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16. august 2003
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More about Google calculator
 I suspected the Google calculator was able to do more than add numbers, and a few people have spent some time finding out what exactly it can do. Google has also updated the help entry for it, to give us a few more ideas.
I found out early it could not solve equations, but it can do scientific math, trigonometry and it even does complex numbers. And for geeks, it does conversions to hex and binary, and some bit operations.
Perhaps more useful for casual users: it can do unit conversions. Those of us who often communicate with less civilised people online, that is people from regions where metric units are not standard, will be delighted to learn that google can help.
It also knows some constants and can calculate with them:
and finally, it can do the ultimate geek joke unit conversion:
Since nobody is ever satisifed, I had hoped it also knew some not-so-constant numbers, like currency exchange rates. It is still not able to directly convert e.g. €uro to US$.
10:34:28 PM 
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Iraqis have tips for how Americans can cope with power loss in heat
I was not the only one who made jokes about Baghdad (briefly) having better power supply than New York. CNN ran an article with Iraqis' top 10 tips for enduring blackout in the heat ("and they should know").
Iraqis who have suffered for months with little electricity gloated Friday over a blackout in the northeastern United States and southern Canada and offered some tips to help Americans beat the heat.
Here's the top two:
2. Use foul language
"When the power goes out, I curse everybody," said Emad Helawi, a 63-year-old accountant. "I curse God. I curse Saddam Hussein. And I curse the Americans."
And No. 1: Take to the streets
The most frequent suggestion among Iraqis for Americans suffering without power was protest. Some said demonstrations can be effective in persuading authorities to turn on the switch.
"We held protests. After that we had fewer blackouts," Ahmed Abdul Hussein said without even a hint of sarcasm. "I'd suggest Americans go out and demonstrate."
I suspect it only took seconds for the affected Americans and Canadians to universally apply tip #2. Who said cultures can't understand each other?
8:41:07 PM
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Pentagon wants to cut front line soldiers' pay
Faced with soaring costs, the US Defense Department wants to cut the pay for the US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The move angers the troops and their families at home alike.
If you can't afford a war, folks, don't call it. If it's anyone that deserves every cent, it is the troops working hard and putting their lives on the line to keep Afghanistan and Iraq from collapsing into chaos.
Updated: It appears that the story about a paycut was in error. While it seems true that Pentagon wants to cut danger and family separation pay, it promises to increase other compensation so no troops experience actual pay cuts.
8:31:57 PM
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What to use a mobile for when the network goes down
Somebody has made a "moblog", that is a weblog based on pictures taken with mobile phone cameras, about the recent blackout.
8:25:20 PM
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Fear of sniper in West Virginia
Three people have been shot dead outside different convenience stores in Charleston, WV, causing fear this may be a copycat serial killer taking inspiration from the sniper terrorising the DC area.
There has been surprisingly little attention to these cases in the US media, which seems to focus all their attention on the NE blackout and the California recall these days.
5:25:45 PM
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Cute link
Since it's Saturday and all that, I will for the first time in history give you a cute link: virtual cat. I didn't spend hours playing with it. Honest.
2:47:07 PM
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Idi Amin is dead
One of Africa's most blood-stained dictators have died, eluding justice to the end.
2:31:03 PM
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Joint US/Canadian taskforce to find out cause of blackout
The US and Canada seem to have realised that blaming each other for the power outage is rather unconstructive and have set down a task force to investigate the cause.
4:37:50 AM
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Permanent cure
A 41-year old man in Tiengen, Germany, got the brilliant idea to cure his "sex addiction" with a kitchen knife after drinking a bit of vodka.
Police arrived to discover the blood-soaked man, 41, in his apartment and his organ under the kitchen table. Emergency services rushed the man and his penis to a nearby hospital.
Police said the man did not want his penis to be reattached but were unable to say if doctors had complied with his wishes.
I bet the "sex addiction" wasn't the problem. The problem was he couldn't get a fix. That is unlikely to improve now.
2:17:18 AM
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© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.09.2003; 14:08:57.
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This is my blogchalk:
Norway, Bergen, Norwegian, English, Jan, Male, 31-35.
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