Note to self: Look out the window to see if there are any really little kids waiting for treats before putting on the mask and opening the door :)
Yes We Carve
Thanks to YesWeCarve.com, found some excellent Obama stencils. Opted for simpler (read: more do-able) campaign logo background, hoping it speaks for itself (“Oooobama” would have been fun, but Miles’ bedtime was coming up fast). Amy went for the classic black cat (artfully executed), and Miles did a ghost. We’re ready!
Disk Usage Patterns
Did some math and took some notes on real-world disk usage patterns by Birdhouse Hosting customers. Short version: The vast majority of users will never utilize even a tiny fraction of the massive amounts of space being offered by some of the largest/most-oversell-crazy web hosts out there.
If Jesus Ran For President
Zowch!
Music: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band :: Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky)
This Band Could Be Your Life
This week at Stuck Between Stations:
This Band Could Save Your Life
Roger, on classic tracks that have a bpm count of around 100, matching that of the human heart:
A Reuters article this week reported that the Bee Gees’ falsetto-fortified 1977 disco hit ‘Stayin’ Alive,†which clocks in at 103 beats per minute (bpm), almost perfectly matches the 100 per minute rate that the American Heart Association recommends for chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Strange Fruit
Roger, recalling the indelible power of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” and the effect it had on his young mind. Connected to recent revelations about Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and their sons’ reactions to the revelation.
Amendment Song
As much as we’re all enjoying the endless Obama/McCain character assassination circus, there are other important things to think about before November 4.
Here in California, one of the most important propositions in state history is on the ballot — Proposition 8 — which aims to enshrine bigotry in our state constitution, so that it can never be challenged again. It was written by people who so cherish their bigotry, and who so fear fairness, that they want to be able to stop thinking about it.
In one corner, people who believe marriage is a contract between a man and a woman, who often intend to create a family.
In the other corner, people who believe marriage is a contract between two people, who often intend to create a family.
It all comes down to “a man and a woman,” and an irrational reluctance to accept that marriage can be anything but.
There are no non-religious arguments against gay marriage. And religion has no place in government. If you support Prop. 8, then you support the idea that tradition and religion — not reason — should be enshrined and enforced by government. Even though our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and says nothing about tradition.
Let me be blunt: If you don’t think gay people should be allowed to marry, you’re a bigot. And your attempt to amend the Constitution is an attempt to inject religion into politics. Worse, it’s an attempt to make unfairness into law.
If you’re a Republican, you supposedly believe in small government. That means the government stays out of people’s business, as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody. Gay marriage doesn’t hurt anybody. Therefore, if you’re a Republican, you should oppose Proposition 8.
If you’re a human, you probably believe government should be fair at the most basic levels. Not discriminating on sexual preference counts as “fair at the most basic level.” Therefore, if you’re a human, you should vote NO on Proposition 8.
If you don’t want to help set a precedent that government has a business in controlling individual freedoms that have no ill effect on society, then you should vote NO on Proposition 8.
Pretty simple, really.
Maybe this song from a long-ago Simpsons episode will help to illuminate:
Could You Work in Windows?
How much is your Mac – or rather your Mac lifestyle – worth to you?
Just so we have some standard of reference as to what constitutes a “killer” job offer, we’re defining it here as making 25% more than you make now, all other factors being equal (same commute, same quality of co-workers, same boss, etc.)
Obviously, people who already work all day in Windows shouldn’t vote (but feel free to comment).
Robot Party
Swallowing my heart at the thought that Miles is six years old now. Remembering the day I raced home from work on my bike in the middle of a webcast (2001) after hearing that Amy was in labor. Cliche’ but true, the years between then and now have slipped by in a flash.
Miles has been planning a robot party for months. Wanted robot music. Robot games. Robot pinata. Robot making station. Robot cake. Robot music. The only thing he “planned” but didn’t get was a robot ice sculpture (where he got the idea for an ice sculpture is anyone’s guess).
Spent a Saturday afternoon building a pinata. Amy worked out the ingredients for the robot-making station (I had wanted to add LEDs with attached hearing aid batteries for them to attach, but turned out too expensive to provide electronics for everyone). Had a great time creating a playlist of music that was either about, or sounded like it was created by or for robots. The three of us collaborated on the robot cake making and frosting – tried to reproduce his original drawing as well as we could, typos and all.
Old friends and classmates had a blast.
Music: Antony & The Johnsons :: Man Is The Baby
Get Better
Twitter’s best tweeter Merlin Mann (more famously of GTD and 43 Folders) abruptly stopped with the twitter thing in early September, and started blogging at kungfugrippe.com. Completely different style, hard to tell it’s the same dude. But loved this slide from a presentation on effective blogging, applicable to Just About Anything:
The old Bowie and Springsteen vids are also worth watching.
Music: Tinariwen :: Matadjem Yinmixan
Skeuomorph
Since 1994, A Word A Day (AWAD) has done one thing and done it well – bring a new word into your active vocabulary (complete with audible pronunciations). Truthfully, I often skim or gloss entries arriving in the daily inbox, but every now and then one really catches my attention. Today’s word: Skeuomorph:
noun: A design feature copied from a similar artifact in another material, even when not functionally necessary. For example, the click sound of a shutter in an analog camera that is now reproduced in a digital camera by playing a sound clip.
The word captures the fake authenticity meme so well. Think wood-grained vinyl on the side of a 70s station wagon. Think “distressed” jeans. Think hockey mom.
Music: Billy Bragg & Wilco :: Airline To Heaven