Disco(nnected) Inferno

(Why's there a mood icon for "cold" but not one for "warm"?)

Well, spoke to the landlord a little bit ago in re the malfunctioning furnace (which is having the same problem it had last time I had to call the landlord about it). I'd left him a voicemail message earlier, and he'd got it and was now waiting for his heading & cooling guy to call him back. The landlord said that apparently what needed to be done to the furnace was something really simple ("I'll bet it was simple," quoth I, "it didn't stay fixed!") and it was a common problem with this model.

As it happens, I just now got a knock on the door and the furnace repair crew arrived. As the furnace is right next to the desk where I've got the computer now, I can sit and watch them while they're doing their work on it.

(A few moments later...) It turns out that the problem was a little wire connector, about like a hard drive power supply jack, that manages to work its way loose from the electric igniter system. They're going to check with the parts supply house and see if it might be able to be replaced. In the meantime, if it happens again, all I need to do is take the front panel off and make sure the plug's securely seated.

Heh. The repair guys were much amused by my cat, who was lying there on the easy chair next to the door as they came in. One of the guys, the one who came to fix it last time when I wasn't here, said that he'd not been aware the cat was there at the time, and she "rared up on me like a dog." I'm not sure exactly what he meant...but then, I don't know how my cat would act when there are strangers in the house and I'm not there. Perhaps she just wanted to be fed, or cuddled, or something. Anyway, got some nice hot air coming from the heating vents now, so I'm satisfied.

The spirits of the season...

Here's a holiday headscratcher for you. Showing a bit more creativity than, perhaps, good taste, the city of Oslo is engaging in an ad campaign that attempts to unite the traditional (religious) and modern (commercial) aspects of the Christmas season...by, well, putting up posters of Jesus with a CD as a halo and a price tag over his head.

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article.jhtml?articleID=681993

The Oslo City shopping mall has started a campaign to spur Christmas buying that they say reminds consumers of what the holiday meant, and what it has become. But plenty of people find the promotion - a large banner depicting Jesus Christ with a CD as a halo and a price tag over his head - tasteless.

"To be honest I didn't react to it so negatively at first glance. It is a reminder to shoppers about what Christmas is really about, namely, that God gave his son Jesus Christ to us all," said dean Olav Dag Hauge.

What he didn't notice the first time was that the halo shining behind Jesus' head is a compact disc. This week smaller poster versions of the image are being put up all over the city, and here one can read "CDs (NOK) 149,50 ($22)" over his head, with a CD still acting as a halo.

I give them points for at least trying...however, in terms of "odd combinations that taste great together," this one seems to be less like the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups formula and more like turkey and gravy flavored soda pop.