Tararam

Just a test

2005-08-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Video Games, Part One

2005-06-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

2. Always, always be moving. This is most true in multiplayer. Don't hang around waiting, because even though you have the sniper rifle, they might have the shotgun. You're just asking to be sneaked up on. This is a great technique to apply to the office. Walking around, everyone sees that you are there, but you always look busy, on your way to doing something else. They can't pin you down to ask you to do stuff. Plus, it's just good exercise.

Link

Sudoku

2005-05-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

If you love puzzles, Sudoku is a nice brain teaser. There's a trial program you can download and play with, and this page has some problems you can print out.

Deathguild Thunderdome

2005-05-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Deathguild Thunderdome

2005-05-08T01:55:00.000-07:00

2005-05-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

Tips for better living

2005-05-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Hacker's Diet

"...is a serious book about how to lose weight and permanently maintain whatever weight you desire. It treats dieting and weight control from an engineering and management standpoint, and provides the tools and an understanding of why they work and how to use them that permit the reader to gain control of their own weight."

Ten Tips for Better Sleep

"We all have too much to do, so take time out and recharge yourself by getting a good night's sleep. The quality and quantity of your sleep can make all the difference in how productive you'll be the next day."

The Couch-to-5K Running Plan

"The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in just two months."

Ten Ways to Live Longer

"To many people, quality of life is equally as important as life span. It is a good thing, then, that many of the things that can improve your longevity can also improve your quality of life"

Stuck in a loop

2005-04-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine a future technology, a small brain implant that connects your mind to the network. No more computer screens, all the information just shows up in your mind as if you were seeing it. Even auditory information, smell and touch. No more keyboards and mouse. You can just will it and it will happen. You are connected to the network anywhere, anytime; getting information is as easy as thinking it, sending information as easy as imagining it. Computers are a relic, cumbersome and arcane by comparison.

Imagine a future in which your friends have the same implant, like you they are connected anywhere, anytime. The network lets you communicate with them. No more picking up phones and dailing number. You just think what you want to communicate. They can see what you see, hear what you hear, visualize what you're imagining. What needs to talk and explain things, when others can just tap into your brain.

Imagine a world where people can easily tap into each other's minds, where we can instantly know what the other perons is thinking and feeling.

We will have all the same fucking song stuck in our brain.

The politics of science

2005-04-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

Baron-Cohen is researching autism. It's an interesting read into the human pysche by looking at people who are on the edge of a particular behavior. One of his recent theories is based on the dichotomy of systemizers vs empathizers, and how it is distributed between the sexes. Males, he proposes, are more innate to be systemizers, females are more innate to be empathizers, and testosterone is what makes you one or the other.

You can pretty much guess what comes next.

The Edge has scholars commenting on his work on autism, here and here. Warning: spoiler.

There's nothing much about autism in their comments, but a lot of ink is spilled on how they perceive Baron-Cohen's proposition of the difference between the sexes along the systemizer-empathizer axis. And can you guess who will be saying 'yes, there's something to this theory' and who will be saying 'sex differences do not exist'?

Mind you, it's the final comment from Helena Cronin that puts the politics out in the open, lays out a scientific test, and calls the politics for what it is, in her words: "An a priori commitment to 'environment over biology' sounds more like ideological posturing than a serious attempt to solve society's problems"

The Mathematics of Love

2005-04-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Interesting talk by John Gottman, a psychologist who can predict with 90 accuracy what will happen to a relationship over a three-year period. And it doesn't sound too complicated, when he puts it into words. (But it is a lenghty article, so put aside a few minutes before reading it). Some tidbits that caught my attention:

It seemed that relationships last to the extent that you select someone whose annoying personality traits don't send you into emotional orbit.

Those are the couples where you say to your partner "Let's never become like them, okay?" These sorts of emotionally disconnected relationships were another important dimension of failed relationships.

One of the major things we found is that honoring your partner's dreams is absolutely critical.

One is that if a man presents an issue, to either a man he's in love with or a woman he's in love with, the man is angrier presenting the issue. And we find that when a woman receives an issue, either from a woman she loves or a man she loves, she is much more sad than a man would be receiving that same issue.

Link

What's in a name

2005-04-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those people who never named their car. I've owned enough of them. The one I currently own is 'my car'. The ones I had before, I'd refer to them by the model, or if I owned two of the same, by the color. I can relate to my car, I love it, I dig its personality, I put up with its quirks. It just never occurred to me that it needs a name.

But on the drive to work, in my unnamed car, I started thinking about the things I do name. I named all my computers, so I can find them on the network. I named my cellphone, so I can pair with it over bluetooth. My bluetooth headset has a name. I named my PDA and my iPod, so I can synchronize with them. If my car had a wireless connection, it too would have a name.

I guess that's what I do. I name things that I can connect to, so I can call them out by name.

You can only name something you own, naming is a part of proprietary. But if I only name things I have to call out by name, does that mean I only name objects that have individuality?

Raise your hand if you think it will last

2005-04-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

A recording industry business model based on selling coasters and sueing college students. Lower your hand if you think they're just stalling until they can figure out an Internet money making scheme.

Clear Channel Communications's dominance of the airwaves. Lower your hand if you think the airwaves are a thing of the past, and Clear Channel is buying all the railroad tracks at bargain basement price.

Blogging as indistinguishable from journalism. Lower your hand if you think big money and lawsuits will bring a division between journalism and creative publishing to the blogsphere.

Bigbuck mainstream artists, music and movies. Lower your hand if you think long tail, 'people who bought ..' and iPod DJs will lead to more variety and a consumer-driven market.

Blogging taking on mainstream media. Lower your hand if you think mainstream media will take on blogging.

Apple's dominance of the MP3 market. Lower your hand if you think a closed platform with fixed pricing is another walled graden.

Getting my iPod serviced, Part V

2005-02-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

When we left our heroes last time, DHL was in posession of my iPod, Apple has agreed to change the delivery address to my office, and my patience balance was in the red.

The "official" version states that 48 more hours must pass before the delivery status will change. To me it looks more like 576 hours, but who's counting. Details like that never bothered our heroes before. Besides, I need to get some work done, celebrate V-day, get drunk with friends (not in that order), so I take a break from the pursuit of happiness.

I check with DHL early morning. Raise your hand if you were surprised by what's to follow: nothing happened in the past 48 hours.

Just for kicks, I check out the Apple web site again. No fine print about any pickup policy, but it does say in black bits on white bytes that Apple will not change a delivery address once a package has shipped. Was the CRRep lying to me? Inconcievable.

Armed with false hope and singing the tunes of Life is Random, I decide to call Apple again. I pretend like nothing ever happend, and casually mention the iPod waiting for me at DHL, and immediately the friendly gal asks if I want to pick it up. "Sure, why not". She'll send a request right in, and it will only take 48 hours ...

Time for another "we tried it before, can we try something else now?", and suggesting that DHL be faxed instead. She puts me on hold, only to declare two minutes later that policy precludes faxing, but since I waited for 10 days (12, but who's counting?), they'll fax it this time.

I feel like the winner of the Alan Turing Award. I finally cracked the code and uncovered the mystery. The no-pickup policy is effective only during the first 9 days of customer annoynace.

She tells me to wait 15 minutes for the fax to arrive, I wait 30 and then call DHL:

me: I wanted to know if you received a fax authorizing a pickup for package ...?
dhl: let me check.
dhl: we have a package her for you waiting for pickup.
me: (ok, that wasn't an answer to my question, but it'll do for now)
dhl: you need to bring the two notices we left on your door.
me: (why would I bother to keep both notices for the same pacakge? never mind, I didn't even get one notice)
me: I haven't received any notices, you guys just called me.
dhl: (you can hear the gears clicking, steam rising) oh, in that case we need two IDs as proof.
me: will a driver license and credit card do?

On the way home I stop by DHL, hand the guy at the counter the tracking number, he goes to the back, then comes back again, can't remember if he wrote down 7 or 1. When he comes back with the package, the lady from Monday shows up, recognizes me and goes to the back just to make sure I did get the authorization this time around. Eventually I get the box that's been calling DHL home for the past 12 days.

All in all, it took 36 days from self-diagnosis to self-medication.

Getting my iPod serviced, Part VI

2005-02-14T18:13:00.000-08:00

Brief recap. My sychzo iPod was sent to be serviced, as part of the Total Apple Experience, using the DHL indelivery service.

The end result is that I'm being sent a replacement iPod, if only I can pick it up ...

DHL: there's a package waiting for you.
Me: cool. I'm never home to receive it, I'll just come pick it up.
DHL: not so quick, hotshot. you need pickup authorization.
Me: yeah, right, I ment after I authorize for pickup.

Apple: how can we help you?
Me: I need to authorize for pickup.
Apple: according to our records, you already did.
Me: that was for a previous package.
Apple: ah. ok. done. check back in 48 hours.
Me:

48 hours later ...

DHL: you need pickup authorization.
Me: but I ... nevermind.

Apple: how can we help you?
Me: I need to authorize for pickup.
Apple: according to our records, you already did.
Me: and it didn't work. how about we try it a second time?
Apple: ah. ok. done. check back in 48 hours.
Me: .

48 hours later ...

DHL: good morning. may I have your tracking number?
Me: here it is.
DHL: you need pickup authorization.
Me: I know. I called Apple twice already.
DHL: since you're already here, let me e-mail them.

10 minutes later ...

DHL: no response. why don't you call Apple and ask them to fax it?
Me: sure can do.

Apple: how can we help you?
Me: I need to authorize for pickup.
Apple: need to what?
Me: authorize for pickup.
Apple: ripsuck?
Me: pickup!
Apple: hopeluck?
Me: pickup!!
Apple: I'm not understanding. let me pull your records.
Apple: it says here that you requested your package be put on hold.
Me: no, I requested the package be authorized for pickup.
Apple: you didn't. our records don't lie. but, let me put your request in the system, check back in ...
Me: you realize we tried this twice? you realize it didn't work?
Apple: yes, check back ...
Me: how about, since I'm at DHL already, you fax it to them?
Apple: ah. ok. please hold.
Me:

Apple: according to our policy between logistics and DHL, we can't fax a pickup authorization.
Me: according to my policy between you and me, I need to pickup my iPod.
Me: how about you talk to DHL directly?
Apple: no can do. let me direct you to our customer rejections rep.
Me: sure.

Five impatient minutes later ...

CRRep: so you tried to change the package to hold due to a change of address.
Me: I did not such thing. I asked for pickup authorization.
CRRep: allow me to ignore your story. it's inconcievable since we don't allow pickups.
Me: that's not what you told me. that's not what happened last time.
CRRep: our policy is to not allow pickups.
Me: (to DHL) they won't send a fax because they don't allow pickups.
DHL: we had Apple pickups before.
Me: how about you authorize this one for pickup.
CRRep: we have a policy to now allow for pickups.
Me: how about you take it back and send me a new iPod through UPS?
CRRep: your sarcasm is lost on me.
Me: so exactly how do I get my iPod, if I'm never home to receive the delivery?
CRRep: we can change the delivery address to your office.
Me: and what if I'm out of the office when the DHL delivery arrives?
CRRep: will there be someone else to receive the package?
Me: you mean anyone can receive my package at the office, but I can't pick it up in person?
CRRep: we only require signature and a confirmed address.
Me: am I the only one that sees the illogic in this?
CRRep: pretty much.
Me: so you're saying that me receiving my package is not as important as it being delivered to a confirmed address?
CRRep: pretty much.
Me: argh! kill me now.

And, of course, there's a part III.

No shit sherlock

2005-02-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

Apparently someone had to actually research order bias:

If you're thinking of going speed-dating this Valentine's Day, take note. In certain contests, candidates who take their turn at the end of a sequence are consistently ranked higher than those at the beginning.

One cool banner

2005-02-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

Credit to False Positives and Joey deVilla aka "Accordion Guy".

Your guide to sending packages

2005-02-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

So you need to send a package. You got it wrapped up with the x-mess leftovers. Your corner drug dealer was nice enough to let you borrow a fancy, computerized scale that has more buttons than a PC. Somehow you managed to understand how zones, rate tables, package types, barometric pressure and the winning lottery number can be used to calculate a shipping rate. You ran a search online to find out the cheapest carrier. You're one step away from getting it delivered.

Or are you? You must be foolish to believe that carriers are selected based on speed, price or efficiency. Selecting a carrier to deliver your package depends on one sole factor: your relationship with the receipient.

Use this handy guidelines to determine which carrier is right for you.

I am sending a package to ______

A business partner I need to impress. Let price not be an issue. Nothing smells success like the clean blue on white aesthetics of FedEx, their easy online service, the professional looking (and free) envelopes, and their Kino's location.

I am sending a package to ______

My sweetheart for Valentines. Invest the cash in the present, not the shipping; make sure she does get it in 2/3 business days. True, the UPS godawful brown doesn't spell romance or sex appeal, but at least it will get there. And if she's not home to receive it directly, she can still call to arrange same-day pickup.

I am sending a package to ______

My parents, a ~~cheap~~ symbolic present for their anniversary. Send it with style, send it with tradition, send it USPS. Nothing like the mailman delivering a present. Make sure to send it in advance, USPS offices close to early for same-day pickup, and their tracking system operates on a 24 hour delay cycle. Make sure it's symbolic, because rain or shine USPS will deliver, there's just no telling who they'll deliver to.

I am sending a package to ______

My ex who keeps harashing me about those aweful CDs she made me listen to. Nothing says I hate you like sending DHL. Make her choose between taking the day off to wait for the delivery truck, or playing phone tag to arrange for pickup. Blame it on antiquated computer systems that take 24 hours to process, and a bad user interface; enjoy knowing that you ment to make her suffer.

Call me a geek

2005-02-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

... but this is the stuff I love reading. It analyzes how Google Maps use DHTML on the client side to create their slick user interface, that even non-geeks would dig (the UI, not the technical details).

For those to whom the implementation is less than obvious, here's a quick breakdown. The top and side bars are (more or less) simply HTML. The center pane with the map, however, is a different beast. First, let's address the map itself. It is broken up into a grid of 128x128 images (basically like an old tile-based scrolling console game). The dragging code is nothing new, but the cool trick here is that each of these images is absolutely positioned -- and the 'infinite' scrolling effect is achieved by picking up tiles that are off-screen on one end and placing them down on the other end. The effect is kind of like laying track for a train by picking up track from behind it.

Office slang

2005-02-04T01:11:00.000-08:00

Need I say more.

Getting my iPod serviced, Part III

2005-02-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

The bad: DHL won't deliver since I'm not at home, won't allow pickup without authorization. first request to authorize pickup disappears in the void, so all in all I spend a week on phone tag with Apple and DHL, having to wait 48 hours between calls for the computers to update the status (they sure don't make them like they used to).

The good: drive to DHL, a few blocks away from my house. pickup the box, open it, put iPod inside fit-to-size foam. remove shipping label (Apple to me) to uncover another shipping label (me to Apple). seal box with nifty tape strips provided by Apple. hand box over to DHL, go home happy to eat dinner.

The bad: wake up early, check Apple support Web site. my service request has disappeared!!!

The good: receive an e-mail from Apple confirming they received the iPod. check out support Web site again, to see an updated service status.

Current mood: upbeat that reality is finally matching up to expectations.

And, of course, there's a part II.

Security? What security?

2005-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Kryptonite locks are easy to pick with a Bic pen. DVD region codes are easy to circumvent with software. All you need to do to unluck those "secure CDs" is hold down the shift key. But this is by far the best statement that "it doesn't matter what kind of security you implement if it's easy to get around."

Things I hate about my Flatmate

2005-02-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

This would be hilarious reading, if only it was purely fictional and not remind me of any roommate I lived with.

Today's prize for the World's Stupidest Flatmate goes to you, for using an oven mitt to turn 'chicken fingers' (in the process filthifying the mitt), instead of using the pair of tongs that were in the drawer!

Wouldn't it be cool

2005-01-31T14:32:00.000-08:00

More ~~visionary~~ imaginary Google searches available here.

Personal blogs, ups and downs

2005-01-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

So I'm reading an article on how to make killer posts. Part of me likes what I read, part of me doesn't. I keep going back and forth, having to remind myself the key word is killer.

It all boils down to the simple question: why do you blog?

If you want to make a good impression, reach a wide audience, get a point across and make your blog sticky, follow the killer blog guidelines.

But blogging is also a form of journaling. A way to put yourself out there, or as the case may be, your thoughts and experiences. Not in order to reach but in order to express, to let yourself out in a public space.

Sometimes I read posts that keep me coming back for more, sometimes I read a blog, cringe and vow never to come back. It's not the whitespace that keeps me coming for more, or the long word count that keeps me away. It's the way individual personalities manifest through the blog.

Things I don't like are dense, confusing, downer blogs. Things you may be able to edit out, but then I don't like edited blogs either. If it's not personal, I simply don't care.

Dense. I don't measure how long a post is by the word count, but by how long it takes me to reach the end. Blogs that are full of short posts that say nothing are just not captivating. Some writing styles make for quick reading, and time flies when you're having fun. But when it's dense and I find myself gasping for air, is when it become a struggle to read to the end.

Confusing. Some of my favorite posts are rambling, and people don't necessarily need to have a point. In fact, sharing the confusion is how we get to know people up close and personal. What drives me away are people who hide behind a wall of words, who use the style to dilute the content. Especially when I find a difference between what they write, and what it reads.

Downer. It's fun to vent and it's fun to read other people venting. Especially when people use sarcasm to paint a fresh view of the world. It's bloggers who focus on the problem instead of the solution that make me feel like clawing my eyes out. Or when they paint the world black with nothing but bitterness. The world is me, and I don't want to feel bad about myself reading your blog.

Posts I like are posts that can cut to the chase. They don't have a negative outlook on the world, or if they do vent about it, it's over by the end of the post. It's style follows content, not style hides content.

There's a part of me that just wants to scream, to tell people how to focus their writing and make their blogs engaging.

There's a part of me that realizes, this is who you are, you can change, but you can't edit yourself out of your blog.

Finger sex

2005-01-29T23:09:00.000-08:00

BBC has an article called Bad driving 'linked to hormones'. It reports of (yet another) research linking testosterone and spatial skills. Yawn.

Low testosterone levels are also linked to shorter wedding ring fingers, they say.

Wait a minute! How did this quote make it into that article? Because the researchers looked at spatial skills and ... finger lengths. They found out that the length of the ring and index fingers are good indicators for testosterone levels, fertility and lesbianism. And what does all of that has to do with driving:

He suggested skilled drivers may be those who are more practised at the activity. In addition, he said people with longer ring fingers may have dominating personalities and therefore do more driving.

Me? I'm going to start paying more attention to people's fingers before asking them for their digits.

QOTD

2005-01-26T21:52:00.000-08:00

If it's hard or ugly, then you're doing it wrong.

Your Call Will Be Monitored

2005-01-26T15:03:00.000-08:00

Interesting article from the NYT (which I hate linking to, consider this an exception) about call-center monitors. The people who listen to those tapes of 'your call is being monitored for quality assurance purposes'.

Most callers do not realize that they may be taped even while they are on hold.

It is at these times that monitors hear husbands arguing with their wives, mothers yelling at their children, and dog owners throwing fits at disobedient pets, all when they think no one is listening.

Apparently, call-center monitoring is better than TV.

Joyce Van Doren ... recalled one man who canceled the cable service that was in his name because, he said, he had just divorced. The man, however, failed to hang up the phone when the customer service agent ended the call, so the tape kept rolling.

That is when Ms. Van Doren heard him reveal his real motive to a friend in the room: getting back at his former wife, who was going to be livid when she came home to find the cable TV disconnected.

And this one line qualifies for quote of the week award:

To do the job, Ms. Rea and her colleagues need an aptitude for listening, a rare commodity in a culture where the opposite of talking is waiting to talk.

The rest of the article is available here.

On killer blog posts

2005-01-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

This is a short post. It's all about the links. The title says it all. And there's nothing formal about it. Oh yeah, the personal angle. Did I get it right?

B.L. Ochman's How to Write Killer Blog Posts has some good advise. She captures well the essence of the blogsphere, the differences between web and dead-tree publishing. I just have one minor gripe. B.L. -- it would be much easier for me to link to your post with its full title, if you didn't upper-case it. When you have something good to say, you don't need to shout.

Getting my iPod serviced, Part II

2005-01-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Apple: this is Apple. we don't sell products, we deliver experiences. how may I help you?
Me: there's something wrong with my experience.
Apple: no there isn't.
Me: well, my iPod buttons are not responding. the other day I tried ...
Apple: this is all part of the Apple Experience(tm).
Me: the what?
Apple: all moving part are susceptible to mechanical failures due to manufacturing tolerances. you're simply experiencing technology with all its real-life limitations.
Me: ah. ok. I guess you're right.
Apple: and as part of the Apple Experience(tm), we're ready to face this experience with you.
Me: a what?
Apple: we will restore your iPod to factory-based specifications. in idiotspeak, we'll "fix" it.
Me: oh, cool. when can I expect you over?
Apple: as part of the Apple Experience(tm), we expect to receive your iPod for evaluation at our facilities.
Me: hmmm, ok. if I leave now I can get to the Apple Store in 15 mins, when do you close?
Apple: at our facilities.
Me: you mean drive all the way down to Cupertino?
Apple: the Apple Experience(tm) is culturally diverse and geographically dispersed. our facilities are located in Texas.
Me: hm, ok. how about FedEx?
Apple: you will do no such thing!
Apple: as part of the Apple Experience(tm) you'll receive a package, you will place the iPod in the package, and follow the mailing instructions. it will arrive safely at our facility.
Me: oh, wow. neat. when can I expect that package?
Apple: soon.
Me: how about a delivery date, you know, like Amazon has for its packages?
Apple: soon.
Me: sigh. Texas to California, standard mail, wouldn't take more than four/five days, right?
Apple: as part of the Apple Experience(tm) we use private-sector business-oriented multi-national carriers. your package will be delivered by DHL.
Me: awesome. I feel like am important business person. let me guess, 24 hour delivery?
Apple: ten days.
Me: ten days??? DHL?
Me: sigh. can I at least get a tracking number, you know, so I can ...
Apple: no need for it. as part of the Apple Experience(tm), the package will be delivered straight to your home.
Me: but I work from the office.
Apple: as part of the Apple Experience(tm), you do not have to leave the comfort of your home.
Me: but I work from the office!
Apple: thank you for choosing the Apple Experience(tm). have a nice day.

Also, part I of the experience.

The Blog

2005-01-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

For my blogwhore friends, with love.

Note-- smal text at the bottom of the design is: "She wanted to stop reading it- but she had nothing better to do! Produced by average people who seem to think their lives are interesting. Filmed in thrilling HTML-O-Scope with exciting new fonts!"

The myth of self-esteem

2005-01-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

If you know people with high self-esteem, and people with low self-esteem, you probably noticed that, generally speaking, those with high self-esteem have a better life. Better jobs, better relationships, better social events. The grass is greener on their side. But is it true, or is that the case that high self-esteem makes everything look more positive?

We've heard it before, it seems intuitive that people with low self-esteem would drink more, abuse drugs, have bad sexual experiences, and be more violent. Bullying, we're all led to believe, is just one way in which low self-esteem manifests. But is that true, or a story we made up to appease ourselves? Could we be treating personal problems the wrong way by focusing on the wrong factors?

If we dropped the myths, and ignored the personal ancedotes that support them, and did an objective search, what would we find? This Scientific American article has an answer.

Evernote

2005-01-16T02:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, I realize I'm starting to sound like a commercial for 3rd party products, but seriously this stuff is making my life easy. In any given year I use well over a hundred different pieces of software, only few I can't live without. So now I bumped into another piece of software, and I had five minutes to spare, so I gave it a try. And a day later, I have this long list of things I'd like to see it do. In other words, it's a keeper.

I always have a text editor open with multiple tabs. Most of these tabs are scratch. I use them to record stuff I'll need to recall later on, like the number of the person who just called me. I use it to edit text before copying it someplace else, usually for Web forms. One tab is dedicated to my notes file. That's where I keep all the stuff that I need to remember later on.

It's like a blog, a continuous stream of data. But it's one long piece of text, with no clear demarcations, and it's not easy to work with it. Sometimes stuff gets deleted, because I know I'll never be able to find it. Sometimes I just wish I could replace it with a blog, and have it Googled. But it's all personal sometimes work related stuff, so it's not going on the Web.

And that's exactly what EverNote is doing. It's a simple metaphor. One long ticker of notes. Each time you add a note, it gets appened to the end of the ticker. You add stuff at the end, but you can always roll back to see stuff you've added before. Each note is its own thing, so you can focus when you need to edit it or get some long forgotten data. It has categories for easily classifying stuff, and a cool search feature that lets you zoom on the few notes that matter. And a timebad, so you can access notes in chronological order.

One day working with it, and it already looks like a keeper.

Bigger posting space

2005-01-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

I have an aversion for the textbox that most blogging tools provide as a means for creating posts and comments. they're just not ment to be used for authoring. no human thought can be crammed into such a small space.

one of the most common solution is to use a text editor or word processor. I usually have one open at all times, so it's easy for me to write it down in the text editor, then copy & paste into the blogging tool. it definitely helps me fit a lot of stuff into a tiny space.

but text editors don't do HTML without a battle, and trying to embed a picture or a link is the front you always seem to lose. which is why I've settled on these two alternatives.

most blogging services allow you to post from e-mail. if you're running an e-mail client, you can use it to create the post and publish with one click. you get HTML editing features, place to save drafts, spellchecker, and all the other nifty stuff.

if you're using Blogger, look for the email tab in the settings section. that's where you specify the mail-to-blogger address, the one you send your posts to.

for those who want a little more, I recommend w.Blogger. it's a Windows application that does one thing but does it well. it lets you write, publish and manage posts. it has a slick HTML editor that's easy to work with, it has all the basic features for getting your post out there (supporting just about any blog service I heard of), and all the nice features that make life easier. from managing multiple blogs (addict mode?) to editing old posts to uploading photos to letting people know what you're listening to as your writing your post (Jazzanova - In Between).

best of all, you can get to experience it before deciding what it's worth for you. it's free to download and use, donations are welcome.

Getting my iPod serviced

2005-01-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

Apple: what is your iPod's serial number?
Me: give me a second here. microscope. check. magnification set to x16. check. is that a Q or an O? I think it's a Q. ok, got it.
Apple: do you agree to the terms and conditions?
Me: iPod, $250. consultation with a lawyer? $500. yes, I agree.
Apple: please log on.
Me: to what?
Apple: .Mac services.
Me: but I don't have a Mac.
Apple: please log on to .Mac services. you can create a new account, you know.
Me: sigh. sure, sign me in.
Apple: thank you. we appreciate the opportunity to spam you with service offerings.
Me: what next?
Apple: please log on.
Me: here you go.
Apple: thank you. when did you purchase the iPod?
Me: damn if I remember. oh, wait, Amazon has a record on file. let me find it. yep, here we go ..
Apple: we're sorry. your request cannot be completed. please retry your request.
Me: argh. deep breath. let's try again.
Apple: we're sorry. your request cannot be completed. please close your browser, then try again.
Me: argh. a restart. and it's not a Microsoft's problem. argh.
Apple: what is your iPod's serial number?
Me: here you go.
Apple: do you agree to the terms and conditions?
Me: did they change since last time I glossed them over?
Apple: please log on.
Me: there you go.
Apple: thank you. when did you purchase the iPod?
Me: I got it. I got it.
Apple: please describe the problem.
Me: gleeful. my chance to provide a well articulate problem description based on years of experience in the field. apple tech support people will be talking about me over lunch, next thing I know, I'll go down in history!
Apple: we're sorry. your request cannot be completed. please retry your request.
Me: not again.
Apple: we're sorry. your request cannot be completed. please close your browser, then try again.
Me: arghhhhhhhhhh.
Apple: what is your iPod's serial number?
Me: here you go.
Apple: do you agree to the terms and conditions?
Me: my newborn is in the mail.
Apple: please log on.
Me: let me do the happy dance.
Apple: thank you. when did you purchase the iPod?
Me: yeah, yeah, yeah.
Apple: please describe the problem.
Me: thank got I wrote it in notepad, all I need to do is copy & paste.
Apple: the problem description is limited to 500 words, it will be truncated.
Me: but I edited down to only 110 words!!!
Apple: are you sure you want to argue? how about a brower restart?
Me: ok, ok. you win.
Apple: we have your address on file, is this correct?
Me: yes. next.
Apple: please state which country.
Me: you know my full address, how can you forget which country? it's the U.S. of A. A as in Apple.
Apple: please provide your phone number.
Me: but it's an optional field, why do I have to fill ... oh, never mind. here you go.
Apple: the information in the field does not match the parameters specified for this program.
Me: say what?? oh wait, never mind. there's a .. gasp .. space between the area code and the remaining 7 digits.
Apple: thank you. here is a summary of the information pretaining to your service request, for your records.
Me: thank god it's over. ok, I need a hard copy. printer? check. paper? check. ready ...
Apple: we're sorry. your request cannot be completed. please retry your request.

Beliefs

2005-01-09T00:16:00.000-08:00

I believe that advancements in technology affect the way in which we socialize and perceive our surroundings and ourselves. And so, whenever a change occurs, we are changing not only our surroundings, but our understandings of that surroundings and our understanding of our history. And as a result, we can never repeat the mistakes of the past, but are doomed to make the mistakes of the future.

I believe that when the people of today look in the mirror, they see a different image from what was seen by people of the past. That our ability to articulate about our nature brings awareness, and awareness brings a change in our nature. That language shapes our consciousness, by introducing new ways to reason and thereby process our world. That language is not a carrier of knowledge, language is knowledge.

Regardless, I believe that by any timeless standard, human nature is and will always remain the same. That we are profoundly as selfish and alturaistic as we've ever been and ever will be. That we're profoundly law abiding and outlaws at a constant rate that does not change from generation to generation. But then I also believe that selfishness and alturaism are two sides of the same coin, two effects of the same cause, distributed so as to create our history, and forced into a constant balance by our history.

The right to sleep

2005-01-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

Interesting article about sleeping, changing sleep patterns, and how our society rejects the fundamental right to sleep.

Face recognition

2005-01-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

According to studies, face recoginition is embedded in our genes. Newborn babies like to do it as well. What's more interesting is that they prefer to look at attractive faces.

He suggests the reason for this preference is simple - pretty people actually have the prototype of a human face. Researchers have long noted that by melding together hundreds of faces, a statistical average of facial characteristics is reached that happens to be incredibly attractive.
In a baby's mind, these beautiful faces may represent the stereotypical human face, says Slater, which they have evolved to recognise. Such built-in information helps babies learn quickly including the ability to pair faces with sounds like voices.

This 'average is attractive' thing makes a lot of sense to me. But as Mind Hack's Vaughan reminds us:

The excuse "Sorry honey, I was just looking to see if their face matched my genetic template of innate face shapes" is of course unlikely to get you out of trouble, regardless of your ability to describe the science behind it.

Buy, buy, buy

2005-01-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

The Telegraph has an interesting article on little neat tricks merchants use to make you buy higher margin products.

Sleeping distorter

2005-01-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

Also from a comment I posted on a different blog:

when I was growing up, I hated waking up in the morning. there was always a constant battle between needing sleep and having to wake up in time for school. the part that didn't want to wake up in the morning was lazy. the part that didn't want to fall alseep early morning was decadent. lazy and decadent are both crimes against humanity, even when you're only 16 yo. at university, I'd either miss early classes, or show up unconscious and doze off. before early morning tests, I'd stay up all night out of fear I wouldn't wake up on time.

in fact to this day I have this recurring dream. I'm in school and I'm doing great, except for one class. it's early in the morning and I can never show up on time. even when I do wake up, I decide to skip it ... better if the teacher doesn't realize how often I miss it. and all through the dream, I'm stuggling between creative ways to finish the school year, or deciding to not even bother.

when time came to pay rent, I found a part time job with a flexible schedule, so I can balance work and school. but I loved it so much, I ended up working full time by pulling out strange hours. all of a sudden staying up until 5am was not decadent, but uber-responsible. and even better, what's late for most people is when I'm most creative and can get so much stuff done.

then I found myself working on an even more interesting project. except it required me to commute, and I didn't have a car. public transportation sucked, so most of the time I'd take a ride with my father, who's office was a few blocks away.

my father wakes up at 6:30, reads the newspaper, takes a shower, and heads to the office just before rush hour. no coffee. I'd struggle half an hour to get out of bed, put some cloths on, and wake myself up during the drive. I worked this schedule for a few months, but never managed to adjust, got depressed and had no social life outside the office. fuck, I can't even remember half the stuff that happened during that time.

that's when I realized, other people's sleeping schedules are great. but I only need to concern myself with mine.

Communication

2005-01-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

I posted this as a comment, in response to a blog entry, but figured it's worth keeping around on my blog as well.

I also learned how to communicate later in life, out of necessity ... you can only go for so long without that skill. and I'm still learning. and I'm still seeing how every time I make progress, it makes my life just that much better. so I'm having growing pain. something I learned over the course of 2003, 2004.

you can't learn unless you try. and so, if you want to help someone else learn how to communicate, let them do it. mistakes and all. be tolerant, assume the best, and you allow them to learn from their mistakes. as a side bonus, also learn from your mistakes.

good communication doesn't thrive under pressure. yes, you too can learn how to be diplomatic when a gun is pointed at your head. but until you get there, high emotions, judgment calls, and the urge to fix it yesterday, don't make for good communication skills. often times I found myself saying 'we can talk about this tomorrow, or I can say something stupid and upset you today'. if you want to communicate with another person, give them the means: time, atomsphere, clarity of mind. if you want to win, push them to a corner.

from the other side of a closed door, you sound muffled and neurotic. communication is a two way street, which means you have to learn how to speak, but not until you learn how to listen. ok, that much everybody knows. but it also means you can't effectively communicate without the other person's consent. you have to ask them, and you have to accept 'no' as an answer. and failing to do that, you have to realize when they just don't care to listen.

Hack Yourself

2005-01-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

I love the new geeky self-help how-tos. And since I'm catching up on my reading of 43 Folders, I have quite a few of those to post today.

I'm spending most of my days "hacking" stuff, from the dirty work of getting computer stuff to work, to the meta-level of planning out tasks and deliverables. So this style of writing appeals to me. When it looks like my to-do list, it's easy to make it part of my to-do list.

Here's a good, quick read on letting go of your obstacles and making room for yourself.

Bloodletters - Hack Yourself

Hack your way out of writer's block

2005-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Things to do when you need to write, but all your ideas remain glued to your gray matter. Try sneezing them out, if that doesn't work, try this handy list:

List Your Way Out Of Stuckness

2005-01-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Interesting idea on how to get yourself out when you're stuck, by identifying the next steps, and the immediate obstacles. I haven't tried it specifically, but I like the concept and the separation of goals->tasks, fears->worries.

List Your Way Out Of Stuckness

Wet contact

2004-12-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

What it looks like when a contact lens makes a run for it, and ends up stuck to the bathroom mirror:

Spider window

2004-12-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

I'm driving on the highway, when I hear a small thud coming from the passenger side. At first glance it looks like something splatted and dirtied the vent window (the small triangular window between the windshield and side window). I look again, and I notice the window is cracked. As I keep driving, the cracks keep growing and growing like a spider's web. In a matter of minutes the window is fully shattered. This is what it looked like the next day:

Dutch Crunch

2004-12-15T20:48:00.000-08:00

Found at the deli section of Safeway, a selection of Dutch Crunch rolls.

Homebrew ads

2004-12-15T20:23:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I've grown dissatisfied with old media. In the past year, I fell in love with the blogsphere, media the way I like it to be. So now wonder I get a kick everytime something new and magical comes a long, that makes old media irrelevant by virtue of being ... just more relevant.

But I didn't imagine grass-root advertising, and I'm expecting something interesting to come out of that. The community-run Firefox ad slated to appear in the NYT, that's an interesting step. But this ad for the iPod mini, created by a high school teacher, that's something else.

Toys gone bad

2004-12-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

Found this article about toys of the past, now considered deadly weapons. The cute Fisher Price Little People were de-cuted some time ago, but it brings back sweet memories. I don't think I ever owned one of these, what I remember is seeing them in a friend's room. They belonged to his younger brother, we were more interested in the Sega. But back then I thought they're really cute, I just liked how they captured the a person just with a crude wooden body, bit of color and face paint. And I loved the dog ...

Link