Waterpodhousing
The old water heater at home decided to go on the fritz and spew steam and various water-heater type parts across the basement proper. So, naturally, we got a new one installed. The guy installing had some very interesting stories to tell from his heating and cooling career. For example, a family went out of town and squirrels got in through their heating ducts. Unfortunately, the squirrels discovered the food processor in the sink. The family came home to ground up rotting squirrel. I have no idea why that story was shared. Sounds like something from “When Insane Animals Invade Your House VIII.” Then again, it isn’t as bad as the people who used to live across the street from us. Yes, they were away and their house flooded with water issuing forth from a cracked toilet on the upper floor. The water soaked the floorboards until most of the main floor collapsed. Upon her return, Mrs. Across the Street was very nearly hysterical. Insurance usually covers water damage, but I do not know about squirrel stench.
Which reminds me of the Apple iPod mini, a most heartwarming combination of high technology, praticality, and Apple style.
Now, on iPod mini’s big brother, there are heat sensitive buttons. Nice touch, isn’t it? Well, not really. The operating temperature for heat sensitive buttons happen to be rather limiting in a climate like Minnesota’s. For example, when it gets cold enough, one simply cannot control the original iPod using the heat-sensitive buttons. If you take a look, you can see that the mini has only a “ClickWheel” (have spaces gone out of style? I feel like like the new vogue is MashingWordsTogether™), which would seem to be an improvement. However, as you can see in the link, you lose buttons on the smaller unit. Not having tried the mini, I can not say if this is good or bad. However, Apple neatly covers up any possible heat-sensitive issues (after all, these units have to sell side by side) by slathering on a nice layer of advertising ambiguity:
Always striving for perfection, Apple engineers moved the iPod’s buttons under the wheel. The iPod mini Click Wheel gives you the enhanced durability and sensitivity of the iPod Touch Wheel, with buttons underneath.
Yeah, just use the words “engineer” and the people automatically think of guys in white coats in a lab somewhere doing thousands of “usability tests.” Goodness, maybe that’s what really happens. Would you buy a new iPod?
Changes are afoot here at St. Thomas. In the dim past, the college was blessed with ample land and plenty of room for expansion. Then, during difficult times, St. Thomas (with a stunning lack of foresight) sold off large tracts of land. Now, thanks in no small part to Monsignor Terrence Murphy’s brilliant guidance, it is buying back some of it. The University has bought two blocks just south of it’s oldest buildings and is beginning an aggressive building and expansion campaign this May. The first building to be erected will be a new apartment complex out across the soccer fields from my current dorm. Yes, it will be huge. Tapered into the neighborhood, it will have 422 beds and 361 underground parking stalls. It will be constructed by everyone’s favorite builder, Opus (I personally think St. Thomas has some sort of underground deal with them).
Construction will be complete in September of 2005 and a major selling point is “floor to ceiling glass in some units.” St. Thomas says they have already raised all the the money necessary to fund the entire two-block project. I laugh as my tuition increases.