Firefox 1.5.01 is seriously broken on OS X, or at least on my work machine. It hangs temporarily, it ignores keyboard input, etc. It reminds me of a Windows 95 machine that needs a clean version of the OS. Though reinstalling Firefox isn't doing anything for me.
But it's fine on my personal laptop. Sad.
[Update] It might be FaultVault dumbness.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Wednesday musing continued
Maine has highways, routes, and a turnpike.
Maine definitions:
Highway: a divided road with multiple lanes (usually 2 or 3) in each direction, and no stop lights.
Route: 2 lanes, usually one in each direction, may have stoplights or stop signs occasionally, but meant for long, back country trips
Turnpike: A highway with tolls
New York has Highways, Expressways, Throughways,
Expressway: See Maine, Highway, but with more lanes
Highway: Like a Maine route, but with more lanes and more stoplights, and not usually back country
Throughway: See Maine, Highway.
Southern California has The Roads:
The 5, The 101, and The 405. I think they call them Freeways, which are really just Highways. Not sure about The Definite Article on it though...
Northern California has HIghways, Expressways, and Routes:
Route: See Maine, Route, but more curvy sometimes due to mountains
Highway: See Maine, Highway, but with more lanes
Expressway: A road with fewer exits/roads and fewer stop lights, but 2-4 lanes in each direction. The Lawrence Expressway has really long greens if you're going the main way, and they're nicely timed!
Maine definitions:
Highway: a divided road with multiple lanes (usually 2 or 3) in each direction, and no stop lights.
Route: 2 lanes, usually one in each direction, may have stoplights or stop signs occasionally, but meant for long, back country trips
Turnpike: A highway with tolls
New York has Highways, Expressways, Throughways,
Expressway: See Maine, Highway, but with more lanes
Highway: Like a Maine route, but with more lanes and more stoplights, and not usually back country
Throughway: See Maine, Highway.
Southern California has The Roads:
The 5, The 101, and The 405. I think they call them Freeways, which are really just Highways. Not sure about The Definite Article on it though...
Northern California has HIghways, Expressways, and Routes:
Route: See Maine, Route, but more curvy sometimes due to mountains
Highway: See Maine, Highway, but with more lanes
Expressway: A road with fewer exits/roads and fewer stop lights, but 2-4 lanes in each direction. The Lawrence Expressway has really long greens if you're going the main way, and they're nicely timed!
Wednesday shorts
What ever happened to changing one lane at a time? I see people shift 2 lanes at once frequently around here.
Clearly Pepsi One and Coke Zero are competing in the same market - but Coke Zero is clearly meant for those who zero index.
Clearly Pepsi One and Coke Zero are competing in the same market - but Coke Zero is clearly meant for those who zero index.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Another thing I want to see out of OS X Dashboard
I'm posting this from Google's Blogger widget. I'm posting from my personal 12" PowerBook.
I love Apple's Dashboard. It creates an excellent mental separation from what I'm doing and what I'm trying to keep track of, and helps me check out what I want to check out. What I hate, however, is that I have such limited real estate on my small monitor, and I always have to shift widgets around and close some if I want to track a couple flights or monitor another ski resort. They need an auto-arrange feature for Dashboard that tries to keep things about how the user had them, but lays things out so everything's visible.
In posting this, I realize that the Blogger posting widget isn't great - it expands every time I type a new line, instead of having a scroll bar. Now that's annoying.
I love Apple's Dashboard. It creates an excellent mental separation from what I'm doing and what I'm trying to keep track of, and helps me check out what I want to check out. What I hate, however, is that I have such limited real estate on my small monitor, and I always have to shift widgets around and close some if I want to track a couple flights or monitor another ski resort. They need an auto-arrange feature for Dashboard that tries to keep things about how the user had them, but lays things out so everything's visible.
In posting this, I realize that the Blogger posting widget isn't great - it expands every time I type a new line, instead of having a scroll bar. Now that's annoying.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Satellite radio
I flew AirTran Airways this weekend to Pittsburgh to see Helen perform in performed by The Pittsburgh Savoyards. And to go to the Beaux Arts Ball.
AirTran provides XM satellite radio in each armrest. Now some other airline provides DirectTV in each seat-back. But I argue XM is a better choice, especially for red eye flights, because on red eyes the TV selection is limited, they charge for movies, and it's much easier to sleep to music than either TV or cabin noise. Plus I would prefer to read on flights, instead watching TV. Maybe if I had kids I'd choose TV over radio.
Plus, XM is better than the canned 12-channels 80-minutes of music that most flights have, because XM has 50+ channels of music, and then more of sports, talk, etc. And they have 2 electronica stations! So I can listen to a similar selection of what I'd listen to on my iPod, but without using battery. On normal flights with normal in flight music, I can't even find a station I like, and then on a 4 hour flight I hear the whole set 3 times.
Now don't get me wrong, AirTran isn't really convenient out of the bay area - they only have 2 flights from SFO, one to Indianapolis, and the other to Atlanta. But XM satellite radio is a great choice. Plus, XM wins: this weekend I realized how cool satellite radio is, and I just might have to get it in my next car. I still love you, Live 105. But I am not always in range.
AirTran provides XM satellite radio in each armrest. Now some other airline provides DirectTV in each seat-back. But I argue XM is a better choice, especially for red eye flights, because on red eyes the TV selection is limited, they charge for movies, and it's much easier to sleep to music than either TV or cabin noise. Plus I would prefer to read on flights, instead watching TV. Maybe if I had kids I'd choose TV over radio.
Plus, XM is better than the canned 12-channels 80-minutes of music that most flights have, because XM has 50+ channels of music, and then more of sports, talk, etc. And they have 2 electronica stations! So I can listen to a similar selection of what I'd listen to on my iPod, but without using battery. On normal flights with normal in flight music, I can't even find a station I like, and then on a 4 hour flight I hear the whole set 3 times.
Now don't get me wrong, AirTran isn't really convenient out of the bay area - they only have 2 flights from SFO, one to Indianapolis, and the other to Atlanta. But XM satellite radio is a great choice. Plus, XM wins: this weekend I realized how cool satellite radio is, and I just might have to get it in my next car. I still love you, Live 105. But I am not always in range.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Features that should be turned off
I think all school systems should disable auto-correct on their computers, and all students should too.
I think auto-correct is actually the root cause of why we have a lot of poor spellers in the US. People don't realize that they're spelling incorrectly because the only thing that knows they're spelling correctly often auto fixes it.
I used to think I was a good speller, until I started using Adium (an OS X chat client). Adium tells me when I spell something incorrectly by underlining it.
I then decided to disable auto-correct in Word. I now am learning how 'ridiculous' is actually spelt.
That reminds me, why do I have to go to a program with spell checking to write out my blog posts, instead of Firefox having integrated spell checking in all text areas? What about Blogger offering spell checking?
Wikipedia is a prime example of this: most articles I've found have at least a few misspellings. They need interactive spell correction in order to help gain more credibility.
I think auto-correct is actually the root cause of why we have a lot of poor spellers in the US. People don't realize that they're spelling incorrectly because the only thing that knows they're spelling correctly often auto fixes it.
I used to think I was a good speller, until I started using Adium (an OS X chat client). Adium tells me when I spell something incorrectly by underlining it.
I then decided to disable auto-correct in Word. I now am learning how 'ridiculous' is actually spelt.
That reminds me, why do I have to go to a program with spell checking to write out my blog posts, instead of Firefox having integrated spell checking in all text areas? What about Blogger offering spell checking?
Wikipedia is a prime example of this: most articles I've found have at least a few misspellings. They need interactive spell correction in order to help gain more credibility.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
I'm fast
On January 10, I failed to pay a toll on the NJ Turnpike, so the NJ Transit Whatever tells me.
Only problem with that: I haven't been in New Jersey since August. I flew out to California on January 2 and haven't moved back. And my car was in the possession of the auto shippers from January 6-January 21.
This means one of two things: either someone from the car company was joyriding (unlikely), or my car being on the top of an auto trailer screwed up the sensor on the NJ Pike.
(When my parents called, I was trying to think "I didn't blow off any tolls recently, right? I mean, I have gone through some toll plazas before the light went green, but I paid...")
Only problem with that: I haven't been in New Jersey since August. I flew out to California on January 2 and haven't moved back. And my car was in the possession of the auto shippers from January 6-January 21.
This means one of two things: either someone from the car company was joyriding (unlikely), or my car being on the top of an auto trailer screwed up the sensor on the NJ Pike.
(When my parents called, I was trying to think "I didn't blow off any tolls recently, right? I mean, I have gone through some toll plazas before the light went green, but I paid...")
At first, I thought all hybrid drivers were assholes
I have seen a lot of people driving in hybrid cars, alone, in the carpool lane during rush hour. I thought they were jerks.
Now I know that California allows some hybrid vehicles to use the carpool lane with impunity.
Now I just think the people driving alone in the carpool lane in SUVs, BMWs, and non hybrid cars are jerks.
Now I know that California allows some hybrid vehicles to use the carpool lane with impunity.
Now I just think the people driving alone in the carpool lane in SUVs, BMWs, and non hybrid cars are jerks.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Times you can't be thug
Two different peple blasting music while not achieving the image they wanted:
Target Parking lot, Mountain View: big African-American guy in a Pontiac Grand Am, blasting "It's Your Birthday" by 50 Cent. It sounded like he started that song just to drive in front of the Target. I'm not sure anyone can be thug at Target.
University Ave, Palo Alto: someone with an excellent stereo system in a Jetta blasting "Hit Me Baby One More Time." It's really hard to be thug in Palo Alto (I'm looking at you, angsty skateboarder kids in Lytton Park). And it's impossible to be thug while blasting Britney Spears.
Target Parking lot, Mountain View: big African-American guy in a Pontiac Grand Am, blasting "It's Your Birthday" by 50 Cent. It sounded like he started that song just to drive in front of the Target. I'm not sure anyone can be thug at Target.
University Ave, Palo Alto: someone with an excellent stereo system in a Jetta blasting "Hit Me Baby One More Time." It's really hard to be thug in Palo Alto (I'm looking at you, angsty skateboarder kids in Lytton Park). And it's impossible to be thug while blasting Britney Spears.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
The next thing I want to see out of the internet
I want an application (preferably web based) where I enter in which bands I'm interested, and how far I am willing to travel to see them, and it alerts me when the band announces when they're coming, and when the tickets go on sale. All of this through RSS when anything updates would be even better.
Ticketmaster's UI is just abysmal. It also doesn't register which bands I like very well and give me that custom UI. It thinks that I'd be willing to go to Reno for a concert, too. As it is, I'm relegated to going to band sites and checking them out one by one. It's hard to do.
This would require either fans to aggregate and submit the information, or for bands to supply an RSS feed of their shows - drawing people away from their site. Ticketmaster wouldn't give the data up either.
Though I could crawl it myself.
Ticketmaster's UI is just abysmal. It also doesn't register which bands I like very well and give me that custom UI. It thinks that I'd be willing to go to Reno for a concert, too. As it is, I'm relegated to going to band sites and checking them out one by one. It's hard to do.
This would require either fans to aggregate and submit the information, or for bands to supply an RSS feed of their shows - drawing people away from their site. Ticketmaster wouldn't give the data up either.
Though I could crawl it myself.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
S-M-R-T
I bought tickets for Raceday 2006 based on Raceday 2005 (currently does say RD 2005, it might be updated soon) dates.
I've changed them, but it was an expensive mistake.
I've changed them, but it was an expensive mistake.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Yep, I'm smart
You think I would have realized I'd have a hard time parking around my place when there's valet parking right across the street from my front door.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
I'm going to go all Seinfeld on you for a post
Almost every counter service place I go to now has a jar on the counter for tips. And I don't understand why.
I feel awkward getting change back and not putting some in the jar, but at the same time, I feel more embarassed if I just put in a quarter. But when my bagel costs $1.90, I don't feel a $1 tip is appropriate.
How about this: no tip jar, and if your service rocks, I'll hand you money myself.
I feel awkward getting change back and not putting some in the jar, but at the same time, I feel more embarassed if I just put in a quarter. But when my bagel costs $1.90, I don't feel a $1 tip is appropriate.
How about this: no tip jar, and if your service rocks, I'll hand you money myself.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Speed dating
CIA (the organization I used to run at Carnegie Mellon) is holding a speed dating event this weekend. Mark, the social chair who is organizing it, got an email about how speed dating excludes the GLBT community, basically inviting an argument. Mark and the chair declined the bait, but I'll bite.
The event is targetting about 20 males and 20 females, but will probably only get 15 of each - about 30 total people. On average, let's say that 10% of people at Carnegie Mellon are gay. That means if you hold an event with 40 people, 4 will be gay. How do 4 people speed date, when statistically, there will be 2 gay males and 2 lesbians if people randomly show up?
I'm serious: how do you include gay people in speed dating without making it a gay person speed dating event? The guy who emailed to complain didn't even suggest a way to create a GLBT friendly event - he just said "some day you guys will be able to include us." He's creating an "us and them" mentality himself, fighting against what the gay community really should want - unity among all people.
Questions and comments on how speed dating could be gay inclusive while not making it a gay event are very welcome.
[Edit: Friday afternoon, 4 pm PST]
Actual text from the guy complaining about speed dating:
"[Speed dating is] also pretty exclusive of the GLBT community."
"One of these days, you guys are going to come up with some way to include people who aren't just attracted to the opposite sex. It can't be that difficult."
I still maintain this is creating an us-and-them mentality, and I still maintain this is inviting an argument and not being very gay-progressive. But I might as well include the exact rebuttal to speed dating.
The event is targetting about 20 males and 20 females, but will probably only get 15 of each - about 30 total people. On average, let's say that 10% of people at Carnegie Mellon are gay. That means if you hold an event with 40 people, 4 will be gay. How do 4 people speed date, when statistically, there will be 2 gay males and 2 lesbians if people randomly show up?
I'm serious: how do you include gay people in speed dating without making it a gay person speed dating event? The guy who emailed to complain didn't even suggest a way to create a GLBT friendly event - he just said "some day you guys will be able to include us." He's creating an "us and them" mentality himself, fighting against what the gay community really should want - unity among all people.
Questions and comments on how speed dating could be gay inclusive while not making it a gay event are very welcome.
[Edit: Friday afternoon, 4 pm PST]
Actual text from the guy complaining about speed dating:
"[Speed dating is] also pretty exclusive of the GLBT community."
"One of these days, you guys are going to come up with some way to include people who aren't just attracted to the opposite sex. It can't be that difficult."
I still maintain this is creating an us-and-them mentality, and I still maintain this is inviting an argument and not being very gay-progressive. But I might as well include the exact rebuttal to speed dating.
I take back half of what I said bad about Krispy Kreme
Throughout college, I had a few Krispy Kreme donuts due to various fundraisers and boxes that friends had. I'd never really liked them, much preferring Dunkin Donuts, or Frosty's. Everyone said "oh, but they're so good fresh and warm." But I'd never had them that way.
This morning I was walking from the automotive shop to work - about a mile and a half. (My Thunderbird needs a new headlight switch) I really needed coffee - at one point I ran a red light because I thought it was a 2 way stop. So I stopped at a Krispy Kreme along the way.
I ordered their version of a Boston Cream donut and a large coffee and handed the cashier my money. Then all of the sudden, another employee hands me a fresh donut, apparently free with my order. I bit in and said to myself "oh, this is good."
So if I'm jonesing for a donut and coffee, and the "fresh donuts" sign is on, I might find myself by Krispy Kreme again sometime. I still, however, wish there were Dunkin Donuts on every corner on the west coast too.
This morning I was walking from the automotive shop to work - about a mile and a half. (My Thunderbird needs a new headlight switch) I really needed coffee - at one point I ran a red light because I thought it was a 2 way stop. So I stopped at a Krispy Kreme along the way.
I ordered their version of a Boston Cream donut and a large coffee and handed the cashier my money. Then all of the sudden, another employee hands me a fresh donut, apparently free with my order. I bit in and said to myself "oh, this is good."
So if I'm jonesing for a donut and coffee, and the "fresh donuts" sign is on, I might find myself by Krispy Kreme again sometime. I still, however, wish there were Dunkin Donuts on every corner on the west coast too.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Standoff
In a movie, when two people have guns at each other's heads, why does the good guy always kick or punch the bad guy? Don't you think the bad guy would flinch and therefore shoot? Isn't it therefore easier to just pull the trigger? Much deadlier and less likely to aggravate an itchy trigger finger.
Friday, January 20, 2006
East vs West
East coast: "Back East"
West coast: "Out West"
Does anyone else have any other terms for the east or west of the US? The vernacular of the US seems to lend itself to the idea that the East is old fashioned and the west is out there somewhere.
West coast: "Out West"
Does anyone else have any other terms for the east or west of the US? The vernacular of the US seems to lend itself to the idea that the East is old fashioned and the west is out there somewhere.
Bailing out airlines
The federal government has spent some money lately bailing out airlines. The industry is not doing so hot.
Here's a new idea: how about we cut back taxes & fees on airfare? My tickets for Carnival cost $295.81. The taxes & fees cost $42.59. That's about 14% in taxes and fees. I know some of these fees are needed for the airports to exist, etc. But I'm sure a lot just goes to the federal government.
Until the airline industry is back on its feet, let's cut the taxes on air travel to induce more people to fly and give the airlines a little more wiggle room on prices. The end consumer will get cheaper flights and therefore fly more. The airlines can also charge a little more without the consumer really noticing - the prices are already way down!
My logic is that the government is using tax money to bail out the airlines; what if cutting out some of the taxes on the airfare would prevent needing to help the airlines federally? The government would probably be losing as much in potential tax income as they're spending right now to help out the industry - so it's just a different accounting method.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms? This is all based on high school economics and I have no figures to compare the tax income of flights vs the amount of federal money spent to bail out the airlines, or how many more people would fly with lower rates.
Here's a new idea: how about we cut back taxes & fees on airfare? My tickets for Carnival cost $295.81. The taxes & fees cost $42.59. That's about 14% in taxes and fees. I know some of these fees are needed for the airports to exist, etc. But I'm sure a lot just goes to the federal government.
Until the airline industry is back on its feet, let's cut the taxes on air travel to induce more people to fly and give the airlines a little more wiggle room on prices. The end consumer will get cheaper flights and therefore fly more. The airlines can also charge a little more without the consumer really noticing - the prices are already way down!
My logic is that the government is using tax money to bail out the airlines; what if cutting out some of the taxes on the airfare would prevent needing to help the airlines federally? The government would probably be losing as much in potential tax income as they're spending right now to help out the industry - so it's just a different accounting method.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms? This is all based on high school economics and I have no figures to compare the tax income of flights vs the amount of federal money spent to bail out the airlines, or how many more people would fly with lower rates.
Getting carded
In Pittsburgh, I get carded at bars when they card everyone on the way in, and sometimes at the liquor store, but never at the beer stores.
In Maine, I get carded at bars when they card everyone, grocery stores, but not at the beer store, and not at restaurants.
In Nevada & California, I get carded at the beer store, at restaurants, everywhere. Even with my parents!
Never did I figure California would be more likely to card.
In Maine, I get carded at bars when they card everyone, grocery stores, but not at the beer store, and not at restaurants.
In Nevada & California, I get carded at the beer store, at restaurants, everywhere. Even with my parents!
Never did I figure California would be more likely to card.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
The best article I've ever read about Saudi Arabia
The New Yorker has an excellent article about life in Saudi Arabia.
I've heard from a Qatari friend that Saudi is really that surreal.
(Now on to a global perspective)
It's amazing, living on such a small earth, that we still have people who don't get real news, people who are censored, tribal people who have never seen TV, people who still can't get medical help. What will it take to really flatten the globe, to really have people get equal opportunity everywhere? Ubiquitous internet? Cheap travel? I'm serious, what will it take to have people in China not be censored? What will it take for food to not be wasted in the US, but reallocated months ahead to people who really need it? What will it take for people in rural Africa to get good medical care?
I've heard from a Qatari friend that Saudi is really that surreal.
(Now on to a global perspective)
It's amazing, living on such a small earth, that we still have people who don't get real news, people who are censored, tribal people who have never seen TV, people who still can't get medical help. What will it take to really flatten the globe, to really have people get equal opportunity everywhere? Ubiquitous internet? Cheap travel? I'm serious, what will it take to have people in China not be censored? What will it take for food to not be wasted in the US, but reallocated months ahead to people who really need it? What will it take for people in rural Africa to get good medical care?
Thursday, January 05, 2006
I got lost and ended up in California
Through a thoroughly boring but only minorly noteworthy sequence of events, I am now living on the West Coast. I am in temporary housing until February first, where I hope to have a 'hella' sweet pad.
I graduated, although I'm not sure the school acknowledges it yet - they haven't yet reimbursed me for the spring! I've never met someone who likes their schools enrollment/payment people. If you like yours, please let me know. Carnegie Mellon's HUB suffers from having no competitors.
As a side note, my classmates need to stop getting engaged. Harriet, Trey, and Greg: I'm looking at you. (I really mean: congratulations all! I just feel old now.)
California has a great beverage supplier: Beverages & More, purveyors of great Belgian and American brews. They have almost every beer I'd want to buy. Plus, they carry the official glass ware for custom brews - some men get fine wine glasses, but my beer glass collection will be awesome. Once I have money.
Which brings me to the most fun thing about relocation: I'm shipping my car out to California. The A4 is still in the works, but not for about 6-12 months.
Alright, keep sending me your comments, and I'll keep making fun of your grammar and punctuation. I mean, answer them.
I graduated, although I'm not sure the school acknowledges it yet - they haven't yet reimbursed me for the spring! I've never met someone who likes their schools enrollment/payment people. If you like yours, please let me know. Carnegie Mellon's HUB suffers from having no competitors.
As a side note, my classmates need to stop getting engaged. Harriet, Trey, and Greg: I'm looking at you. (I really mean: congratulations all! I just feel old now.)
California has a great beverage supplier: Beverages & More, purveyors of great Belgian and American brews. They have almost every beer I'd want to buy. Plus, they carry the official glass ware for custom brews - some men get fine wine glasses, but my beer glass collection will be awesome. Once I have money.
Which brings me to the most fun thing about relocation: I'm shipping my car out to California. The A4 is still in the works, but not for about 6-12 months.
Alright, keep sending me your comments, and I'll keep making fun of your grammar and punctuation. I mean, answer them.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Beers I've come home with this break
Allagash White
-Standard, a little over flavored, but good regular beer - very drinkable
Allagash Tripel
-The 9% ABV showed through a little stronger than expected, good but didn't have personality. Very Belgian. Probably not paired well with dinner.
Allagash Grand Cru
-Haven't had it yet
Allagash Curieux
-The 11% ABV was subtle. It went great with pork - it had great personality and strength.
Ommegang Abbey Ale
-Great fruit flavors, loved this beer. Would love to drink it again and again.
Ommegang Hennepin
-Great personality, strong flavors, a little off what I expected, but I'll make sure to get it again.
I love Beer Advocate. Anyone who loves beer should read the site.
-Standard, a little over flavored, but good regular beer - very drinkable
Allagash Tripel
-The 9% ABV showed through a little stronger than expected, good but didn't have personality. Very Belgian. Probably not paired well with dinner.
Allagash Grand Cru
-Haven't had it yet
Allagash Curieux
-The 11% ABV was subtle. It went great with pork - it had great personality and strength.
Ommegang Abbey Ale
-Great fruit flavors, loved this beer. Would love to drink it again and again.
Ommegang Hennepin
-Great personality, strong flavors, a little off what I expected, but I'll make sure to get it again.
I love Beer Advocate. Anyone who loves beer should read the site.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Syriana
I saw Syriana last night, and found it very good.
The movie is a seemingly disjoint set of 4 storylines - but one of them was particularly touching. There's a Pakistani boy in the Persian Gulf who can't find work and can't speak Arabic. He has nothing to do, so he ends up attending an Islamic school. They feed him and give him work, and teach him about Islam. It turns out he's being trained to be a terrorist; however, it's very well written so that you could understand why he would follow this path.
Random language dork:
I could pick up some of the Arabic
I could figure out when it was formal arabic and when it was colloquial
I could (mostly) figure out when it was Farsi or Urdu
The movie is a seemingly disjoint set of 4 storylines - but one of them was particularly touching. There's a Pakistani boy in the Persian Gulf who can't find work and can't speak Arabic. He has nothing to do, so he ends up attending an Islamic school. They feed him and give him work, and teach him about Islam. It turns out he's being trained to be a terrorist; however, it's very well written so that you could understand why he would follow this path.
Random language dork:
I could pick up some of the Arabic
I could figure out when it was formal arabic and when it was colloquial
I could (mostly) figure out when it was Farsi or Urdu
Monday, December 05, 2005
Optimization
I saw some code that prompted the user "This could take a while, are you sure?" when the user asked the code to sort something.
So here's a suggestion for you: optimize code by "optimizing" user expectation.
So here's a suggestion for you: optimize code by "optimizing" user expectation.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Things I wish I'd known freshman year
There are a few things that I wish I knew freshman year or had done differently, and I'd like to enumerate them. Actually some of them I did and found amazingly helpful.
1. Find something to escape in. Find something that makes you completely forget about the assignments, upcoming tests, etc. Life gets so much better when you have a few hours a week when you're completely focued on something that isn't school.
2. Get off campus earlier. I didn't do late night freshman year, I didn't go to the Waterfront, I didn't get to Shadyside more than twice.
3. Try things that you might not like. You might find your new favorite thing.
4. Don't ever hate something. Think that it might be different the next time. I've met people who had one bad experience with a food genre and they think they hate it, but they just had something that wasn't great.
5. Go to concerts of bands you only kind of know, or your friends like. They might show you new music you love.
6. Run an organization. Or at least be a really active officer. You get to see how people in charge you thought were awful were pretty awesome, and you start realizing how much people in charge who seem awesome are gods. Plus, every interview I've had has talked about me running CIA.
7. Date more, when you know it won't work, end it. There are tons of opportunities to date, why try and patch up a bad relationship?
8. Pay attention in class. The things you think you can ignore because they won't be on the test? They'll be in an upper level class, and you'll be at a loss because everyone else understands them.
9. Take a writing course every year. I have noticed my writing skills seriously slipping as I haven't written a paper since sophomore year.
10. Do things that are more practical than theoretical sometimes. For example, learn how to install MySQL and Tomcat and a few libraries if you're a CS major. It's not really covered in classes, but it will help you get jobs - people know you know how to get dirty and you understand the application, not just the theory.
11. Start research in your sophomore year if you can. It's lots of fun, lower stress, and very rewarding.
12. Tutor or TA. Helping people learn teaches you how people learn. You will become a better teacher or explainer (and therefore, a better friend and neighbor).
13. Live in a freshman dorm. I'm still really close with people from my freshman dorm.
14. Join a club. This is related to numbers 1 and 6, but it gives you another base of friends.
15. Take advantage of culture on and off campus. I've been to a bunch of shows downtown, and on campus - and it's made life a lot more fun.
16. Be on a first name basis with your advisor. They can be your biggest advocate in classes, jobs, and life.
1. Find something to escape in. Find something that makes you completely forget about the assignments, upcoming tests, etc. Life gets so much better when you have a few hours a week when you're completely focued on something that isn't school.
2. Get off campus earlier. I didn't do late night freshman year, I didn't go to the Waterfront, I didn't get to Shadyside more than twice.
3. Try things that you might not like. You might find your new favorite thing.
4. Don't ever hate something. Think that it might be different the next time. I've met people who had one bad experience with a food genre and they think they hate it, but they just had something that wasn't great.
5. Go to concerts of bands you only kind of know, or your friends like. They might show you new music you love.
6. Run an organization. Or at least be a really active officer. You get to see how people in charge you thought were awful were pretty awesome, and you start realizing how much people in charge who seem awesome are gods. Plus, every interview I've had has talked about me running CIA.
7. Date more, when you know it won't work, end it. There are tons of opportunities to date, why try and patch up a bad relationship?
8. Pay attention in class. The things you think you can ignore because they won't be on the test? They'll be in an upper level class, and you'll be at a loss because everyone else understands them.
9. Take a writing course every year. I have noticed my writing skills seriously slipping as I haven't written a paper since sophomore year.
10. Do things that are more practical than theoretical sometimes. For example, learn how to install MySQL and Tomcat and a few libraries if you're a CS major. It's not really covered in classes, but it will help you get jobs - people know you know how to get dirty and you understand the application, not just the theory.
11. Start research in your sophomore year if you can. It's lots of fun, lower stress, and very rewarding.
12. Tutor or TA. Helping people learn teaches you how people learn. You will become a better teacher or explainer (and therefore, a better friend and neighbor).
13. Live in a freshman dorm. I'm still really close with people from my freshman dorm.
14. Join a club. This is related to numbers 1 and 6, but it gives you another base of friends.
15. Take advantage of culture on and off campus. I've been to a bunch of shows downtown, and on campus - and it's made life a lot more fun.
16. Be on a first name basis with your advisor. They can be your biggest advocate in classes, jobs, and life.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Automated phone dialing systems
I have a real issue with automated phone dialing systems - systems that call me and don't have a person at the other end
Or a number of smaller issues:
1. Ones that call and leave messages on the answering machine - but don't say who it's for. If it doesn't say who it's for, I won't call back. If a letter comes to my house and it doesn't say who it's for, I'll probably throw it away.
2. Ones that call every 30 minutes until they get an answer - that happened this morning. Leave a message
3. Ones that call me, then say "please wait for a representitive." Interrupt my life to make me wait?
Or a number of smaller issues:
1. Ones that call and leave messages on the answering machine - but don't say who it's for. If it doesn't say who it's for, I won't call back. If a letter comes to my house and it doesn't say who it's for, I'll probably throw it away.
2. Ones that call every 30 minutes until they get an answer - that happened this morning. Leave a message
3. Ones that call me, then say "please wait for a representitive." Interrupt my life to make me wait?
Music rant
I was just looking back through some of my more recent music purchases, and realizing that there were a couple CDs I bought without listening to anything ahead of time, assuming I'd like them.
I did not fully appreciate the following CDs:
Dave Matthews Band: Stand Up
Ben Folds: Songs for Silverman
Both artists have songs I really enjoy, they rock live, but their current offerings don't pull me.
I really like "Landed" from Songs for Silverman, but that's the only song I want to hear twice from either disc.
I did not fully appreciate the following CDs:
Dave Matthews Band: Stand Up
Ben Folds: Songs for Silverman
Both artists have songs I really enjoy, they rock live, but their current offerings don't pull me.
I really like "Landed" from Songs for Silverman, but that's the only song I want to hear twice from either disc.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Good way to obfuscate code!
boolean isDiskFull() {
someReallyStupidSideEffect();
return(diskFullness);
}
regularRoutine() {
if(isDiskFull()); {
//doErrorHandling in here
}
}
Best part about this code? The error handling will always execute, and some side effect will always happen.
I'm not sure I would have allowed the semi colon after an if (or while, or for) without an in between statement - I probably would have required the {} for an empty statement. (Though legitimately, ';' is a statement!)
Friday, November 18, 2005
At least it's something
From asharq alawsat: Israel ’s Arkia Airways and Qatar Airways Sign Deal:
"The Jerusalem Post, which reported the agreement, indicated that Israeli passport holders would be allowed to travel from Tel Aviv to the Jordanian capital Amman on board Arkia flights and then continue their journey, using the same ticket, on Qatar Airways."
That's not saying that Israelis can enter Qatar, or even transit through Doha International Airport, but Israelis can fly on Qatar's planes. I wonder how popular it will be.
[EDIT: I misread the article the first time. The article does say "The airline said in a statement that under the deal, Israelis would not need a visa to be in the transit area in Qatar's airport."]
"The Jerusalem Post, which reported the agreement, indicated that Israeli passport holders would be allowed to travel from Tel Aviv to the Jordanian capital Amman on board Arkia flights and then continue their journey, using the same ticket, on Qatar Airways."
That's not saying that Israelis can enter Qatar, or even transit through Doha International Airport, but Israelis can fly on Qatar's planes. I wonder how popular it will be.
[EDIT: I misread the article the first time. The article does say "The airline said in a statement that under the deal, Israelis would not need a visa to be in the transit area in Qatar's airport."]
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Support New England craft beer by drinking it!
Beers I miss while in Pittsburgh:
Allagash White
Moat Mountain Cathedral Ledge Lager (and the rest of theirs)
... I swear there are more. Though the local beer distributor has probably 3 or 4 Maine brews (Gritty's, and one with a lobster on it)
Allagash White
Moat Mountain Cathedral Ledge Lager (and the rest of theirs)
... I swear there are more. Though the local beer distributor has probably 3 or 4 Maine brews (Gritty's, and one with a lobster on it)
Monday, November 14, 2005
Long Dark Car Ride of the Soul - Part 2
Back in February, I gave an initial Long Dark Car Ride of the Soul play list
I've been working on it, here's version 2
Blue Man Group - "PVC IV" from Audio
BT - "Beta (3AM Mix)" (Download)
The Crystal Method - "Trip Like I Do" from Vegas
The Crystal Method - "Bad Stone" from Vegas
Deftones - "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) [Acoustic]" from Little Nicky
DJ Tiesto - "Lethal Industry" from In My Memory
Raff & Freddy - "Deep Progress" (mixed by Sasha)from Global Underground: Ibiza
Groove Armada - "At the River" from Best of Groove Armada
JAYA - "Precession (Subterranean EP)" from Essential Selection Vol. One (Disc 2)
John Digweed - "ABA Structure / Illusion" from Bedrock (Disc 1)
Radiohead - "Pull/Uulk Revolving Doors" from Amnesiac
Radiohead - "Everything in its Right Place" from Kid A
Sasha - "Baja" from Xpander EP
Underworld - "Dark & Long" from Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Underworld - "Tongue" from Dubnobasswithmyheadman
New additions from Joe:
DJ Shadow - "Blood on the Motorway" from Private Press
DJ Shadow - "Building Steam from a Grain of Salt" from Endtroducing...
I've been working on it, here's version 2
Blue Man Group - "PVC IV" from Audio
BT - "Beta (3AM Mix)" (Download)
The Crystal Method - "Trip Like I Do" from Vegas
The Crystal Method - "Bad Stone" from Vegas
Deftones - "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) [Acoustic]" from Little Nicky
DJ Tiesto - "Lethal Industry" from In My Memory
Raff & Freddy - "Deep Progress" (mixed by Sasha)from Global Underground: Ibiza
Groove Armada - "At the River" from Best of Groove Armada
JAYA - "Precession (Subterranean EP)" from Essential Selection Vol. One (Disc 2)
John Digweed - "ABA Structure / Illusion" from Bedrock (Disc 1)
Radiohead - "Pull/Uulk Revolving Doors" from Amnesiac
Radiohead - "Everything in its Right Place" from Kid A
Sasha - "Baja" from Xpander EP
Underworld - "Dark & Long" from Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Underworld - "Tongue" from Dubnobasswithmyheadman
New additions from Joe:
DJ Shadow - "Blood on the Motorway" from Private Press
DJ Shadow - "Building Steam from a Grain of Salt" from Endtroducing...
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
No, just stop
Just stop with the hating folks.
How about rolling over all current marriages into civil unions, and make marriages a religious thing and civil unions a state thing - then how do you oppose homosexual civil unions?
Maine Coalition for Marriage: please give it up. Thanks. 55% is a good majority. How would you have mobilized 40,000 more people to vote "yes" without a similar number of people to come out and vote "no"? It's time for gay rights, please listen to the tolling of the bell.
NEW DIRECTION (From WGME)
Leaders of the unsuccessful attempt to repeal Maine's gay rights law are saying their main focus now is passing a state constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage. At a news conference this morning, a leader of the Coalition for Marriage invited Governor Baldacci to introduce an amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. But the Reverend Sandy Williams says his side is not abandoning the idea of repealing Maine's gay rights law. Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League of Maine, which also sought to repeal the gay rights law, says Tuesday's loss was not unexpected. His side says that with more time and money, it could have won. Maine becomes the last New England state to adopt a gay rights law. With ballots counted in 94 percent of the state's precincts, the "no" votes calling for keeping the law is ahead 55 percent to 45 percent over the proposal to repeal it. The issue went before voters Tuesday for the third time since 1998. In 1998 and 2000, Maine voters rejected similar gay rights laws.
QUESTION #1
YES: 179,175
NO: 219,404
How about rolling over all current marriages into civil unions, and make marriages a religious thing and civil unions a state thing - then how do you oppose homosexual civil unions?
Maine Coalition for Marriage: please give it up. Thanks. 55% is a good majority. How would you have mobilized 40,000 more people to vote "yes" without a similar number of people to come out and vote "no"? It's time for gay rights, please listen to the tolling of the bell.
NEW DIRECTION (From WGME)
Leaders of the unsuccessful attempt to repeal Maine's gay rights law are saying their main focus now is passing a state constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage. At a news conference this morning, a leader of the Coalition for Marriage invited Governor Baldacci to introduce an amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. But the Reverend Sandy Williams says his side is not abandoning the idea of repealing Maine's gay rights law. Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League of Maine, which also sought to repeal the gay rights law, says Tuesday's loss was not unexpected. His side says that with more time and money, it could have won. Maine becomes the last New England state to adopt a gay rights law. With ballots counted in 94 percent of the state's precincts, the "no" votes calling for keeping the law is ahead 55 percent to 45 percent over the proposal to repeal it. The issue went before voters Tuesday for the third time since 1998. In 1998 and 2000, Maine voters rejected similar gay rights laws.
QUESTION #1
YES: 179,175
NO: 219,404
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Victory for gay rights in Maine
From WGME
GAY RIGHTS VOTE
Mainers vote down a repeal of the so-called "Gay Rights" law, meaning it will stay on the books. With ballots counted in 74% of the state's precincts shortly after midnight, the “no” vote led by a comfortable margin of 56% to 44%. The issue went before voters for the third time since 1998. In 1998 and 2000, voters rejected the gay rights law. The campaign pitted a coalition of mainstream religious and business groups against a network of Christian church groups that see gay rights as an assault on traditional marriage. This year's vote was a referendum on a law enacted earlier this year to amend the Maine Human Rights Act by making discrimination illegal in employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education based on sexual orientation.
QUESTION #1
YES (repeal): 135,910
NO (keep the gay rights law): 171,099
GAY RIGHTS VOTE
Mainers vote down a repeal of the so-called "Gay Rights" law, meaning it will stay on the books. With ballots counted in 74% of the state's precincts shortly after midnight, the “no” vote led by a comfortable margin of 56% to 44%. The issue went before voters for the third time since 1998. In 1998 and 2000, voters rejected the gay rights law. The campaign pitted a coalition of mainstream religious and business groups against a network of Christian church groups that see gay rights as an assault on traditional marriage. This year's vote was a referendum on a law enacted earlier this year to amend the Maine Human Rights Act by making discrimination illegal in employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education based on sexual orientation.
QUESTION #1
YES (repeal): 135,910
NO (keep the gay rights law): 171,099
The saddest part
I've been reading a bit of anti-gay-rights campaigning. The saddest part is that it's apparent these people don't just dislike gay rights laws, they actually actively hate and fear gay people.
Jesus never taught us to hate, right?
Every few years, the Maine legislature passes a gay rights bill, and soon after, the religious right come in and organize a referendum to override the bill.
Well, this year is more of the same. The people behind overturning it, largely Maine's Coalition for Marriage, has been very fun in their hate of the passage.
Let's see how they tell you why you should vote against gay rights if you're a man
Right, because everyone who is gay is a sexual deviant - 100% of men and women who are gay own whips and sheep.
The law says only that gay people can have equal rights - I don't think they're suddenly giving the green light to necrophilia.
From the news stories, I'm pretty sure that the ousted priests aren't heroes. Plus, nudism has nothing to do with being gay. And that guy who dressed as a girl at the halloween party really screwed up my ideas of right and wrong.
I'm pretty sure lots of guys are still proud of being fathers in Canada, it's never been a swear word. Lots of gay men are proud fathers and husbands.
Very bad law! Strong language!
Ok, now on to why I should vote against it if I care about children.
I never heard about being gay at school til I had other kids from yelling "FAG!" at me. Strange. They could have used a book about why being gay was alright so they don't punch their TV when "Queer Eye" comes on.
Maybe Daddy's in college?
So, gay implies all sexual deviance now. Interesting.
Under the current law, a terrorist cannot be barred from a job as a public school teacher on the basis of his sexual orientation. But he probably can be barred from a job as a teacher based on BEING A PEDOPHILE. Gay does not imply pedophilel.
I'm pretty sure most school kids get emotionally injured more from people calling them gay and them feeling shamefully about it than having gay teachers or having a little tolerance taught, but you never know.
And now, why our ladies should vote yes
This has a lot of fun places to start, but I'll start from the beginning.
Gay men are still men
Lesbians are still women
Right?
By this argument, of "men are men and women are women" my mom needs to get the hell back in the kitchen. What ever happened to equality of the sexes? This is insanely reinforcing gender roles.
If they succeed today in repealing this law, I don't think those books will stop being taught. They're two separate issues.
The hidden agenda of tolerance, equality, and equal rights.
From their FAQ
I was discriminated against in high school for not being religious, by my peers. I've never seen someone discriminated against ffor being Christian in America.
Of course, being out is being inappropriate. And being appropriate means lying about who you really are.
I really have work to do, but I hope Mainers finally allow a law giving equal footing to the gay community to stand today.
Well, this year is more of the same. The people behind overturning it, largely Maine's Coalition for Marriage, has been very fun in their hate of the passage.
Let's see how they tell you why you should vote against gay rights if you're a man
Why Men should Vote YES
Men should vote YES in order to take a stand for their families. Ware you willing to sit by while our Legislature and ultra-liberal Governor say that all forms of sexual deviance are welcome in Maine no matter how bizarre?
Right, because everyone who is gay is a sexual deviant - 100% of men and women who are gay own whips and sheep.
The law says only that gay people can have equal rights - I don't think they're suddenly giving the green light to necrophilia.
Are you willing to sit by, while the Boy Scouts are labeled as haters, and cross-dressers, nudists, and pedophiles are praised as heroes?
From the news stories, I'm pretty sure that the ousted priests aren't heroes. Plus, nudism has nothing to do with being gay. And that guy who dressed as a girl at the halloween party really screwed up my ideas of right and wrong.
Are you willing to see the words FATHER and HUSBAND written out of the law as hateful and bigoted, as already happened in Canada?
I'm pretty sure lots of guys are still proud of being fathers in Canada, it's never been a swear word. Lots of gay men are proud fathers and husbands.
If not, protect the ones you love by voting YES to repeal this very bad law
Very bad law! Strong language!
Ok, now on to why I should vote against it if I care about children.
Why a YES vote is good for children.
Children need a YES vote to protect them from the hidden agenda at school.
I never heard about being gay at school til I had other kids from yelling "FAG!" at me. Strange. They could have used a book about why being gay was alright so they don't punch their TV when "Queer Eye" comes on.
The hidden agenda is the normalization of homosexuality in the public schools through books as "Heather has Two Mommies" and "Daddy Has a Roommate"
Maybe Daddy's in college?
Every child deserves a healthy and safe environment at school. Sexual deviance has no place in a school system that is already falling way behind in the teaching of basic subjects. The classroom is not a place to experiment with a redefinition of marriage and the family.
So, gay implies all sexual deviance now. Interesting.
Under the current law, a pedophile cannot be barred from a job as a public school teacher on the basis of his sexual orientation.
Under the current law, a terrorist cannot be barred from a job as a public school teacher on the basis of his sexual orientation. But he probably can be barred from a job as a teacher based on BEING A PEDOPHILE. Gay does not imply pedophilel.
In short, a YES vote will help protect your little ones at school.
I'm pretty sure most school kids get emotionally injured more from people calling them gay and them feeling shamefully about it than having gay teachers or having a little tolerance taught, but you never know.
And now, why our ladies should vote yes
Why women should vote yes
Women should vote YES in order to take a stand for the family. Women have the common sense to know that every child needs to know that boys are boys and girls are girls. Impressionabble young children need to be shielded from a dangerous hidden agenda which deliberately tries to blur the lines between the sexes, against the wishes of the parents.
This has a lot of fun places to start, but I'll start from the beginning.
Gay men are still men
Lesbians are still women
Right?
By this argument, of "men are men and women are women" my mom needs to get the hell back in the kitchen. What ever happened to equality of the sexes? This is insanely reinforcing gender roles.
Textbooks such as "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy Has a Roommate" promote a hidden agenda to redefine the family. Parents have no say in this dangerous experiment. Is the homosexual rights movement so powerful that it can teach students what they should believe against the wishes of their parents?
If they succeed today in repealing this law, I don't think those books will stop being taught. They're two separate issues.
Women should vote yes to protect their little ones from the hidden agenda.
The hidden agenda of tolerance, equality, and equal rights.
From their FAQ
Is there discrimination in Maine?(cut for brevity)
Against Christians who dare to publicly defend the gospel, yes. Against "gays" . . . no way. Maine citizens who are appropriate (private) about their sexuality have always been respected in Maine.
I was discriminated against in high school for not being religious, by my peers. I've never seen someone discriminated against ffor being Christian in America.
Of course, being out is being inappropriate. And being appropriate means lying about who you really are.
I really have work to do, but I hope Mainers finally allow a law giving equal footing to the gay community to stand today.
Blockbuster, we are confused
I thought that the local Blockbuster was still doing "No Late Fees" (which was a lie, but the policy behind it meant you could keep a movie out much longer). But they weren't, and had signs up all over the place to that effect - all of which I ignored when I rented 3 movies and kept them all 8 days longer than I should have.
I'm very confused
I'm very confused by Pittsburgh.
We had thunderstorms Sunday, today, and we're forecasted to have a few more.
It's November.
I do want to see a thunder-snow-storm before I die though
We had thunderstorms Sunday, today, and we're forecasted to have a few more.
It's November.
I do want to see a thunder-snow-storm before I die though
Monday, November 07, 2005
The benefits of living in NYC
Usually, I am pretty dang glad I'm not in New York City.
But right now, I take that back. I wish I could go to The Battle Over Books at the New York Public Library.
The flyer for this.
Plus, Paul van Dyk is at Roxy NYC November 11.
But right now, I take that back. I wish I could go to The Battle Over Books at the New York Public Library.
The flyer for this.
Plus, Paul van Dyk is at Roxy NYC November 11.
Uneven PowerBook illumination
I love my PowerBook 12", purchased February 2005.
However, I have had it in a number of times for repairs
1. Display brightness uneven (went to repair depot)
2. Airport card connection had to be reseated because the laptop fell on to carpet (quick, in store)
3. New ComboDrive because the laptop, in a lightly padded sleeve, in a laptop bag, fell on to carpet from 2 feet (went to repair depot)
4. I think it'll go in again soon for the same display brightness issue.
I now find out that the brightness issue is perennial (Discussion forum on topic). Weird, and disappointing. Laptops are supposed to be heavy duty, I remember stories about dropping laptops off tables onto hard surfaces and the laptops were supposed to survive unharmed. So although I really enjoy OS X, and the form factor, I'm not sure which laptop I'll buy next time.
However, I have had it in a number of times for repairs
1. Display brightness uneven (went to repair depot)
2. Airport card connection had to be reseated because the laptop fell on to carpet (quick, in store)
3. New ComboDrive because the laptop, in a lightly padded sleeve, in a laptop bag, fell on to carpet from 2 feet (went to repair depot)
4. I think it'll go in again soon for the same display brightness issue.
I now find out that the brightness issue is perennial (Discussion forum on topic). Weird, and disappointing. Laptops are supposed to be heavy duty, I remember stories about dropping laptops off tables onto hard surfaces and the laptops were supposed to survive unharmed. So although I really enjoy OS X, and the form factor, I'm not sure which laptop I'll buy next time.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Worst advertising targetting ever
I've complained in the past about the untargetted advertising on Yahoo Mail, huge 200x200 or more banners for University of Phoenix Online. (Right now, 425x600 pixels for a credit check).
That's alright, they don't have all that much information about me, I'll forgive the untargetted advertising, although I could deal without the huge dimensions.
Well Facebook, who does know a lot about me and about its target audience, right now has an ad up for Strayer University, a multi campus, questionable quality institution. But I'm already at college! So why put college ads on a website you must already be in college to see? They do a few grad programs, like IS, MBA, MIS, Accounting, but it just seems like a poor use of a university's money to advertise an online university to one of the top schools in the country.
That's alright, they don't have all that much information about me, I'll forgive the untargetted advertising, although I could deal without the huge dimensions.
Well Facebook, who does know a lot about me and about its target audience, right now has an ad up for Strayer University, a multi campus, questionable quality institution. But I'm already at college! So why put college ads on a website you must already be in college to see? They do a few grad programs, like IS, MBA, MIS, Accounting, but it just seems like a poor use of a university's money to advertise an online university to one of the top schools in the country.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Test drive!
I test drove an Audi A4 today. I liked. It only has 170 horses compared to the 200 of the new A4s. But all in all, it drives well, had smooth acceleration, etc.
Now hopefully I can find an S4 with about the same milage etc.
Now hopefully I can find an S4 with about the same milage etc.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Movies I need to see
Howl's Moving Castle
Transporter 2
Good Night & Good Luck
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Transporter 2
Good Night & Good Luck
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Relocation madness
I have a relocation contact at Google.
I have a relocation company (Plus Relocation) that Google hires.
I have a relocation company that Plus Relocation hires to move my stuff.
I have a relocation company that Plus Relocation hires to find me temporary housing.
I have contacts at all of these.
Moving's hard, let's go party
I have a relocation company (Plus Relocation) that Google hires.
I have a relocation company that Plus Relocation hires to move my stuff.
I have a relocation company that Plus Relocation hires to find me temporary housing.
I have contacts at all of these.
Moving's hard, let's go party
Monday, October 17, 2005
The ambiguity, the move
Purchased:
One way to San Jose for 1/2/2006
One way San Jose to Reno for 1/5/2006
One way Reno to San Jose 1/15/2006 (thought I wouldn't go to San Jose first when I bought this ticket)
California dreamin...
One way to San Jose for 1/2/2006
One way San Jose to Reno for 1/5/2006
One way Reno to San Jose 1/15/2006 (thought I wouldn't go to San Jose first when I bought this ticket)
California dreamin...
Friday, October 14, 2005
Car comparison
So, here's a grid of the cars I'm looking at. Requirement: standard transmission, AWD wagon.
Why is the Audi S4 do damned heavy?
(This isn't really my purchase list - I can't afford half of these new, and I'm not a big fan of Subarus, so my hope right now is a 2000-2005 used S4 wagon)
Why is the Audi S4 do damned heavy?
(This isn't really my purchase list - I can't afford half of these new, and I'm not a big fan of Subarus, so my hope right now is a 2000-2005 used S4 wagon)
| Make | Model | Engine | Horsepower | Weight in pounds |
| Audi | A4 | 2.0T i4 | 200 | 3671 |
| Audi | S4 | 4.2 v8 | 340 | 3957 |
| Subaru | Impreza WRX | 2.5T flat4 | 230 | 3252 |
| Subaru | Impreza | 2.5 flat4 | 173 | 3071 |
| Subaru | Outback XT | 2.5T flat4 | 250 | 3415 |
| Volvo | V50 | 2.5T i5 | 218 | 3263 |
| Volvo | V70 | 2.5T i5 | 300 | 3646 |
| BMW | 325xi | 2.5 i6 | 215 | 3737 |
| BMW | 530xi | 3.0 i6 | 255 | 3858 |
Other effects of the information age
When someone says good morning to you, the proper response is "good morning", right?
What about when the person is 7 time zones ahead?
It's just kind of disorienting, especially when I just woke up!
What about when the person is 7 time zones ahead?
It's just kind of disorienting, especially when I just woke up!
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Tabletized
I am tutoring an advanced programming course this semester - a sophomore level course, where students learn how to translate complex algorithms into code. Advanced programming as a sophomore and not as a senior? yeah, the difference between programming and computer science... ask me if you really want to know.
I'm tutoring a couple students in Pittsburgh, and I'll start tutoring a few of the CMU-Qatar students soon. I learned how important face interaction and having a white board of piece of paper there really is for tutoring - so the remote tutoring will take place with a webcam and a Tablet PC from HP. I hope it can transmit intuition as well as pencil and paper, or whiteboard - but the latency of the drawing, the barrier to understand fully what someone else is thinking, is hard to fake through the internet. (As a side note, I found IBM's virtual, distributed offices with phone conferences and web conferences to be terribly cold and much less effective than face time. I like people)
We'll see how this experiment goes. I'll let you know.
I'm tutoring a couple students in Pittsburgh, and I'll start tutoring a few of the CMU-Qatar students soon. I learned how important face interaction and having a white board of piece of paper there really is for tutoring - so the remote tutoring will take place with a webcam and a Tablet PC from HP. I hope it can transmit intuition as well as pencil and paper, or whiteboard - but the latency of the drawing, the barrier to understand fully what someone else is thinking, is hard to fake through the internet. (As a side note, I found IBM's virtual, distributed offices with phone conferences and web conferences to be terribly cold and much less effective than face time. I like people)
We'll see how this experiment goes. I'll let you know.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Un-targeted advertising
So to completely switch gears from targeted advertising, today's gem is un-targeted advertising.
TartanTrak front page
Anything look out of wack on that? That's right, McDonald's. TartanTrak is part of MonsterTrak, but every college I know of uses MonsterTrak as a career management utility for their students. So I imagine McDonald's would just say "Hey I want to go to all college students!" If they get anyone from Carnegie Mellon, I'd be amazed.
Or maybe it is targeted. And my career center is telling me I'm not good enough for a job in my major.
[EDIT: This is where the link goes - a general page, not tuned for college grads, that's for sure]
TartanTrak front page
Anything look out of wack on that? That's right, McDonald's. TartanTrak is part of MonsterTrak, but every college I know of uses MonsterTrak as a career management utility for their students. So I imagine McDonald's would just say "Hey I want to go to all college students!" If they get anyone from Carnegie Mellon, I'd be amazed.
Or maybe it is targeted. And my career center is telling me I'm not good enough for a job in my major.
[EDIT: This is where the link goes - a general page, not tuned for college grads, that's for sure]
Thursday, October 06, 2005
More thoughts of things that could be cooler
I was sitting on the lawn today, having a delicious lunch from Sree's truck, when the parking garage alarm starts to go off. And keeps going off. (In case you're wondering, I got tarimand chicken, spinach potato, and grape leaf curry. The grape leaf curry is amazing.)
The fire department gets summoned every time a building's alarm goes off without warning. But I'd guess fewer than 1/3 of these are real, summonable issues. The other 2/3 could be cancelled within a minute (which is probably under the amount of time it takes the fire trucks to leave the station).
So how do we avoid summoning trucks in these cases? I propose a way for a phone system to integrate with the alarm system - during an alarm a person could pick up the phone, hit a special key (let's say #), and immediately get either the station or the dispatcher. The station or dispatcher get the context when the call's coming in - there's an alarm going off where the call is coming from. It's alrady their primary mental focus - getting to the scene of the disaster.
Why this is cool: It's easier than remembering the dispatcher's phone number, and it instantly, without much effort, gets you in contact with the people who are on their way. It could be even intelligent enough to dispatch to the exact station that's coming, if you might have trucks from one of several stations.
Why this is better than 911: 911 doesn't immediately associate the incoming phone number with the alarm, and even if they do, they're focused on other things too. So it requires a mental switch, and them to contact either the station or the dispatcher. Too much time explaining to prevent the firemen from actually having to leave.
Policy issues: Who can cancel the call? An arsonist might try to cancel the trucks - but we could either allow only certain phones (like the lobby-person's phone, or a secure phone), or require security personnel to cancel it by entering a PIN.
The fire department gets summoned every time a building's alarm goes off without warning. But I'd guess fewer than 1/3 of these are real, summonable issues. The other 2/3 could be cancelled within a minute (which is probably under the amount of time it takes the fire trucks to leave the station).
So how do we avoid summoning trucks in these cases? I propose a way for a phone system to integrate with the alarm system - during an alarm a person could pick up the phone, hit a special key (let's say #), and immediately get either the station or the dispatcher. The station or dispatcher get the context when the call's coming in - there's an alarm going off where the call is coming from. It's alrady their primary mental focus - getting to the scene of the disaster.
Why this is cool: It's easier than remembering the dispatcher's phone number, and it instantly, without much effort, gets you in contact with the people who are on their way. It could be even intelligent enough to dispatch to the exact station that's coming, if you might have trucks from one of several stations.
Why this is better than 911: 911 doesn't immediately associate the incoming phone number with the alarm, and even if they do, they're focused on other things too. So it requires a mental switch, and them to contact either the station or the dispatcher. Too much time explaining to prevent the firemen from actually having to leave.
Policy issues: Who can cancel the call? An arsonist might try to cancel the trucks - but we could either allow only certain phones (like the lobby-person's phone, or a secure phone), or require security personnel to cancel it by entering a PIN.
I had a dream...
I had a dream last night I was in Qatar at a supermarket, searching for Gatorade. But for some reason it had a pet store in it too, and I definitely can't remember to speak Arabic in my dreams. But for some reason my car made it to the middle east.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Facebook and targetted advertising: old school
Facebook, for those of you who don't know, is a social network for college students. People have pretty wide ranging browsing ability at their own schools - so you can find the guy you crush on who you know 3 things about, or find out who knows that girl you like so you can know if she's nice.
I have 2 facebook accounts - one from my Pitt email address (thanks to Arabic) and one from my CMU account. Both were set as CS concentration.
On the CMU account, I see an ad for jobs at Facebook, front and center on the home page. Not where they put ads normally. On the Pitt account, I don't. Interesting...
So I change my major in my profile from CS to English on the CMU one, and the ad disappears.
So yes, folks, Facebook only wants CS majors (maybe some others) from select schools.
I have 2 facebook accounts - one from my Pitt email address (thanks to Arabic) and one from my CMU account. Both were set as CS concentration.
On the CMU account, I see an ad for jobs at Facebook, front and center on the home page. Not where they put ads normally. On the Pitt account, I don't. Interesting...
So I change my major in my profile from CS to English on the CMU one, and the ad disappears.
So yes, folks, Facebook only wants CS majors (maybe some others) from select schools.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
And in other news
And in other news, I begin on January 16 instead of February 6, so I can go to the Google Global Sales Conference
Friday, September 30, 2005
The real deal
I have accepted a position at Google, working in Partner Services as a Web Applications Engineer in Mountain View, California. I start February 6, but will be out there the first of February probably.
I'll be giving my dad my car and buying a new car in California. Plus I get to rent a car for a month - probably an SUV for getting things.
I don't know where I'll live yet, but they provide a furnished apartment for up to a month. Shashi has an extra bedroom - so that's a possibility.
I am very excited :)
I'll be giving my dad my car and buying a new car in California. Plus I get to rent a car for a month - probably an SUV for getting things.
I don't know where I'll live yet, but they provide a furnished apartment for up to a month. Shashi has an extra bedroom - so that's a possibility.
I am very excited :)
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
The disappointment of Carnegie Mellon West
Carnegie Mellon West sounded really cool to me. I mean, being able to continue studying at Carnegie Mellon on the west coast, 2 miles from my job? Hotness.
But check out their schedule. It's a professional masters in software engineering. No offense, as I will be a software engineer, but I really would like a professional program that has some theory classes.
So I guess if I want to study while working, the solution's really Stanford. Shucks.
But check out their schedule. It's a professional masters in software engineering. No offense, as I will be a software engineer, but I really would like a professional program that has some theory classes.
So I guess if I want to study while working, the solution's really Stanford. Shucks.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Again more things that need to be fixed in computers
Arabic is a little buggy on the Mac. It may have "just worked" to get it installed, but the directions of the right and left key swap when the keyboard's backwards.
It's like no one who programmed it actually uses it
I've noticed similar things from Google Arabic too.
It's like no one who programmed it actually uses it
I've noticed similar things from Google Arabic too.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Saturday, September 24, 2005
And in other news
And in other news, I finally got my first ticket for parking in Pittsburgh.
PARKING VIOLATION:
PITTSBURGH ORDINANCE 541.1C4
No Parking - street cleaning
Reminder to self: when the parking spot seems too good to be true at midnight, it probably is.
PARKING VIOLATION:
PITTSBURGH ORDINANCE 541.1C4
No Parking - street cleaning
Reminder to self: when the parking spot seems too good to be true at midnight, it probably is.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Things that are random
I got Paul van Dyk's new 2 cd set, called The Politics of Dancing, Vol 2.. The first volume (The Politics of Dancing) was one of the first electronic CDs I got. It is amazing. I highly recommend it as an intro to trance or dance.
I preordered the CD 3 weeks ago. Today I got the CD, and I got two disc 2s. Amazon has this really cool return system though; you can print out a return label and mail it back in postage paid. I think they're shipping out the replacement before I even send the original back.
E-Commerce has really gotten a lot easier than its early days.
As a side note, I'm off to Boston tomorrow. Had to buy new shoes and a garment bag, but I think the garment bag will come in handy throughout life.
I preordered the CD 3 weeks ago. Today I got the CD, and I got two disc 2s. Amazon has this really cool return system though; you can print out a return label and mail it back in postage paid. I think they're shipping out the replacement before I even send the original back.
E-Commerce has really gotten a lot easier than its early days.
As a side note, I'm off to Boston tomorrow. Had to buy new shoes and a garment bag, but I think the garment bag will come in handy throughout life.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Taking an inventory
When I was working on my resume, I realized it had a lot of fluff. I had jobs whose bullets were obvious from the title, I had many bullets I didn't need.
So I thought about it, and I realized that I needed to figure out what I wanted my resume to say, then get rid of everything that didn't contribute to that. Instead of "TA for database course" having 3 bullets, it got 0. I didn't want to explain what I'd done, I wanted to show that I know what I'm talking about with databases. Jobs from 2000 didn't need 3 bullets, as I've done those things later in life.
But basically, condensing what you want to say down into a few major points is really powerful. As much as you live every day exhibiting these traits, taking an inventory and making them stronger, more pronounced, will stengthen your conviction. And it will surprise you how cool you are.
So I thought about it, and I realized that I needed to figure out what I wanted my resume to say, then get rid of everything that didn't contribute to that. Instead of "TA for database course" having 3 bullets, it got 0. I didn't want to explain what I'd done, I wanted to show that I know what I'm talking about with databases. Jobs from 2000 didn't need 3 bullets, as I've done those things later in life.
But basically, condensing what you want to say down into a few major points is really powerful. As much as you live every day exhibiting these traits, taking an inventory and making them stronger, more pronounced, will stengthen your conviction. And it will surprise you how cool you are.
There are many ways ticketmaster sucks
... and it's not just how they charge too much in fees.
This summer, I'd go to the Ticketmaster site, search for events around "Durham." It would then say "Which Durham do you want?" I'd select Durham NC. Then it would bring me back to the front page, Durham auto entered for the region I wanted to search around, without the state. I'd be ambiguous, it would get specific, and then it would cause me to get back to the same error. Cruel UI design.
Just try it: go to Ticketmaster's site, search for events in the next 14 days for Durham, and feel my pain. Plus, it would tell me The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach was in the Raleigh area. It's 4 hours away.
So I'm thinking of moving to the California Bay Area. (Also thinking of Boston, Austin, etc) I want to see what kind of arts are in San Francisco - how often San Francisco has musicals, plays, etc. So I enter San Francisco, and it spits out Northern California/Northern Nevada. Technically it's only three and half hours to Reno, but I see no way to limit regions more specifically than this. They used to have a "x miles from" feature on their search. Yes, Ticketmaster has gotten progressively worse and less usable over the years.
They could do so much, instead, they are lazy with $10/ticket fees and a monopoly.
This summer, I'd go to the Ticketmaster site, search for events around "Durham." It would then say "Which Durham do you want?" I'd select Durham NC. Then it would bring me back to the front page, Durham auto entered for the region I wanted to search around, without the state. I'd be ambiguous, it would get specific, and then it would cause me to get back to the same error. Cruel UI design.
Just try it: go to Ticketmaster's site, search for events in the next 14 days for Durham, and feel my pain. Plus, it would tell me The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach was in the Raleigh area. It's 4 hours away.
So I'm thinking of moving to the California Bay Area. (Also thinking of Boston, Austin, etc) I want to see what kind of arts are in San Francisco - how often San Francisco has musicals, plays, etc. So I enter San Francisco, and it spits out Northern California/Northern Nevada. Technically it's only three and half hours to Reno, but I see no way to limit regions more specifically than this. They used to have a "x miles from" feature on their search. Yes, Ticketmaster has gotten progressively worse and less usable over the years.
They could do so much, instead, they are lazy with $10/ticket fees and a monopoly.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Learning from domain specific compression
There are two compression techniques I know of basically - one compresses every character based on its frequency - if 'a' is used a lot, it could be '01' while if 'x' is rarely used, it would be represented as '100101' or something long. This is called huffman coding.
The other type is LZW encoding - it has to do with a fixed length code, but variable length of what the code represents - so if we've seen "aaaaaaa" a lot before, it could be encoded in only 8 bits.
So here's one for you - music encoding. Let's say we're encoding notes. So we might have "bs3q" or something like that - b sharp, 3rd octave above the lowest octave we'll encode, quarter note. We could use LZW for this - it might be nice if we see a lot of notes in one octave. Huffman might be a little naive - if all the notes are in one octave, there would be plenty of overhead to keep entering bits for the octave.
So think about music - sheet music is fairly sparse compared to the representation I described. At the beginning, it says which octave it is, which notes are sharp, and the time. If we could encode that only once, it might be useful.
But that's not the point - I could write the desnsist representation of music ever, and then run huffman and or lzw over it. But the beauty of XML is readable markup - so how do we compress this extremely densely while having the original being uber readable? How do we use smarter compression algorithms than Huffman & LZW?
I'd love to check into "smarter" compression techniques - not necessarily ones tuned for music or another format, but ones that take into account how humans like to represent data (ie: not referring to an external table, but having all information available at their point of focus) and seeing if there's a better way to compress data meant to be read by humans - based on how the mind really likes to work, and how humans actually write naturally.
Just for fun.
The other type is LZW encoding - it has to do with a fixed length code, but variable length of what the code represents - so if we've seen "aaaaaaa" a lot before, it could be encoded in only 8 bits.
So here's one for you - music encoding. Let's say we're encoding notes. So we might have "bs3q" or something like that - b sharp, 3rd octave above the lowest octave we'll encode, quarter note. We could use LZW for this - it might be nice if we see a lot of notes in one octave. Huffman might be a little naive - if all the notes are in one octave, there would be plenty of overhead to keep entering bits for the octave.
So think about music - sheet music is fairly sparse compared to the representation I described. At the beginning, it says which octave it is, which notes are sharp, and the time. If we could encode that only once, it might be useful.
But that's not the point - I could write the desnsist representation of music ever, and then run huffman and or lzw over it. But the beauty of XML is readable markup - so how do we compress this extremely densely while having the original being uber readable? How do we use smarter compression algorithms than Huffman & LZW?
I'd love to check into "smarter" compression techniques - not necessarily ones tuned for music or another format, but ones that take into account how humans like to represent data (ie: not referring to an external table, but having all information available at their point of focus) and seeing if there's a better way to compress data meant to be read by humans - based on how the mind really likes to work, and how humans actually write naturally.
Just for fun.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Warning: nerd post
The general idea behind Google's ranking (and the other major search players) is that a page's rank is directly proportional how much time someone who randomly clicks links would spend on that page.
It's called the random surfer model - if I click around and spend 1 second on every page, but spend 5000 seconds on yahoo.com and 5 seconds on stupidpage.com, then Yahoo's rank is 1000 times greater than stupidpage's.
But all of this is neglecting how people use the web now. Who actually surfs? Is there a better way to rank pages, having to do with how emails, IMs, and away messages fly around for faddish cult favorites? What about with the fact that searching is how I get to most pages, not browsing?
Don't get me wrong, PageRank works pretty well, but I'm starting to get annoyed with some of the automated properties of it: like how the top result on lyrics search invariably starts the JVM and tries to do a java exploit
Okay, so until next time, keep sending me your questions, and I will keep making fun of your punctuation and spelling. I mean, answer them.
It's called the random surfer model - if I click around and spend 1 second on every page, but spend 5000 seconds on yahoo.com and 5 seconds on stupidpage.com, then Yahoo's rank is 1000 times greater than stupidpage's.
But all of this is neglecting how people use the web now. Who actually surfs? Is there a better way to rank pages, having to do with how emails, IMs, and away messages fly around for faddish cult favorites? What about with the fact that searching is how I get to most pages, not browsing?
Don't get me wrong, PageRank works pretty well, but I'm starting to get annoyed with some of the automated properties of it: like how the top result on lyrics search invariably starts the JVM and tries to do a java exploit
Okay, so until next time, keep sending me your questions, and I will keep making fun of your punctuation and spelling. I mean, answer them.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Hey Tim - Thanks for the quote
Bill Maher Excerpt
"""
New Rule: America must recall the president. That's – that's what this country needs. A good, old-fashioned, California-style recall election! Complete with Gary Coleman, porno actresses and action film stars. And just like Schwarzenegger's predecessor here in California, George Bush is now so unpopular, he must defend his jog against…Russell Crowe. Because at this point, I want a leader who will throw a phone at somebody. In fact, let's have only phone throwers. Naomi Campbell can be the vice-president!
Now, I kid, but seriously, Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you anymore. There's no more money to spend. You used up all of that. You can't start another war because you also used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people.
Yeah, listen to your mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit card's maxed out, and no one is speaking to you: mission accomplished! [laughter] Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service. And the oil company. And the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or spaceman?!
Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying that there's so many other things that you, as president, could involve yourself in…Please don't. I know, I know, there's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela, and eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote. But, sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man.
Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire metropolis to rising water and snakes.
On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two Trade Centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans…Maybe you're just not lucky!
I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. So, yes, God does speak to you, and what he's saying is, “Take a hint.”
"""
"""
New Rule: America must recall the president. That's – that's what this country needs. A good, old-fashioned, California-style recall election! Complete with Gary Coleman, porno actresses and action film stars. And just like Schwarzenegger's predecessor here in California, George Bush is now so unpopular, he must defend his jog against…Russell Crowe. Because at this point, I want a leader who will throw a phone at somebody. In fact, let's have only phone throwers. Naomi Campbell can be the vice-president!
Now, I kid, but seriously, Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you anymore. There's no more money to spend. You used up all of that. You can't start another war because you also used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people.
Yeah, listen to your mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit card's maxed out, and no one is speaking to you: mission accomplished! [laughter] Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service. And the oil company. And the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or spaceman?!
Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying that there's so many other things that you, as president, could involve yourself in…Please don't. I know, I know, there's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela, and eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote. But, sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man.
Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire metropolis to rising water and snakes.
On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two Trade Centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans…Maybe you're just not lucky!
I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. So, yes, God does speak to you, and what he's saying is, “Take a hint.”
"""
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Sometimes, things just work on a Mac.
Today, I wanted to see how hard it would be to type Arabic on one of my computers. On my Windows XP desktop, I can't do it yet because I don't have the Windows CD. Apparently Apple decided OS X should install with Arabic support by default, and now I can switch quickly between US-English-QWERTY and Arabic-QWERTY.
Maha and Yasmine spent a bit of time this morning helping me properly type several Arabic words I know already - like Shukran (thanks), Qatar, and habeebety (female sweety).
There are a few things that don't work so well right now though - Apple decided to overload AppleKey + Space, so I can't use that to switch keyboard types. Switching between english and Arabic has some really weird properties. Backspace going to the right also bugged me at first. TextEdit just doesn't behave "right" with Arabic - sometimes artifacts are left after characters are deleted.
But all in all - chatting with my friends in Adium in Arabic works pretty well! Unicode is a good thing!
Maha and Yasmine spent a bit of time this morning helping me properly type several Arabic words I know already - like Shukran (thanks), Qatar, and habeebety (female sweety).
There are a few things that don't work so well right now though - Apple decided to overload AppleKey + Space, so I can't use that to switch keyboard types. Switching between english and Arabic has some really weird properties. Backspace going to the right also bugged me at first. TextEdit just doesn't behave "right" with Arabic - sometimes artifacts are left after characters are deleted.
But all in all - chatting with my friends in Adium in Arabic works pretty well! Unicode is a good thing!
Thursday, September 08, 2005
The next thing I hope to see from iTunes...
The next thing I want to see from iTunes is the ability for easy synchronization between two computers under one account through direct connection (LAN, whatever, Apple doesn't have to give bandwidth).
I, right now, use ourTunes to download one library from one computer to another - but it's not easy to grab just the new or updated files, and it doesn't update meta-data (play count, etc). Another friend uses CVS for this task - same issues, and a little heavyweight for what I want to do.
Just downloading files also won't update the playlists and the podcasts on another computer. So right now - the work flow just is awkward - this really is an important feature Apple should get to. I really enjoy iTunes, but having two computers that should have the exact same files and playlists (but don't) is very annoying.
I, right now, use ourTunes to download one library from one computer to another - but it's not easy to grab just the new or updated files, and it doesn't update meta-data (play count, etc). Another friend uses CVS for this task - same issues, and a little heavyweight for what I want to do.
Just downloading files also won't update the playlists and the podcasts on another computer. So right now - the work flow just is awkward - this really is an important feature Apple should get to. I really enjoy iTunes, but having two computers that should have the exact same files and playlists (but don't) is very annoying.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Growing up
Some parents add themselves to college packing list
Key Excerpts
This seems like an interesting article - especially in light of the whole parents not letting their kids fail issue. Let them bump their heads - we never will feel real joy until we feel real pain. And what about when parent can't solve things for their kids anymore? How will the kid cope? I say really poorly.
Mark Stehlik delivered a great "last lecture" on failure and its importance in life. The abstract is
So parents: go away. No, seriously. We'll call home once a week, and we'll struggle through bad roommates, picking classes, finding food, buying clothes, editing our papers, and getting hung over. We have school help for that.
You want us to be happy? We'll never feel prouder at graduation than if it's something we managed on our own, when we've made it through the trials, the failures, the heartbreaks that are inevitable in a college experience. We'll forge true bonds with the friends that helped us through it. We'll know how to handle work, life, living with a partner better that way. We'll love you for giving us the space to run. We'll grow up to be stronger.
Key Excerpts
[Two parents] said they would be talking to [their freshman daughter] often, at least once a day, but more likely two or three times daily.
[One parent] expected to be in almost daily contact with the student-affairs office as well - as she was for her first daughter - to work out the kinks.
Today's college students are e-mailing their papers home for their parents' inspection before turning them in. Their parents in turn are stepping in to solve roommate problems, helping students pick out courses and demanding improvements to their rooms.
[One student] said parents want to attend their children's adviser sessions.
[The director of counseling at Colby] said the urge is strong among baby boomer parents to smooth away the issues.
This seems like an interesting article - especially in light of the whole parents not letting their kids fail issue. Let them bump their heads - we never will feel real joy until we feel real pain. And what about when parent can't solve things for their kids anymore? How will the kid cope? I say really poorly.
Mark Stehlik delivered a great "last lecture" on failure and its importance in life. The abstract is
American society has become increasingly failure-averse. Nowadays, in order to feel good about oneself, one has to be successful, virtually at everything. I argue that our greatest successes often arrive on the heels of an epiphany-relaying defeat and that failure is both a barometer of our desire to take risks and a data point on the yardstick by which we can measure our success. Put another way, is success without risk of failure really success? And what does this mean in a university context where failure is not thought of as productive?
So parents: go away. No, seriously. We'll call home once a week, and we'll struggle through bad roommates, picking classes, finding food, buying clothes, editing our papers, and getting hung over. We have school help for that.
You want us to be happy? We'll never feel prouder at graduation than if it's something we managed on our own, when we've made it through the trials, the failures, the heartbreaks that are inevitable in a college experience. We'll forge true bonds with the friends that helped us through it. We'll know how to handle work, life, living with a partner better that way. We'll love you for giving us the space to run. We'll grow up to be stronger.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Bah Hahbah
I was thinking about how to make computers pronounce in dialect - do you spell how you want something pronounced, or do you program the dialect in to the speech system?
So then I got thinking to an old story about automated voices and how good they are.
About 6 or 8 years ago, NOAA Weather Radio switched from a live person giving the forecasts and a computer reading them. The guy used to be a good old down east person - he had a great Maine accent. It sounded perfectly normal to me (it wasn't til I got to college that I realized my dad has an accent).
When they switched, the computer pronounced the town name Bar Harbor as Bar Harbor, which if you've ever been to Maine you'd know is not how any local pronounces it. They all pronounce it "Bah Hahbah". (Don't worry - we understand the conservation of letters law and just add the missing Rs to other words. Like our capital, Auguster. Though I'm not sure all the Rs are appropriately transferred - we talk a lot about lobstah, stahtin ahhh cahs with cah keys, and we love ahhh beeeah.)
So they had to program into this new fangled computer system the ability for the town to be pronounced "Bah Hahbah" so the locals wouldn't laugh at the voice too much, and more so that people knew what area the report was actually for!
So then I got thinking to an old story about automated voices and how good they are.
About 6 or 8 years ago, NOAA Weather Radio switched from a live person giving the forecasts and a computer reading them. The guy used to be a good old down east person - he had a great Maine accent. It sounded perfectly normal to me (it wasn't til I got to college that I realized my dad has an accent).
When they switched, the computer pronounced the town name Bar Harbor as Bar Harbor, which if you've ever been to Maine you'd know is not how any local pronounces it. They all pronounce it "Bah Hahbah". (Don't worry - we understand the conservation of letters law and just add the missing Rs to other words. Like our capital, Auguster. Though I'm not sure all the Rs are appropriately transferred - we talk a lot about lobstah, stahtin ahhh cahs with cah keys, and we love ahhh beeeah.)
So they had to program into this new fangled computer system the ability for the town to be pronounced "Bah Hahbah" so the locals wouldn't laugh at the voice too much, and more so that people knew what area the report was actually for!
Friday, September 02, 2005
New Orleans
We have troops that can be anywhere in the world in under 24 hours from 0 warning, and you tell me that we couldn't get food, water, medicine, and troops to New Orleans in 4 days?
This disaster recovery has been one of the most embarassing, worst failures of the US Government, in the history of this country.
Even New Orleans' mayor says so.
How does one specify a mandatory evacuation but not help the people actually evacuate?
This disaster recovery has been one of the most embarassing, worst failures of the US Government, in the history of this country.
Even New Orleans' mayor says so.
How does one specify a mandatory evacuation but not help the people actually evacuate?
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Just to give you all an idea...
Just to give you all an idea of how hard working on computers can still be some times, my good friend Steph came to me today complaining about how her computer wouldn't boot.
Well, I put the hard drive from that in my desktop as a slave, and then my computer wouldn't boot.
In fact, her drive really wanted to be master and wouldn't relinquish control of the computer to my hard drive, no matter how I configured it.
So I had to play with jumpers. But I don't have laptop jumpers around. So instead I used speaker cable (pulling a single strand out at a time) to create a connection on the jumpers. I'm losing them all the time - but they still work thankfully.
So I can get it to boot and recognize a cd-r, my hard drive, and Steph's hard drive - so I downloaded Knoppix (let me tell you, it's a lifesaver) and I'm booting linux on that to get it to recognize her disk.
Until I realize that Knoppix hates NTFS. In fact, I can't blame it.
So I have to use Partition Magic to convert NTFS to Win 32, to copy her files onto my hard drive.
So the break down of hacks:
1. Using speaker wire strands as hard drive jumpers
2. Booting from knoppix
3. Converting my machine's second partition to Fat32 to be able to copy files onto it
Slowly but surely it seems to be working...
EDIT: the drive seems to be deteroriating while I pull files down. Maybe it's overheating? I'll try again in the morning. I've never, ever been this frustrated working on a computer issue
Well, I put the hard drive from that in my desktop as a slave, and then my computer wouldn't boot.
In fact, her drive really wanted to be master and wouldn't relinquish control of the computer to my hard drive, no matter how I configured it.
So I had to play with jumpers. But I don't have laptop jumpers around. So instead I used speaker cable (pulling a single strand out at a time) to create a connection on the jumpers. I'm losing them all the time - but they still work thankfully.
So I can get it to boot and recognize a cd-r, my hard drive, and Steph's hard drive - so I downloaded Knoppix (let me tell you, it's a lifesaver) and I'm booting linux on that to get it to recognize her disk.
Until I realize that Knoppix hates NTFS. In fact, I can't blame it.
So I have to use Partition Magic to convert NTFS to Win 32, to copy her files onto my hard drive.
So the break down of hacks:
1. Using speaker wire strands as hard drive jumpers
2. Booting from knoppix
3. Converting my machine's second partition to Fat32 to be able to copy files onto it
Slowly but surely it seems to be working...
EDIT: the drive seems to be deteroriating while I pull files down. Maybe it's overheating? I'll try again in the morning. I've never, ever been this frustrated working on a computer issue
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
You always said I was backwards....
Arabic is written Right to Left (a woman today in the Pitt book store said "Hey, this book's cover is on backwards!"... had to inform her it's an Arabic book, and that's why it opens the other way)
I've been answering questions on tests backwards for quite a few years - which I believe lends itself to having Arabic writing come more naturally - I thought writing right to left would be odd, but it really isn't
I've been answering questions on tests backwards for quite a few years - which I believe lends itself to having Arabic writing come more naturally - I thought writing right to left would be odd, but it really isn't
The food
Dinner the last two nights has been Spinach and plum tomatoes with grilled salmon (tonight with some cajun seasoning) and balsamic vinaigrette from Moat Mountain.
Yeah, it's diet food. Yeah, it's really good.
I've also been eating Sabra baba ganouj lately. It seems a little odd there's mayonaisse in it. I really like their hummus though.
Yeah, it's diet food. Yeah, it's really good.
I've also been eating Sabra baba ganouj lately. It seems a little odd there's mayonaisse in it. I really like their hummus though.
More things I'd like to see from technology...
I did my taxes in California last year by way of filling out a PDF online, and doing the calculations manually. Which really bugged me - I'm not sure if there's a way to embed simple math into a PDF, but there should be if it will be used like that.
That gets me to thinking - we don't really have that much choice on our tax returns, basically 2 people would write the same return if they had the same w-4s, right?
So let's have a system where a tax return program synthesizes files - perhaps transparently. The user can make choices when need be, but instead of my employer sending me paper, how about they send me a file, digitally signed (and probably encrypted in transit to me). I then use a program to merge all of these files and it does my tax return. Kind of like Turbo-Tax, but with additional integration with these tax-files. This saves me time from reading directions, and it saves the IRS time from people making mistakes. It could even present what appears to be a 1040 to people, so they can understand why they get a refund or owe more.
That gets me to thinking - we don't really have that much choice on our tax returns, basically 2 people would write the same return if they had the same w-4s, right?
So let's have a system where a tax return program synthesizes files - perhaps transparently. The user can make choices when need be, but instead of my employer sending me paper, how about they send me a file, digitally signed (and probably encrypted in transit to me). I then use a program to merge all of these files and it does my tax return. Kind of like Turbo-Tax, but with additional integration with these tax-files. This saves me time from reading directions, and it saves the IRS time from people making mistakes. It could even present what appears to be a 1040 to people, so they can understand why they get a refund or owe more.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
More tech stuff that would be nice
The Optimus keyboard is pretty awesome, with remappable displays under the keys. But it'll cost as much as a "good mobile phone". Probably $500+
I'm starting to get RSI in my hands. The Natural keyboards alleviate that - but I can't find a Mac layout, USB natural keyboard. Plus, I don't like the random buttons on the top of most Natural keyboards.
There's a company that sells unprinted keyboards, but not natural ones.
I suggest a new marketing strategy for keyboards: a company sells personalized keyboards - you can select what keys are where - for only $5 more than everyone else sells keyboards. They have several form factors - regular, natural - several base keyboard layouts per language - Mac, Windows, Solaris, and several options about having the custom buttons at the top.
Kind of keyboards, on demand. I'd buy one.
I'm starting to get RSI in my hands. The Natural keyboards alleviate that - but I can't find a Mac layout, USB natural keyboard. Plus, I don't like the random buttons on the top of most Natural keyboards.
There's a company that sells unprinted keyboards, but not natural ones.
I suggest a new marketing strategy for keyboards: a company sells personalized keyboards - you can select what keys are where - for only $5 more than everyone else sells keyboards. They have several form factors - regular, natural - several base keyboard layouts per language - Mac, Windows, Solaris, and several options about having the custom buttons at the top.
Kind of keyboards, on demand. I'd buy one.
Good food
So one thing I found in Raleigh-Durham that I miss (never thought I'd say that) is this little place called "Spice & Curry". It's an Indian restaurant - pretty authentic and very good.
I haven't found a similar place around here - any CMUers found a good, cheap Indian place in Pittsburgh?
EDIT: I'm looking for Rogan Gosh, biryani, etc. I'll try to find the region of what I'm looking for.
EDIT #2: Northern Indian, but any good Indian
Also, does anyone know a good place to get shawarma? or a good Lebanese & Mediterranean grocer? I'll try the middle east place in the strip soon
I haven't found a similar place around here - any CMUers found a good, cheap Indian place in Pittsburgh?
EDIT: I'm looking for Rogan Gosh, biryani, etc. I'll try to find the region of what I'm looking for.
EDIT #2: Northern Indian, but any good Indian
Also, does anyone know a good place to get shawarma? or a good Lebanese & Mediterranean grocer? I'll try the middle east place in the strip soon
Saturday, August 27, 2005
More things I want to see from technology
1. Right now, when I get a call, my computer pauses music, turns off the sound, and displays the caller id info for the person calling. When I hang up, it undoes everything it did. I'd like my car to pause / mute my music and roll up my windows when I get a call, and then return them to the original state when I hang up.
can't figure any other out right now. Oh yeah, back in Pittsburgh!
can't figure any other out right now. Oh yeah, back in Pittsburgh!
Friday, August 26, 2005
Things I want in a weather site
Features I would like to see in a weather site:
1. More historical data. What was the weather on any given day the data exists?
2. Weather along a route. Kind of a combination of Google Maps and weather. Give a starting time and location, and it shows you the weather at about when you'll head through a city every 60 miles or so.
3. A different way of visualizing data. I'd like to have ad-hoc queries & reports against historical and forecasted weather. My random one is being able to specify a line on a map, then left to right show the temperature across a period (either across a day, or highs across a year). This would be cool to see if one area has a shorter period where it's at its high temperature, or which states have more excessive temperatures, and how that varies by region.
Tomorrow's the 12 hour trip to Pittsburgh
1. More historical data. What was the weather on any given day the data exists?
2. Weather along a route. Kind of a combination of Google Maps and weather. Give a starting time and location, and it shows you the weather at about when you'll head through a city every 60 miles or so.
3. A different way of visualizing data. I'd like to have ad-hoc queries & reports against historical and forecasted weather. My random one is being able to specify a line on a map, then left to right show the temperature across a period (either across a day, or highs across a year). This would be cool to see if one area has a shorter period where it's at its high temperature, or which states have more excessive temperatures, and how that varies by region.
Tomorrow's the 12 hour trip to Pittsburgh
From a friend
My friend Andrew, from high school, took this summer off to spend some time with his dad, who was sick. I knew Andrew's dad pretty well - he went to New York with us when we were in high school, and was a really nice guy. My mom worked with him for a while and always found him to be a good guy.
I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this - it was really moving. I'm going to the visiting hours really soon.
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005
From: Andrew
Subject: news
Hi,
Yesterday morning, my dad, Ed, passed away after a three year battle with renal cell carcinoma. I thought I should let you know.
Visiting hours will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, McKeen St., Brunswick.
Later in the day yesterday, a very large end-to-end rainbow with another faint rainbow above it appeared in the sky facing my house. It was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. I couldn't fit the whole thing in my camera, but I thought I would send a few pictures of it anyway. You can see the middle of it in the first picture and the right tail in the second. I don't think the rainbow was a coincidence.
I am sorry if I forgot anyone.
Andrew
I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this - it was really moving. I'm going to the visiting hours really soon.
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005
From: Andrew
Subject: news
Hi,
Yesterday morning, my dad, Ed, passed away after a three year battle with renal cell carcinoma. I thought I should let you know.
Visiting hours will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, McKeen St., Brunswick.
Later in the day yesterday, a very large end-to-end rainbow with another faint rainbow above it appeared in the sky facing my house. It was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. I couldn't fit the whole thing in my camera, but I thought I would send a few pictures of it anyway. You can see the middle of it in the first picture and the right tail in the second. I don't think the rainbow was a coincidence.
I am sorry if I forgot anyone.
Andrew
Thursday, August 25, 2005
BNAS: Closed
So I got lots of notes yesterday about the base closings - thanks everyone for knowing how much this means to me.
However happy I am Portsmouth stays open, Brunswick Naval Air Station, which is no more than 3 miles away, has not made the cut. It has been slated for full closure.
Originally it was slated to be "realigned". That meant that the Navy didn't want to pay to keep it open, but didn't want to lose the runway either. The board decided it would be better to return the land to the community, and therefore decided to close the base.
20% of the kids in school around here are military kids. The base adds a lot of money to the community, and a lot of diversity. I've never had a problem with people from the base - they've always been an excellent part of the community.
I'm interested in seeing how everything reacts around here - the big box stores, the small stores, the schools, the housing prices, and how the land is used.
However happy I am Portsmouth stays open, Brunswick Naval Air Station, which is no more than 3 miles away, has not made the cut. It has been slated for full closure.
Originally it was slated to be "realigned". That meant that the Navy didn't want to pay to keep it open, but didn't want to lose the runway either. The board decided it would be better to return the land to the community, and therefore decided to close the base.
20% of the kids in school around here are military kids. The base adds a lot of money to the community, and a lot of diversity. I've never had a problem with people from the base - they've always been an excellent part of the community.
I'm interested in seeing how everything reacts around here - the big box stores, the small stores, the schools, the housing prices, and how the land is used.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Did I ever tell you about the time...
Back when I was 3, my dad used to do his reserve duty in Washington, DC. My mom, sisters, and I would go down and meet him halfway through the two weeks. I would sit by my mom, and my sisters would sit behind us (they were older, and honestly better behaved!).
Back in the day, you used to get planes with a 3 and 3 configuration from Maine to DC - I'd sit at the window, my mom would sit in the middle, and a random person would sit on the isle.
One time, I wanted to try the middle seat. My mom implored me not to, but I wanted to, so she let me.
She woke up to hear me saying "tickle, tickle, tickle!" She looked over to see me tickling a very unamused Ralph Nader.
Back in the day, you used to get planes with a 3 and 3 configuration from Maine to DC - I'd sit at the window, my mom would sit in the middle, and a random person would sit on the isle.
One time, I wanted to try the middle seat. My mom implored me not to, but I wanted to, so she let me.
She woke up to hear me saying "tickle, tickle, tickle!" She looked over to see me tickling a very unamused Ralph Nader.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Ideas while stranded in LaGuardia
1. The subway system signage in NY should be replaced by LCD or projected displays. At one point, we got off a J train because the J train said "all passengers must get off". There was a sign to take another train, on the weekends, down to where we were going. So we got to that platform, only to learn that this other train wasn't the right way to get there on the weekends.
2. How hard is it to do the plane reassignments in storms? I could imagine it's all done by computers, and I could also imagine it's all done by hand. Our plane has been diverted to Baltimore, instead of landing here - does a human say which people get which planes in a situation like this? Does a computer suggest alternatives? There are hundreds of flights to keep track of, but how much planning is automated?
2. How hard is it to do the plane reassignments in storms? I could imagine it's all done by computers, and I could also imagine it's all done by hand. Our plane has been diverted to Baltimore, instead of landing here - does a human say which people get which planes in a situation like this? Does a computer suggest alternatives? There are hundreds of flights to keep track of, but how much planning is automated?
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Things I learned
First and foremost: you reserve a room at a hotel, but you request the type of room. We reserved a room at the Grand Central Hyatt, but requested 2 double beds. we got one king. SOL says the hotel.
Saw all the typical NY things yesterday & today - saw the Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller center, St. Pat's, Central Park, the Met, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty from afar, Wall Street, Ground Zero, Chinatown, etc. Led people around - I know how to navigate this city pretty well now. I still haven't mastered subways, but when they change things up all bets are off.
By the way: the idea of All you can eat sushi is amazing.
Saw all the typical NY things yesterday & today - saw the Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller center, St. Pat's, Central Park, the Met, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty from afar, Wall Street, Ground Zero, Chinatown, etc. Led people around - I know how to navigate this city pretty well now. I still haven't mastered subways, but when they change things up all bets are off.
By the way: the idea of All you can eat sushi is amazing.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Apple customer support: 4/5. Apple repair facilities: 2/5
Got the laptop back. I'm impressed with the turnaround time - but the repair place is in Tennessee, so now I get why fedex got it there so quickly
Plus on repair: they replaced the front face that I decided to drop this summer, without me asking.
Minus on repair: the left half of my monitor is still dim. They also told me it wasn't covered under warranty and therefore I should expect to be billed in 5-7 days.
Apple customer support assured me when I called this morning to say "I'm not paying" that I wasn't paying.
Downsides on customer support: they take forever to get stuff done when you call.
Upsides: they said my repair'd be free and they actually don't try to get you to go away
Plus on repair: they replaced the front face that I decided to drop this summer, without me asking.
Minus on repair: the left half of my monitor is still dim. They also told me it wasn't covered under warranty and therefore I should expect to be billed in 5-7 days.
Apple customer support assured me when I called this morning to say "I'm not paying" that I wasn't paying.
Downsides on customer support: they take forever to get stuff done when you call.
Upsides: they said my repair'd be free and they actually don't try to get you to go away
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
The fun of Apple
Fun things Apple said
"You didn't specify this as the problem when you left it at the store." (a. But I did? b. What did I say then? c. Why'd you notice it if I said something else?)
"You didn't damage your laptop, we see the problem, and it's under warranty, but it's not a manufacturer's defect." (uhh, what's the definition of manufacturer's defect?)
"I'm sorry, I was on hold" (man, but I was on hold)
"Repairing your monitor costs $1256" (but the laptop only cost $1299)
They're repairing it, but after 2 marathon sessions with customer support. Good game, Apple, good game.
"You didn't specify this as the problem when you left it at the store." (a. But I did? b. What did I say then? c. Why'd you notice it if I said something else?)
"You didn't damage your laptop, we see the problem, and it's under warranty, but it's not a manufacturer's defect." (uhh, what's the definition of manufacturer's defect?)
"I'm sorry, I was on hold" (man, but I was on hold)
"Repairing your monitor costs $1256" (but the laptop only cost $1299)
They're repairing it, but after 2 marathon sessions with customer support. Good game, Apple, good game.
Pittsburgh
I actually like Pittsburgh. I like the start of the school year - each start has felt special, due to running CIA or starting school or having someone to see. I like September and the smell in the air at school, and the walk to campus.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Hero of the Day
Hero of the Day: Traci, for lending me Rustic Overtone's hard to find 1994 release Shish Boom Bam. Well, now you can't find any Rustic Overtones stuff, but this CD was hard to find even 5 years ago.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
How to repair the Master Boot Record in Windows
How to repair the MBR for Windows XP when you screw it up like I did by deleting the Linux partition.
1. Download the Windows Recovery Console ISO.
2. Burn this ISO to a CD (making it bootable) using Nero, Record Now, etc. (Don't just burn the file, actually burn the image)
3. Launch the Windows Recovery Console
4. fixmbr is the command that replaces fdisk /mbr , so run fixmbr
If you need more details, let me know. but this is more for me
1. Download the Windows Recovery Console ISO.
2. Burn this ISO to a CD (making it bootable) using Nero, Record Now, etc. (Don't just burn the file, actually burn the image)
3. Launch the Windows Recovery Console
4. fixmbr is the command that replaces fdisk /mbr , so run fixmbr
If you need more details, let me know. but this is more for me
More things that are silly
Eric said yesterday "I never use Linux on the work laptop, so I am going to blow it away to get the space back for Windows"
I thought this was a marvelous idea! So I went into Partition Magic and deleted the Linux partitions.
I forgot to reformat the Master Boot Record. So now the laptop's dead in the water until I make a bootable disc for it and reformat the mbr.
I thought this was a marvelous idea! So I went into Partition Magic and deleted the Linux partitions.
I forgot to reformat the Master Boot Record. So now the laptop's dead in the water until I make a bootable disc for it and reformat the mbr.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Funny story
I keep locking myself out of my car. I did it 2 times last semester, and then I did it again this summer.
This time, since it's warm out, I left my windows slightly ajar. Well, I discovered a way to break into my car: I took off one of my windshield wipers and pressed the unlock button on the inside of the passenger door to unlock my car.
Important lesson: if you leave your windows cracked, make sure it's not too much that someone could stick a windshield wiper through. Though I guess someone could always stick a coat hanger wire in through a narrowly opened window.
(I guess the more important lesson is don't lock yourself out of cars, but that one seems more obvious)
This time, since it's warm out, I left my windows slightly ajar. Well, I discovered a way to break into my car: I took off one of my windshield wipers and pressed the unlock button on the inside of the passenger door to unlock my car.
Important lesson: if you leave your windows cracked, make sure it's not too much that someone could stick a windshield wiper through. Though I guess someone could always stick a coat hanger wire in through a narrowly opened window.
(I guess the more important lesson is don't lock yourself out of cars, but that one seems more obvious)
Lappy takes a break
Randomly, the left half of my PowerBook lost a lot of brightness. It only happens when the brightness is set low (which I always do, because it used to still be really crisp and legible. But now I can't see everything that I used to be able to. So I had to bring her in to the ol' Apple Store to see what they'd say.
They said that there's nothing they can do in store (slight surprise) and so it's been shipped off to Apple's maintainence location, hidden in some remote mountain location. I'll be Apple laptop-less for 2 weeks, but at least I have the IBM ThinkPad to tide me And hopefully the display will be fixed & like new when I get it back. I can deal without the Apple while I have the ThinkPad. I don't want to have a faded screen in the fall.
They said that there's nothing they can do in store (slight surprise) and so it's been shipped off to Apple's maintainence location, hidden in some remote mountain location. I'll be Apple laptop-less for 2 weeks, but at least I have the IBM ThinkPad to tide me And hopefully the display will be fixed & like new when I get it back. I can deal without the Apple while I have the ThinkPad. I don't want to have a faded screen in the fall.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
When you blog
When you blog, be prepared for your mother, your roommate, your enemies, the government, your school administration, anyone on earth to read it. If you don't want a certain person to read it, make it private.
Stand by what you write, stand by what you say.
It reminds me of this old thing someone once told me - "If there is one person you could not tell what you are currently doing, you're probably doing something wrong." It doesn't mean that everyone has to accept what you're doing, but it does mean you must be able to stand up to anyone who might confront you on your actions.
Stand by what you write, stand by what you say.
It reminds me of this old thing someone once told me - "If there is one person you could not tell what you are currently doing, you're probably doing something wrong." It doesn't mean that everyone has to accept what you're doing, but it does mean you must be able to stand up to anyone who might confront you on your actions.
distances
East coast
Portland ME to Boston: 106.8 miles
Boston to Providence: 50.7 miles, Providence to Hartford: 85.9 miles
Boston to Hartford: 101.2 miles
Hartford to New York: 117.6 miles
New York to Philadelphia: 100.2 miles
Philadelphia to Baltimore: 102.2 miles
Baltimore to Washington DC: 44.1 miles
Washington DC to Richmond: 104.9 miles
Yeah. You get a major city every 100 miles out here. It's pretty different in the southeast, things aren't as close. I hear New Mexico & Texas have even longer drives between places.
Portland ME to Boston: 106.8 miles
Boston to Providence: 50.7 miles, Providence to Hartford: 85.9 miles
Boston to Hartford: 101.2 miles
Hartford to New York: 117.6 miles
New York to Philadelphia: 100.2 miles
Philadelphia to Baltimore: 102.2 miles
Baltimore to Washington DC: 44.1 miles
Washington DC to Richmond: 104.9 miles
Yeah. You get a major city every 100 miles out here. It's pretty different in the southeast, things aren't as close. I hear New Mexico & Texas have even longer drives between places.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Saturday, July 16, 2005
My next car
The Thunderbird is in the shop. It needs power steering work, oil pump work, and brake work.
I'm thinking the cost of the repairs might be more than the car is worth. I'm therefore considering my next car.
The requirements are: all wheel drive, wagon, manual transmission, sporty. That narrows it down to Subaru, Audi, and BMW. (The Dodge Magnum only does auto with AWD, Lexus IS 300 is RWD, and Volvo is decidedly un-sexy)
I am not a fan of Subaru, for no good reason. So the WRX is out.
I've decided on an Audi. Now the question is S4/A4 and new/used. If my car's dead, I might have to settle...
I'm thinking the cost of the repairs might be more than the car is worth. I'm therefore considering my next car.
The requirements are: all wheel drive, wagon, manual transmission, sporty. That narrows it down to Subaru, Audi, and BMW. (The Dodge Magnum only does auto with AWD, Lexus IS 300 is RWD, and Volvo is decidedly un-sexy)
I am not a fan of Subaru, for no good reason. So the WRX is out.
I've decided on an Audi. Now the question is S4/A4 and new/used. If my car's dead, I might have to settle...
Friday, July 15, 2005
Song of today
"What a Good Boy" - performed by Duke's Men of Yale
(Thanks to Katie Dana for getting me hooked on them)
(Thanks to Katie Dana for getting me hooked on them)
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Grocery stores
In Durham, we have 4 choices for grocery stores. From lowest to highest cost, we have Food Lion, Kroger, Harris Teeter, and Whole Foods.
This is quite the nice departure from Pittsburgh's single source of food - Giant Eagle. There is a single Whole Foods in the Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, but it doesn't really make a dent in Giant Eagle's monopoly.
And now it's time for me to decide where I want to be, full time, when I grow up. I have to figure out where I'm going to work, and start work in February or July, depending on whether I go to Qatar to TA.
Honestly, I'm not extraordinarily fond of the idea of living here in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina after I graduate. The combination of low 90s and high humidity makes me not want to go outside much during the day. In the bay area, to contrast, the mid 80s with low humidity made it easy to be outside during the day.
I really enjoy Chapel Hill's Franklin Street. However, I don't really feel a community feeling here otherwise.
I was asked this week to specify where I want to be when I graduate. I said California Bay Area, followed by Boston and Pittsburgh. I also said I'd go anywhere for the right job.
This is quite the nice departure from Pittsburgh's single source of food - Giant Eagle. There is a single Whole Foods in the Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, but it doesn't really make a dent in Giant Eagle's monopoly.
And now it's time for me to decide where I want to be, full time, when I grow up. I have to figure out where I'm going to work, and start work in February or July, depending on whether I go to Qatar to TA.
Honestly, I'm not extraordinarily fond of the idea of living here in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina after I graduate. The combination of low 90s and high humidity makes me not want to go outside much during the day. In the bay area, to contrast, the mid 80s with low humidity made it easy to be outside during the day.
I really enjoy Chapel Hill's Franklin Street. However, I don't really feel a community feeling here otherwise.
I was asked this week to specify where I want to be when I graduate. I said California Bay Area, followed by Boston and Pittsburgh. I also said I'd go anywhere for the right job.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Sunday, July 03, 2005
The Delinquent
So I've been delinquent posting. I'll give you the highlights, in bullet form.
- Project at Extreme Blue is going really well, working about 45-50 hours per week
- Parents are visiting this week
- They brought lobster, there was one left over, now I'm eating lobster rolls
- Tomorrow I'm leaving with them for Carolina Beach for the fourth and fifth
- I got paid to work on my resume this week, so I can do IBM placement
- I just bought The Goblet of Fire, Quicksilver, The Humane Interface, and The Magician's Nephew.
- I also bought a couple shirts at tshirthell.com(1, 2)
- Dave Matthews Band was AMAZING on Wednesday. They did indeed play "All Along the Watchtower" which made me happy. Quickest 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life
- Raleigh Arboretum pictures
- I killed my cell phone by washing it, had to order a new one
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