September 2004 Archives

The debates are so tame and managed. I would like to see a real dialog. Jim Lehrer should get a buzzer so he can buzz when neither candidates answer.

Symbol search web site. Very cool.

Saw this 200 things meme on Liz's site.

In keeping with my character, I enjoy seeing other people's list but frankly am very hesitant about posting mine.

I have been wondering lately if this tendency, to play my emotional cards close to the vest, is a self defeating characteristic or not.

Today at the lunch table, Elise, my daughter age 3, asked Matthew, my son, age 4 a question.

He didn't know the answer. So he replied with the following.

"I don't presume to know."

I would say that my personal survey of his peer group, indicates that he will be able to talk his way into or out of nearly any situation.

Here are some thoughts about driving in Boston.

The Newton Sheraton is located above the freeway. In addition, the hotel is surrounded by a roundabout. In addition to the usual confusion of a roundabout, there is a point on the inside that is a Mass Pike onramp, and a certain exit that is also an on ramp to the same highway. If you get on the Mass Pike you'll have quite a ways to travel before the first place to turn around presents itself.

Lanes are just a suggestion.

The left lane will likely take you some place you don't want to go.

Mapquest can deceive.

People at gas stations don't give very good directions.

There really is no way to be gracefully 2 1/2 hours late.

There are two Grove Streets in Newton. Don't go to the other one.

I heard someone use the phrase "log diving" recently. It was meant to capture that special activity where you look through many text logs in order to figure out what event occurred in your OS or application.

I liked this phrase immediately, but then when I used it, I felt nervous; wondering if perhaps it had a sexual connotation.

For now I think I'll not use it.

I saw "Chasing Amy" last night. I enjoyed it sort of. The theme of meeting someone who finally is the embodiment a lifetimes search for intimacy and companionship was both touching and thought provoking. When the main character tried to solve the central problem of the movie in the absolute worst way possible, I was shouting "No, don't do it. You'll regret it." That moment had the smell of the kind of self-destructive psychological horror story I have come to really enjoy. Thankfully, his solution was not pursued.

On the whole, the movie didn't work for me in one major way. I don't think that sex should be treated as casually as it is in this movie. I think there are long term consequences for treating sexual choices with the same gravity as one might muster when choosing ice cream flavors. Those "consequences" are both for the health, the head, and the heart of all involved. But it's a movie so we all live happily ever after, right?

Potzer, BTW is slang for patzer, a chess term.

I spent a Saturday and Sunday working in my basement. When we purchased the house it had an unfinished basement. We haven't really done much about it, up until now. Now after a long period of multi-lateral negotiations, we finally have agreed on a working floor plan to create an office, bedroom, and bathroom in the basement. I am sure the negotiations would have been smoother if I had invited the North Koreans to the bargaining table. Once we create those rooms, the remaining area will become a de facto family room.

So far, I have gotten a few walls up. It was a lot of fun to use a pneumatic framing nailer and the "stud gun." I am a lousy nailer, and having the nails driven in so neatly and efficiently was a very nice change of pace. It took a while to get the nailer working properly as the regulator on the compressor was set to forty pounds which was half the amount required to drive the tool properly.

This fall I am hoping to finish the walls of the office and hag sheet rock, at least in the inside. We'll see how much energy I have left after that.

The office is being built to be extremely quiet. The walls are extra thick and I plan to insulate them and hang double sheet rock. The office is also structurally isolated from the joists in an effort to keep the booming of little feet down to a bare minimum. I am hoping for a "fortress of solitude" effect. I am considering putting the computer outside the room and using KVM cables to allow the computer(s) to be placed further away.

I enjoy working with wood. It's nice to deal with a medium where a firm smack can actually be a solution to a small problem.

I know wireless access in a public space is no longer the once in a lifetime event it might have been just a few short years ago. However, every time I run into it i find myself feeling giddy. I can't wait until the day when municipal nets are commonplace and free.

I was adding a book to my Amazon wish list. I noticed an indicator noting there as an "A9 Instant Reward Active". Cool, what's that? So I clicked and learned users of A9 can get Π / 2 % off their next order. What a goofy number to chose.

A really good place to get lumber in Minneapolis is Siwek's. Not only do they have a good selection of lumber, they have it in odd sizes. Additionally, they have a lot of odds and ends, like salvage and overstock items from cabinetry to raw material to windows.

They don't have a web site.

Siwek Lumber & Millwork Inc
2536 NE Marshall St
Minneapolis,  MN 55418 - 3329
(612) 781-3333

I spent some time with a an IT expert who was praising Round Robin Database. It seems very cool. Can't wait until I have time to check it out. It stores data (like time series data) in such a way that over time the file doesn't grow but you lose resolution. It's very interesting, as whom really wants to know about router performance down the 5 minute interval two years from now, but you might want to know about performance for this month versus a year ago.

People I know rarely figure into my dreams. On the rare occasion that someone I know makes an appearance in my dreams, I feel compelled to rush to tell them.

I find it's hard to strike a balance between sharing your excitement about the dream and who appeared in at and sounding like a weirdo stalker having weirdo "dreams" about the actors in your dreams.

Occasionally, I give live demo's of software to peers and or customers. It's always a bit of a balancing act. On one hand you want to put your best foot forward, on the other hand you have software that is pre-release, not ready for prime time. You want quality feedback on what's wrong, but you need to give an expectation of what is going to be there when it is ready for prime time, which may be subtly different from what people wish it was, at least in the initial go round. It's a balancing act; one which I still have not yet mastered.

I tip my hat to those people who put demos on for massive crowds like Microsoft and Apple do. I have never do it in front of more than forty people and I sweated bullets.

I wore a dark mock turtleneck as a nod to Steve Jobs. No one noticed.

Check out these Trick of the Trade.

After explaining how birthday clowns have to keep on top of what phrases or words will always get a laugh this year, he goes on to explain software engineering.

That last sentence is very funny to me. There are also lots of really good tricks sprinkled in the rest of the article.

I stopped at my library today to pick up some books I had requested. It was strange as the browse feature of the library interface had been deactivated to allow workmen to install new carpeting. The only thing that was open was the check-out, request pick-up and book returns. At first I was a bit taken aback by this arrangement since I am used to browsing at least a little at the library.

After a few minutes thinking about this new strange experience, I think there ought to be more libraries like this. I think there is a place for browsing and reference libraries, but there is likely also a need for a more kiosk style library service where you just pick-up and drop off books. It could be staffed by someone without a Library Science degree, and could be in a retail setting, like a corner of a local Starbucks. This way there could be more libraries and more access to books. The kiosk could even be portable and have regular stops in large company campuses as well.

One reason why I like this idea is that I have been making such use of the book request system now that it's available on-line. It's so convenient to just get an email when the book is ready.

I wandered across this post recently, on September 11th, where some party goers toast Death to the Wahhabbis! A more ambitious explanation of this line of thinking was offered by Monica of th'inkwell.

Monica's line of thinking is something that I am not entirely opposed to. I support a muscular foreign policy. I don't need to "understand" why fanatics kill children on purpose.

However, in the back of my mind I hear this jewish fellow saying something like "Love your neighbor, that's easy to do, try loving your enemy."

What does that look like in the context of someone who is willing to murder you to make a political point?

I'm not sure. It reminds me a of a prayer I wrote out some time ago as a way of dealing with the uncertainty of living life in the post-September-11 world. The prayer below is targeted specifically at the terrorists and those who support them.

The Terrorist's Blessing

May all your plans be thwarted,
May your comrades, aquaintances, wives,
    children, fathers and mothers become informants,
May your luck run out at the worst possible time,
May your opponents hearts, plans, pursuits be pure,
May your banks transfer your money 
    to the victims of your terror,
May your shoe bombs, suicide belts,
    and devices of destruction utterly fail
    wounding only the bombmakers,
May the police and intelligence organizations
    have the lucky breaks and may they act on them,
May the aim of those hunting you be true,
May your fellow airline, train, and bus passengers
    be composed of brave, strong NFL lineman
    and angry rugby players,
May you die of old age,
May all your enemies die of natural causes
    in extreme old age,
May your minds change,
May your women and children be educated and wiser than you,
May your conspirators be brought to justice,
May you see justice running down like a mighty river,
May your countries be filled with freedom of thought,
    conscience, and belief for all,
May your grandchildren's peace and prosperity
    eclipse your imagination,
May you shake your white head in disbelief
    at the lies you once preached and believed,
May you experience peace both now 
    and when you meet your maker.

Contradictory? I know.

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
--Walt Whitman

I got this note in my gmail inbox this afternoon from Harper Collins.

It's unfortunate that Harper Collins doesn't know the sex of it's authors.

Anyway, I'm a big Christopher Moore fan and would love the chance to talk to him. Anyone want to start a fake book club with me?

The children and I went to Eagle's Nest last night. Thankfully there were no incidents. We had a lot of fun. I even managed to pull myself through the tunnels all the way up to the top of the tallest curly slide. It must be twenty-five or thirty feet off the ground and the route is very circuitous. They have changed the venue a bit and the site lines are now much better, so it's easier to keep track of your children as they explore the place. For those of you who haven't been there, imagine a large McDonald's playland, and then multiply it by 10x.

In a tangentially related note, I saw some really cool playground inspired furniture at modernconvenience.com. I like the swings and the teeter totter a lot, but somehow I don't think they will blend in to our decor.
[Link courtesy of mocoloco.com]

Here is an link to pictures of Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo, CA. I have seen this in person and it is well worth visiting if you are the vicinity. At first, as you walk down this alley, it just seems cool and strange; then disorientation sets in along with the scary thought, "What if I trip and fall head first into this infectious, festering wall of gooey chewed gum."
[Link courtesy of b^2]

Here are a few shots of my 2004 sailing trip. Like last year, we sailed out of Port Superior, near Bayfield, WI. We chartered a 32" foot Beneteau, named Water Music. It's a nice boat. I don't like the cockpit configuration the best, and she isn't too fast, but a real nice boat for cruising nonetheless.

Here are the rules to Perudo, one of my favorite games of all time. It's a great dice game involving a little strategy, a little math and a little luck. Good fun and it can be played by a large group with people of varying temperaments. The only real difficulty is teaching the game to newbies. It's easier to play than it is to teach it.

As you might know, I am trying to start reading more important books. The first book I chose from my list was "To Kill A Mockingbird", by Harper Lee.

For me I found the beginning of the book rather slow. Once the plot began to develop more, say by mid book, I was hooked. The language was very believable and evocative of the south. The character I liked the most was Adolphus Raymond, who was not a really an important character and therefore underdeveloped. It wasn't really a plot driven narrative, but it has a certain rhythm and beauty in its pacing. It is always interesting to me to see "simple" small town life (which is never as simple as it might seem on the surface), seen through children's eyes — or how adults remember seeing it through children's eyes.

I'm glad I read it. The book was beautiful in its language, painting both the complexities and the absurd contradictions of life in the genteel — yet painfully prejudiced south.

I got back from my annual sailing trip last night. We spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday sailing in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. I slept out on deck every night, under a canopy of bright stars, with the gentle rocking of the boat to ease my troubled mind. It was magnificent. We had great wind and very nice weather.

I'll post pictures and more thoughts later.

I use IM a fair amount. It lets me connect with people both down the hallway and around the world. I was tangentially aware that some phones had IM/SMS clients. Yesterday I dusted off my AIM client which I had neglected in favor of my YIM client. I noticed that one contact had a cell phone icon next to their name indicating they were available via phone. This got me thinking about IM on a phone. Does this really work? Is it really possible to have a decent IM conversation via txt on a phone? Do people really use all this elite sms speak?

Th'Inkwell provides an interesting essay, entitled "Memory Game" combining some beautiful thoughts about memory and the efficacy of government sponsored preservation programs.

Read the whole thing.

I remember those happy days "when skipping was still a reasonable mode of locomotion". Not too many days ago, I was trying to remember, when was the last time that I skipped. Sadly enough, I couldn't remember.

I present a couple of new links for your clicking pleasure.

Check out "The Underground History of Higher Education", by John Taylor Gatto. This guy has an ax to grind with education as it plays out in our society. I read the first chapter which I found very interesting. I have no idea if this is good data or information, just interesting.

Paul Graham writes another winning essay entitled,"The Age of the Essay". I like a lot of Paul Graham's essays.

I thought I was the only one who stuck stickers on my laptop. It turns out I am in good company.

I stuck a bumper sticker on my laptop for the following reasons.

• So I wouldn't confuse my laptop with other people's laptops.
• I don't put bumper stickers on my car for aesthetic reasons, but I didn't want to toss my gorgeous EFF sticker.
• I wanted people who see the sticker to ask me what the EFF is. Even though I work with a very technical group of people it astounds me how few of them have heard of the EFF, much less donate to it.
• I wanted to irritate the next person my laptop gets handed off to.

Nice to see I'm in such good company.

Now I just wish my laptop wasn't a Dell, so I could really hang with the cool kids.

I see that there is another blogger in my extended family. Check out Irene's blog!

I admit to not seeing the original movie. I will seek it out in short order I guarantee it.

This movie totally hooked me. The plot of this movie with its conspiracies and crazed characters was practically designed to totally hook me.

I have always loved the idea of plots where either a main character is insane or the only person who is sane.

I have always liked conspiracy movies, or movies that try and show how the world we live in is an elaborate facade.

I tend to like political movies with interesting themes.

I could have lived without a few of the more graphic squirm inducing scenes. If you have seen the movie you know what I'm talking about.

I also wonder about the politics of the producers. It seems like they might have been grinding a political ax at the same time they can capitalize on election year political interests.

I give it 3 1/2 stars out of 4. I saw it as a matinee, which of course means I am more predisposed to liking it.

I was pleasantly surprised with a pair of tickets to see Sarah McLachlan last night at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul. I had discussed going to see this concert with my wife, but due to certain scheduling conflicts I had decided it just wasn't possible. However, my wife, found a way to work out all the details and surprise me with the tickets. (By surprise I mean, my wife left her web browser window open to her ticketmaster receipt page on Thursday night, so that when I went to check the weather on Friday it was the first thing I saw.)

The opening act was Butterfly Boucher and was quite good. She had an interesting voice and its always fun to see a female lead vocalist playing bass guitar aggressively. She spent a lot of time joking about selling her album at the venue. Evidently she is from Australia and was invited on tour with Sarah after being heard in a small club in New York. It looks like the closest she'll come to Minnesota is Aimes, Iowa on 9/22/2004. All in all, she was very fun to see. She played an interesting mixture of vocal forward loud and quiet music.

Sarah McLachlan was every bit as good as I had hoped. She played mainly her recognizable popular tunes, describing it as a mixture of the songs she loved to sing. I wish I had taken notes on the songs played. My favorites were Adia, Building a Mystery, Ice Cream, and Answer. I was pretty taken by how her band took on the task on building a really deep sound with a lot of odd instruments even on tour. The music sounded similar to the album version, but each contained subtle vocal flourishes or slight changes in tempo and arrangement. Sarah's commentary between songs was not annoying in the least. She came out for three encores, and the last time came out sporting a Minnesota Wild Jersey, which got the audiences attention. A lot more women than men attended the show.

I would see a lot more live shows if they were a little cheaper.

Friday morning the family went to the Minnesota State Fair. We had a great time. We got there, via bus, early in the morning which made for short lines, cool temps, discounted rides, and best of all fresh grease. We sampled a lot of food including cheese curds, fresh onion rings, fresh lemonade, Hawaiian Shave Ice, cotton candy, and a breakfast burrito. The kids loved the rides and would have gladly gone on all of them twice.

The kids were great to be with. They were so excited by everything they saw it made the fair even more fun for me. One newish exhibit especially caught their attention. There was one barn full of pregnant animals, about to, or just having given birth. It was a lot of fun to see baby pigs just a few hours old. Frankly, I am glad no animals gave birth while I was there. I mean who needs to see a Holstein give birth a few feet away in a hot barn full of state fair goers. Having the kids along also made it possible to spend more time in the animal barns. If I go the fair only with adults, it seems like people don't want to spend nearly enough time in the barns.

I haven't gone to the fair every year. In the past I found that it so much the same from year to year that waiting a couple of years between visits to the fair makes the experience much more enjoyable for me.

I was disappointed to not be able to see the art and food exhibits as well as the booths full of hucksters selling mixers, mops, knives or other magical space age gear. Oh, well maybe next year.

Check out my photos of the Fair.

In my personal opinion people displaying "Bush/Cheney" buttons far outnumbered the "Kerry/Edwards" faithful. However, the DFL plaza had more crowds than the Republican "Get out the Vote" Winnebago.

Although I mostly dislike newspaper reporting where the text is filled with informal language, sarcasm, or irony I found this quote from a recent Star Tribune article about State Fair food very funny.

I'm going to have to tuck that little gem away for later use.

Co-workers plugged me into this fabulous Asian restaurant in the north metro region. It's called Mongkok. The Pad Thai is very good IMHO. It's short on ambience, but the quality of the food delivered is really excellent. We all seem to get served at different times which is strange, but I can tolerate strange when the food is just that good.

Since they don't appear to have a web site I'll post a few items here.

Yesterday, I received a hand addressed envelope in the mail from an unfamiliar address. This happens so rarely for me, it was actually exciting to me. I get a few cards for my birthday, but that's the extent. The idea that someone took a few minutes to hand write me a note, and address an envelope by hand was actually very pleasing. It wasn't my birthday, it wasn't Christmas,

It brought pleasure to my day to wonder who would send me a card and to wonder why they would send it me.

The reality I discovered, after I opened the card, was a harsh let down.

It was a thank you note from my new dentist.

I should never have opened the card. Note to self, leave cards unopened.

More gmail invites showed up today. I have six to give away. If you want one, leave a non-spam comment.

Wake me up, is the Bush acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention over yet?

On another note this article struck me as both funny and pertinent.

The question in my mind is Bush hated as much by Democrats as the Republicans loathed Clinton? At this point I think it's a toss up. One thing is certain, the Democrats loved Clinton more than John "Anybody but Bush" Kerry.

Funny article on Wired News. Basically there is a tiny Steve Jobs traveling the world getting his picture taken with the faithful.

I only wish there was a tiny Tim that could travel the world in a similiar fashion.

I saw the aftermath of a fairly serious accident outside my Roseville office building last night. It reminds one that the line between life and death is as thin as an egg shell. The flip side of this notion is that a lot of eggs turn into chickens and egg shells are remarkably durable ... right up until the point where they are not.

I have been playing with my MT templates again. The major change this time is to make the archive pages look quite a bit more like the main page. I wish it was easier to publish templates so more people could share. Let me know if something is wonky in your browser.

Jennie's experiences remind me of my own.

One thing I learned was that in the first few days of parenting, flowers aren't so helpful. I mean we had a baby to take care of for Pete's sake, how could we be expected to tend to some other organism. Food was very helpful, but flowers were less helpful.

Now I appreciated the flowers, I really did, but a boquet of pork chops would have been more practical.

Now I remember, a walk will calm me down.

I am feeling better for the moment although it was an all too short walk. I am leading up towards needing a two week walk.