Quite possibly one of the dumbest people I've ever heard. This is why we need IQ tests to determine who can and can't breed.
Rainbows are Unnatural
8/25/08
8/9/08
The whirlwind
Ok, so for those of you who didn't know already my life has been a whirlwind this past week. I went from signing up for classes at IPFW to moving to Muncie and quickly too. So here it is.
Monday morning:
I get a call to do an interview at Yorktown High School, they need a new chemistry teacher. They want me to interview at 5:00 that day. I had just been trying to sign up for classes at IPFW the previous night.
Monday evening:
After a very short interview I felt like I didn't have a shot. So at 8:30ish when I get a call offering me the job I'm excited. The catch? I have to get a packet of information ready and get signed up for an emergency license. Oh, and school starts in 1 week.
Tuesday-Wednesday:
Got everything ready so I could leave work on Friday. It was sad, but it was fast enough I didn't have time to think about anything.
Thursday:
Got my books and everything I would need to start making lesson plans and such. Got a tour of the school and their expectations. Then I went apartment hunting and found a great on in Mill Pond with a balcony and a second bedroom for an office. Awesome.
Friday:
Left work at noon, had a meeting at Purdue, then packed up my stuff from home and headed out with the van and trailer.
Saturday morning:
Got up at 5AM and started loading the van here. I'm almost completely ready to go. When Kelli is ready we're heading to Yorktown to start getting the room ready and unload at the apartment. Tonight mom and dad come with the other van I loaded at home and then we head back to the lake for my desk, bed, and whatever little things are left.
Sunday:
Unpack and keep getting ready for school.
Monday:
First teacher day, meetings and training all day, meet people and hope to remember their names.
Tueday:
Students start and I sink or swim.
Monday morning:
I get a call to do an interview at Yorktown High School, they need a new chemistry teacher. They want me to interview at 5:00 that day. I had just been trying to sign up for classes at IPFW the previous night.
Monday evening:
After a very short interview I felt like I didn't have a shot. So at 8:30ish when I get a call offering me the job I'm excited. The catch? I have to get a packet of information ready and get signed up for an emergency license. Oh, and school starts in 1 week.
Tuesday-Wednesday:
Got everything ready so I could leave work on Friday. It was sad, but it was fast enough I didn't have time to think about anything.
Thursday:
Got my books and everything I would need to start making lesson plans and such. Got a tour of the school and their expectations. Then I went apartment hunting and found a great on in Mill Pond with a balcony and a second bedroom for an office. Awesome.
Friday:
Left work at noon, had a meeting at Purdue, then packed up my stuff from home and headed out with the van and trailer.
Saturday morning:
Got up at 5AM and started loading the van here. I'm almost completely ready to go. When Kelli is ready we're heading to Yorktown to start getting the room ready and unload at the apartment. Tonight mom and dad come with the other van I loaded at home and then we head back to the lake for my desk, bed, and whatever little things are left.
Sunday:
Unpack and keep getting ready for school.
Monday:
First teacher day, meetings and training all day, meet people and hope to remember their names.
Tueday:
Students start and I sink or swim.
8/2/08
Microsoft supporting OSS?
Interested in Microsoft or open source? Read more:
http://tillamookrage.blogspot.com/2008/08/oss-friendly-microsoft.html
http://tillamookrage.blogspot.com/2008/08/oss-friendly-microsoft.html
7/27/08
7/14/08
Office Prank
For some reason we got a doll in, and Matt was creeped out by it. So I decided to play a little prank on him for when he gets in tomorrow.
The second picture is now also his background. I haven't stopped laughing yet.
The second picture is now also his background. I haven't stopped laughing yet.
7/9/08
I can't even make a title for this...
I just hit an all time low in tech literacy. I see a lot of strange people, and people who can't use technology, and that's normal in society. I have no problems with that and am always glad to help. But wow. I just found a new low.
A guy came in and said he couldn't get his computer hooked up so he was getting rid of it. I should preface this by saying he looked like your stereotypical crazy person with Doc Brown hair and Mr. Magoo glasses with camo pants. I expected him to pull up and shout "The government is putting fluoride in the drinking water!" So I went to unload the computer and there was no computer in the van. After my description that shouldn't come as a surprise. So I asked where it was and he told me "Well it's right there!" as if I was blind. The only thing in the back was a VCR. I asked if that was it and he again acted like I was stupid. I had to stand there in shock for a moment, but I knew why he couldn't get his computer hooked up. To make things better, on the release form he asked us to physically destroy the hard drive to remove all data. That will be easy...
A guy came in and said he couldn't get his computer hooked up so he was getting rid of it. I should preface this by saying he looked like your stereotypical crazy person with Doc Brown hair and Mr. Magoo glasses with camo pants. I expected him to pull up and shout "The government is putting fluoride in the drinking water!" So I went to unload the computer and there was no computer in the van. After my description that shouldn't come as a surprise. So I asked where it was and he told me "Well it's right there!" as if I was blind. The only thing in the back was a VCR. I asked if that was it and he again acted like I was stupid. I had to stand there in shock for a moment, but I knew why he couldn't get his computer hooked up. To make things better, on the release form he asked us to physically destroy the hard drive to remove all data. That will be easy...
7/7/08
Fire in the hole
I set up a drive to wipe on my testbed system and walked out to throw a few things in the recycling bins in the warehouse. I came back and my office was filled with smoke, I shut off the computer and pulled the drive out to the warehouse. Here is what I found:
This is actually the second time I've seen this, in both cases it was a 40GB Seagate drive. It had gotten hot enough to melt through the metal.
Here's a closeup of the hole and the black goop oozing out the side.
I pulled off the metal backing and saw where it had burned the foam padding, which is what made the smoke and terrible smell.
If you ever wondered what a burnt circuit board looked like, here you go.
Melted chunks of circuit board and foam all over the aluminum housing of the drive. Yum.
This is actually the second time I've seen this, in both cases it was a 40GB Seagate drive. It had gotten hot enough to melt through the metal.
Here's a closeup of the hole and the black goop oozing out the side.
I pulled off the metal backing and saw where it had burned the foam padding, which is what made the smoke and terrible smell.
If you ever wondered what a burnt circuit board looked like, here you go.
Melted chunks of circuit board and foam all over the aluminum housing of the drive. Yum.So that was my excitement for the morning, I decided to post this for anyone who would never get to see this.
7/1/08
6/30/08
eBay: The Microsoft of Sales
I'm closing the eBay accounts I have and moving to eCrater, which is free and caters to sellers, not shareholders. eBay has become THE name in online sales, that's where everyone goes to find cheap stuff, and lots of it. But they recently changed their policy and have really hurt sellers by no longer letting them leave neutral or negative feedback. Instantly I started getting a lot of nonpayments, people trying to extort me, and other ridiculous scams. There are people just bidding on a lot of the same items and then only paying for the lowest one, and wasting the time and money of the sellers of all the others they don't pay for. The sellers who are harmed can't do anything to warn others, and the buyers will always have a 100% rating, while buyers can leave negatives for unfounded reasons, one I had was that I wouldn't send him a second item overnight for free. I had a lady open a claim because of a projector sold as-is, since it had no lamp. I stated all that clearly in the listing, and when she asked me questions about it I told her everything about it, such that it was the projector only without a lamp. She then complains that she didn't get a manual, lamp, AV cords, or speakers with it. I quoted the emails and explained to her that she had been informed of that. She files a claim, saying I misrepresented the item, and without contacting me at all eBay awards her a full refund. Now in any conflict resolution, you need both sides. I would have gladly shown them the emails, the listing, and anything else they wanted, but instead I was screwed. They helped her commit fraud. eBay is now trying to implement a policy that you can only pay with PayPal, which they own. That would further hurt sellers, because PayPal takes out fees on transactions, and wouldn't allow any other companies to compete. Sound like a bad deal for sellers? Yep. That's why I'm leaving eBay, never to return, even if they go back to how they were. They're losing a lot of their top sellers, and shooting themselves in the foot too.
6/25/08
Die fanboy
I recently saw this on an Endgadget forum:
"Futureshop/Best Buy sales people and other media journalists/self-proclaimed experts spread fear and propaganda. There's nothing wrong, or broken in Vista."
First off, let's assume their whole goal is to spread fear and propaganda. So Futureshop/Best Buy employees are there to get you to buy what then? That's all those places sell, computers with Vista. Let's also pretend a minute that all journalists, reviews, and people who know anything about computers are also in on this scam. Then why are there so many complaints from average users? Why are research firms calling it the worst OS yet? Why is it trashing so many people's computers and servers? Are those all lies too?
Die fanboy, Vista is a failure. Someday the patches might stop breaking the system and make it better, but why spend several hundred dollars on something that might work well down the line on very high end machine
"Futureshop/Best Buy sales people and other media journalists/self-proclaimed experts spread fear and propaganda. There's nothing wrong, or broken in Vista."
First off, let's assume their whole goal is to spread fear and propaganda. So Futureshop/Best Buy employees are there to get you to buy what then? That's all those places sell, computers with Vista. Let's also pretend a minute that all journalists, reviews, and people who know anything about computers are also in on this scam. Then why are there so many complaints from average users? Why are research firms calling it the worst OS yet? Why is it trashing so many people's computers and servers? Are those all lies too?
Die fanboy, Vista is a failure. Someday the patches might stop breaking the system and make it better, but why spend several hundred dollars on something that might work well down the line on very high end machine
The path splits and our hero walks the midline
Well, having no luck finding funding to get things started on me branching out on my own I have submitted an application to Purdue to get my teaching license and take some grad classes so I can decide if I want to do grad school or teach high school. I already have my BA, so I would just need some education classes. If I get in I'll be moving back to West Lafayette, what I've vowed I wouldn't do. But there aren't any chemistry jobs available unless you already have experience and I can't keep going without insurance, so I take that road. I also wanted to see what it would take at IPFW but they never get back to me, and it's a worse education there anyway so I'm counting them out.
I had to run home last night to put new brakes and rotors on the Lumina, they lasted 50k miles, so I'm pretty happy about that. The way it's holding up I might get another 150k out of her. I shouldn't have said that, that's bad luck.
I had to run home last night to put new brakes and rotors on the Lumina, they lasted 50k miles, so I'm pretty happy about that. The way it's holding up I might get another 150k out of her. I shouldn't have said that, that's bad luck.
6/23/08
Sad day
I woke up this morning, looked at the days joke on my George Carlin calendar, than heard on the radio he died. That's a bad way to start the day. RIP George, one of the best comics ever.
6/19/08
The state of the economy and why Nick might be better off staying in Mexico
Warning: I'm in a bad mood and some of you may not like everything I say, but I don't care. Boohoo. On with the show!
It's no secret the economy is falling apart. The stock market is dropping, jobs are being cut, gas is going up, and in turn the price of food and everything else is going up. Crime has skyrocketed around here, I watch the Michiana news stations (being a Michiana resident technically) and it seems all the stories are about robberies and murders now. A guy stole a girl's money from a lemonade stand and barricaded himself in his house. How much was it? $17.50. Two kids shot a guy and stole his bike. A bike! People are setting their SUVs on fire to get insurance money and buying hybrids. Comeon people.
Another sign things are going badly is when Mexicans start going home becuase they can make a better living there. There has been a lot of that lately, starting in the big cities where things are most expensive. In addition, people along the border are now driving to Mexico for gas becuase it's about half the price that it is here.
In Indiana Mitch Daniels, aka the idiot, is running for reelection and lying outright in his ads. I thought that was illegal, but maybe just immoral. He's talking about how good education funding is (it's the lowest it has been in decades, but he has always been a big supportor of private Catholic schools, so maybe that's what he means), how strong our economy is (unemployment is very high and the few jobs that come in don't employ a fraction of those leaving), and how everyone loves him (I haven't met anyone who does). Every time a business comes in he goes and shakes hands, as if he played a role in it. He's like that fish that clings to sharks, he grabs anything he can without contributing anything. A parasite. Indiana's educational system is weakening, the rich get tax cuts, and the middle and lower classes get screwed. He had wanted to do away with social services too, but there were enough Democrats in office to down that one. Neither party are moral, politicians are all sleazy and rich, but Democrats at least promote social services, education, and a more fair tax system. Republican politicians are so afraid of change and in love with the old systems they're trying to get back to the days where only the rich could afford a good education, which is what happens when you force public schools into debt. That will then turn all the poor kids and a lot of minorities into essentially slavery, working minimum wage and living their life in debt well below the poverty line. Gee massa, where's the plantation? At least the rednecks are getting their wish and the Mexicans are going back.
So I signed up for Monster.com to see what chemistry jobs are out there. Nobody wants an entry level employee, and Lilly has laid off so many people that they're getting what few jobs are there. Monster did have 3 jobs they said I was qualified for. A telemarketer, a rest stop attendant, and a waiter. Wow. Good thing I have a BA in Chemistry and was 3 classes from a BA in Psycholgy. As I said in the last post, I have a big plan on the burner, now I just need the funding to get up and running. I wish I was a trust fund kid, but if I did I would hate myself for inheriting money I didn't earn and using that to fund my lazy and self absorbed life. There's honor in working 11 hour days for $20k per year and no insurance or benefits, but it's not fun or easy either.
Ahh, I feel better.
It's no secret the economy is falling apart. The stock market is dropping, jobs are being cut, gas is going up, and in turn the price of food and everything else is going up. Crime has skyrocketed around here, I watch the Michiana news stations (being a Michiana resident technically) and it seems all the stories are about robberies and murders now. A guy stole a girl's money from a lemonade stand and barricaded himself in his house. How much was it? $17.50. Two kids shot a guy and stole his bike. A bike! People are setting their SUVs on fire to get insurance money and buying hybrids. Comeon people.
Another sign things are going badly is when Mexicans start going home becuase they can make a better living there. There has been a lot of that lately, starting in the big cities where things are most expensive. In addition, people along the border are now driving to Mexico for gas becuase it's about half the price that it is here.
In Indiana Mitch Daniels, aka the idiot, is running for reelection and lying outright in his ads. I thought that was illegal, but maybe just immoral. He's talking about how good education funding is (it's the lowest it has been in decades, but he has always been a big supportor of private Catholic schools, so maybe that's what he means), how strong our economy is (unemployment is very high and the few jobs that come in don't employ a fraction of those leaving), and how everyone loves him (I haven't met anyone who does). Every time a business comes in he goes and shakes hands, as if he played a role in it. He's like that fish that clings to sharks, he grabs anything he can without contributing anything. A parasite. Indiana's educational system is weakening, the rich get tax cuts, and the middle and lower classes get screwed. He had wanted to do away with social services too, but there were enough Democrats in office to down that one. Neither party are moral, politicians are all sleazy and rich, but Democrats at least promote social services, education, and a more fair tax system. Republican politicians are so afraid of change and in love with the old systems they're trying to get back to the days where only the rich could afford a good education, which is what happens when you force public schools into debt. That will then turn all the poor kids and a lot of minorities into essentially slavery, working minimum wage and living their life in debt well below the poverty line. Gee massa, where's the plantation? At least the rednecks are getting their wish and the Mexicans are going back.
So I signed up for Monster.com to see what chemistry jobs are out there. Nobody wants an entry level employee, and Lilly has laid off so many people that they're getting what few jobs are there. Monster did have 3 jobs they said I was qualified for. A telemarketer, a rest stop attendant, and a waiter. Wow. Good thing I have a BA in Chemistry and was 3 classes from a BA in Psycholgy. As I said in the last post, I have a big plan on the burner, now I just need the funding to get up and running. I wish I was a trust fund kid, but if I did I would hate myself for inheriting money I didn't earn and using that to fund my lazy and self absorbed life. There's honor in working 11 hour days for $20k per year and no insurance or benefits, but it's not fun or easy either.
Ahh, I feel better.
6/18/08
The Teaser: An Intro
Well, big changes coming up, I'll report them as they become official, but for now a teaser.
EONS, the OS I've been working on for almost a year now, is getting nice. I had a releasable 0.41, but thought better of it. I've since rebuilt it from the ground up, completely changed the focus, and it is no longer a Debian derivative. More on that through Tillamook Rage as it unfolds, though with that hint and the latest post on Rage you may have some ideas what is coming.
In other news they bass are really biting well, I've managed to pull in a bunch so far this year, if I liked fish I could have kept a bunch and eaten well.
I found this the other day, an old Meyers-Briggs test. I'm an INTJ, sound like me? Who knows.
360 days until W-Day. And no, not Werd Day, even though that would be cool.
EONS, the OS I've been working on for almost a year now, is getting nice. I had a releasable 0.41, but thought better of it. I've since rebuilt it from the ground up, completely changed the focus, and it is no longer a Debian derivative. More on that through Tillamook Rage as it unfolds, though with that hint and the latest post on Rage you may have some ideas what is coming.
In other news they bass are really biting well, I've managed to pull in a bunch so far this year, if I liked fish I could have kept a bunch and eaten well.
I found this the other day, an old Meyers-Briggs test. I'm an INTJ, sound like me? Who knows.
360 days until W-Day. And no, not Werd Day, even though that would be cool.
6/12/08
Worn out
I'm tired. And not normal tired. Burnt out, need a change, need a vacation tired. For the first time in a long time I wanted to go to bed and not get up for a while. Blah.
6/11/08
Do the evolution
I've been really busy lately, as usual, so here's the big update.
First and foremost I finally got around to installing Rockbox on my Gigabeat F40. It's awesome. I've been watching music videos, Family Guy, and Futurama on it for over an hour and the battery is still at full charge, so I'm impressed. Plus I played Doom on it, it's very nice. The next mod I will do to my faithful Gigabeat will be upgrading the hard drive to a solid state 60 at least, but that's a ways off.
My intern started recently, he's been doing well. He's gotten a lot of new marketing stuff done already, so we're trying to find more stuff for him to do.
I've started to look at chemistry jobs just to see what's out there. Problem is there aren't any entry level jobs, everyone seems to want people who already have 2 years experience at least. It doesn't matter what research I've done, or what my GRE scores are, they just want people who have been working in industry for a while already. Thanks economy, I love you too.
I've been working 10-11 hour days doing the contractor thing and then working another 3-4 on blog related work over at Tillamook Rage, we've got several big posts coming up. Jeremy also found out they have a new Ubuntu certification through LPIC, so if I have time I have something more to do. Woohoo!
Kelli and I are helping out with the pinewood derby at the Strawberry Festival in Wabash, should be lots of good strawberry related pastries and such, so that's exciting. Plus a car show.
As far as I know that's all the major stuff. Actually, after writing that sentence I realized I was going to get yelled at. I get married in 367 days and Kelli has pretty much everything planned. I just have to pick my last 2 groomsdudes and get my tux and we're good. We've bought Kelli's wedding ring and will be getting mine in a couple weeks. Hers is gold, so we had to get it before gold got any more expensive, mine's tungsten carbide, so there wasn't much of a hurry. I've picked out my nice white tux, so now I just have to go to MW and get measured and all that jazz I guess.
Peace homies, werd to your mother.
First and foremost I finally got around to installing Rockbox on my Gigabeat F40. It's awesome. I've been watching music videos, Family Guy, and Futurama on it for over an hour and the battery is still at full charge, so I'm impressed. Plus I played Doom on it, it's very nice. The next mod I will do to my faithful Gigabeat will be upgrading the hard drive to a solid state 60 at least, but that's a ways off.
My intern started recently, he's been doing well. He's gotten a lot of new marketing stuff done already, so we're trying to find more stuff for him to do.
I've started to look at chemistry jobs just to see what's out there. Problem is there aren't any entry level jobs, everyone seems to want people who already have 2 years experience at least. It doesn't matter what research I've done, or what my GRE scores are, they just want people who have been working in industry for a while already. Thanks economy, I love you too.
I've been working 10-11 hour days doing the contractor thing and then working another 3-4 on blog related work over at Tillamook Rage, we've got several big posts coming up. Jeremy also found out they have a new Ubuntu certification through LPIC, so if I have time I have something more to do. Woohoo!
Kelli and I are helping out with the pinewood derby at the Strawberry Festival in Wabash, should be lots of good strawberry related pastries and such, so that's exciting. Plus a car show.
As far as I know that's all the major stuff. Actually, after writing that sentence I realized I was going to get yelled at. I get married in 367 days and Kelli has pretty much everything planned. I just have to pick my last 2 groomsdudes and get my tux and we're good. We've bought Kelli's wedding ring and will be getting mine in a couple weeks. Hers is gold, so we had to get it before gold got any more expensive, mine's tungsten carbide, so there wasn't much of a hurry. I've picked out my nice white tux, so now I just have to go to MW and get measured and all that jazz I guess.
Peace homies, werd to your mother.
6/4/08
Jerry Yang is my Hero
Yes, I'm a nerd. My heroes are all nerds. But Jerry Yang and friends over at Yahoo just took the cake. When I read the latest news I literally jumped up and cheered.
Microsoft's attempt at a hostile takeover was idiotic at best. Stevie B huffed and puffed and in the end failed. That was a big win for Yahoo, and it showed Microsoft wasn't as all-powerful as everyone had generally assumed. Then the scum of the earth showed up, a man that makes Gates and Ballmer look like they belong on Blues Clues. Carl Icahn came in and bought up millions of dollars of shares and made it known he was going to oust the board and sell off Yahoo in pieces, destroying the company to net himself some cash. The "vulture investors" like him make me sick, they destroy good companies so they can make fortunes will doing no work and hurting millions of litte guys. It looked like all was lost.
Fortunately Yang had an ace up his sleeve, actually has had an ace up his sleeve for months now. Back when Microsfot threatened a takeover they passed an addition to their contracts saying that if anyone tried to take over Yahoo the employees would get a massive severence package if they are fired, leaves because they are unsatisfied with the takeover, or even if their job changes. Word on the street is they have a pact that if anyone tries to take control from Yang there will be a mass exodous, costing the company over $2 billion, which is over 400% of their annual income.
Icahn is furious and is demanding they take that part of the contract out. But Yahoo was smart enough to add another provision that the contract can't be changed if it will hurt employees, which that change definitely will. Icahn's retort was that he will fire them all for their insolence, which of course will cost them $2 billion and destroy their market value, essentially robbing Icahn of the $2 billion he has invested.
A story like this makes me smile to no end. Carl should back out now before he looks like anymore of an arrogant jerk.
Microsoft's attempt at a hostile takeover was idiotic at best. Stevie B huffed and puffed and in the end failed. That was a big win for Yahoo, and it showed Microsoft wasn't as all-powerful as everyone had generally assumed. Then the scum of the earth showed up, a man that makes Gates and Ballmer look like they belong on Blues Clues. Carl Icahn came in and bought up millions of dollars of shares and made it known he was going to oust the board and sell off Yahoo in pieces, destroying the company to net himself some cash. The "vulture investors" like him make me sick, they destroy good companies so they can make fortunes will doing no work and hurting millions of litte guys. It looked like all was lost.
Fortunately Yang had an ace up his sleeve, actually has had an ace up his sleeve for months now. Back when Microsfot threatened a takeover they passed an addition to their contracts saying that if anyone tried to take over Yahoo the employees would get a massive severence package if they are fired, leaves because they are unsatisfied with the takeover, or even if their job changes. Word on the street is they have a pact that if anyone tries to take control from Yang there will be a mass exodous, costing the company over $2 billion, which is over 400% of their annual income.
Icahn is furious and is demanding they take that part of the contract out. But Yahoo was smart enough to add another provision that the contract can't be changed if it will hurt employees, which that change definitely will. Icahn's retort was that he will fire them all for their insolence, which of course will cost them $2 billion and destroy their market value, essentially robbing Icahn of the $2 billion he has invested.
A story like this makes me smile to no end. Carl should back out now before he looks like anymore of an arrogant jerk.
5/29/08
How to be a Great Ultimate Player
Jeff Hunn sent this a while ago, I finally refound it and decided to post it. It's a guide on how to improve your Ultimate Frisbee skills.
HOW TO BE A TOTALLY EXCELLENT ULTIMATE PLAYER IN 10 EASY STEPS
1. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.
This is done by being positive your team will win, positive that all your calls are right and the other teams calls are wrong, and being positive you are a most excellent ultimate player. If for some reason (totally unrelated to your excellent play) your team loses, revert to an attitude of being Positively Mental.
2. MAKE SMART CUTS.
The key here is to clog, clog, clog. This is the only sure-fire way to get the disc. By cutting off all other cuts from your teammates, the person with the disc has no choice but to throw to you. Don't worry if you don't get it on your first cut, keep making sleazy clog-cuts until you do get it. Then huck it.
3. MAKE THE RIGHT CALL.
If you are the player with the best perspective, it's your call. If you are involved in the play, it's your call. If you are not in the play, and no decision is made, it's your call. If you are away from the field in a porta-john, it's your call. Don't let anyone deny you this right!
4. CHOOSE YOUR PASSES CAREFULLY.
After you get the disc, make a few fakes, then gaze deep downfield as if in a trance. Let the count get to eight then huck it. This may take blowing off two or three cuts first. If for some reason you do make a swing pass, immediately make the clog-cut.
5. USE THE RIGHT THROW.
Never throw a straight pass when you could throw an inside-out-cross-field-reverse-spin-inverted-overhead.
Passes like this must be used to confuse the defense and break open the field. If your teammate can't catch whatever it was you just threw, scream something like, "It was right there!" or "The count was on nine!"
6. KNOW YOUR TEAMMATES.
If a less than amazing player on your team gets the disc (i.e. anyone other than you), cut right to them, making sure to clog, and yell, "Take your time!" Hover behind them for a dump. Don't clear out. Ever.
7. KNOW THE OTHER TEAM.
Sit on your sideline in someone else's chair and criticize everything the other team does. By keeping the disparity between yourself and others at large, a Positive Mental Attitude can be easily maintained.
8. STAY VISIBLE.
When you're not drinking the other team's water, or sitting in not-your-chair, position yourself directly in front of anyone watching the game and scream hysterically. Be sure to tell your teammates they're cutting in the wrong direction. Cringe, spit, cuss, break some blood vessels, and generally freak out at any pass longer than 30 yards. While watching the game, be sure to stay just inbounds. YOU have the right to be on the field, but of course, no one else does.
9. NEVER SUB OUT.
Well, obviously.
10. AND NEVER FORGET, YOU ARE A GOD
HOW TO BE A TOTALLY EXCELLENT ULTIMATE PLAYER IN 10 EASY STEPS
1. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.
This is done by being positive your team will win, positive that all your calls are right and the other teams calls are wrong, and being positive you are a most excellent ultimate player. If for some reason (totally unrelated to your excellent play) your team loses, revert to an attitude of being Positively Mental.
2. MAKE SMART CUTS.
The key here is to clog, clog, clog. This is the only sure-fire way to get the disc. By cutting off all other cuts from your teammates, the person with the disc has no choice but to throw to you. Don't worry if you don't get it on your first cut, keep making sleazy clog-cuts until you do get it. Then huck it.
3. MAKE THE RIGHT CALL.
If you are the player with the best perspective, it's your call. If you are involved in the play, it's your call. If you are not in the play, and no decision is made, it's your call. If you are away from the field in a porta-john, it's your call. Don't let anyone deny you this right!
4. CHOOSE YOUR PASSES CAREFULLY.
After you get the disc, make a few fakes, then gaze deep downfield as if in a trance. Let the count get to eight then huck it. This may take blowing off two or three cuts first. If for some reason you do make a swing pass, immediately make the clog-cut.
5. USE THE RIGHT THROW.
Never throw a straight pass when you could throw an inside-out-cross-field-reverse
Passes like this must be used to confuse the defense and break open the field. If your teammate can't catch whatever it was you just threw, scream something like, "It was right there!" or "The count was on nine!"
6. KNOW YOUR TEAMMATES.
If a less than amazing player on your team gets the disc (i.e. anyone other than you), cut right to them, making sure to clog, and yell, "Take your time!" Hover behind them for a dump. Don't clear out. Ever.
7. KNOW THE OTHER TEAM.
Sit on your sideline in someone else's chair and criticize everything the other team does. By keeping the disparity between yourself and others at large, a Positive Mental Attitude can be easily maintained.
8. STAY VISIBLE.
When you're not drinking the other team's water, or sitting in not-your-chair, position yourself directly in front of anyone watching the game and scream hysterically. Be sure to tell your teammates they're cutting in the wrong direction. Cringe, spit, cuss, break some blood vessels, and generally freak out at any pass longer than 30 yards. While watching the game, be sure to stay just inbounds. YOU have the right to be on the field, but of course, no one else does.
9. NEVER SUB OUT.
Well, obviously.
10. AND NEVER FORGET, YOU ARE A GOD
5/28/08
The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope
Well, if rumors surrounding Facebook are true I may be making a comeback. For more see here. If they move to open source that significantly limits their ability to data mine, and I would feel more comfortable. It's been nice without it, but I'm completely cut off from most people I know.
In other news, 10 points to anyone who knows where the post title comes from without looking it up online.
In other news, 10 points to anyone who knows where the post title comes from without looking it up online.
5/23/08
Cars, cars, everywhere there's cars, blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind...
As I've noted before, I spend inordinate amount of time on the road. With gas prices going over $4/gallon recently people are changing their driving habits. Out here everything is so far apart that doesn't mean driving less, it means driving slower. Which gets irritating. I've slowed down, I drive 55 max unless I'm on an interstate and accelerate slowly, it netted me another 5mpg. When your commute alone is over 350 miles a week that makes a difference. But I've noticed a lot of people driving excessively slow lately. Take for example a lady doing 30mph on US24, a speed limit 60 road. She was just creating a hazard, a dead deer in the road would have been less trouble because you wouldn't get semis doing 70 and swerving. At least once per day I find someone doing 15mph or more under the speed limit, almost always someone who likes to drive in the middle of the road too. And today, to make my commute take even longer, I got stuck behind 4 buses. My first thought was, "Why are there 4 buses on the same road at the same time, isn't that inefficient?" Yes, Virginia, it is. My second thought was, "Is it a law buses must drive 40mph?"
5/20/08
The Life (or lack thereof) of Schroedinger's Cat
I heard what has probably been the best analogy I've ever heard last night. I thought it was so good I would expound on it for all those who didn't hear it.
Have you heard of Schroedinger's Cat? Not Pavlov's Dog, which was an experiment in psychology and behavior modification. Schroedinger, the physicist, worked with quantum mechanics and theory. Schroedinger's Cat is a theoretical experiment in which a cat is placed in a box with a radioactive element, Geiger counter, hammer, and a vial of HCN. If the element undergoes alpha decay the Geiger counter will detect it and drop the hammer on the vial of HCN. The HCN dissociates and makes cyanide and kills the cat. If the element doesn't undergo alpha decay the cat is fine. Until the system is observed the atom exists in both the decayed and undecayed states, and therefore so does the cat (so to speak). So from the time the cat is placed in the box to the time the box is opened the cat is both alive and dead.
That's fascinating on numerous levels in itself. It's hard to conceive, but in quantum theory there is one cat, but it is both alive and dead. To be more accurate, it is described in terms of wave functions. Until the system is observed there are superimposed wave functions for a single object. Once observed the wave form collapses to a single equation.
Now, if we also look to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle we can understand Schroedinger's Cat even better. Heisenberg worked with subatomic particles, and stated in 1927 that the more we know about the position of a particle, the less we know about momentum, and vice versa. Along with that we discover that by observing a system we change it. Combining the two, we get that until the system is observed it is quite possible for the cat to be both alive and dead in our reality, our limited ability to observe the system without changing it decides weather or not the atom decays, and furthermore whether the cat lives or dies.
Moral of the story: We have to observe the system before we can either let the cat live or kill it. In other words, you have to take a chance and try living to know how wonderful or how terrible it can be, but most importantly you decide your own reality.
Have you heard of Schroedinger's Cat? Not Pavlov's Dog, which was an experiment in psychology and behavior modification. Schroedinger, the physicist, worked with quantum mechanics and theory. Schroedinger's Cat is a theoretical experiment in which a cat is placed in a box with a radioactive element, Geiger counter, hammer, and a vial of HCN. If the element undergoes alpha decay the Geiger counter will detect it and drop the hammer on the vial of HCN. The HCN dissociates and makes cyanide and kills the cat. If the element doesn't undergo alpha decay the cat is fine. Until the system is observed the atom exists in both the decayed and undecayed states, and therefore so does the cat (so to speak). So from the time the cat is placed in the box to the time the box is opened the cat is both alive and dead.
That's fascinating on numerous levels in itself. It's hard to conceive, but in quantum theory there is one cat, but it is both alive and dead. To be more accurate, it is described in terms of wave functions. Until the system is observed there are superimposed wave functions for a single object. Once observed the wave form collapses to a single equation.
Now, if we also look to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle we can understand Schroedinger's Cat even better. Heisenberg worked with subatomic particles, and stated in 1927 that the more we know about the position of a particle, the less we know about momentum, and vice versa. Along with that we discover that by observing a system we change it. Combining the two, we get that until the system is observed it is quite possible for the cat to be both alive and dead in our reality, our limited ability to observe the system without changing it decides weather or not the atom decays, and furthermore whether the cat lives or dies.
Moral of the story: We have to observe the system before we can either let the cat live or kill it. In other words, you have to take a chance and try living to know how wonderful or how terrible it can be, but most importantly you decide your own reality.
5/19/08
So now I have an expensive piece of paper, cool.
Well, I've been really busy lately, so I haven't had time to update on my life. I finally walked yesterday, so now I have a diploma in hand. All is states is "Bachelor of Arts" but doesn't say in what field. I find that a bit scary, I could claim to have a BA in particle physics if I wanted. I was a bit perturbed by the "top students" AKA cum laude, magna cum laude, and suma cum laude. They were about 75% El Ed majors, and most weren't overly intelligent. Those people with the easy majors, and their diploma says the same thing as mine.
For the record: this weekend Kelli told me 3 times I could have a Corvette. I wanted to have a written record so she couldn't renig.
In other news I've decided that, in the wrong hands, video games can cause crime. After much research (read: I got GTA: San Andreas a couple weeks ago) I had the urge the other day to run up to a nice car, pull the driver out (because not only does he not lock his doors, he doesn't wear a seat belt and stops when someone runs up to his car), and take off with his car. I've also played Mario Kart and now I want to install launchers on my car that shoot blue turtle shells, even though everyone knows the lightning bolt is far superior.
This will be another busy week, then Samurai's wedding next Saturday, Memorial Day Festivus, and then my intern starts next Tuesday.
For the record: this weekend Kelli told me 3 times I could have a Corvette. I wanted to have a written record so she couldn't renig.
In other news I've decided that, in the wrong hands, video games can cause crime. After much research (read: I got GTA: San Andreas a couple weeks ago) I had the urge the other day to run up to a nice car, pull the driver out (because not only does he not lock his doors, he doesn't wear a seat belt and stops when someone runs up to his car), and take off with his car. I've also played Mario Kart and now I want to install launchers on my car that shoot blue turtle shells, even though everyone knows the lightning bolt is far superior.
This will be another busy week, then Samurai's wedding next Saturday, Memorial Day Festivus, and then my intern starts next Tuesday.
5/5/08
So much for plan B
Well, I won't be moving to Goshen. I got beat out in a tie between another candidate they said they wanted equally as much. It came down to the fact he already has a license. Oh, and has 10 years experience. And a masters in chemistry.
It's good to know I was equal with that. But darn.
It's good to know I was equal with that. But darn.
5/4/08
Stevie B backs down!!!
It's already been an amazing day, Microsoft backed down from their attempted takeover of Yahoo! It started with a buyout bid that undervalued them, then threats of a hostile takeover, then threatening to oust their board and cut their offer (despite a Microsoft stock downward spiral and Yahoo gaining value), and now ends with Stevie B backing away with his tail between his legs. Even if they had acquired Yahoo they would be far from able to compete with Google in any arena. Vista is being labeled the biggest mistake for Microsoft in their history, they're losing customers at an alarming rate (for them). Now this is making them look even weaker. It will be interesting to see where the next couple years takes the tech world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7382665.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7382665.stm
4/25/08
Nick, another good catch
Nick posted this, you must watch:
http://nickkauffman.blogspot.com/2008/04/too-good-to-miss.html
and to Hillary Clinton: go away.
http://nickkauffman.blogspot.com/2008/04/too-good-to-miss.html
and to Hillary Clinton: go away.
The things I see
I got in a video cassette put out by the Church of Christ about cults. Here are the subheading for the cults: Mormons, Second Day Adventists, Rock and Roll, New Age Health, Science. Science is a cult now? Awesome, I've never been a cultist before.
4/22/08
Another cool first!
I've seen and experienced a lot of cool first. I've been knocked back 6 feet and put out for a while by a short in a CRT, crushed my hand, been in 2 earthquakes, and been in 2 wrecks. Today I had a capacitor explode. I was testing a board for eBay sale and when I powered it on a capacitor started foaming from the top, I reached for the power cord to unplug it, as I knew this was a bad sign of impending fire, and 2 capacitors blew their top and sprayed their capacitor gel on my arm. I continued my mission and unplugged it and ran to the wash shower to hose off my arm. It took me 5 seconds (I counted to make sure we were in the OSHA compliant 8 seconds) and I still have marks from it. Fun! Below are pictures.
4/21/08
The moving and the shaking
Well I go in for an interview in Goshen on Thursday. If all goes well I'll be moving up north this summer. I'm not holding my breath, just crossing my fingers and toes.
The weather is great here, it's 83 outside right now, I'm sitting on the front porch relaxing after a 10.5 hour day at work.
I bought the Metro from my dad this weekend and am putting a rebuilt head on it, so the engine will be 100% rebuilt now. The 50-60mpg I get with it will be a huge improvement over the Lumina's 24mpg.
That's all that's new up here, I'm going to go catch some fish.
The weather is great here, it's 83 outside right now, I'm sitting on the front porch relaxing after a 10.5 hour day at work.
I bought the Metro from my dad this weekend and am putting a rebuilt head on it, so the engine will be 100% rebuilt now. The 50-60mpg I get with it will be a huge improvement over the Lumina's 24mpg.
That's all that's new up here, I'm going to go catch some fish.
4/18/08
The idiot brigade marches on
Most days I see or interact with at least one person who is either gloriously below average or just so ignorant of their own limits of mental capacity I'm forced to suffer. Today I had several. A good day for my tirade of internal monologue rants, but a bad day for have an aneurysm based on overload of stupidity. So here we go:
1) On the way to work I saw a lady driving an SUV and smoking. There's nothing special about that, except that she had an Indiana Environmental Protection license plate and wildlife protection bumper sticker. Now this SUV was a Ford Expedition 4x4, getting a whole 10ish mpg. Now, as someone who does care about the environment I think I would have a hard time smoking and driving a vehicle that gets one of the worst gas mileage around. If I needed to haul around 7 or so people I can see why you would need a large vehicle, but it was just her. Mixed messages abound.
2) Kids riding bikes in the road. You see it a lot, no big deal. Several things made this interesting to me. For one there were 8 of them riding in a clump, so they took up over half the road. Also, they were on State Road 16, a very narrow road with more traffic than it should have. Thirdly they were riding on the left side of the road. The LEFT side. So here are a bunch of kids riding on the wrong side of a major road, and taking up most of the road. Brilliant. My last rant was the fact they were all dressed alike, in the cookie cutter nonconformist garb. They all wore black and had dyed mohawks. It's required to be a nonconformist that you all look and act alike. Oh, and this was in Roann, a tiny town mostly comprised of hog farmers and their families.
3) I've decided that there are requirements to live out around where I do. First you must have a long ratty beard. You must always wear a ball cap too, to cover the hair you never wash. It also seems like everyone wears dirty, ripped up black t-shirts. Though not required it also helps to wear aviators and drive a truck consisting mostly of holes and lots of exhaust holes.
Oh what fun, I'm sure there were more, but I blocked them from my memory.
1) On the way to work I saw a lady driving an SUV and smoking. There's nothing special about that, except that she had an Indiana Environmental Protection license plate and wildlife protection bumper sticker. Now this SUV was a Ford Expedition 4x4, getting a whole 10ish mpg. Now, as someone who does care about the environment I think I would have a hard time smoking and driving a vehicle that gets one of the worst gas mileage around. If I needed to haul around 7 or so people I can see why you would need a large vehicle, but it was just her. Mixed messages abound.
2) Kids riding bikes in the road. You see it a lot, no big deal. Several things made this interesting to me. For one there were 8 of them riding in a clump, so they took up over half the road. Also, they were on State Road 16, a very narrow road with more traffic than it should have. Thirdly they were riding on the left side of the road. The LEFT side. So here are a bunch of kids riding on the wrong side of a major road, and taking up most of the road. Brilliant. My last rant was the fact they were all dressed alike, in the cookie cutter nonconformist garb. They all wore black and had dyed mohawks. It's required to be a nonconformist that you all look and act alike. Oh, and this was in Roann, a tiny town mostly comprised of hog farmers and their families.
3) I've decided that there are requirements to live out around where I do. First you must have a long ratty beard. You must always wear a ball cap too, to cover the hair you never wash. It also seems like everyone wears dirty, ripped up black t-shirts. Though not required it also helps to wear aviators and drive a truck consisting mostly of holes and lots of exhaust holes.
Oh what fun, I'm sure there were more, but I blocked them from my memory.
My first earthquake, then my second
Well, Indiana had their biggest earthquake since 1968 this morning, it was a magnitude 5.2. It woke me up about 5:30, but I figured I was just tired and didn't think anything of it. Then I was told when I got to work it was an earthquake. I wished I had been more alert for it.
Then just 10 minutes ago my rolling chair started sliding back and the shelves started swaying. I thought it might just be the construction workers, but sure enough it was another earthquake. Pretty cool. If they get much stronger though I would hate to be near all the shelves of materials.
Then just 10 minutes ago my rolling chair started sliding back and the shelves started swaying. I thought it might just be the construction workers, but sure enough it was another earthquake. Pretty cool. If they get much stronger though I would hate to be near all the shelves of materials.
4/16/08
Giggidy giggidy gone
Well, lot has happened. I've got too many options for what will happen in the next year. I can become a District employee, start an LLC, keep consulting, or teach. I'm not even sure where I will be in the next few months. Oh the fun of being a college grad.
I've got most of the patio done on the cottage, we're building a 10' patio with a covered sun room with an open area under a roof. The apple trees are looking much better since I thinned them. It's good to feel so productive.
I've been reviewing a lot of Windows emulation software in Linux lately, it's fun to try out all this software. Jeremy has been doing a lot with CAD software and I'm going to be finishing up the modifications to Parallel Knoppix so we can have the high performance cluster up and going.
I've also been working on some more ways to take up my time, including designing an electric propulsion unit for a Fiero. I've also been interested in using wind propelled generators to help recharge the batteries. Wish I had more time, space, and money to fund all the projects I want to do.
I got a poster for the FOSSed conference in Maine this June. I may end up going if I can afford it, along with Annual Conference in Virginia. I might just play nomad this summer.
That's all she wrote, or in this case he.
I've got most of the patio done on the cottage, we're building a 10' patio with a covered sun room with an open area under a roof. The apple trees are looking much better since I thinned them. It's good to feel so productive.
I've been reviewing a lot of Windows emulation software in Linux lately, it's fun to try out all this software. Jeremy has been doing a lot with CAD software and I'm going to be finishing up the modifications to Parallel Knoppix so we can have the high performance cluster up and going.
I've also been working on some more ways to take up my time, including designing an electric propulsion unit for a Fiero. I've also been interested in using wind propelled generators to help recharge the batteries. Wish I had more time, space, and money to fund all the projects I want to do.
I got a poster for the FOSSed conference in Maine this June. I may end up going if I can afford it, along with Annual Conference in Virginia. I might just play nomad this summer.
That's all she wrote, or in this case he.
4/12/08
Attacked by...
So I decided to do some "research" this evening. Below you see some common attacks undergone in the world and how many hits they get on Google.
Google "Attacked by X.
X=:
Woman = 30,000
Man = 28,000
Steve Ballmer = 24,900
Rabid walrus = 9,880
Fuzzy bunny = 8,810
Science = 3,290
Squirrel = 1,960
Apple = 1,400
Velociraptor = 2
Bill Gates = 1
Zombie Nixon = 1
Linus Torvalds = 0
Data Analysis
Based on this data you are 7% more likely to be attacked by a woman than a man. Steve Ballmer is quite dangerous, but thankfully Bill Gates is not very likely to attack. This was expected from previous qualitative assessments, which conclude Steve Ballmer to be stark raving mad. You are as likely to be attacked by Bill Gates as you are by a zombie Nixon. There are only 2 reported velociraptor attacks, but this may be because velociraptors rarely leave a survivor to report. Linus Torvalds has never reportedly attacked someone. You are 449% more likely to be attacked by a fuzzy bunny than a squirrel, putting to rest the belief that fuzzy bunnies are harmless and lending further clout to Monty Python's portrayal of the search for the Holy Grail. Perhaps most interesting is the intensity of rabid walrus attacks, which are much higher than previous studies predicted.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded in part by the Foundation to Exterminate Rabid Walruses.
Google "Attacked by X.
X=:
Woman = 30,000
Man = 28,000
Steve Ballmer = 24,900
Rabid walrus = 9,880
Fuzzy bunny = 8,810
Science = 3,290
Squirrel = 1,960
Apple = 1,400
Velociraptor = 2
Bill Gates = 1
Zombie Nixon = 1
Linus Torvalds = 0
Data Analysis
Based on this data you are 7% more likely to be attacked by a woman than a man. Steve Ballmer is quite dangerous, but thankfully Bill Gates is not very likely to attack. This was expected from previous qualitative assessments, which conclude Steve Ballmer to be stark raving mad. You are as likely to be attacked by Bill Gates as you are by a zombie Nixon. There are only 2 reported velociraptor attacks, but this may be because velociraptors rarely leave a survivor to report. Linus Torvalds has never reportedly attacked someone. You are 449% more likely to be attacked by a fuzzy bunny than a squirrel, putting to rest the belief that fuzzy bunnies are harmless and lending further clout to Monty Python's portrayal of the search for the Holy Grail. Perhaps most interesting is the intensity of rabid walrus attacks, which are much higher than previous studies predicted.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded in part by the Foundation to Exterminate Rabid Walruses.
4/7/08
Shibby!
Several things today, but quickly, as I plan to make a better post in the coming days.
1) I smoked my old record of dismantling a computer, averaging 2:34 today over 3 computers. Yes, I make it a contest with myself to make it more enjoyable, I'm a nerd.
2) Setting up the cluster computer in the warehouse today, more to come on Tillamook Rage.
3) Happy birthday Kelli!
4) I saw a bumper sticker today that I found to be another amusing one. I see too many bumper stickers on my way to work and while at work, some very strange. Today's was "If you don't stand behind our troops please stand in front of them!" It had a nice picture of a gun on it too, you know to give that loving sense we all want to give when we're telling people that if they don't support killing other people they should be killed.
1) I smoked my old record of dismantling a computer, averaging 2:34 today over 3 computers. Yes, I make it a contest with myself to make it more enjoyable, I'm a nerd.
2) Setting up the cluster computer in the warehouse today, more to come on Tillamook Rage.
3) Happy birthday Kelli!
4) I saw a bumper sticker today that I found to be another amusing one. I see too many bumper stickers on my way to work and while at work, some very strange. Today's was "If you don't stand behind our troops please stand in front of them!" It had a nice picture of a gun on it too, you know to give that loving sense we all want to give when we're telling people that if they don't support killing other people they should be killed.
3/31/08
3/29/08
Of fishhooks and glass shoes...
It was brought to my attention yesterday that I'm becoming bitter and cynical already. And I'm only a spry 20something (I say this because I can never remember how old I am until I think about it, and I prefer not to use the back arrow). And it's true, I'm starting to dislike the people I'm trying hardest to help. The saying goes "Give a man a fish he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat forever." But what I keep seeing over and over is that you teach him to fish and he says "Great, now can I have a fish?" Too many people who are scraping the bottom of the economic barrel are there because they refuse to do anything to help themselves. Too many people on welfare and other aid programs see it as a free handout they are entitled to as Americans, and choose not to make an effort to work or better themselves or society. I've even seen women who go around getting knocked up for the checks, then are single moms with 6+ kids who never help them. The kids haven't got a shot in the world, all so mom can get the child support checks instead of getting a job. So why keep trying to help those who won't help themselves? I do it because of the few who do try, for the few who made a few bad choices, or out of necessity had to drop out of school and work.
It's also March Madness time. I've seen 2 similar commercials, both featuring a glass slipper. One says "It's March, there are no Cinderella stories." The second just says "The slipper." I saw the second one after the huge Davidson win. Davidson is a good team, or I should say Stephen Curry is a good team. He typically scores half the team points. Wisconsin tried to guard him, but that left others open and he was still able to get 31 points. Makes me wonder if there are Cinderella stories outside of sports that people care about? We always love the underdog team; the Giants beating the Patriots, Davidson over Wisconsin, or even the US soccer team.
And I come full circle, back to the people I have immense respect for, those who have been dealt a rough life but still try to better themselves. Kids who try to succeed despite no support at home or just plain genetics. That's why I like helping those in need, at least those who need the help and want to use it as a stepping stone.
It's also March Madness time. I've seen 2 similar commercials, both featuring a glass slipper. One says "It's March, there are no Cinderella stories." The second just says "The slipper." I saw the second one after the huge Davidson win. Davidson is a good team, or I should say Stephen Curry is a good team. He typically scores half the team points. Wisconsin tried to guard him, but that left others open and he was still able to get 31 points. Makes me wonder if there are Cinderella stories outside of sports that people care about? We always love the underdog team; the Giants beating the Patriots, Davidson over Wisconsin, or even the US soccer team.
And I come full circle, back to the people I have immense respect for, those who have been dealt a rough life but still try to better themselves. Kids who try to succeed despite no support at home or just plain genetics. That's why I like helping those in need, at least those who need the help and want to use it as a stepping stone.
3/27/08
I feel bad for laughing, but...
Well, sometimes I feel bad for feeling good. This is one of those times. Since it came out I have been saying there were major flaws in the OLPC. There's no contingency for what happens when they need fixed overseas, or where they end up when the hardware fails. Initially it was a $100 laptop, now it's a $200 laptop. To make things better most of their team bailed on Negraponte, and now this. The keyboard was apparently never stress tested and it's peeling apart. It's a rubber keyboard, so the more it's used the quicker it starts crumbling. And they have no way of replacing them. It makes me laugh, but it's a bad thing for all those kids who need to use it and suddenly don't remember where to press. Brilliant.
More info
More info
And on the 8th day...he blogged
I know, it's been a while since I posted. My bad, I've been working a lot. A lot has happened lately, including several more meetings (oh what fun), lots of eBay sales, the office is looking more office-y, and a possible new job and move to Michiana for me. Jeremy and I are scrambling to get a cluster computer finished before he starts his new job and leaves the area. Comeon, volunteer or cash salary? I vote volunteer, but then I don't have a say.
You know, I can't think of anything better than working for free all day, except maybe having a trust fund so I can work for free all day. And maybe being surrounded by steaks and having to eat my way out. Or being dumped in a pile of marshmallows. Mmm, sugar.
Here are a few new Star Trek theories on physics, all leading to the Trekkie Grand Unified Theory Everything in Totality, Including Redundancy.
Data's Uncertainty Principle, in relation to using a transporter rather than a fax machine:
"If you know the position of Phalon 5 you cannot know the phone number and vice versa. By observing Scotty working you change the way he works and cannot determine what buttons he pushes."
Chekov's Rule, an addition to Data's Uncertainty Principle:
"But there are as many parallel universes spawned as he has decisions, so it really doesn't matter that you don't know which one he pushed because if you guess, one of you will be right in one of the other universes."
Kirk's Third Law of Space-Time, this deals with parallel universes and their calculation:
"The number of parallel universes (n) is limited by the number of configurations of facial hair (h) such that h=n if and only if only each h is unique."
You know, I can't think of anything better than working for free all day, except maybe having a trust fund so I can work for free all day. And maybe being surrounded by steaks and having to eat my way out. Or being dumped in a pile of marshmallows. Mmm, sugar.
Here are a few new Star Trek theories on physics, all leading to the Trekkie Grand Unified Theory Everything in Totality, Including Redundancy.
Data's Uncertainty Principle, in relation to using a transporter rather than a fax machine:
"If you know the position of Phalon 5 you cannot know the phone number and vice versa. By observing Scotty working you change the way he works and cannot determine what buttons he pushes."
Chekov's Rule, an addition to Data's Uncertainty Principle:
"But there are as many parallel universes spawned as he has decisions, so it really doesn't matter that you don't know which one he pushed because if you guess, one of you will be right in one of the other universes."
Kirk's Third Law of Space-Time, this deals with parallel universes and their calculation:
"The number of parallel universes (n) is limited by the number of configurations of facial hair (h) such that h=n if and only if only each h is unique."
3/19/08
Chicago, Chicago
Well, I spent from 7:00 AM to 5:45 PM in Chicago on business. It should have been about 3 hours to get to the Northwest side, instead it took 4+ thanks to construction and wrecks. Steve and I were exhausted. We went to Bertollini's (?) for lunch and had some good Chicago pasta.
On another note I found a cool program I think I'm gonna use on my Toshiba Gigabeat.
Rockbox
On another note I found a cool program I think I'm gonna use on my Toshiba Gigabeat.
Rockbox
3/16/08
Fox: Such a conundrum
Fox is a truly bizarre station. They've had some good shows: Family Guy, Simpsons, Futurama, and Firefly. But they're also the most biased and downright ridiculous news station I've ever found. They make Al Jazeera seem "fair and balanced." Bill O'Reilly needs no explanation, he is the most arrogant and inaccurate pile of crap in America. The only worse source of information I can think of now is Wikipedia. Sean Hannity is an irritant as well, but Bill thankfully makes him look mild. They slander anyone who isn't a neocon, and have no care for facts.
Now they're comparing Obama to Hitler and Chairman Mao. On what grounds? None, but it is outrageous enough to get picked up by other stations. Then Hannity starts saying Farrakhan and Obama together with more unsubstantiated rumors and hints. This is ridiculous. Fox News has become the TV version of The National Inquirer, but much more hateful.
I feel sorry for those who watch Fox News and actually think they live up to their mantra: "Fair and balanced."
For videos and more I managed to find this while doing research:
http://foxattacks.com/
Now they're comparing Obama to Hitler and Chairman Mao. On what grounds? None, but it is outrageous enough to get picked up by other stations. Then Hannity starts saying Farrakhan and Obama together with more unsubstantiated rumors and hints. This is ridiculous. Fox News has become the TV version of The National Inquirer, but much more hateful.
I feel sorry for those who watch Fox News and actually think they live up to their mantra: "Fair and balanced."
For videos and more I managed to find this while doing research:
http://foxattacks.com/
3/15/08
Now I remember...
I am remembering why I don't like watching TV. I was watching a show on remodelling houses, I like to learn you know, and the lady was so clueless and irritating. She wants to buy a flat panel TV, despite the fact they have several working TVs. Then she goes out and buys it without asking her husband, as well as splurging on several thousand dollars worth of new furniture and fluff they don't need.
If that wasn't enough there was the icing on the cake. There was a commercial for Dixie plates that said if you love your family you won't do dishes, just buy disposable dishes! A throw away society is bad enough, but flaunting it like that and saying that if you love your kids you'll create more pollution is downright ridiculous. If you LOVE them? If you love them you will try to keep the environment nice and not generate unnecessary pollution.
Stupid TV and stupid people who buy into those commercials.
If that wasn't enough there was the icing on the cake. There was a commercial for Dixie plates that said if you love your family you won't do dishes, just buy disposable dishes! A throw away society is bad enough, but flaunting it like that and saying that if you love your kids you'll create more pollution is downright ridiculous. If you LOVE them? If you love them you will try to keep the environment nice and not generate unnecessary pollution.
Stupid TV and stupid people who buy into those commercials.
Happy birthday!
So I forgot to say it in my last post, but 3/11 was the 10th birthday of the first MP3 player, the Saehan MPMan. It was a 32mb Flash based device about the size of an iPod. Oh how times have changed.
Also, yesterday was Pi day (3.14) as well as a famous person's birthday: Einstein! He would have been 129 yesterday, so if you see Einstein's zombie say happy birthday.
Also, yesterday was Pi day (3.14) as well as a famous person's birthday: Einstein! He would have been 129 yesterday, so if you see Einstein's zombie say happy birthday.
3/11/08
What's shakin bacon?
I've been prepping for my oral senior comp, which was this morning for the past few weeks. To make a long story short, it was brutal, quite brutal.
I've been working on a couple side projects, including a cluster computer and a mini solid state system.
In other news, WalMart, who had redeemed themselves in my eyes by selling the Everex gPC, has decided to stop selling Linux computers, saying "it's not what our customers want." Interesting, because it sold out within 24 hours, then they restocked and sold out immediately again. To me, that sounds more like overwhelming demand. What if WalMart said that about the Wii. "We sold out, so we must conclude our customers don't want them." Something tells me there's more to the story than they're saying, and I'll lay down all my money ($20) that Microsoft had a hand in that.
Time for more ice cream, it's been that kind of day.
I've been working on a couple side projects, including a cluster computer and a mini solid state system.
In other news, WalMart, who had redeemed themselves in my eyes by selling the Everex gPC, has decided to stop selling Linux computers, saying "it's not what our customers want." Interesting, because it sold out within 24 hours, then they restocked and sold out immediately again. To me, that sounds more like overwhelming demand. What if WalMart said that about the Wii. "We sold out, so we must conclude our customers don't want them." Something tells me there's more to the story than they're saying, and I'll lay down all my money ($20) that Microsoft had a hand in that.
Time for more ice cream, it's been that kind of day.
2/26/08
Snow, snow go away...
Well, it's snowed a lot here. I couldn't get out until about 3:00, needless to say I stayed home today. So I spent the day reading, writing, and working around here.
In more fun news, the board came so I could build the first prototype of the BReuTech solid state computer. I'm excited. Now for an evening of software tweaking and doing benchmarking.
The shelves came in for work, so we now have 3 times the storage in the warehouse. Which is good since our volume is going to be 7 times what it was this past year, minimum. I also spent the weekend talking to people at the Business Expo, which left me completely drained. Makes me glad it snowed, I needed a day off.
In more fun news, the board came so I could build the first prototype of the BReuTech solid state computer. I'm excited. Now for an evening of software tweaking and doing benchmarking.
The shelves came in for work, so we now have 3 times the storage in the warehouse. Which is good since our volume is going to be 7 times what it was this past year, minimum. I also spent the weekend talking to people at the Business Expo, which left me completely drained. Makes me glad it snowed, I needed a day off.
2/19/08
More Evidence the System is Broken
Well, I have yet another sign the system has failed. My last evidence was that I can't get a loan because I'm too responsible with my money, the same reason nobody will give me a credit card to build credit to get a loan. This time, it's that the government is willing to pay me to be less productive.
As a contractor I have no insurance. If I'm willing to pay more than I make in a year I can buy my own, but I'll pass. I actually found out I haven't had insurance for 9 months now, and didn't even know it. Lucky me. I was on my parent's plan for as long as I was a full-time student, but I was only part-time last fall and not a student at all now. Indiana just started a new public health insurance plan called the Healthy Indiana Plan, so I looked into it. And I'm not eligible because I work too much.
How can this be possible you ask? Well, they will only insure you if you make less than $20k/year or $1,700/month. So in all reality I'm better off flipping burgers for a living, I'll at least get health insurance. This is, in effect, rewarding those who don't work, or work minimum wage jobs, and hurting those of us working hard and getting an education. That now leaves me with a few options:
1) Work fewer days, cutting my productivity and pay so I can get health insurance.
2) Take a pay cut so I can be as productive and get health insurance.
3) Go to grad school so someone else pays my health insurance.
4) Quit and go flip burgers.
I have a better idea. How about the revise the plan, and offer more coverage to those working more, doing jobs that need done, and trying to make it. This plan gives preference to drug, addicted, lazy, scum wandering around contributing nothing than to those trying to help make this region more productive and sustainable. They could even give me free therapy with the plan, let me take a baseball bat to the kneecaps of a drug addict once a week, that would help release the frustration of a screwed up system that doesn't care for the people in the middle, only for those not willing to work and those who pay others minimum wage to do the work for them.
To make things even more comical (for you, certainly not for me) I'm working as a government contractor. So they're willing to give me health insurance if I do LESS work for them. It seems like a good reward to me to give me insurance for doing more work, and doing a better job.
Mitch Daniels should be thrown out of office and let's get someone with half a mind in there, I can't believe people fell for his campaign.
As a contractor I have no insurance. If I'm willing to pay more than I make in a year I can buy my own, but I'll pass. I actually found out I haven't had insurance for 9 months now, and didn't even know it. Lucky me. I was on my parent's plan for as long as I was a full-time student, but I was only part-time last fall and not a student at all now. Indiana just started a new public health insurance plan called the Healthy Indiana Plan, so I looked into it. And I'm not eligible because I work too much.
How can this be possible you ask? Well, they will only insure you if you make less than $20k/year or $1,700/month. So in all reality I'm better off flipping burgers for a living, I'll at least get health insurance. This is, in effect, rewarding those who don't work, or work minimum wage jobs, and hurting those of us working hard and getting an education. That now leaves me with a few options:
1) Work fewer days, cutting my productivity and pay so I can get health insurance.
2) Take a pay cut so I can be as productive and get health insurance.
3) Go to grad school so someone else pays my health insurance.
4) Quit and go flip burgers.
I have a better idea. How about the revise the plan, and offer more coverage to those working more, doing jobs that need done, and trying to make it. This plan gives preference to drug, addicted, lazy, scum wandering around contributing nothing than to those trying to help make this region more productive and sustainable. They could even give me free therapy with the plan, let me take a baseball bat to the kneecaps of a drug addict once a week, that would help release the frustration of a screwed up system that doesn't care for the people in the middle, only for those not willing to work and those who pay others minimum wage to do the work for them.
To make things even more comical (for you, certainly not for me) I'm working as a government contractor. So they're willing to give me health insurance if I do LESS work for them. It seems like a good reward to me to give me insurance for doing more work, and doing a better job.
Mitch Daniels should be thrown out of office and let's get someone with half a mind in there, I can't believe people fell for his campaign.
2/15/08
Sick of hearing about Apple
I used to be a fan of Apple. My first computer, in 1988, was an Apple IIe. I appreciate all the work they've done, they did create the first GUI after all. But I'm sick of hearing about them, and how "hip" they are and how they're a new standard. What have they done innovative lately? They made a thin laptop by stripping out almost all functionality. Congrats. They made the iPhone, a ripoff of the Neo1973 whose development only started after FIC had already built prototypes of the Neo. Congrats again. Some people claim their UI is so innovative, it's actually frustration over this that made me write this post. I was reading an article on Samsung's new TouchWiz UI and comparing it to Apple's UI. Apple did nothing special there. Again, they used a UI made to mimic the OpenMoko interface which had been around for a while. Thank God for Apple there wasn't more funding behind OpenMoko/FIC or else they would have been beat to the market by a long shot. Apple didn't announce until 1 year after OpenMoko, at MacWorld 2007, 3 years after development started on the Neo1973 and 1 year after it was announced.
What has Apple done lately? Nothing but marketing is my answer. They have excellent marketing and sell their items as status symbols, charging several times what they're worth and repackaging what has already been done. So seriously, shut up about Apple. Or at the least, don't bother me with their latest fads, I've already read about them and still don't care.
And to Apple: Please do something to win back the respect of those who remember you from when you were the innovator and the good PC alternative.
What has Apple done lately? Nothing but marketing is my answer. They have excellent marketing and sell their items as status symbols, charging several times what they're worth and repackaging what has already been done. So seriously, shut up about Apple. Or at the least, don't bother me with their latest fads, I've already read about them and still don't care.
And to Apple: Please do something to win back the respect of those who remember you from when you were the innovator and the good PC alternative.
2/13/08
I just joined LinkedIn to get some more business contacts, so you should look at it, or even join it if you're in the business world. It's actually a great tool.
My Profile
My Profile
2/10/08
New Link
I wanted to let people know that Kelli has started a page for our wedding, which will be updated as the info comes. I put the link in the right side bar. Enjoy.
2/6/08
Blarg
Well I've learned a lot of things while driving around lately, darn those long commutes.
1) Idiots buy silver or white SUVs. It's been really foggy and stormy lately, and the only vehicles not using lights were always white or silver SUVs. Yes, the ones you can't see in the fog are the ones making it harder. Not the red sports cars or green vans. The problem with a lot of small villages in the area is the increased volume of village idiots.
2) It's annoying when a car does the speed up/slow down jazz when you try to pass them. It's even more annoying when it's a semi hauling hogs in the pouring rain.
3) All radio morning show hosts are alcoholics who hate their lives.
4) Zoning out and missing your turn is only funny once.
1) Idiots buy silver or white SUVs. It's been really foggy and stormy lately, and the only vehicles not using lights were always white or silver SUVs. Yes, the ones you can't see in the fog are the ones making it harder. Not the red sports cars or green vans. The problem with a lot of small villages in the area is the increased volume of village idiots.
2) It's annoying when a car does the speed up/slow down jazz when you try to pass them. It's even more annoying when it's a semi hauling hogs in the pouring rain.
3) All radio morning show hosts are alcoholics who hate their lives.
4) Zoning out and missing your turn is only funny once.
2/3/08
$44.6 billion for a poor search engine? Not exactly...
Microsoft's sudden bid for a hostile takeover of Yahoo for a proposed $44.6 billion, way more than the stock is worth, may seem like an odd move. Microsoft already has a search engine, MSN, and they have all the features Yahoo does. They say they want to create more competition to help combat Google's constant growth and dominance in web search and features. Referring to Google (though it fits Microsoft themselves better oddly enough) Microsoft officials said,
"Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player, who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer a credible alternative."
This is where the bull is getting too deep for me. Since when did Microsoft offer 1) more competition or 2) credibility? MSN and Yahoo are about as effective as search engines as looking through paid ads. Yahoo Mail and Hotmail are slow and ad riddled. Yahoo has been falling off for a long time, they've had layoffs and are failing as a company, it's only a matter of time before they're no longer a major player. So it looks like this merger is about as smart as HP-Compaq.
Well, here's the kicker...
Google does a lot of things. One thing they do that Microsoft wants to slow down at least is their support of open source and Linux. If you control a larger portion of search traffic and more ad revenue you can help limit the exposure to this information. Anything Microsoft can do to hurt Google now helps them. Google is now preparing to buy up some airwaves now, that would allow them to use Linux more (read: Android) and will open more people up to open source and media delivery systems. That would put the major hurt on Microsoft and all their work in multimedia systems.
So I firmly believe Microsoft has no interest in Yahoo for itself, but for a way to consolidate more traffic to a single source and put more pressure on Google. They've been making a lot of attacks on Google this past year, claiming they are involved in privacy violations and other unsubstantiated illegal activities. Now let's just wait and see where this goes.
"Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player, who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer a credible alternative."
This is where the bull is getting too deep for me. Since when did Microsoft offer 1) more competition or 2) credibility? MSN and Yahoo are about as effective as search engines as looking through paid ads. Yahoo Mail and Hotmail are slow and ad riddled. Yahoo has been falling off for a long time, they've had layoffs and are failing as a company, it's only a matter of time before they're no longer a major player. So it looks like this merger is about as smart as HP-Compaq.
Well, here's the kicker...
Google does a lot of things. One thing they do that Microsoft wants to slow down at least is their support of open source and Linux. If you control a larger portion of search traffic and more ad revenue you can help limit the exposure to this information. Anything Microsoft can do to hurt Google now helps them. Google is now preparing to buy up some airwaves now, that would allow them to use Linux more (read: Android) and will open more people up to open source and media delivery systems. That would put the major hurt on Microsoft and all their work in multimedia systems.
So I firmly believe Microsoft has no interest in Yahoo for itself, but for a way to consolidate more traffic to a single source and put more pressure on Google. They've been making a lot of attacks on Google this past year, claiming they are involved in privacy violations and other unsubstantiated illegal activities. Now let's just wait and see where this goes.
1/28/08
Weekend update with Norm MacDonald...
Ok, not really with Norm, but that would be cool.
I spent Friday night in Muncie with Whitey, John, Kyle, and Ryland. It was a kickin time.
Saturday I came home and saw my sister after her med school interviews, she thinks they went well. Score one for her.
Then Sunday I went ice fishing. That was actually really fun, and not as cold as you would think. Kinda weird standing in the middle of a lake, but cool. Then we got the bright idea to use the ice auger to drill post holes through the ice so we could put in a second dock without getting in the water in the spring. It went really well too, much easier than putting in the other dock.
Tonight I have a couple computer jobs and finishing up the dock, then I spend tomorrow in Chicago in another meeting and back for another meeting in the afternoon. It's a busy week, but I'm gearing up to watch the Pats lose next weekend.
I spent Friday night in Muncie with Whitey, John, Kyle, and Ryland. It was a kickin time.
Saturday I came home and saw my sister after her med school interviews, she thinks they went well. Score one for her.
Then Sunday I went ice fishing. That was actually really fun, and not as cold as you would think. Kinda weird standing in the middle of a lake, but cool. Then we got the bright idea to use the ice auger to drill post holes through the ice so we could put in a second dock without getting in the water in the spring. It went really well too, much easier than putting in the other dock.
Tonight I have a couple computer jobs and finishing up the dock, then I spend tomorrow in Chicago in another meeting and back for another meeting in the afternoon. It's a busy week, but I'm gearing up to watch the Pats lose next weekend.
1/24/08
Happy birthday Mac OS and EONS
Well it's a red letter day. Today I burned the first copy of EONS 0.4.2, the first releasable copy of EONS, the operating system I've been working on since June, or maybe July. It's also the 24th birthday of the first GUI (graphical user interface). The Mac OS is now 24 years old, and that means just 24 years ago during the Super Bowl the greatest commercial of all time was aired as well. Excitement galore.
1/22/08
Neo is the one
Well, a product I've been watching like a hawk since last summer is making some new moves. The OpenMoko Neo 1973, the development forerunner to the Neo Freerunner, will be distributed, along with its consumer geared Freerunner by Pulster. Great news for FOSS hardware fans. I've been debating getting a Neo 1973 for months now, but my Razr V3 still works.
For those who don't know, the Neo 1973 was announced a few years ago and took some time due to lack of finances, but is what the iPhone was modeled after. It's a gorgeous device that runs on Linux and can even play computer games. Right now it is in a developers release state, so anyone with a knowledge of Linux and programming can jump in.
You can read more here:
Business Wire
OpenMoko
For those who don't know, the Neo 1973 was announced a few years ago and took some time due to lack of finances, but is what the iPhone was modeled after. It's a gorgeous device that runs on Linux and can even play computer games. Right now it is in a developers release state, so anyone with a knowledge of Linux and programming can jump in.
You can read more here:
Business Wire
OpenMoko
1/19/08
Wiggidy wiggidy whack
Well, I'm at work again, a fairly normal Saturday for me lately. Going over paperwork from meetings, working out my schedule of meetings next week, and processing material. I met with a client and a potential outlet for leaded glass this week, and those went very well. We're doing a couple site visits next week and meeting with more clients, as well as a buyer for truckload quantity computers. Things are really picking up around here.
I really started writing to ponder and complain about how we've gotten to a state where everything is disposable rather than repairable. Just this morning a recertified 2 computers, each less than 2 years old. One of them was perfectly fine, they just had a lot of spyware and viruses installed, so rather than take the time to clean it up, or even maintain it and not put all that junk on there in the first place, they got rid of it and got a new computer. I just wiped the drive and installed EONS, 3 minutes of actual work. The second needed a new power supply, a $10 fix. Instead they went and spent over $600. Maybe I shouldn't complain, this is job security for me, but it just seems wasteful and silly to me. If your car gets a flat tire do you get rid of it? Of course not. So what's the cutoff of cost? Obviously under $20,000. Some of these people don't take care of their computers, get viruses, and every year buy a new computer. I've had the same computer for 5 years now, and it's still very fast, all it takes is maintenance.
One of the things we'll be offering once I get the front of the building are classes. One of those will be in computer maintenance. Hopefully people take it and learn something, though I will be decreasing my business some. Oh well, it's worth it to me.
I really started writing to ponder and complain about how we've gotten to a state where everything is disposable rather than repairable. Just this morning a recertified 2 computers, each less than 2 years old. One of them was perfectly fine, they just had a lot of spyware and viruses installed, so rather than take the time to clean it up, or even maintain it and not put all that junk on there in the first place, they got rid of it and got a new computer. I just wiped the drive and installed EONS, 3 minutes of actual work. The second needed a new power supply, a $10 fix. Instead they went and spent over $600. Maybe I shouldn't complain, this is job security for me, but it just seems wasteful and silly to me. If your car gets a flat tire do you get rid of it? Of course not. So what's the cutoff of cost? Obviously under $20,000. Some of these people don't take care of their computers, get viruses, and every year buy a new computer. I've had the same computer for 5 years now, and it's still very fast, all it takes is maintenance.
One of the things we'll be offering once I get the front of the building are classes. One of those will be in computer maintenance. Hopefully people take it and learn something, though I will be decreasing my business some. Oh well, it's worth it to me.
1/16/08
Crapbook Air
I've never been a big fan of Apple's hardware, it's guaranteed to be overpriced and underperforming, and once again they don't fail to prove me right. For a laptop costing $1,800 I have high expectations. Call me frugal, but if I'm paying more than $1,000 for a computer it better be the fastest thing around. But here is the rundown:
1.6GHz Core2 Duo
2GB DDR2
WiFi
80GB 4200 RPM hard drive
1 USB 2.0 port
1 audio output
microDVI output
Now here's my questions:
1) Where is the optical drive? How do I play CDs or watch DVDs? Oh, I pay an extra $100 and use up the only USB port.
2) 4200 RPM drive? I must be dreaming? Oh no, that's true... And if you want a faster drive you move down to 64GB and cough up an extra $1,000.
3) Where's the ethernet connection? Oh, you have to pay $30 and use up the only USB port.
4) That 13'' LCD a bit tiny, even by 1995 standards? Yeah, Apple knows. Which is why they'll sell you a monitor that connects to the bizarre miniDVI port for only $600.
5) 1.6 GHz a bit on-par with a few years ago? Well you can go for a 1.8 GHz for only $300 more.
Now I have to wonder who will buy these? My guess is Apple's main customer base, as they show in their commercials. Smug people with too much money and no common sense.
1.6GHz Core2 Duo
2GB DDR2
WiFi
80GB 4200 RPM hard drive
1 USB 2.0 port
1 audio output
microDVI output
Now here's my questions:
1) Where is the optical drive? How do I play CDs or watch DVDs? Oh, I pay an extra $100 and use up the only USB port.
2) 4200 RPM drive? I must be dreaming? Oh no, that's true... And if you want a faster drive you move down to 64GB and cough up an extra $1,000.
3) Where's the ethernet connection? Oh, you have to pay $30 and use up the only USB port.
4) That 13'' LCD a bit tiny, even by 1995 standards? Yeah, Apple knows. Which is why they'll sell you a monitor that connects to the bizarre miniDVI port for only $600.
5) 1.6 GHz a bit on-par with a few years ago? Well you can go for a 1.8 GHz for only $300 more.
Now I have to wonder who will buy these? My guess is Apple's main customer base, as they show in their commercials. Smug people with too much money and no common sense.
1/14/08
Gene Splicing = Awesome
Kelli and I got a tank full of Glowfish, an engineered variant of Danios that were originally used for research. They glow under a UV Light. I'm getting her a UV reactive placostamus as well. Oh science, how I love thee.
On a side note I worked 55 hours last week and I'll be working another long week this week to prepare for the business expo. In other business news we're looking to pick up a few more counties and cities, I should know more by the end of the month. Within a week I should also know about getting an intern for the summer doing marketing.
On a side note I worked 55 hours last week and I'll be working another long week this week to prepare for the business expo. In other business news we're looking to pick up a few more counties and cities, I should know more by the end of the month. Within a week I should also know about getting an intern for the summer doing marketing.
1/8/08
Flooding
Well, it's been raining here since about 8:00 last night, hasn't stopped yet. The roads around my house are flooded, but I slogged through them anyway. Mostly because it's so dark when I leave for work I couldn't see the standing water. The warehouse at work has started to leak, as well as my house. I woke up at 4AM to find the ceiling collapsing in the hallway and water dripping in. Hooray. I quickly took down the ceiling tile and put a trash can under it, then went back to bed. Now I get to go home after work and pull out the insulation and replace it, fix the roof, replace the ceiling tile, and pull up the carpet to let it dry. Sounds like fun.
1/7/08
Ladies and Gentlemen...
I'm a nervous person anyway. When flying I'm scared of the plane crashing, midair collisions, or spontaneous combustion. But here's the kicker...
Remind me never to fly a 787. You can hack a jet. A jet!!! This is a giant thing we're afraid of hitting building or the ground, and they make it hackable. Whose idea was this?! Tying the in-flight internet access, which I'm not sure is necessary anyway, into navigation, control, and communications? So someone with some good skills and a laptop can take control of the plane? Good God, was there security planned by an idiot? Here's a hint, if you're going to give passengers internet access, use two completely separate systems, even if it costs more. It's worth it to land.
Remind me never to fly a 787. You can hack a jet. A jet!!! This is a giant thing we're afraid of hitting building or the ground, and they make it hackable. Whose idea was this?! Tying the in-flight internet access, which I'm not sure is necessary anyway, into navigation, control, and communications? So someone with some good skills and a laptop can take control of the plane? Good God, was there security planned by an idiot? Here's a hint, if you're going to give passengers internet access, use two completely separate systems, even if it costs more. It's worth it to land.
Too Much Time
Well, I may have too much time on my hands now. I'm commuting 45 minutes to work, and even though gas is expensive I'm saving about $350 a month by living where I do, so it's worth it. I could live next to work and spend about $600 a month or drive a long ways and spend about $200 a month. I've got the time.
So now I spend these long boring drives thinking. And this morning I had an odd thought. I know, me having an odd thought is unheard of, but hear me out. It occurred to me that most people, around here anyway, spend a lot of time in the car. And not like in Indy or Chicago, where you commute 2 miles and spend an hour in your car, this is because people live a long way from where they work. Some are like me and are doing it to save money, but most are spending a lot. The average pay around here is about $8/hr too, and there seem to be a lot of trucks on the road too. So I did some quick math and came up with this. For an average person, driving a truck at 60mph, commuting 15 miles, fairly average around here, and paying $700/year taxes on a house, also fairly average around here, they are netting just under $15,000/yr before taxes, living expenses, and entertainment. That's about half of the poverty line right there. Based on my food, bills, and what little entertainment I partake in, that leaves around $13,500 before tax, and I eat as cheaply as possible. After tax that's about $9,500 left. There are also a lot of other expenses I haven't taken into account, and that's assuming there are no kids.
It made me thankful I'm earning more than average, driving a car, living cheaply, and have no kids. About that time a semi pulled out in front of me and broke my train of thought.
So now I spend these long boring drives thinking. And this morning I had an odd thought. I know, me having an odd thought is unheard of, but hear me out. It occurred to me that most people, around here anyway, spend a lot of time in the car. And not like in Indy or Chicago, where you commute 2 miles and spend an hour in your car, this is because people live a long way from where they work. Some are like me and are doing it to save money, but most are spending a lot. The average pay around here is about $8/hr too, and there seem to be a lot of trucks on the road too. So I did some quick math and came up with this. For an average person, driving a truck at 60mph, commuting 15 miles, fairly average around here, and paying $700/year taxes on a house, also fairly average around here, they are netting just under $15,000/yr before taxes, living expenses, and entertainment. That's about half of the poverty line right there. Based on my food, bills, and what little entertainment I partake in, that leaves around $13,500 before tax, and I eat as cheaply as possible. After tax that's about $9,500 left. There are also a lot of other expenses I haven't taken into account, and that's assuming there are no kids.
It made me thankful I'm earning more than average, driving a car, living cheaply, and have no kids. About that time a semi pulled out in front of me and broke my train of thought.
1/2/08
The Kelli Post
Well as some may know and some may not I got engaged 11/27/07 to Kelli. She's an accounting major interning for a firm in Fort Wayne and will graduate in December 2008. Here are some pics. We're going to get married at St. Mary's Church in Decatur on 6/13/09. Wedding planning is taking up most of her time, and business meetings and getting things set financially (as well as some research on the side) is taking up most of mine.
Welcome to my world
Well here's my new blog of my life outside of work. There are several links to the side. Tillamook Rage is for a project of mine, there are a couple friends of mine, as well as some good reading. I'll use this more my non work related commentaries and rants as well as updates, which will be handy since I have a wedding coming up as well as plenty of stuff going on. So enjoy!
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