We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

Samizdata quote of the day

These exciting and unexplained cleaning events have kept Opportunity in really great shape.

– Mars rover team leader Jim Erickson at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, explaining that “something” has been cleaning the solar panels of the rover Opportunity while it was parked during the Martian night, and that as a consequence its power levels are much higher than was expected at this stage of the mission. Two observations. (a) It looks like the Martians are friendly. (b) I wish I could have “exciting and unexplained cleaning events” in my bathroom.

(Link via slashdot).

11 comments to Samizdata quote of the day

  • Robert

    ‘I wish I could have “sudden and unexplained cleaning events” in my bathroom.’

    That would be called a wife.

  • Very bold territory there, Robert.

  • Euan Gray

    I had exciting and unexplained cleaning events in my bathroom, and sadly it was only a wife.

    However, that doesn’t happen any more, and now I just get the exciting and unexplained fraudulent activities of a soon-to-be-ex-wife, not to mention the exciting but terribly well explained empty bank account.

    EG

  • Robert

    “Very bold territory there, Robert.”

    Thankfully I’m a confirmed bachelor so any negative consequences from making such statements in any public social situation are greatly minimized :).

    Nothing positive comes out of ’em either, but hell not like it matters much for me either way :B.

  • Loop

    Squeegie men on Mars?

    Posted by Peter Nolan at December 24, 2004 10:31 AM

    No reports of either rover having “spare change”, so probably not squeegies, sorry. Awaiting confimation of a report on possible Welcome Wagon activity – if a small colorful local map is located, report will be confirmed.

  • I’d be curious to learn what is necessary for a bathroom cleaning event to qualify as “exciting.”

    Wait, no, nevermind, I take that back.

  • Sounds like “sudden and unexplained cleaning event” is this week’s euphemism for molesting the bishop.

  • GILES

    but seriously what nasa is describing is called wind here on earth. nay?

  • Rachel

    Being a wife myself, I can’t get these surprise cleanings. On our first computer, Texas Instruments, there was the command “All Clear”. So I stood at the kitchen door, said “All clear” to the mess, nothing happened.

    In the past it was the job of dwarfs, or was that only in German fairy tales?

  • Rachel: you mean “Call Clear”.