Category: Weblog

It’s a little after 2AM and I just got home. I met up with TWELVE friends at the movies to see the Matrix Reloaded again. It was fun being out with so many people.
On the drive home, the highway was deserted. I could have easily done 120 on the highway but didn’t. I only did 90…
At this time of night, dear old South Pas is empty and the town is quiet. I roll down the windows and listen to the silence.
When I get home I step out in the street and feel the calmness around me like a cool breeze. There’s nothing else like the middle of the night. I love the feeling. Maybe it’s the idea that everything is not so busy, or maybe it’s just hearing the rustle of leaves.
I walk into the house and kiss the girls, soundly asleep. It is a good day. Good night.

Today I’m off from work and will be going to E3 in a couple hours. Zoe and I walked to school together and Michele is taking Mira to preschool. The house is quiet and I have a few minutes to collect my thoughts.
Caffiene
Today is day 6 of no caffiene for me. Several people have asked why quit? I’ll explain. I had been drinking a cup of tea or coffee in the mornings for a while. No big deal. I started also having a soda pop at lunch and sometimes a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Multiple cups of caffiene became the norm. I wasn’t drinking 6 uber-supra-grande mocha lattes per day.
After a while, I found myself getting that caffiene headache in the evenings. Nothing an Excedrin wouldn’t handle, right? I thought about the fact that I was feeling ill because I was using (for me) so much caffeine. I know others that drink three cups of coffee before 9AM and don’t feel a thing.
So I quit. While I love me a can of iced coffee, it’s best I lay off it until the effects clear my system. And while I’m atthat, I guess I should start exercising more and eating better…
Books
Last week I finished the John Barnes book, The Sky So Big and Black.
I’ve enjoyed John Barnes’s novels for a while now. This novel takes place in the future laid out in the previous novels Kaleidoscope Century and Candle. In this future, the concept of Memes that can control the human mind are central to the story. They aren’t memes like an idea that spreads across the internet and becomes part of the culture. We are talking about the concept of a method by which a Meme can take over and control a human mind.
In Barnes’s future, the Earth is completely taken over by the Meme called One True. The rest of humanity, spread out in space on the Moon and on Mars try to make do without the Earth.
This story takes place on Mars with a group of ecospectors, ecological prospectors. Rather than hunting for valuable minerals, they hunt for ways to terraform Mars by releasing water or identifying other organic resources.
Mars is cast in the light of the seminal Heinlein Libertarian society. Few laws, much personable responsibility, and a huge focus on trust and reputation. It very much harks back to ideas from Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
Without giving out any spoilers, the Martians face a tragedy are must make choices between their lifestyle and dealing with One True for help. Barnes looks at how the libertarian world (Mars) and the socialist world (Earth) can interact and what price are the libertarians willing to pay to keep their way of life.
I recommend the book. It’s a fast read and has plenty of neat technical ideas interspersed with the storyline.

Yes, I saw The Martix Reloaded this morning.
I won’t reveal a thing except to say that the movie is great and noone will be disappointed.
Amazing effects and action. A great job. I can’t wait until November for the finale.

The caffiene withdrawal drama is slowly leaving, but I still crave the taste of a nice cold ice coffee.
I just got a call from Michele, my wife, She’s driving down to Disneyland for a couple of hours with her friend Jenny. Since I work for the Mouse, don’t cost nothing.
Wish I was going. Instead, I have 4+ hours of meeting scheduled. Joy.
Here’s an interesting article on the making of the amazing Honda ‘Cog’ commercial.
The rest of the week should be better. I’m seeing the Matirx tomorrow and going to E3 Thursday & Friday.
Any Cruft readers also going to E3?

So maybe this no caffiene things wasn’t such a good idea.
I’m at my desk, my eyes feel tired, I have a headache, and I keep thinking, “A cup of coffee would be good right now…”
In a couple days, these feelings will subside, but for now, it is the suck.
E3 is in a few days and I am really looking forward to it. If all goes well, I’ll also see the Matrix on Wednesday morning, making it a geekeriffic week.

I participated in the Mayday Photo Project.
You can see my page here.
Be sure to check out Martin’s Mayday post as well. His is much better than mine.
Long weekend.
I’m on my second day of no caffiene. A couple days and it won’t bother me so much, but now it is defintely a drag.

As of today, I am free of Network Solutions. Network Solutions is the company that used to run the entire domain name registration system. If you wanted any kind of .com, .net, or .org domain name, it was NetSol that registered them. NetSol did a good job and was a valued part of the internet community for their professionalism.
Back in the earlier days of the internet, there was not a serious business about domain names. There was no resell market and the number of new additions per year was in the thousands. Once the WWW took off, the interest in domain names took off. Suddenly, there was money to be had. Suddenly, the profit motive took over at NetSol and they tried to ‘own’ domain registration forever.
They did all kinds of crazy stuff like claim they owned the database of domain names and owned the right to claim expired domain names for their own use. They fought vehemently against the expansion of domain name registration to multiple registrars.
In simple words, they acted like assholes. Even today they charge three times what other domain registrars do for services and attempt to mislead users from switching away.
Back in 1997, I registered two domain name for myself and Michele. At the time, you basically needed a web host company to do this for you because most mere mortals could not satisfy the requirement for two nameservers in the application. The webhosting company I chose used Network Solutions to register my domain name. At the time, it was no big deal,I was ecstatic to have a domain name.
Fast forward to today and I wanted to make a few changes to Michele’s site and I realized it was still registered at NetSol. After about three days of answering “Yes, I want to transfer my domain” email, I am finally free of Network Solutions.
I currently use Godaddy.com, a registar with good tools, good service, and good prices. You can’t complain with a registration price of $8.95 for a domain.
The bad side of things is looking at the list of 14 domains I own and wondering why I could possibly own 14 domains.

Jake at 8bitjoystick offers a 3XThursday:
Hypothetically speaking imagine if some one really important like Bill Gates, The Pope or Adam West put you in charge of improving the personal computer.
1. What is the biggest problem with the current personal computer that you would address first?
Computers are turned off. They are turned off for several reasons, Noise, power usage, heat, etc. Your computer should always be available to you, always on. There should be no waiting to boot.
In close second is voice operation. You shoudl be able to speak to your computer and say ‘Check email’, ‘Launch Winamp’ or ‘Check blogroll’ and the computer should be able to execute these things for you.
2. Who would you pick to help you improve the PC? Who would you like to have in your corner to help you make the decisions
I would choose scientists and engineers that have never worke don PC design before. I would choose people from other cultures besides the US. Richard Feynman, always suggested the alternate points of view from differing disciplines was the optimal way to solve problems.
That being said, I’d choose Jean Paul Gaultier, Stephen Hawking, Andrew Goldsworthy, Dean Kamen, and Gene Spafford.
3. How would you change the hardware? What would the PC of the future look like and how would people use it?
The computer of the future will be hidden in a closet somewhere and people will access the computer via a variety of interface. The traditional desktop will exist, the tablet style for document reading will exist, the mini interface via the cell phone, the TV interface for notification will exist.
Device in the home will signal you when you have messages waiting. Just as you come home and see a number flashing on your answering machine, you will see a light flashing telling you there are emails & IMs waiting. Different colors will denote if they are messages from specific friends and family. Integration of the computer into household appliances will be everywhere.
Bonus Question for Comments: Should I get a notebook for my next Computer or a desktop with a LCD flat screen?
If you are going to play games, CRTs are still better than LCD panels. That being said, it is tons of fun to have a laptop you can use on the couch, at the coffee shop, and when traveling. Get the laptop and do minimal upgrades to your existing desktop to keep it usable.

Tonight I went to the store after the girls went to bed to pick up a few things. As I entered the store I noticed a lady looking at the Mother’s Day cards. No biggie, only like five days until Sunday so she’s getting her choosing done.
I wander around the store picking up my assorted items, pondering if there is anything I might want. Back and forth I wander for about 10 minutes. I head up front, check out and head for the door.
The lady is still there, reading the cards. 15 minutes after I first saw her when I came in the store. Still. Reading. The. Cards.
How do you read Mother’s Day cards for 15 minutes? I think my head would explode.
In other news, I made enchiladas tonight. I was at the store getting corn tortillas and onions. I made chicken and cheese enchiladas. Tomorrow we’ll cook them up and see how I did. I hope the kids like them.

Yesterday was Free Comic Book Day. I went to two comic stores and scored 14 different free comics. Travis, Yoshi, Len and I went to go see X-Men 2 to round out our geekness.
I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. Everyone was wishing for more of their favorite charactrers. Personally I was pleased to see Colossus, my favorite X-Man in the movie with a brief cameo. The filmmakers did a good job of telling a standalone story but continuing the story of the first film and setting up the next sequel.
I picked up several children’s comics at Free Comic Book Day. The girls were quite excited and they read comics this morning.