Timing Error

BLOGGING BY IPHONE

Good for short, terse posts.

I still live, by the way; I've been busy changing Command and getting ready to move to another state.

Hope to be back to flash fiction, drawing and blog blathering soon.

OBJECTIVE-C AND THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Some I'm trying out Objective C (programming language) and as part of my research I read this in Wikipedia:

Structured programming was implemented in order to help "break down" programs into smaller parts, primarily to make them easier to work on as they grew increasingly large. However, as the problems being solved grew in size, structured programming became less useful as more and more procedures had to be written, leading to complex control structures and a low level of code reuse.

I laughed: that sounds pretty much like a description of the twentieth century, right?

(I'm such a cross disciplinarian geek it ain't even cool)

PAPERS: BEST .PDF MANAGER BY FAR

I'm always looking for ways to organize my .pdf: I collect them (JSTOR and "print-->save as-->.pdf" mostly).

Papers is that holy grail. It acts like an itunes/iphoto app for documents. 

Best of all, it will allow you to search Google Scholar, JSTOR and other sites to get the meta data for those .pdfs that download with only numeric nomenclature (an annoying feature of JSTOR). 

Caveats: it is mac only and licensed (but fully functional without actually purchasing the license). 

In fact, it's so good, I'm going to purchase a license to kick a few dollars towards their development efforts.

SECRET/NOFORN/FOCAL POINT: MUST CREDIT ANON

So I was reading this New York Times article on torture, and got annoyed by the way they opaquely referred to the "Torture Report" released by the Senate Armed Services committee. Me, I like direct links; so I toggled off the NYT and went googling...and started laughing. Found this:

The WAPO uploaded the document from SASC 03 (Senate Armed Service Committee 03?) pretty much as is; to include the SECRET/NOFORN/FOCAL POINT header (that's probably what's under the black bars on the tops and bottoms of the document).

Given that the report was issued on the [Corrected] 11th of Dec, that's some pretty fast leaking. I wonder was the print even dry on the .pdf?

"THE COST OF LIVING"

Over at Strategy Page, newsreel reel video  from the Battle of the Bulge; appropriate for this snow December (lived in comfort).

FEELING HIS INNER AKITA

Well, the dog really loves the snowfall; but then, he didn't spend an hour and 15 minutes driving fifteen miles from work.

He actually loves it when I toss snowballs at him.

THAT "EVIL HUMMER" STARE

I've never understood it, the stares my wife or I will get tooling around in the Hummer.

From where we sit, we drive a subcompact. 

All a matter of perspective, I guess.

THE FUTURE IS WILD AND /RANDOM/

Pace Tom, I highly recommend the Future is Wild. My wife and I are only about a hundred million years into the future, and it is fantastic.

/Random/

>I've got a blog brother?

>The future (city) is also green; I still think de Chardin is going to wipe the floor with Vinge ;)

 

>Still doing the 'Mrs Robinson thing', Mr. Photodude?

 

>Collect the iconography: the art of (President-elect) Obama. (though the unicorn chasing is a bit odd).

>Venice beneaththe waves? Surf's up. I spent a December morning, years ago, slipping and sliding across a frozen St Mark's Square in formal shoes; I don't remember having that much fun.

BUSY, BUSY

Being back at work takes, well, work. The happy news is that I'll be out of command in a few weeks.

I'm going to hold onto the last flash fiction story I failed to post (headspace and timing error) until next week; I'm lazy like that.

JASON BLAIR, CALL YOUR OFFICE

Someone is stealing your gig.

I read this story, and immediately cried bullsh*t:

'You loser!" screamed Katie, aiming a vase at her husband. "You've destroyed my life,'' she continued, hurling it. "Just look at my hair, look at my nails! You loser, you jerk, you nobody."

It's a narrative, written in the same voice. I think the semantics are wrong, but then I'm not a computer.

But this is a post about geography.

When the ISF went in to dismantle the ratlines of Al Amarah, I was a bit confused. The "assistance" JAM and other folks were getting from Iran largely originated from Al Amarah and worked its way north into Baghdad et al. Well, when I finally looked at a map of the region, I understood: north of al Amarah, it was all mountains. The Persian and Iraqi plains met in and about Al Amarah: easy moving for your EFP smuggler in the know.

Small point, but geography does matter. Geography fascinates me.

It's fashionable to view Israel as a canary in the coal mine. A fissure between the 'West' and the 'rest'. I extend that argument when thinking of the Brits, and how geography plays a part in their history, present and future. 

If Israel splits the west and the rest, then Britain, beloved Britain, sits on the fissure between the west and the west: between the two flavors of dar al liberalism.

All because of geography. 

I think that's a fascinating thought piece.

I'M GLAD I DON'T LIVE ON PINS AND NEEDLES

Wow: I popped into our local supermarket to pick up some dinner and adult beverages. The lady at the checkout counter asked me for some identification (even in my advanced age, I'm baby faced enough to get carded). 

Her: "I'm sorry, I need to see some ID. You guys always have such nice skin."

I reached for my ID, thinking okaaay....

Her: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that; my grandson is Afro-American and I'm learning such new things."

Okaaay...I walked out laughing; people rarely offend me, because I don't allow myself to be offended. 

Look, I look forward to the time when people are individuals and not clumps of groups and groupings: I really do. I mean, if you cut me, do I not bleed; if you set a shaped charge off along my route of travel, do I not disaggregate; and if you shoot rockets at me, do I not duck and cover?

I just think there are bigger things on earth than petty offenses, given or taken.

On the serious side, I've got my next fridays flash fiction written and loaded into the ether. And, I've gotten a handle on my wife box-oholism (she still has boxes stuffed in closets from stuff we've already thrown away).

Productive weekend, all in all.

ON THE TUBES

>I've never heard of "The Future is Wild": It's a survey of the next 200 million years of life. It does look like a longer, better, "Alien Planet". PBS version here. Thanks, Tom.

>"The Next Nostradamus" on the History Channel tonight. Dr. De Mesquita, of the Selectorate Theory, and a game theory approach to human behavior? Looks interesting (although I suspect the Nostradamus bit is hyperbole).

UPDATE: I like De Mesquita's clarification of 'rational actor'. More to watch, of course. 

SELF HEALING MACS?

So, about three months ago my wife called and told me the black macbook was fried: the 'geniuses' at the Apple Store told her the motherboard was fried. Figuring it cost about 800 bucks to replace the motherboard, we went and got her another mac.

So, tooling around looking for motherboards on the cheap (and figuring I'd try and get my hands dirty fixing it), I pulled out the computer to gets it's information. On a lark, I plugged it in, and, well:

It's working.

File under bizarre.

OK AND /RANDOM/

Ok. I found the golden spike and I have enough material: I am going to try a book. Wish me luck (flash fiction will continue)

/Random/

Praise god and pass the phaser batteries? Rayguns in Iraq. Nice. I especially like the anti-missile capability. Nothing sucks worse than exploding bullets missing the old rocket or two (or three, or four, or five...).

Rocketdock and woodworking: I'm building this skin and theme combination into my vista machine.(UPDATE: Beautiful. 'Trusted Installer' has more rights on my computer than Admin. Fixing that right about now).

It's spelled Kee Malesky. That has always bothered me.

Gelaskins: I went with the steam punk one.

DRIVING AROUND THE INTERNET AND /RANDOM/

I let some blogs sit unread in my rss reader and when I hit them, I'm remember all over again why I put them there in the first place:

Busblog: a fave from when the internet ran over strings and cups. 

Neil Gaiman: Of all the authors I've never read, Neil is my favorite. Seriously, I've never read 'Sandman' or any of the other great books/comics he's written; I need to hive some time out and do so. I keep running into his books and almost picked up the one he did with Pratchett. 

Process Junkie: I bow my head in submission.

/Random/

>Turns out 'Devil Ducks' are a perfect toy for the dog. He gets hours of pleasure out of his, hasn't torn it up and keeps eyeing the ones in my tub jealously. (As soon as we get to the new house, we are going to hit the pound again and get him a brother. Maybe a Rhodesian Ridgeback?).

>Mars. Glaciers. Lets go. You can still have internets.

>I love my wife: she doesn't make me go to crappy movies like Twilight. She goes with friends. (via i09)

End.

A BACKYARD OFFICE OF MY OWN

Ever since reading this post at the Tiny House Blog on backyard artists retreats, I've lusted. 

One of the reasons I wanted the house we finally settled on was this:

It's a pink princess playpen, right now, but I've got plans. It already has power, insulation and drywalls, so most of the work is done (I think). So all that's left is to turn it from what it is into, hmmm:

This?

Or this?

Maybe this?

Or rustic?

Or anyone of these!

Options, options, options. This is going to be fun: from buying the tools (I think we currently own a rusty screwdriver), planning the process and actually executing the work. So looking forward to my first home improvement project.

ON THE ROAD: HOUSE HUNTING

Well, we're heading to Texas for the next couple of days to look for a house. The interest rates gone down at least a point (too much money sloshing around the system) since we got preapproved, so I guess that's good. We're looking for something cute and old:

But a tad bit bigger: kids down the road.

/Random/

Futurismic points to the world's oldest city. Goes well with this post on the Stranger: short video on the development (and future) of the city.

I'll be telling my grandkids, "in my day, when we wanted to invade a country, we actually had to go there"! (Near) Self Aware combat aircraft.

Save your breadth, brain boys: I'll take 15 billion x 200 million as better odds for life than anything you stick into your drake equation. Neat video of our new neighbors on Formalhuat. 

Archie McPhee: we are so going.

The Future of War? What I want to know is when we'll be allowed to put pinups on our UAVs.

Iron Rule of Microsoft: every other OS must suck. Given my travails with Vista, I have high hopes with WIN7.

A sale on Spore for the iPhone. That'll make my trip go quickly.

Neologize this: Smart + Hot= Smot? The ScienceCheerleader.

Tor's World.

Mac people are automatically better. Right?

Lovely: Pulp Art

See you in a few days.

NICE: NCC 1701

I'm actually looking forward to the new Trek, vice, say, Quantum Solace (give me a new Bond).

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

I caught the last half of President-Elect Obama's press conference. I have to say he is pretty charming; in addition, he displayed more grace than some of his detractors and some of his supporters.

THE WEST COAST ADVANTAGE

Sitting out here on my throne at Casa Del Casa, on vacation, I get to watch the election results role towards me.

Going to be a fun day, no matter which way it breaks.

VISTA: REMINDING ME WHY I BOUGHT A MAC IN THE FIRST PLACE

Vista sucks. Period.

I've bought two copies of Age of Empire III (a Microsoft game) and have not managed to to install either one. Something about Direct X 9.0 and 10.0. Even operating in Admin mode, I keep getting 'you don't have permission to" messages.

I had the same issues installing Spore. I finally managed to snag a Direct X 9.0, unpack it and copy the correct .dll file into the Spore and System 32 folders. Spore's running and rocks.

My point is, I should never have had to. 

Vista sucks.

A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT...

...A Throne in every living room.

I was digging around the intertubes looking for spare change when I came across, perhaps, the oddest tribute a deceased author on wikipedia. Asimov enshrined:

GOOGLE EARTH FOR IPHONE

I downloaded it and installed on my phone. Yes, it is all that. 

Pretty sweet.

WORSE THAN THE DENTIST: A VISIT TO THE ENT

I've had a mass on my neck for the better part of a year. It never got bigger or smaller and it never hurt. I went to see the doctor in Iraq and she said it was an inclusion cyst. Fair enough. 

I figured I'd get it cut out when I got home.

About two weeks ago, that sucker ballooned. I started referring to it as "my neck cancer" or "my twin brother". So I went back to the doctors, who sent me to the dermatologists who finally referred me to Ear Nose and Throat.  

Ouch.

Seeing the ENT is far from pleasant. The doctors were great; don't get me wrong. But between being opened up with a scalpel, having a needle stuck in to draw out the pus, the pressure as the doctor squeezed my largish pimple and having something 'packed' into the wound, I damn near passed out.

I have an MRI next week and they have enough of my pus to run tests, so it is a step forward. They are still doing differential diagnosis, but frankly I prefer a branchial anomaly to any type of lymphoma, if I can take my diseases a la carte.

And good lord, I am dreading the followup.

Pictures below the fold. (UPDATE: I stuck them below the fold to protect the semi squeamish. And of course, they show up in that preview thing up on the right. Dooh)

PHLEGMATIC

Despite the amusing, and petty, cutluralism, of our political class: I shall go on. My sovereign will be my sovereign.

And, with less than a week to go, the U.S. election will remain a fascinating example of the human dynamic.

Because, you know, we've got it like that.

I WANT

Pretty badas*.

THEY SAY ONCE YOU GO MAC...

...you never go back. In the caser of my wife and I, that's not a true statement. We went ahead and bought an HP Touch Smart for the house.

My redeployment treat.

Let's her run the games she likes and let's me continue to do my powerpoint drawings.

Resilience is good.

LOOKS ALOT LIKE MY CARTOONS

World's smallest man and world's leggiest woman:

flickr here

WAR BY PROXY

Or at least, by narrative:

Publicity, and significant input on the script. On Eagle Eye, that meant adding a character who "allowed us to depict the Air Force as being on the front lines of the war on terrorism," according to Colonel Francisco Hamm, who heads the air service's Hollywood efforts.

Geez.

ON THE OTHER HAND: HAPPY PRE-APPROVAL DAY

My wife and I were pre-approved for our home loan. Happy day. Of course we could always spend the money on this and park a couple of Maybachs out front.

Kidding: we promise not to screw it up and tank the economy.

(Home (l)ownership means one important thing to me: we can finally install a $%#% doggy door.)

I LOVE THE NARRATIVE

Jawa Report authors an instant classic on viral videos and the ethics of information:

Let's hammer these bastards any way we can. We have to influence the media narrative ourselves.

All the sturm und drang: that's what it's really about, after all.

WHAT A DAY, WHAT A DAY...

There are reasons, learned from life experience, that I will always prefer the clean, open honesty of a junkyard dog over a warm smile and friendly handshake. Any. Day. Of. The. Week.

People will never cease to amaze, amuse, delight or, sometimes, disappoint me.

2X4: THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN'T DO

My rapidly advancing obsession with small is fed once again by the Tiny House Blog:

1. Perfect little backyard Artist Retreats

2. A Floating Home

My first thought was 'wow, where can I buy that'. My second thought: 'wow, when can I build that'.

INFORMATION ETHICS AND SARAH PALIN

If you want to get a good visual of the rise and fall of memes surrounding Governor Palin, then the place to go is the flickr stream. Fascinating; even more so than the blogs, the messaging for and against her is rapid and an awesome case studies in information flows. Campaign photos, photoshops (good and crude) and some guy who takes pictures of television screen. It's all there. 

Fascinating.

THE NEW GM H9 HUMMER?

Not sure about the paint scheme, tho.

CONVERSATIONS WITH HISTORY

Excellent geekiness:

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes biophysicist Chikashi Toyoshima for a discussion of his remarkable achievement in capturing the first images of cellular activity as the calcium ion pump makes possible the contraction and relaxation of muscle tissue on a signal from the brain. Topics covered include: how structure determines process in cellular activity, the technical innovations required for this breakthrough in the biosciences, and why visualization is so important in understanding cellular processes. He also reflects on creativity in science and how the images he captured affected his understanding of humankind's place in the universe.

WAR LADIES: SERIAL NO. 3817131

Rachel Papo , on duty with the women of the IDF:

Via boing boing, which explains why the site is having bandwidth issues.

XKCD EXPOSES MY WEAKNESS

At least with this toon.

I used to think there were places on the internet I would not go; I got about fifteen seconds into the whole girls+cup thing before losing it. Fortunately, relief was just an 'x' click away.

BLACK ROCK CITY ABUILDING

It's been about a year since I became fascinated with Burning Man; I'll end up missing this one too (TPS Reports).

No matter: I'll still have flickr (very occasionally NSFW) and Scott London to tie me over until next year.

AN "O'HENRY-ESQUE" ANNIVERSARY

So my wife and I digitally exchanged gifts for our third wedding anniversary. I'm not big on giftd, but she is...I got her a jewelry set (ring, necklace, earrings). 

Well, she surprises me with an iPhone!

Now I know how the Dutch felt after negotiating with the Manhattan Indians.

(I have the best wife in the world)

VACATION REQUIRED

So, my day off turns into one of those days...the human mind, and the tricks it can play, will never cease to amaze me.

I need a vacation; one like these on offer in these retro future posters from Steve Thomas would do me just fine.

Via io9

THAT (104) DUDE

One day, I am going to hunt down my peer and ask him why he keeps resetting my connection. (civilization = good pavement + broadband internet)

SCIFI WIKIA

 Looking for some info on Heighliners, I did a stumble-across on the SciFi Wikia. Nice.

FUNNIES IN THE EMAIL

A NEW TWIST....

While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.s on board the usual information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc. 

Finally, she said, 'Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew take you safely to Afghanistan.' 

An old MSgt. sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, 'Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman? 

When the attendant came by he said 'Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?' 

'Yes,' said the attendant, 'In fact, this entire crew is female.' 'My God,' he said, 'I wish I had two double scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think with only women up there in the cockpit.' 

'That's another thing, Sergeant,' said the crewmember, 'We No Longer Call It the Cockpit; it's the Box Office.' 

EXHAUSTED

I think that's about the right word: I am mentally and physically exhausted. I go on vacation in about two months and I am so looking forward to do so.

Got my paper for the obscure professional journal approved; now I'll see if it gets published.

One more paper to go, then I'm going to take a break.

ROLLING WITH STRIPPERS: YOU GOT TO LOVE THE HEADLINE

Lovely title from the HUFFPO:

You've got to admire Senator McCain's sense. Sturgis drew a smaller crowd than Berlin, but they can all, what's the word, vote.

THIRD PARTY IDEAS?

Great symbols:

Silly idea.

APOLOGIES TO AMBER LEE

I was perhaps a little to harsh, criticizing Obamagirl in the post below. It's obvious she's a smart, driven individual with a phenomenal set of ideas about campaigning. Besides, in finding things to like about Amber Lee, I won't come off like this curmudgeon:

So, what is great about Amber Lee?

1. She supports the military.

2. She 'toons well:

3. She associates eclectically:

 

In fact, if someone were to hold a gun to my head and told me I had to pick a flickr babe to have relations with outside marriage, then my top three would be:

1. Obamagirl.

2, Candice Michele (flickr link NSFW)

3. Elizabeth Kucinich (subject to availability)

So, again, Ms. Ettinger: my apologies.

(I really should be writing my paper)

THE POWER OF ICONOGRAPHY

It shapes the narrative in odd ways. Senator Obama's Icon-fu is pretty powerful; I have not seen something like it in quite awhile:

Obama's Icon-fu can lead to embarrassing displays of affection:

Lee predicted Obama would be elected in November.

"When that happens, it will change everything. ... You'll have to measure time by `Before Obama' and `After Obama,'" Lee said during the panel. "It's an exciting time to be alive now."

Obama's Icon-fu can stop you from asking pertinent questions, like is ObamaGirl even literate?

Or more importantly, do you even care?

Obama's Icon-fu is a strange and powerful technique let loose upon the world. It will work some strange magic.

S. MANASAPIEN AND OTHER THOUGHTS

1. Cool (tongue in cheek) history of the Stickman at the Uncyclopedia:

The Stick men were first depicted hunting a buffalo. These drawings are believed to be done by a human, suggesting that humans and stick men worked together in a community, with Sticks doing the actual work and humans sitting around drawing amateur pictures. Stick men obviously played an important role in human life, and eventually grew beyond the needs of the humans and left the planet.

I love stickmen, thanks, in part, to the awesome XKCD.

2. WITFITB*: A word used to describe my frustration in switching versions between Office 2007 (WIN) and Office 2008 (MAC).

3. I concur: send the space station to Mars. It's high time we put the smackdown on the Martians (and no, my hostility towards Martians will not be moderated by the fact they do not exist)

3. Tasks remaining: Homework Assignment 7 Assignment 8, Test #1, Test #3, Article Review II, Essay II and a paper on Ecological Economics (it's not easy being green)

*Where In The Fu@@ Is That Button?