Software Soapbox

How to stop a Kidde 1276 smoke detector from chirping

After replacing the battery and trying all the steps I could find online, here's what worked:

1) Separate the plug from the smoke alarm unit. 
2) Remove the battery
3) Throw the alarm unit against a hard surface as hard as you can.
4) Dispose of the unit in a soundproof container
4) Go to your local hardware store and buy a new unit, install. 

If you're stupid enough to buy a replacement Kidde unit, keep a second unit on hand for when this unit fails and starts chirping, usually within 30-60 days, and always in the middle of the night.. 

If it's another brand, just replacing the backup battery will probably fix the problem.

Kindly Revert

In my inbox today....I get a few of these a week:

Greetings to you...

Looking out for Lotus Notes Professionals with Exchange Server – 5+ years!!!

This position is open with one of the CMM Level 5 Companies

Kindly revert with your word resume if you are keen in this opportunity as it is a very challenging position.

Thank you

Too late!  I reverted yesterday.

I can't think of anything I've EVER seen that's more ripe for a parody.....

This is truly amazing. Is IBM marketing working for Microsoft now? Speechless....

I predict this to rapidly become the most parodied video in YouTube history.,...It's the only way to deal with the pain of actually watching it all the way to the end.  I couldn't.

XBRL Job Spam - Candidate must be able to take a beating while typing 140 WPM

Lots of XBRL Job Spam today - probably 30 posts for the same job in Houston on the boards.

This jumped out at me:

** Contractors will be required to work 7 days a week. 12 hours Monday * Friday and 8 hours Saturday and Sunday until August 14th.  There is potential for the project to be extended 90 days.

They forgot to add "should you survive the first 2 weeks"...

I've often worked this schedule, but as an exception, to get the job done, not the rule. 

XBRL Consultant jobs - Dice.com.

** The client is looking for 3 XBRL Consultants to build, edit and identify, and address issues with XBRL Taxonomies. ** All candidates must be experienced with XBRL computer code and building and edit taxonomies. ** Looking for candidates with 3 * 5 years experience. ** Candidates must be CPAs ** Contractors needed to start ASAP and available until August 14th. There is potential for the project to be extended 90 days. ** Contractors will be required to work 7 days a week. 12 hours Monday * Friday and 8 hours Saturday and Sunday until August 14th. ** Candidates must be local to Houston, TX

Amazon applies for patent on 1-click customer forfeiture

TechCrunch Chronicles why Amazons deletion of books from the Kindle without the purchaser's consent  may not just be an Amazon issue....and BTW, great publicity for this "feature", which seems tailor-made for hackers.....

This remote deletion issue is an increasingly interesting one. Last year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs confirmed that the company has a remote “kill switch” to remove apps from your device if it thinks that is necessary.

Family to recover body of killed Canadian boxer

via Yahoo! News.

Gatti, born in Italy but raised in Montreal and a naturalized Canadian citizen, lived in the United States with his wife and son.

Note to Air Canada - It's not good to spam your customers

Recently, I booked a couple of tickets to Montreal on aircanada.com.  Basic internet booking stuff, select flights, pay, select seats, email me a confirmation.

Except I never did get a confirmation.  Or my seat selection email, as promised. 

I know the email works and they have the right address, because a few days later I get this:

Brian Benz,

Thank you for your recent flight purchase at aircanada.com.

Want to stay informed about the latest travel news and special deals? Watch for these popular emails, sent to the address you provided at the time of purchase

Note the wording there - "Watch for these popular emails, sent to the address you provided at the time of purchase" - nothing about me agreeing to these "popular emails". 

Note to Air Canada - spam is not "popular" with me, or anybody I know. 

And I'm still waiting for my confirmation emails, as promised.

Plan to ban Uluru climb sparks debate - Yahoo! News

Too bad!  I have fond memories of climbing that rock, second only to climbing the Cheops Pyramid at Giza.

Plan to ban Uluru climb sparks debate - Yahoo! News.

The world heritage-listed rock, famed for its shifting red-ochre colors, is a top tourist drawcard and is climbed by more than 100,000 people each year, despite its central desert location and against the wishes of indigenous people.

One thing:

"You can't go climb on top of the Vatican, you can't go climb on top of the Buddhist temples and so on and so forth," local elder Vince Forrester from Mutitjulu township told state radio.

Bad example.  Actually, most churches and temples do have a way to climb to the top and take in the views.  Including the Vatican and Wat Arun in Bangkok, which is best climbed at dawn or sunset.

Judge Rules LifeLock’s Fraud Alert Service Illegal

via Wired.com.

“The idea that we could some day see a market where we pay $10 a month to a company to opt us out of junk mail, to monitor our credit, to do all sorts of privacy-enhancing steps that we don’t have time to take … for that market to emerge, LifeLock’s business model and similar ones have to be legal,” Hoofnagle says.

Kite Surfer Picks Wrong Day To Go Out

- Watch more free videos