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.
4/18/08
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.
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