Tales of Outsourcing
A friend of mine related their experience with outsourcing to India. This may not be the way it happens everywhere, but I found it most interesting, since it shows that the promise of outsourcing does not necessarily match what it delivers. It's not necessarily the difference that you would expect.
Quantum Reality : Nick Herbert
Link: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385235690/thecerealkill-20
Full title: Quantum Reality | Beyond the New Physics
This is a pretty appealing book about the mysteries of quantum physics. If you know a little math (no calculus required) and perhaps the way sound waves work, this is a great introduction to what quantum theory is all about, and some really good insights into attempts to figure out what it all might mean.
Accidents Happen
Got in an accident over the weekend. Was sandwiched between two cars. Nobody was injured, but my poor car's left eye popped out, as it were...
Arrrrrrrr
Link: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/
Just a reminderr, landlubbers and mateys... and Metis, that today be the day ye arrre best advised to talk like a pirate, arrrr, for 'tis Talk Like A Pirate Day.
I've been mighty downcast e'er since the days yon cutter we commandeered sunk in the Bow River with its cargo of bootlegged CDs. Arrrrr. Tis perhaps better this way, for the scalliwags in the rubber dinghies always got the better of us, and the seagulls, well, I'd best not say the insult they did do to yars truly.
Subversion
Link: http://subversion.tigris.org/
No spies or anarchy here, at least in the traditional sense. I'm talking here about a magnificent little version control system, and if you're programming or even maintaining documents, it is a godsend.
Weird Movies: Code 46
Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345061/
Here's a short and sweet movie review.
Remember Agatha from Minority Report? She's back in another science fiction movie.
This is a very interesting "exploration of the future" movie, but it doesn't really... go anywhere. There's no space travel, there's just a lot of computerization, biotechnology and travel restrictions. I also surmise the ozone layer is gone as well.
It's worth a boo to view from the bargain bin. I enjoyed it mildly, but couldn't understand some of the decisions made, and was a little frustrated at the mountains of questions left unanswered.
Pastafarians
Link: http://www.venganza.org/
I just get such a kick out of the satire of Intelligent Design that has been catching on, that of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Smell Of Demeter
We located twelves bizarre scents in a display in the Chinook Centre Shopper's Drug Mart. We were looking at them, head tilted, at the names of the fragrances, things like "Dirt", "Wet Garden" and "Sugar Cookie".
So we picked up "Dirt" and gave it a sniff. Hell's bells, it smelled like DIRT!
Well, that was it, we were off and sniffing :) Sugar Cookie really does smell like sugar cookies. Angel Food Cake smells like hot angel food cake. I can't vouch for the authenticity of Gin & Tonic, Cosmopolitan or Mojito, 'cos I don't drink or hang around in bars, but pretty much everything else was authentic. We came back home with a Fuzzy Navel.
Check out their web site. There are far, far more fragrances than the ones we encountered. So if you're determined to get back childhood memories, one of these smells is likely to do it :)
Townhouse Finally On Sale!
After months of not living there and having precious little time to clean it out, the place is bare and has been put up for sale!
It took concerted effort to clean the place out. High, high kudos to Dena and her parents for helping out. I like my soon-to-be in-laws. Not just for their help with the house, lest you think me fickle :)
The Ancestor's Tale : Richard Dawkins
Link: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618005838/thecerealkill-20
This has got to be one of my favourite books of all time. I've read some of Dawkins' books before, such as The Blind Watchmaker, and always enjoyed them, but this book is utterly, utterly amazing.
Far from being the usual small book trying to prove one particular point, this is a grand survey, not just of life, but detailed explanations of radioactive dating, how trees of life are built, how creatures split apart into species, how bodies are built, with plenty of modern-day revelations about current creatures. All of this interspersed
Plus, it's heavy enough that you can seriously bean someone in the head with it :)
Phishers - II
They (though it may be a different "they") are at it again (as if they'd ever stop, of course), on another one of my accounts.
This one uses more nasty, urgent language. You can dress it this attempt to con people into going against their better judgement up by calling it Social Engineering, but I think that's far too... euphemistic.
Once again, it's absolutely amazing that the eBay account I don't have has been cancelled! Oh god, maybe they'll also take away the time machine ... that I don't have...
Here is a screen capture of this particular scam.
Vat Meat
It's starting to happen. Serious research into creating meat from cells has already begun. I just noticed one of the headlines recently, but this has been going on for a while. One reason being, if you're going to remain in space for a long time, taking along, feeding and killing animals has its drawbacks.
Experiments of this sort started back in 2001.
Phishers
I get a number of phishing e-mails dropped in my e-mail box. What's that? This is nastier than spam. These are criminals in every sense of the word, imitating an emergency or account update from an institution that you might belong to, such as eBay, Paypal or CapitalOne Bank, asking you to log in to "confirm your account details". Spammers live in a gray area, just annoying you for the most part. Phishers can destroy your life, if you let them.
Some of them are looking to use your name and password for criminal acts, like selling things through your account and never delivering, sullying your good name at no cost to themselves. Many more are looking for banking details, like your account number, credit card number, bank card and PIN combination, and so forth.
On The Hubris Of Tooth Doctors
Okay, it's a rant, I admit. Despite many a dentist I've met that's nice, there are some I've met and some observations I've made that have, over the years, painted a picture of arrogance and mythology amongst dentists and orthodontists that I find irksome. I'll pepper this with a few anecdotes - I'm sure you may have your own.
Tradesmen: Peak Painting
Link: http://www.peakpainting.ca/contact.htm
I have nothing but good to say about these guys. Mike Evans is a young guy, enthusiastic and professional. I'm not sure he needs my word of recommendation, because he and his band of painters are quite busy here in Calgary, but heartily recommend him I shall, regardless.
