Security Plan Designed by People Bad at Math December 28, 2010

See, the problem with random searches of people in airports is that it’s wholly ineffective.  What are the odds of finding someone carrying an explosive in a carry-on that is undetectable by a the x-ray machine using random searches?  Well, if TSA searches 1 in 1000 people that come through security and a terrorist has cleverly disguised the explosive device as a laptop, cell phone, hair brush, camera, music box with a cute little dancing ballerina, or anything other than an easily recognizable tangled mess of wires and explosive putty, it’s practically 0.  It could be as high as me winning the lottery (I don’t buy tickets). (more…)

Ballroom Dance’s Unspoken By-Product June 11, 2010

I was re-reading a favorite XKCD comic, when I thought. The left-cross turn, the most common step in Viennes Waltz, is conterclockwise, and in fact, all ballroom dance is performed counterclockwise.

Are we inadvertantly slowing down the earth’s rotation by dancing ballroom dance? (more…)

Cupcake Outcome March 13, 2010

I met a lot of really great people that promised to vote for my cupcakes.   As I was too beat to stick around for the results of the contest, and no one  has told me differently, I’ll just assume that I won.

I’d like to thank my fellow bakers for really bringing it this year.  Winning a contest such as this means nothing if you are only competing against crappy competitors.  I’m only as good as better than everyone else around me.

I’d also like to thank my loyal assistants:  my stove, my dishwasher, my KitchenAid, my measuring cups and spoons, my bakeware, the lovely people at Central Market and HEB for providing me with the raw ingredients to produce such magnificent cupcakes, and Marla.  She helped just by being there for me.

Edit: I have been informed that I have a trophy with my name on it somewhere.  I do not know which trophy, but I assume the Gold Medal Trophy.  Will keep you updated.

Edit 2: I have heard that someone else has one “1st and 2nd” prizes.  I can only assume that I have therefor won “Best Overall” or some other such prize that is better than “1st and 2nd.”

Fascinated by the Unknown

There is a film called “Super Secret TBD” playing at SXSW this year. Needless to say, the “SXXpress” (South by Express) tickets, which allow badge holders to skip the line provided that they show up 30 minutes before the show, sold out of that first today. (more…)

Ramping up for SXSW March 11, 2010

So, the next week or so will be a blur of faces, panels, movies, dancing and food I really shouldn’t eat broken up by brief and insufficient bouts of sleep. Or as most call it South by Southwest. I live in Austin, TX and have for long enough that I call myself an Austinite. But it was only recently that I started attending SXSW.

The first night has me cooking.  The Second Annual Pastries and Pasties.  I’m only in for the Pastries, specifically Heart Burn Cupcakes.

(more…)

Hello World! March 9, 2010

printscreen(“Hello World!”);

Yeah, that was no language in particular.  I’m just happy it looks more like the languages I learned in CS and EE classes than the MIS classes.  Because I’d still be typing if I tried to make that in COBOL.  *shudder* COBOL.

This is the New JustMichelle site.  New interface, new posts, new everything.  Well, same domain.  I think I’m just going to scrap all of the Old JustMichelle, except the granola bars recipe.  I don’t want to lose that.

Mix and Match Chewy Granola Bars

(more…)

Dear Theme Makers

So

This probably

renders differently in every browser.

And really, I only use IE when at work.

But, when at work.  I’d like to see all of the letters

I suppose, I could try to remember which heading sizes

cuts off the left most letter (all but H2)  Oh!

and just change its color, to green.

but apparently, that locks the rest of the post to header and odd colors…

instead of going back to a normal paragraph (more…)