Archive for the ‘Computer Humor’ Category

Sleep-Deprived Limerick

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

Sleep-Deprived Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

An inventor was trying to nap,
But snoozing just wasn’t on tap.
His constant fixation
With tech innovation
Required a sleep-prompting app.

(Author’s Note: I’m not an inventor, but I’m a life-long insomniac who could use such an application.)

Limerick Ode to the iPhone’s Siri

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

No Siri for me — I’m serious!

I’m referring to Apple’s wise-cracking, female-voiced digital personal assistant, now available on the iPhone 4S.

Limerick Ode to the iPhone’s Siri
By Madeleine Begun Kane

There’s a newfangled Apple bot, Siri—
A bantering gal, rather eerie.
What a talkative lass!
I’m planning to pass.
Would a male bot be somewhat less cheery?

Fickle Limerick

Thursday, September 29th, 2011

Fickle Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A popular gal who was fickle
Found herself in a terrible pickle:
A fellow she spurned
Launched a web site that turned
Her long wooers-list into a trickle.

No Longer Tickered Out (Limerick)

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Regular readers know that Facebook’s News Ticker has been driving me mad! It’s also driven me to write three anti-Facebook limericks.

If you share my problem, or if you simply feel sorry for me, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve uncovered a solution: Google Chrome has an extension that makes Facebook’s annoying Ticker vanish.

I’ve installed it and the extension works great. No more News Ticker. Yippee!

Time to celebrate with a limerick:

No Longer Tickered Out
By Madeleine Begun Kane

My outlook is better today
Cuz I’ve sent Facebook’s Ticker away:
Yes, a cool Chrome extension
Does Ticker prevention.
To Google, big thanks and hooray!

Ticked Off By Facebook’s Ticker (2 Limericks)

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

I’ve been trying to find something good to say about Facebook’s new News Feed, and here it is: It’s very inspirational! Last night it inspired me to write this dizzy limerick. And now I’ve written two more:

If you like things that constantly flicker,
You’re sure to enjoy Facebook’s ticker.
As for me, I must flee:
My sore brain needs Chablis,
So I’m off for some Advil and liquor.

*****

I am not one to bitch and to bicker,
But I hate Facebook’s stupid new ticker.
It makes my brain ache!
How much more can I take?
Enough with the scrolling and flicker!

*****

(Here’s a fun post about limericks, where you can submit your own.)

UPDATE: Good news! I’ve found a solution to Facebook’s terrible News Ticker problem. You can read all about it here, including a celebratory limerick.

Limerick Ode To Facebook’s Dizzying Changes

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Much to my surprise, I’ve found myself defending Facebook lately. For instance, I think its new subscription feature is a great idea. But an even newer change is driving me nuts — the ever-scrolling News Feed on the upper right corner of the screen. The damn thing is making me so dizzy, I can’t even think straight.

Limerick Ode To Facebook’s Dizzying Changes
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Facebook, you’re making me dizzy
Cuz your feed on the right is too busy.
I’ll say this politely:
Your scrolling’s unsightly.
I am now in an A.D.D. tizzy.

(I’ve written two more limericks about Facebook’s annoying new Ticker here.)

UPDATE: Good news! I’ve found a solution to Facebook’s terrible News Ticker problem. You can read all about it here, including a celebratory limerick.

Telecommuting Limerick

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Telecommuting Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow who telecommuted
Had a short trip to work — undisputed.
His bed and PC
Were as close as can be.
Yet his tardiness got the guy booted.

A Limerick Ode To My Husband Mark Kane

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

A Limerick Ode To My Husband Mark Kane
By Madeleine Begun Kane

You’re in Facebook at last — Hip Hooray!
Till this morning, you kept saying “Nay!”
The reason is clear
Why you’re finally here:
I’ve joined Google-Plus as of today!

Limerick Ode To Google+

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Limerick Ode To Google+
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Would-be early adopters are pining.
For Google-Plus entry they’re whining.
Invitees get to brag:
“I got in, while you lag.”
A great come-on of Google’s designing.

(You can find me on GooglePlus here. And you always find my Google+ link on my right sidebar a bit below my photo.)

Dear Facebook: Get Up To Speed

Friday, June 24th, 2011

Dear Facebook: Get Up To Speed
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The Facebook seems sluggish of late.
First I click, then I wait and I wait.
It’s getting annoying —
No longer enjoying
My visits. I’m getting irate.

Digital Impasse

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Digital Impasse
By Madeleine Begun Kane

My brain is packed with secret codes
To access all my stuff,
Like bank accounts and sundry cards.
Recalling them is rough.

I pay my bills online and need
A PIN for each of those.
My website has a password too,
Protecting verse and prose.

These letters, numbers, symbols mix
In ways to stave off theft.
We’re warned to make them quite complex,
Defeating hackers deft.

We’re also cautioned, “Vary them.
Don’t make your codes the same.
A thief gets hold of only one —
You’re screwed and you’re to blame.”

So ciphers clutter up my mind.
I dare not write them down.
With paper bearing secrets dear,
A thief could go to town.

I’m forced to hide them in my brain —
A codified morass,
Despite my fear that one day soon
They’ll flee my mind en masse.

(Prompted by secrets at Poets United.)

Creative Keys

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Creative Keys (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

When you’re whipping your verse into shape
And you’re caught in a rhyme-challenged scrape,
The delete key is handy,
Assisted by brandy,
And last, but not least, try escape.

(Prompted to escape)

Limerick Ode To Voicemail

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Limerick Ode To Voicemail
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear voicemail, I love and adore you.
And I’m puzzled by those who deplore you.
Oh, the charm of your voices
And all of those choices.
Wait, I’m lying — I really abhor you.

(Related Humor: The Outgoing Message I’d Love To (But Probably Shouldn’t) Leave On My Answering Machine (Limerick))

Commanding and Demanding (Haiku Quintet)

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

Designing programs
for software business clients —
command performance.

*****

Military gifts
like General Patton’s patch —
commanding presents.

*****

Want satisfaction
when your weapon’s sarcasm?
Pick a smart target.

*****

An unrooted soul
steps on the joy of others
and roots for failure.

*****

Meaningful haiku
that’s smart, breezy, yet mellow —
ticklish challenge.

*****

(Haiku Heights commands prompts us to write haiku using the word command; One Single Impression wants us to be sarcastic; Sensational Haiku Wednesday roots for us to write haiku; and Three Word Wednesday prompts us to use breeze, mellow, and tickle in one fell swoop.)

Haiku Ode to the Greplin Engine

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

I’ve just discovered a new search engine that, believe it or not, does stuff that Google can’t do. It’s the newly launched Greplin, and you can read all about its young founder Daniel Gross here.

So what’s the big deal about Greplin? It indexes and lets you search stuff that’s stored up in the “cloud.” Things like your Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, G-mail, Google Docs, LinkedIn posts, business applications I’m unfamiliar with, etc.

Let’s take its Facebook interface, for instance. Just put a key word or phrase into its search box and up pops a list of your posts (and your friends’ posts) using that word or phrase. I’m finding it so handy, I even wrote this haiku:

Forecast Not Cloudy
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Greplin’s great engine
is searching what Google can’t,
and I’m on cloud nine.

Celebrate All My Gizmos Are Working Day — March 2nd

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Each year our calendars are jam-packed with weird, oddball holidays created, presumably, by equally weird people. Since I’m just as odd as the next person, I figure I’m entitled to invent one too … assuming I can come up with something strange that isn’t already taken.

Anyway, while scrolling through several calendars specializing in bizarre holidays, I noticed a startling omission. Apparently, nobody’s thought to invent All My Gizmos Are Working Day. That is, until now.

So with the powers vested in me as a member in good standing of the New York State Bar, I hereby declare March 2, 2011 to be the first annual All My Gizmos Are Working Day.

As you might expect, I’m commemorating this spanking new holiday with a limerick. But before I get to my verse, let me first acknowledge that most people won’t be able to really celebrate All My Gizmos Are Working Day on March 2nd. In fact, there’s a good chance I won’t be able to enjoy it either.

Why not? Because I can’t remember the last time that I didn’t have at least one broken gadget — a kitchen appliance, TV, DVD player, stereo, land line, cell phone, computer, e-book reader, MP3 player, etc. At least one electronic thingamajig is always misbehaving.

But hope springs eternal, right? So here’s my celebratory limerick:

Limerick Ode To All My Gizmos Are Working Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane

All My Gizmos Are Working Day’s here.
March 2nd’s that day of good cheer.
If, alas, you’re disgusted
Cuz something is busted,
Try again on March 2nd next year.

(Inspired by Big Tent’s anti-holiday prompt.)

UPDATE: I’ve learned that March 26th is Make up your own Holiday Day.

A Poke In The Facebook

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Somebody please explain to me why Facebook invented and retains the stupid Poke feature. In the meantime, here’s my A Poke In The Facebook limerick.

A Poke In The Facebook
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Facebook friends, please do not poke.
I don’t care if you’re female or bloke.
If you’ve something to say,
Use the commenting way.
Or message me. Pokes are a joke.

Ode To AWOL Faces On Facebook

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

When Facebook makes changes, they usually annoy me. But I must admit that I mostly like Facebook’s new format and profiles, now that I’m getting used to them.

However, I do have one limerick-worthy peeve which you may have experienced — the now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t line of five photos that (sometimes) sits near the top of our pages.

So I bring you my Ode to AWOL Faces on Facebook:

Ode To AWOL Faces On Facebook
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Sometimes lines of five photos appear
Near the top. Then they vanish. Oh, dear!
Facebook’s done it again.
I will have to try Zen
To cope with this format’s premiere.

The Social Network (Limerick Review)

Monday, October 4th, 2010

Movie audiences sure seem to love Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network, even if Facebook’s main founder Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t.

Hubby Mark and I saw it Saturday night and we certainly enjoyed it. And that brings me to my limerick review of this delightful film about Facebook’s founding and the lawsuits it inspired:

The Social Network (Limerick Review)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Social Network’s a wonderful flick —
Snappy dialogue — listen, it’s quick.
Depositions are used
Rather well — I’m amused.
As for Oscars this year, it’s my pick.

Some Fun With Facebook’s Outage

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

The movie about Facebook, The Social Network, has been getting a ton of publicity this week. So I wonder if Facebook’s outages today were caused by the extra publicity, or just an unfortunate coincidence.

Of course I immediately went into Facebook withdrawal and wrote this pair of haiku:

I think Facebook’s down.
Where to go to confirm this?
On Twitter, of course.

and

Facebook back — Hurray!
Have I cheered prematurely?
So Twitter tells me.