemptions for restaurants or bars" more...

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You got your chocolate in my peanut butter! Get your power through the phone line.

You got your peanut butter on my chocolate! Get your internet access through the electric line.

(Hat tip to Dopple-G)

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So whatever did happen to Beavis, that icon of wastrel youth, foil to Butthead and whacker off in tool sheds? He's alive and well in Oregon.

(Hat tip to Dopple-G)

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Fish n chips' UK credentials under fire

LONDON (Reuters) - The reputation of fish and chips as Britain's national dish has taken a battering after a historian said the classic meal originated elsewhere.

Ye gads! If not from the fair island nation then where, pray tell, where? Please don't say France.

Panikos Panayi, history professor at Leicester's De Montfort University, said his studies had shown deep-fried battered fish and potatoes were a mixture of French "pommes frites"...

I said NOT to say France! Bloody nubber!

...and fried fish dishes brought by Jewish immigrants.

Ah ha! I am so going to hold this over everybody who ever told me they didn't like kosher food.

"Over time it has become anglicised," he told Reuters. "It has almost become part of Britain."

It's certainly become part of the blood vessels of Britain.

Panayi, who is studying how immigration and globalisation have affected the British diet, said food brought in by immigrants often evolved once it reached the country's shores.

So there you have it. Brit culture is really just a combination of Frog and Hebrew. Might as well put down that pint and grab up a bottle of wine, mates.

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