Geek at Play

Snowball’s chance

Thanks so much, stupid computerized dating service! According to your personality test, about 1% of single women would be attracted to me. I am now overflowing with hope and will return to my cave.

Stupid human tricks

Man, every time I accidentally stumble across something pen-spinning related, I get annoyed. I haven’t the fine-control dexterity to be this cool. I also don’t know why I repeatedly run across pen-spinning related things. That’s actually more troubling.

No problem

I keep hearing people whine about how hard it is too keep up with all the new social networks and all their friends. Oh, rough. I really feel for you. How about you stay in every once in a while and leave some friends for me?

It really is odd to see how different my world is from others. I have a very small group of friends that I know well. I look at some of them who have over 100 listed connections and wonder how valuable those connections are. It makes me reflect on what the nature of frienship is. I think my assessment is more serious than “people I’ve met or know”. Only the people who I actually know will I invite into a network, and even some of those I do only cautiously.

I think some people have a bit flipped in their brain by this sort of new vogue web service. Suddenly friends can be quantified, “scored”. And people want to “win”. There’s nothing really wrong with that I guess. It just seems odd to me.

Imagine

With the approaching of my least-favorite February Hallmark holiday, I’m happy to say that the internet has finally come up with a good way for me to avoid looking like a pathetic, lonely wank. Granted, it’ll only work if she is truly from Canada, but I’m sure that can be arranged or at least faked.

Good Gord

I just started browsing The Acts of Gord while cleaning out my inbox. A friend had sent the link to me long ago. Man, I wish I had a job where I could blog about regular people being really stupid. About the only thing that geeks get to do is send amusing, nonsensical responses to misdirected email that we get in the course of our jobs. And we don’t get to see the looks on people’s faces.

Ring?

Again I’m struck by the extreme degree of connectivity I have. I’m amazingly connected, with wireless phones, infinite email addresses, and all manners of connectivity. Yet, I’ve forgotten what my cell phone ring sounds like. I belong to a couple of email lists I’m barely active on just to be sure my mail server works. I will be spending no more money on connectivity or gadgetry (no matter how cool it may be) until I have an actual reason to be connected.

Lazyass == Litigation

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate frivilous litigation. So, from that, you can infer that I think this guy should be beaten with a rubber chicken. Yes, this is exactly what I want my legal system (yes, it’s mine, I help pay for it) spending its time on.

The good ol’ days

I heard a sound clip of Ronald Reagan on the radio this AM as I was getting ready and it really struck me as special. Reading his address after terrorist attacks in Lebanon he shows that he understands better the problem of terrorism than I think the current administration does. But what struck me more was the lack of hero-rhetoric in his statement:

I do not believe, therefore, that the local commanders on the ground, men who have already suffered quite enough, should be punished for not fully comprehending the nature of today’s terrorist threat. If there is to be blame, it properly rests here in this Office and with this President. And I accept responsibility for the bad as well as the good.

He knew it was his job to make sure the people around him were doing their jobs. And he knew this represented a failure on his part to recognize, evaluate and mitigate a new kind of risk. That seems like quite a contrast to todays “evildoers” and unilateral near-war-mongering. I can’t say if Bush really needed to do what he did, but he sure doesn’t sound like the humble public servant we heard in Reagan.

Happy Holiday

I’m back to work after a nice long holiday. And for the first time in many years, I’d rather be still on holiday. I had such an amazingly good time with my family (including new bro-in-law Steve and uncle Doug for the first time) that I’d rather be back in Spokane with all of them. Usually my work obsession makes me long to be in the office, but not this year. I’m amazed that such a diverse bunch (hotel management, geek, teachers, mathemetician, full-time mom, cop, and construction guy) all fit perfectly. I haven’t had that much fun, easy conversation, and relaxation in years.

Ah nuts!

Seems I’m not going to be famous shiller of nuts. No callback. Fame will have to wait.