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Antipope linkdump
Mar. 18th, 2008 12:33 pmCharlie Stross is a Guest of Honour at this year's Eastercon, so I thought I'd better catch up on the month or so of his blogged I missed since I went on holiday. The man sure do generate some ideas.
The singularity is a theme often explored in his work. One definition of which is the point at which graphs for technoglogical growth reach infinity. So his post on the time for worldwide technological addoption dropping from 125 to 16 years caught my imagination.
Here's Charlie's take on the future, after Moore's law craps out.
Also from his blog was a link to this tale of how ATM's could have brought down the UK banks in the '90s. Poor internal security lead to one bank going seriously rogue.
Seen over at the, invaluable to UK fen, ansible newsletter.
Finally here's a Audio version of Trunk and Disorderly, a Stross novella.
The singularity is a theme often explored in his work. One definition of which is the point at which graphs for technoglogical growth reach infinity. So his post on the time for worldwide technological addoption dropping from 125 to 16 years caught my imagination.
Say you want to set a story 30 years out... Back in 1900 to 1950 you could do so with a fair degree of accuracy... But today, that 30-year window is inaccessible. Even a 15-year horizon is pushing it. Something new could come along tomorrow and overrun the entire developed world before 2023.
Here's Charlie's take on the future, after Moore's law craps out.
Also from his blog was a link to this tale of how ATM's could have brought down the UK banks in the '90s. Poor internal security lead to one bank going seriously rogue.
Eastercon LiveJournal exchange, regarding email notification of programme participants ... Autopope: 'I haven't heard hide nor hair from you.' Committee Person: 'Who are you?' Autopope: 'I'm Charlie Stross, one of your GoH's.' CP: 'Ah, it's you ...'
Seen over at the, invaluable to UK fen, ansible newsletter.
Finally here's a Audio version of Trunk and Disorderly, a Stross novella.
Thoughts on an embuggerance
Mar. 14th, 2008 03:33 pmI received an email from my Dad this morning saying that he was sorry to hear about Terry Pratchett's Alzheimer's. Which got me thinking, in a roundabout way, about celebrities.
I'm not generally into celebrity culture. I'm a fan of a few people's work in different ways, and will pick up on information about them, but generally most of the stuff in Heat magazine makes me cringe. Most of the people / things I follow are considered niche enough that there is no-one but themselves doing most of the pushing. This leads to certain sense of closeness as they are putting themselves out there.
I went to see a Britney Spears concert once, and it was little different from a music video. The same audio, some flashy dancing, but nothing particularly special. On the other hand, the only band I consider a must see these days are the Barenaked Ladies. When they come over and tour they'll muck about on stage, improv a song or two, chat about what it's like to over in England, and thank the fans like they mean it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's easy to lose that connection once you become really big.
Which Terry never did. I've only recently started hanging out at the fringes of Fandom, and I still hear stories about Terry in the old days, and while he might hang around a little less, he's still approachable.
In fact, thinking about it now, meeting Terry was probably my first fannish experience. I went to a book signing of his in the early '90s. He still does them, usually a worldwide thing, with fans queueing out the door. And he uses that time to connect to his fans. He'll answer questions, chat for a second, and smile. Hours into what must be his millionth signed book.
So I'm sorry for Terry. Not just because this puts a limit on his work as an author, or because it's a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but because of the connection that he made me (and paradoxically) and many others feel.
I'm not generally into celebrity culture. I'm a fan of a few people's work in different ways, and will pick up on information about them, but generally most of the stuff in Heat magazine makes me cringe. Most of the people / things I follow are considered niche enough that there is no-one but themselves doing most of the pushing. This leads to certain sense of closeness as they are putting themselves out there.
I went to see a Britney Spears concert once, and it was little different from a music video. The same audio, some flashy dancing, but nothing particularly special. On the other hand, the only band I consider a must see these days are the Barenaked Ladies. When they come over and tour they'll muck about on stage, improv a song or two, chat about what it's like to over in England, and thank the fans like they mean it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's easy to lose that connection once you become really big.
Which Terry never did. I've only recently started hanging out at the fringes of Fandom, and I still hear stories about Terry in the old days, and while he might hang around a little less, he's still approachable.
In fact, thinking about it now, meeting Terry was probably my first fannish experience. I went to a book signing of his in the early '90s. He still does them, usually a worldwide thing, with fans queueing out the door. And he uses that time to connect to his fans. He'll answer questions, chat for a second, and smile. Hours into what must be his millionth signed book.
So I'm sorry for Terry. Not just because this puts a limit on his work as an author, or because it's a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but because of the connection that he made me (and paradoxically) and many others feel.
Small World
Mar. 7th, 2008 11:27 amI was out with the joinees last night, and a good friend introduced to a friend his. Who looked familiar. WE put it down to the fact that we must have seen each other at K5. After chatting about the advisability of drinking ethanol from the Chemistry department, it turns out he was the year below me at Warwick, and was one of the people I dragged along to Physoc meetings.
I don't think anything will top the small world story from last year's Eastercon. On of the London BSFA people introduced to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
makyo. We both did a double take and said at the same time "You're not that {name}, are you?". I went to Uni with him, shared several mutual friends, and have been on a mailing list for years with, but we had never actually met before!
I don't think anything will top the small world story from last year's Eastercon. On of the London BSFA people introduced to
makyo. We both did a double take and said at the same time "You're not that {name}, are you?". I went to Uni with him, shared several mutual friends, and have been on a mailing list for years with, but we had never actually met before!
Knitting for science.
Mar. 3rd, 2008 05:55 pmGiven that I seem to be the Modal Average age for a Ravelry knitter, I've just requested an account.
I've currently got a couple of small swatchy projects on the go, mostly to just to practice with. I've just bought some black wool for my first real project. I liked the idea of a computer terminal green on black scarf, but couldn't find the right shade of green. Then I realised I have a little yellow wool, so I'm tempted to do a Portal scarf. With an Aperture Science logo on one end and a slice of cake on the other. Maybe I'll end up on the Portal fan site.
I think GLaDOS would like these potentially fatal works of art more though.
seen at starslip crisis's temporal log.
Note to self: Smallest and Largest possible Aperture logo references.
I've currently got a couple of small swatchy projects on the go, mostly to just to practice with. I've just bought some black wool for my first real project. I liked the idea of a computer terminal green on black scarf, but couldn't find the right shade of green. Then I realised I have a little yellow wool, so I'm tempted to do a Portal scarf. With an Aperture Science logo on one end and a slice of cake on the other. Maybe I'll end up on the Portal fan site.
I think GLaDOS would like these potentially fatal works of art more though.
seen at starslip crisis's temporal log.
Note to self: Smallest and Largest possible Aperture logo references.
"Dates and hours of operation may vary and are subject to the whims of Mother Nature."
Nice way of putting, rain may delay play.
Nice way of putting, rain may delay play.
Gödel wikis Goats, I have proof.
Feb. 14th, 2008 06:21 pm"I'm a big believer in the have-a-donut school of management."
Why corporate wikis work, or fail.
"We live in a universe where life is meaningless, oblivion is just around the corner and God is confirmed to be dead"
One of the best explanations of Gödel's incompleteness theorem I've seen. And it's only there to explain a "Citation Needed" visual gag.
Both quotes from today's Goats.
Bonus points to anyone who can spot the mangled pop culture reference in the title
Why corporate wikis work, or fail.
"We live in a universe where life is meaningless, oblivion is just around the corner and God is confirmed to be dead"
One of the best explanations of Gödel's incompleteness theorem I've seen. And it's only there to explain a "Citation Needed" visual gag.
Both quotes from today's Goats.
Bonus points to anyone who can spot the mangled pop culture reference in the title
"since aged fourteen everyone my age typed like they'd fallen face first onto a keyboard."
My old blog had a set of posts titled "Nice Turn of Phrase". I think I'll try and resurrect that. This one goes out to anyone who has to deal with children's writing.
My old blog had a set of posts titled "Nice Turn of Phrase". I think I'll try and resurrect that. This one goes out to anyone who has to deal with children's writing.
Blasphemous linkdump
Feb. 7th, 2008 04:44 pmCome my child, flip Jesus's switch.
Then Repent to iGod.
I think he's related to Alice, and Eliza.
Forwarded by the sibling
Agnostics are just atheists without the courage of their convictions: A rebuttal..
I consider myself to be a strong agnostic. I believe that there's no way to dis-prove a gods' existence. Therefore Atheism, as a belief that there is no such thing, simply isn't justified. But at the same time I cannot envision a set of circumstances that would lead me to beleive in a god. Essentially I think religion's are pretty much a moot point.
Having said that I can accept that others have had experiences that lead them to have a different belief structure to my own. I've just yet to hear one that's come anywhere near impacting me.
Then Repent to iGod.
I think he's related to Alice, and Eliza.
Forwarded by the sibling
Agnostics are just atheists without the courage of their convictions: A rebuttal..
I consider myself to be a strong agnostic. I believe that there's no way to dis-prove a gods' existence. Therefore Atheism, as a belief that there is no such thing, simply isn't justified. But at the same time I cannot envision a set of circumstances that would lead me to beleive in a god. Essentially I think religion's are pretty much a moot point.
Having said that I can accept that others have had experiences that lead them to have a different belief structure to my own. I've just yet to hear one that's come anywhere near impacting me.
They called me mad!
Feb. 6th, 2008 05:25 pmFollowing a silly impulse I ordered pair of the Foglio's mad scientist goggles.
I think I'll have to dye my hair bright pink and become a girl genius before I can wear them.
Are there any male mad scientists with round goggles?
Cross posted to snarkoleptics
I think I'll have to dye my hair bright pink and become a girl genius before I can wear them.
Are there any male mad scientists with round goggles?
Cross posted to snarkoleptics
Of Geeks and Cliques.
Feb. 5th, 2008 05:29 pmA little while ago[1] I ran into the list of Geek Social Fallacies. The things that some geeks think, that taken to extremes, make their social lives harder.
( How do they apply to me )
Now to explain how those affect me I'll have to talk about the circles I move in.
The Friend Wheel application from Facebook puts all your friends as points around the outside, and draws lines between them if they know each other. In this example most of the user's friends know each other. My wheel looks slightly different.
Starting from the top, and going anticlockwise, the Joinees, Alt.Alumni.Warwick users, the ex-Radio Warwick presenters, people from my school days, colleagues from my last job, and smattering of others including: SF fandom, webcomic artists, and friend of a friends.
I'm not so far into GSF #4 that I take liberties with my friends' friends. What happens is that I think everyone is really lovely and would get on with everyone else, so try to encourage my different groups to merge. I've been doing this since school days, when I dragged kids from my neighborhood and school to drama.
One side effect of GSF #4 is that I've been responsible for introducing a few couples to each other. I only ever see this in retrospect. I never mean to play cupid, but it is nice.
[1] GSF seen at the Nice Guy article, via Mango's offensive grocery.
Oh and as an aside, if you got this far;
How do you pronounce clique: click or cleek?
( How do they apply to me )
Now to explain how those affect me I'll have to talk about the circles I move in.
The Friend Wheel application from Facebook puts all your friends as points around the outside, and draws lines between them if they know each other. In this example most of the user's friends know each other. My wheel looks slightly different.
Starting from the top, and going anticlockwise, the Joinees, Alt.Alumni.Warwick users, the ex-Radio Warwick presenters, people from my school days, colleagues from my last job, and smattering of others including: SF fandom, webcomic artists, and friend of a friends.
I'm not so far into GSF #4 that I take liberties with my friends' friends. What happens is that I think everyone is really lovely and would get on with everyone else, so try to encourage my different groups to merge. I've been doing this since school days, when I dragged kids from my neighborhood and school to drama.
One side effect of GSF #4 is that I've been responsible for introducing a few couples to each other. I only ever see this in retrospect. I never mean to play cupid, but it is nice.
[1] GSF seen at the Nice Guy article, via Mango's offensive grocery.
Oh and as an aside, if you got this far;
How do you pronounce clique: click or cleek?
When I'm gone.
Feb. 1st, 2008 01:51 pmA friend is going through a bereavement at the moment, and has pointed out that people should make sure their relatives know their wishes.
1) I believe when I'm gone I'm gone, and as much use should be made of what's left as possible.
Organ donation, leave something surgeons to train on, and a shiny diamond.
I've discussed this with my family, but haven't actually fully actioned it all. I'm going to send an email to the anatomy donations co-ordinator now.
None of my family want this for themselves mind you. Or to donate their corneas.
I suppose I ought to write a Will to.
1) I believe when I'm gone I'm gone, and as much use should be made of what's left as possible.
Organ donation, leave something surgeons to train on, and a shiny diamond.
I've discussed this with my family, but haven't actually fully actioned it all. I'm going to send an email to the anatomy donations co-ordinator now.
None of my family want this for themselves mind you. Or to donate their corneas.
I suppose I ought to write a Will to.
Ebuyer are Spam merchants
Feb. 1st, 2008 10:03 amIck. After getting my ebuyer account deleted, I received their newsletter today. After carefully selecting the opt out, and Not selecting the opt in during registration (Tricky gits).
Filthy spamming gits. Why do they have me on their "spam me" list in the first place, and why do they still have my email address after deleting the account?
Filthy spamming gits. Why do they have me on their "spam me" list in the first place, and why do they still have my email address after deleting the account?
No more sushi anymore
Jan. 31st, 2008 02:18 pmWhatever happened to Mrs. Beaton?
She got a chopstick
And had wasabi burn.
Apologies to The Stranglers
Yo Sushi's half price sale finishes today. So I'll have to stop printing out vouchers with gender unspecific names to distribute amongst my friends. Good bye Leslie, Kris, Robin and Pat. See you next time they have sale.
She got a chopstick
And had wasabi burn.
Apologies to The Stranglers
Yo Sushi's half price sale finishes today. So I'll have to stop printing out vouchers with gender unspecific names to distribute amongst my friends. Good bye Leslie, Kris, Robin and Pat. See you next time they have sale.
Sweet! Batteries
Jan. 30th, 2008 01:20 pmThe CR2032 Battery I needed for the Sea Monster on my motherboard arrived almost exactly 24 hours after I ordered it
.
.
.
with a tiny Belgian milk chocolate.
I wish I needed more batteries now.
.
.
.
with a tiny Belgian milk chocolate.
I wish I needed more batteries now.
Better than ebuyer.
Jan. 29th, 2008 05:25 pmOoh, CCL Online have a proper UK landline number to call. And people on the end who can actually help.
If you see this, thanks for the (ages old) recommendation Fuzz.
If you see this, thanks for the (ages old) recommendation Fuzz.
ebuyer sucks
Jan. 29th, 2008 03:14 pmGood buying experience at Battery Force.
Asks for payment and delivery details, and at the end offers the chance to create an account for order tracking, just by adding a password.
Has a simple, thorough, privacy policy. Including a no spam policy.
Bad buying experience at ebuyer.
When trying to pay by Switch it tried to load a Mastercard verification site, secure site, which looks like a phishing scam, and didn't load anyway.
It auto populates your address, using your postcode and house number, in a way that is not valid on the form (it leaves off the mandatory county) so you have to go back and re-populate it anyway.
I don't have a landline, therefore I cannot update my email address. Really. It let me register with a mobile, and used that to populate the main phone number, however you have to use a valid UK landline in order to update your address.
When I asked them to delete my account ("No, not deactivate, delete") they changed my email address to NULL and left the account open.
Turns text links black (with no underline) after you click on them, so you cannot see the same help topic easily.
Wishy washy privacy policy. Stored under "First Time Visitors" section of help desk (Do existing users not have any privacy rights?).
Hahaha! Best bit. There's a link on their "about us" page to "Find out why our customers love us so much..."
edit: Ah they've now deleted the actual account. It just took them a couple of hours.
Asks for payment and delivery details, and at the end offers the chance to create an account for order tracking, just by adding a password.
Has a simple, thorough, privacy policy. Including a no spam policy.
Bad buying experience at ebuyer.
When trying to pay by Switch it tried to load a Mastercard verification site, secure site, which looks like a phishing scam, and didn't load anyway.
It auto populates your address, using your postcode and house number, in a way that is not valid on the form (it leaves off the mandatory county) so you have to go back and re-populate it anyway.
I don't have a landline, therefore I cannot update my email address. Really. It let me register with a mobile, and used that to populate the main phone number, however you have to use a valid UK landline in order to update your address.
When I asked them to delete my account ("No, not deactivate, delete") they changed my email address to NULL and left the account open.
Turns text links black (with no underline) after you click on them, so you cannot see the same help topic easily.
Wishy washy privacy policy. Stored under "First Time Visitors" section of help desk (Do existing users not have any privacy rights?).
"Very occasionally, we may share your details with carefully selected third parties. However, if your communication preferences show that you have chosen NOT to receive information from third parties, then of course your details will not be shared.
...
We do our best to maintain the accuracy of any personal information you do supply to us. "
Hahaha! Best bit. There's a link on their "about us" page to "Find out why our customers love us so much..."
"We are sorry but the page you requested is not available."
edit: Ah they've now deleted the actual account. It just took them a couple of hours.
Lessons learned the weekend
Jan. 28th, 2008 02:35 pmTwister is harder, and just as much fun, as I remember from years ago.
Lemon curd and Lion bar milkshakes, are under-appreciated and give you a huge sugar rush.
Jamie Oliver's portable stove makes a wonderful cheese fondue heater :)
Gravity waves have still not been detected, but there are several ground based detectors looking.
The A23, and all the shops and entertainment along it, are rammed full on a Saturday.
( In soviet Greenwich, the observatory observes you! )
Edit: Couscous, stock cube, fresh garlic, fresh chillies, Worcester sauce, black pepper, spring onions and tomatoes make an excellent dish that I think Archchancellor Ridcully would enjoy.
Lemon curd and Lion bar milkshakes, are under-appreciated and give you a huge sugar rush.
Jamie Oliver's portable stove makes a wonderful cheese fondue heater :)
Gravity waves have still not been detected, but there are several ground based detectors looking.
The A23, and all the shops and entertainment along it, are rammed full on a Saturday.
( In soviet Greenwich, the observatory observes you! )
Edit: Couscous, stock cube, fresh garlic, fresh chillies, Worcester sauce, black pepper, spring onions and tomatoes make an excellent dish that I think Archchancellor Ridcully would enjoy.
