Geek at Play

Moron alert

According to this article Gabe Newell is a moron. Yup, the same guy who’s computer was compromised (IIRC) and allowed the Half Life 2 source code to be stolen got his forum password guessed. How? Because it was set to “gaben”. If I was on Valve’s board, I’d convene a meeting and vote him out. Someone who chooses “gaben” as a password shouldn’t be running a company.

There is no patch for human stupidity.

Poor Lamar

I just saw Lamar Odom on SportsCenter say that there were “Americans that didn’t want America to win.” When asked why that might be, he didn’t know. Maybe it’s because many of us can’t watch the NBA anymore. Maybe we don’t want to watch tattooed idiot taunt each other. Maybe the 24 second shot-clock has turned it into a repetitious run-n-chuck game. Maybe we don’t want watch for two hours to find out who gets the last shot to win the game.

And maybe we just simply wanted you to fall flat. To be humbled. To be taken down a peg. On your stage, your swagger may be justified. But it’s time to realize, just like in every other sport in the Olympics, that the US doesn’t dominate. It’s a contest for a reason. Show up, play hard. Play as a team.

Don’t tap your chest and insist that you “gots to represent.” Look at the colors on your chest, and remember who you represent. You certainly haven’t represented me as an American.

Shudder to think

Every once in a while I shudder to think that someone I used to work with (and who wasn’t very good) may now be coding on software I actually need to use. I’m no amazing super-engineer, but there are some really bad ones out there that manage to get jobs.

Remember

I’m on vacation in Seattle, hanging out with friends. I really have to remember how enjoyable it is so I do it more often than I have historically. Getting away really is good for me.

Why in the world would I forget such things?

Also of interest, I managed to easily find the magic shop I remember seeing as a pre-teen (nearly 20 years ago) in Pike Place Market. I sometimes wonder why I remember such things. Now I have foam balls to entertain my niece with if I ever remember to go visit her again (and already managed to puzzle our hosts after 20 minutes of practice).

The “Go” pedal

I have a new (to me) car. Yes, I’m one of those jerks in a BMW coupe now; deal with it. It’s no monster race car (under 200 horsies), nor do I drive it as if it is. However, it is a spirited little beast that handles well and can be a real joy to drive if you know how. However, power and skill mean nothing without open road.

After a week, I have yet to get a clear shot onto the highway coming from my house. It’s a wide open on-ramp with a fun starting turn and long straight section to drift into. It’s a place where I could legally pound through a corner under hard acceleration while getting right up to highway speed (which most days is about 75 MPH on the “280 Motor Speedway”).

Instead, I start the corner, see a cell-phone-using moron in an SUV or inattentive Jetta driver putting on makeup halfway along the ramp, and have to let up. Then I get to enjoy the horror of merging with traffic using a prayerful blinker and 45 MPH of speed, snapping my head around and frantically checking my mirrors, just like the idiot in front of me. Sigh. If only more people realized that an “on ramp” is for making a graceful transition from surface street speeds to highway speeds. On the ramp. Not before. Not after.

Alternately, you can all just stay the heck off the roads at 9:00 AM next Wednesday so I can do it the right way. Alone. Just once.

The Watchmen

I’ve been recently getting back into comics. Yeah, I know. Geeky. But one that I read recently at the recommendation of a friend was The Watchmen. It’s fantastically good. And if you read it, or maybe if you haven’t, you will laugh until you cry while reading the treatement the Something awful goons give to it.

Just my luck

I’m finally taking a vacation (with my girlfriend, no less) to Seattle. I’ve been wanting to visit there for ages, specifically to see a Mariner’s game. I get to see them when they’re in town playing the A’s, but it’s not the same. It’s my first chance to go to Safeco Park. And what happened today? Ichiro got beaned in the head by a rookie pitcher. I hope he’s back in the lineup for Monday’s game.

Regardless, I think I’ll bring along Ball Four to re-read, just to be sure I’m fully in the baseball mood.

Big gap

It’s been far to long since my last update. I’ve not done a whole lot of interest, but I do have to say that I’ve spent far too much time listening to my favorite Weakerthans album which was in slot number one of my bedroom CD changer. The first three tracks are burned into my brain.

Oh yeah, and I became a shill for Amazon. Click. Buy. Make me money!