Conclusion reached after an afternoon refreshing Google Reader:
At any given moment there exists someone, somewhere, publishing interesting content online.
Corollary:
At any given moment there are vast hordes of someones publishing drivel.
-t
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Why I Normally Take A Patriots' Day Vacation
Patriots' Day (aka Marathon Monday) is celebrated in Boston today. This is great if you are (a) no gainfully employed (b) a student (c) a marathon runner (d) a member of the Red Sox organization
and, judging by the time I spent standing in the bitter early April morning wind at the bust stop today, (e) the majority of the MBTA bus fleet.
Thank goodness bus 184 was in operation, or I would be posting this from my cellphone still standing at the bus stop instead of my cubicle.
-t
PS, Patriots' Day is not great if you are (f)(*ing) gainfully employed and have to navigate the public transit system or roadways while the entire rest of the city takes the day off to get drunk on Beacon street.
and, judging by the time I spent standing in the bitter early April morning wind at the bust stop today, (e) the majority of the MBTA bus fleet.
Thank goodness bus 184 was in operation, or I would be posting this from my cellphone still standing at the bus stop instead of my cubicle.
-t
PS, Patriots' Day is not great if you are (f)(*ing) gainfully employed and have to navigate the public transit system or roadways while the entire rest of the city takes the day off to get drunk on Beacon street.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
That Warm Fuzzy Feeling
We're getting the house insulated. This ia big step in the direction of energy efficiency (Thank you, President Obama, and your tax-credit program!) and staying warm during the winter months.
We're going with cellulose insulation because it's an old house, foam is toxic, and fiberglass is too pink, but mostly because the dispelled cellulose myths are hilarious:
Sprayed foam insulations can be green, too.
Sorry, no way. The only thing green about sprayed foams is the money you pay for them. Sprayed foam insulations are made with petroleum and petroleum byproducts, and that just isn't green.
What about soy based foams?
Sorry, not green. First, they're not soy 'based' - they contain a small amount of soy additive. While soy added to foam does save a little bit of oil or chemicals, the soy had to be grown, watered, fertilized, harvested, trucked, processed - well, you get the idea. Foams with soy additive are heavily marketed for their soy content, which is something called 'greenwashing'.
Unlike cellulose, foam insulations air seal and insulate at the same time
They can, certainly. But we have a lot of experience inspecting structures in the field that says that foams, especially the more rigid foams, don't have the flexibility to move as the structure does. That means there can be separations between the foam and the framing members as the lumber dries, shrinks and moves, which can allow air infiltration. In addition, there are areas that aren't routinely foamed, like the junction of a wall's bottom plate with the floor, or top plate with upper story framing and flooring. The bottom line is that proper installation of any insulation should include air sealing.
I just want my insulation to do a good job insulating
Of course you want your insulation choice to do a good job insulating. But to do that, it has to do a lot of things - effectively prevent air infiltration, manage moisture, etc. And you don't want it to create problems - make a good home for pests, outgas, etc. And then there are things you want it to do that you might not associate with an insulation product, like make your home safer in the event of a fire, do the best job of reducing noise, and have the least impact possible on the environment.
National Fiber's Cel-Pak and Nu-Wool insulations do a great job at all the things a great insulation should do, with none of the potential downsides.
I just need to insulate my attic, so can I do it myself?
Well, you can - but that doesn't mean you should. There is a proper way to install cellulose, and lots of ways that aren't. A proper loose-blown attic job will be inspected for problems, may have old insulation removed, have the soffits blocked off, have air-sealing done - you get the picture. There's more to it than just renting the machine and blowing the cellulose. (And lots of those big box cellulose products aren't as clean as National Fiber's, and many have ammonium sulfate in them - see 'Cellulose produces funny smells', above) Besides, don't you have better things to do with your weekend?
Do yourself a favor - locate a qualified installer and have the job done right.
"Of course insulation should insulate, you idiot! Thank goodness you came to our website, we spend all day trying to educate ignorant bums like you!"
Being funny is certainly better than being the method of harvesting marijuana.
-t
("Cut, and dry.")
We're going with cellulose insulation because it's an old house, foam is toxic, and fiberglass is too pink, but mostly because the dispelled cellulose myths are hilarious:
Sprayed foam insulations can be green, too.
Sorry, no way. The only thing green about sprayed foams is the money you pay for them. Sprayed foam insulations are made with petroleum and petroleum byproducts, and that just isn't green.
What about soy based foams?
Sorry, not green. First, they're not soy 'based' - they contain a small amount of soy additive. While soy added to foam does save a little bit of oil or chemicals, the soy had to be grown, watered, fertilized, harvested, trucked, processed - well, you get the idea. Foams with soy additive are heavily marketed for their soy content, which is something called 'greenwashing'.
Unlike cellulose, foam insulations air seal and insulate at the same time
They can, certainly. But we have a lot of experience inspecting structures in the field that says that foams, especially the more rigid foams, don't have the flexibility to move as the structure does. That means there can be separations between the foam and the framing members as the lumber dries, shrinks and moves, which can allow air infiltration. In addition, there are areas that aren't routinely foamed, like the junction of a wall's bottom plate with the floor, or top plate with upper story framing and flooring. The bottom line is that proper installation of any insulation should include air sealing.
I just want my insulation to do a good job insulating
Of course you want your insulation choice to do a good job insulating. But to do that, it has to do a lot of things - effectively prevent air infiltration, manage moisture, etc. And you don't want it to create problems - make a good home for pests, outgas, etc. And then there are things you want it to do that you might not associate with an insulation product, like make your home safer in the event of a fire, do the best job of reducing noise, and have the least impact possible on the environment.
National Fiber's Cel-Pak and Nu-Wool insulations do a great job at all the things a great insulation should do, with none of the potential downsides.
I just need to insulate my attic, so can I do it myself?
Well, you can - but that doesn't mean you should. There is a proper way to install cellulose, and lots of ways that aren't. A proper loose-blown attic job will be inspected for problems, may have old insulation removed, have the soffits blocked off, have air-sealing done - you get the picture. There's more to it than just renting the machine and blowing the cellulose. (And lots of those big box cellulose products aren't as clean as National Fiber's, and many have ammonium sulfate in them - see 'Cellulose produces funny smells', above) Besides, don't you have better things to do with your weekend?
Do yourself a favor - locate a qualified installer and have the job done right.
"Of course insulation should insulate, you idiot! Thank goodness you came to our website, we spend all day trying to educate ignorant bums like you!"
Being funny is certainly better than being the method of harvesting marijuana.
-t
("Cut, and dry.")
Friday, March 19, 2010
Down And Out And Napping
They turn off the air conditioning in the office at jsut about 3 o'clock everyday.
Paired with the ridiculously nice weather today this is a recipe for disaster.
And by "disaster" I mean "a nap."
So I have effectively shut down for the day (for the weekend? for the rest of the quarter?). Or at least until I have a reason to move. (all year?)
Next week: more posting! (hahaha, I am hilarious)
-t
Paired with the ridiculously nice weather today this is a recipe for disaster.
And by "disaster" I mean "a nap."
So I have effectively shut down for the day (for the weekend? for the rest of the quarter?). Or at least until I have a reason to move. (all year?)
Next week: more posting! (hahaha, I am hilarious)
-t
Ramblings Insane Ramblings
In the last ten minutes work has slowed dramatically. In order to still appear as a productive member of the staff I've opened a text message window where I will be narrating a portion of the day.
I am currently looking out over the cubicles on the floor and am noticing that the majority of the guys in this office have recently had their hair cut.
I ordered sunglasses yesterday, finally pulling the trigger on the expenditure after being both eager (for new shades) and reluctant (to pay the asking price) for some time. They should arrive after a few short weeks during which the manufacturers will, no doubt, be selecting individual grains of volcanic silica suitable for melting into UV-resistant shaded glass; mining and separating aluminum ore from the dangerous and exotic caves beneath Machu Pichu (the only known, terrestrial, source of eyeglass-frame-grade aluminum ore); and grinding the volcanic lenses to my exactingly unique specifications.
I am also drinking the world's largest coffee, the Starbucks Venti. Peace! I am aware that the verysame Starbucks has announced the "Trenta," and, at 31 oz. you're hollering at me now that the Venti is only second in the world of giant coffees. Let me reassure you. The Trenta is, in fact, the world's largest coffee *cup* but not in fact the world's largest coffee, as the Starbukiristanians must in fact pour a Venti, and then a little bit more, in order to fill it. The scientists among you are cognizant of this fact, and I repeat it here for my none-sciencey readers, "It is physically impossible to pour a coffee larger than 23 oz."
I am currently reading a Mary Shelley classic, "Frankenstein" on a decidedly non-classic e-book for the iPod Touch.
I am not blown away by the story so far. Stoker's "Dracula" was much better.
Halfway through my coffee and it has become apparent that caffeine does not aid my concentration in any way. So I'm posting this now, if for no other reason than to increase the spam comment count here and prove (to myself, anyway) that blogging has not been beaten, murdered, and replaced by micro-blogging. (But we all really know that it has. I blame the whale.)
-T
I am currently looking out over the cubicles on the floor and am noticing that the majority of the guys in this office have recently had their hair cut.
I ordered sunglasses yesterday, finally pulling the trigger on the expenditure after being both eager (for new shades) and reluctant (to pay the asking price) for some time. They should arrive after a few short weeks during which the manufacturers will, no doubt, be selecting individual grains of volcanic silica suitable for melting into UV-resistant shaded glass; mining and separating aluminum ore from the dangerous and exotic caves beneath Machu Pichu (the only known, terrestrial, source of eyeglass-frame-grade aluminum ore); and grinding the volcanic lenses to my exactingly unique specifications.
I am also drinking the world's largest coffee, the Starbucks Venti. Peace! I am aware that the verysame Starbucks has announced the "Trenta," and, at 31 oz. you're hollering at me now that the Venti is only second in the world of giant coffees. Let me reassure you. The Trenta is, in fact, the world's largest coffee *cup* but not in fact the world's largest coffee, as the Starbukiristanians must in fact pour a Venti, and then a little bit more, in order to fill it. The scientists among you are cognizant of this fact, and I repeat it here for my none-sciencey readers, "It is physically impossible to pour a coffee larger than 23 oz."
I am currently reading a Mary Shelley classic, "Frankenstein" on a decidedly non-classic e-book for the iPod Touch.
I am not blown away by the story so far. Stoker's "Dracula" was much better.
Halfway through my coffee and it has become apparent that caffeine does not aid my concentration in any way. So I'm posting this now, if for no other reason than to increase the spam comment count here and prove (to myself, anyway) that blogging has not been beaten, murdered, and replaced by micro-blogging. (But we all really know that it has. I blame the whale.)
-T
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Scattered (aka LA X)
I almost posted today. (thoughts on the future growth of professional lacrosse and the challenges the sport faces in attracting a national audience (especially a television audience)(which are very similar, I feel, to the challenges soccer faces here in the US))
But, I felt the post deserved more research, and possibly an editor, or at least a rewrite. And so I scrapped it.
I just thought you all should know.
(the field is too big! one camera shot can't encompass routine plays without zooming out to God perspective (ie, everyone looks like ants!) and losing the ball)
(hockey is the nearest successful comparison, it works because the rink is much smaller than a lacrosse field, limiting the distance a camera needs to pan/zoom to keep up, and the black puck (mostly) stays on the white ice surface, a contrast that makes following its high-speed trajectory much easier for the viewer)
(football also takes place on a huge field, but most of the action is restricted to a stripe of field about ten yards wide (that's less than 1/10 of the whole field the camera needs to focus on. the exceptions are (a) long passes and run plays that break for big yards (easy to solve with one camera on the QB, and one wide shot for the ball-in-the-air; and a RB is nowhere near as fast as a lacrosse ball in flight (AND he is always at ground level!) and (b) kickoff/field goal/punt return plays which can all be covered with one camera at the end of the field)
(I'm getting a lot of clarity here...enough that I now realize I'm going to need a scatter plot in three dimensions to make this abundantly clear... stay tuned)
-t
But, I felt the post deserved more research, and possibly an editor, or at least a rewrite. And so I scrapped it.
I just thought you all should know.
(the field is too big! one camera shot can't encompass routine plays without zooming out to God perspective (ie, everyone looks like ants!) and losing the ball)
(hockey is the nearest successful comparison, it works because the rink is much smaller than a lacrosse field, limiting the distance a camera needs to pan/zoom to keep up, and the black puck (mostly) stays on the white ice surface, a contrast that makes following its high-speed trajectory much easier for the viewer)
(football also takes place on a huge field, but most of the action is restricted to a stripe of field about ten yards wide (that's less than 1/10 of the whole field the camera needs to focus on. the exceptions are (a) long passes and run plays that break for big yards (easy to solve with one camera on the QB, and one wide shot for the ball-in-the-air; and a RB is nowhere near as fast as a lacrosse ball in flight (AND he is always at ground level!) and (b) kickoff/field goal/punt return plays which can all be covered with one camera at the end of the field)
(I'm getting a lot of clarity here...enough that I now realize I'm going to need a scatter plot in three dimensions to make this abundantly clear... stay tuned)
-t
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Re-Trilogy
I really would have done a better job on this, but for have been subjected to multiple reruns of that show about the orange shiny people and have lost a significant amount of cognitive function. The point is, Culchie's trilogy diagram was a little bit off, so I changed a few ratings.
I changed Indiana, Matrix, Jurassic, Spiderman, Die Hard, Blade, and Terminator
Oh my God I seriously cannot function. This show is the worst thing I have ever been exposed to. I apologize for the low quality of this post. And the graphic. I really feel like my brain is bleeding out of my ears.
I changed Indiana, Matrix, Jurassic, Spiderman, Die Hard, Blade, and Terminator
Oh my God I seriously cannot function. This show is the worst thing I have ever been exposed to. I apologize for the low quality of this post. And the graphic. I really feel like my brain is bleeding out of my ears.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Still Not Enough
Still sort of working on a way to auto-update here via twitter, so those of you who aren't following me will still be appraised of whatever strikes my fancy.
The fact that most of my pertinent (and not-so-pertinent) thoughts can be condensed to less than 140 characters is, frankly, not at all surprising.
Also I've been reading this and it's hilarious if you are either (a) a fan of the Big Lebowski or (b) a fan of Shakespear or (c) both.
[spoiler, the above sentence pretty much covers the last week of my twitter feed]
The fact that most of my pertinent (and not-so-pertinent) thoughts can be condensed to less than 140 characters is, frankly, not at all surprising.
Also I've been reading this and it's hilarious if you are either (a) a fan of the Big Lebowski or (b) a fan of Shakespear or (c) both.
[spoiler, the above sentence pretty much covers the last week of my twitter feed]
Monday, December 14, 2009
Man Awakes From Blog Coma
That's right, I've broken my blogging silence! But only to mumble the following to those few readers who've chosen to sit patiently by my bedside:
Reading - Fake Steve Jobs should be a member of the Obama cabinet:
And Listening to - Warrocket Ajax Podcast
I wasn't actually a fan of this week's guest and shut it off about at the 30 min mark, but the first ten minutes are about #chrisvstwilight wherein Chris Sims reads Twilight one chapter at a time and live tweets his reactions.
-T
Reading - Fake Steve Jobs should be a member of the Obama cabinet:
So let’s talk traffic. We’ve got people who love this goddamn phone so much that they’re living on it. Yes, that’s crushing your network. Yes, 3% of your users are taking up 40% of your bandwidth. You see this as a bad thing. It’s not. It’s a good thing. It’s a blessing. It’s an indication that people love what we’re doing, which means you now have a reason to go out and double or triple or quadruple your damn network capacity. Jesus! I can’t believe I’m explaining this to you.
And Listening to - Warrocket Ajax Podcast
I wasn't actually a fan of this week's guest and shut it off about at the 30 min mark, but the first ten minutes are about #chrisvstwilight wherein Chris Sims reads Twilight one chapter at a time and live tweets his reactions.
-T
Monday, November 23, 2009
Manic Miserable Monday
I am miserable. Because I hate my new job.
It's also possible that I don't actually care that much one way or the other about my new job, or about my old job, and that I am only miserable because it's Monday.
I would probably not be miserable if I were at home. I hate coming to the office. It is like, way too far away from Assassin's Creed II.
-t
It's also possible that I don't actually care that much one way or the other about my new job, or about my old job, and that I am only miserable because it's Monday.
I would probably not be miserable if I were at home. I hate coming to the office. It is like, way too far away from Assassin's Creed II.
-t
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Reading
This 'pie crust the super easy way' article (from kottke) intersperses CAPS for yelling.
With all the YELLING about PIES it sounded a lot like an Amazo post to me. (Which is, apparently, all the Amazo we can expect these days)
-t
With all the YELLING about PIES it sounded a lot like an Amazo post to me. (Which is, apparently, all the Amazo we can expect these days)
Today's Dining section brings a roundup of holiday dinner recipes for you wussbags who are too lazy or scared to make desserts with crusts. "Is it Thanksgiving if there is no traditional pie with a traditional filling and a crust that the cook obviously fussed and worried over?" asks Florence Fabrikant. The answer is obviously: NO, YOU HORRIBLE MONSTER, IT IS NOT. (link)
-t
Monday, November 16, 2009
Happy Dan Goldin Day!
Happy Dan Goldin Day 2009, everyone! I hope you're all reading this post from home with a drink in front of you, or over a pint at your local watering hole, having skipped out on work to honor the decision by the Boston University Trustees to grant a day off to the students of Boston Uniersity after awarding, and then rescinding, a contract to ex-NASA Mr. Dan Goldin, and obligating themselves to payout $1.8 million for breach of that contract. (full career summation here)
For those readers interested, here is a partial list of cities celebrating DGD '09: (east to west)
Boston, MA
Stoneham, MA
Manchester, NH
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore, MD
Birmingham, AL
Milwaukee, WI (observed 11/20/09)
Arlington, TX
Lawton, OK
Seattle, WA
Te Anua, NZ
Mackay, AU
London, GB
Dublin, IE
Celebrating in a city not on the list? Let me know in the comments! We're still missing Eastern Europe, South America, all of Africa, Asia, and I'm still waiting to hear from you Antarticans!
Too ditching work, and getting paid!
-Tom
For those readers interested, here is a partial list of cities celebrating DGD '09: (east to west)
Boston, MA
Stoneham, MA
Manchester, NH
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore, MD
Birmingham, AL
Milwaukee, WI (observed 11/20/09)
Arlington, TX
Lawton, OK
Seattle, WA
Te Anua, NZ
Mackay, AU
London, GB
Dublin, IE
Celebrating in a city not on the list? Let me know in the comments! We're still missing Eastern Europe, South America, all of Africa, Asia, and I'm still waiting to hear from you Antarticans!
Too ditching work, and getting paid!
-Tom
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Hottest Dan Goldin Day On Record
We are less than a week away from Dan Goldin Day 2009!
The 2009 Observance Calendar is a little bit wonky due to the conflicting local customs, mid-week holiday, and gas boiler installation.
So, as a public service to all DGD celebrants, I present the following, official, Dan Goldin Day Observance Calendar 2009, please update your Dilbert or Farside November pages accordingly based on your location or circumstance:
A brief explanation:
Monday, Nov. 16th Dan Goldin Day (Traditional Observation) - International and Domestic* celebration of the holiday on the nearest Monday or Friday to encourage three-day weekend.
Tuesday, Nov. 17th - Dan Goldin Day (Founder's Observation) The happy coincidence of DGD and scheduled installation of a brand new gas boiler in my home provides a dual excuse to ditch work on Tuesday, which means a happy holiday for everyone who lives at my address.
Friday, Nov. 20 - Dan Goldin Day (Traditional Observation, Milwaukee) - Milwaukeers observe DGD on the nearest Friday to maximize the opportunity for missing a brewery tour, eating fried fish, and listening to a live polka band.
*Celebrated domestically in all locations that are not observing Milwaukee or Founder's DGD
Please contact your local Dan Goldin Day ambassadors for information regarding organized Dan Goldin Day activities including parade route and start times, as well as regulations for DGD float construction and municipal permits.
-T
The 2009 Observance Calendar is a little bit wonky due to the conflicting local customs, mid-week holiday, and gas boiler installation.
So, as a public service to all DGD celebrants, I present the following, official, Dan Goldin Day Observance Calendar 2009, please update your Dilbert or Farside November pages accordingly based on your location or circumstance:
A brief explanation:
Monday, Nov. 16th Dan Goldin Day (Traditional Observation) - International and Domestic* celebration of the holiday on the nearest Monday or Friday to encourage three-day weekend.
Tuesday, Nov. 17th - Dan Goldin Day (Founder's Observation) The happy coincidence of DGD and scheduled installation of a brand new gas boiler in my home provides a dual excuse to ditch work on Tuesday, which means a happy holiday for everyone who lives at my address.
Friday, Nov. 20 - Dan Goldin Day (Traditional Observation, Milwaukee) - Milwaukeers observe DGD on the nearest Friday to maximize the opportunity for missing a brewery tour, eating fried fish, and listening to a live polka band.
*Celebrated domestically in all locations that are not observing Milwaukee or Founder's DGD
Please contact your local Dan Goldin Day ambassadors for information regarding organized Dan Goldin Day activities including parade route and start times, as well as regulations for DGD float construction and municipal permits.
-T
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Because Matt Nathanson Covered Romeo & Juliet By Dire Straits
How I spent my day:
coverlaydown.com
It's a blog dedicated to collecting and promoting folk and bluegrass covers of popular songs (and also other folk and bluegrass songs). Covers are awesome.
Covers can be hilarious. Who can forget The Gourds Gin 'N Juice? (cue illicit youtube copy!)
Or the classic Dynamite Hack version of Boyz N Da Hood!
BUT, those are just for starters. The real magic starts when good artists cover good songs. There's a reason Dire Straits' Romeo & Juliet has been covered eight hundred times: it's a Great Song. (Incidentally, it's also got the best ending to a music video ever:
Right?) (Yes, that was a parenthetical video embed)
Anyway, here are some favorites which are included in the coverlaydown archives. (In reverse chronological order) (and I'm not hyperlinking, you'll have to click though to the oringal post (which all have plenty of other covers))
-Elanor Rigby, The Beatles covered by Butch Ross
-Chelsea Hotel No. 2, Leonard Coehn covered by Regina Spektor
-True Colors, Cyndi Lauper covered by Caroline Herring
-Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen covered by The Band (the post has 7 other Boss covers)
-Come Sail Away, Styx covered by Jonathan Rundman (not especially great, but I'm including here it for Donny)
-Jump, Van Halen covered by Mary Lou Lord
-Oops, I Did It Again, Britney Spears, covered by Laura Tsaggaris
-Nothing Compares To You, Prince covered by Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor)(saddest song on the list)
And, the best cover I found today:
-Stairway to Heaven, Led Zepplin covered by Dolly Parton.
-t
coverlaydown.com
It's a blog dedicated to collecting and promoting folk and bluegrass covers of popular songs (and also other folk and bluegrass songs). Covers are awesome.
"Sometimes you hear something and you think to yourself, 'That song is so good, I wish I'd written it' and that's why the cover was invented" -Rob Thomas
Covers can be hilarious. Who can forget The Gourds Gin 'N Juice? (cue illicit youtube copy!)
Or the classic Dynamite Hack version of Boyz N Da Hood!
BUT, those are just for starters. The real magic starts when good artists cover good songs. There's a reason Dire Straits' Romeo & Juliet has been covered eight hundred times: it's a Great Song. (Incidentally, it's also got the best ending to a music video ever:
Right?) (Yes, that was a parenthetical video embed)
Anyway, here are some favorites which are included in the coverlaydown archives. (In reverse chronological order) (and I'm not hyperlinking, you'll have to click though to the oringal post (which all have plenty of other covers))
-Elanor Rigby, The Beatles covered by Butch Ross
-Chelsea Hotel No. 2, Leonard Coehn covered by Regina Spektor
-True Colors, Cyndi Lauper covered by Caroline Herring
-Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen covered by The Band (the post has 7 other Boss covers)
-Come Sail Away, Styx covered by Jonathan Rundman (not especially great, but I'm including here it for Donny)
-Jump, Van Halen covered by Mary Lou Lord
-Oops, I Did It Again, Britney Spears, covered by Laura Tsaggaris
-Nothing Compares To You, Prince covered by Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor)(saddest song on the list)
And, the best cover I found today:
-Stairway to Heaven, Led Zepplin covered by Dolly Parton.
-t
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
I REALLY Love Science
We are going to live to be eight hundred years old
http://www.discoveryon.info/2009/10/switch-to-reverse-biological-clock.html
-t
http://www.discoveryon.info/2009/10/switch-to-reverse-biological-clock.html
-t
Drunk Physics Work!
I love science (via xckd) because ideas as drunk-sounding-crazy as the space fountain have a realistic grounding in physics. Screw the moon base. I'm building a space fountain over Disneyworld.
-t
-t
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Dread Pirate Roberts
Three days into my lateral promotion and things are starting to pick up. Management has decided to roll out a new break report which I'll be responsible for starting on Monday, and we're spending the week training for research and break resolution.
Also, I have Friday off to go golfing.
Other quick hits:
(1) I'm digging the New England Coffee Chocolate Cappucino flavor
(2) I haven't been to Dunkin' Donuts in over a month
(3) The ping pong table and my couch are now residing happily in my basement (so all is right with the feng-shui universe)
(4) and pretty soon we'll be replacing our heating system!
So I am now poor.
-t
Also, I have Friday off to go golfing.
Other quick hits:
(1) I'm digging the New England Coffee Chocolate Cappucino flavor
(2) I haven't been to Dunkin' Donuts in over a month
(3) The ping pong table and my couch are now residing happily in my basement (so all is right with the feng-shui universe)
(4) and pretty soon we'll be replacing our heating system!
So I am now poor.
-t
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
How Else Would A Phone Sound?
My manager called a group-wide meeting for this afternoon, today's the big day! Lateral promotion! Woo!
I am, in reality, much more excited than I should be about getting to work on a new group of funds.
There is, really, very little actually changing.
(1) new funds
(2) new manager
That's it. I'm not even changing desks (which is stupid, I'm two rows away from the rest of the group, but the difficulties in transferring a phone line from one desk to another in this building are, apparently, insurmountable. Folks go years under the wrong name in a directory even after an approved switch.
I don't really understand it, they're not physically running new phone lines or splicing wires to a different cubicle. They just have to update the directory and switchboard which is (or should be) saved on some database on a server in the IT department.
Something like "Find: Tom" then "ReplaceLocation: 12F76, 14GH5" (I assume each cubicle has an undecipherable code referencing some 3D seating plan) and "ReassignExtension: 5-4433, 5-4843"
Right? I bet, in real phone systems, those three commands are all folded into one. It's all software (or should be). There shouldn't be a need to move hardware at all. And even if there is, the phone itself should be able to talk to the server routing calls. "Sup, router, it's Calvin, serial no. 12345558133463LB0.54 Here's the 411: I'm at a new desk! Send any calls 4 me this way now, k? gr8thanxbai"
Right? Easy. (Yes, my phone's name is Calvin)
Ok, so I wasn't planning on a phone rant. Sorry about that. The point is: Change!
-t
I am, in reality, much more excited than I should be about getting to work on a new group of funds.
There is, really, very little actually changing.
(1) new funds
(2) new manager
That's it. I'm not even changing desks (which is stupid, I'm two rows away from the rest of the group, but the difficulties in transferring a phone line from one desk to another in this building are, apparently, insurmountable. Folks go years under the wrong name in a directory even after an approved switch.
I don't really understand it, they're not physically running new phone lines or splicing wires to a different cubicle. They just have to update the directory and switchboard which is (or should be) saved on some database on a server in the IT department.
gr8thanxbai
Something like "Find: Tom" then "ReplaceLocation: 12F76, 14GH5" (I assume each cubicle has an undecipherable code referencing some 3D seating plan) and "ReassignExtension: 5-4433, 5-4843"
Right? I bet, in real phone systems, those three commands are all folded into one. It's all software (or should be). There shouldn't be a need to move hardware at all. And even if there is, the phone itself should be able to talk to the server routing calls. "Sup, router, it's Calvin, serial no. 12345558133463LB0.54 Here's the 411: I'm at a new desk! Send any calls 4 me this way now, k? gr8thanxbai"
Right? Easy. (Yes, my phone's name is Calvin)
Ok, so I wasn't planning on a phone rant. Sorry about that. The point is: Change!
-t
Friday, September 18, 2009
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