So true

From BSNYC:

Good point. 'Cross bikes are not equipped with brakes. They are equipped with as many as four levers which activate a mechanism causing the machine to shudder violently and squeal loudly. It may not stop you in an urban environment, but it will at least scare people out of your way.

Word

I may have written about this before, but I've thought for a while that Word is probably the closest approximation of human intelligence that we're likely to achieve any time soon. Working with Word to write a paper is pretty similar to working with another, vaguely dim and antagonistic person--it thinks it knows more than you, it's an annoying if imperfect grammar cop, its idiosyncrasies are a frustrating diversion from what you're trying to focus on, it's constantly altering your text, which behavior you can never quite figure out how to cease, and in many cases, it refuses to give consistent results, etc etc. If you hear me yelling "what the fuck did you do that for?" odds are probably even that I'm addressing Word instead of a co-worker. 300 years from now, we'll probably realize that Word's well-intentioned though intermittently destructive attempts to abide by its programmed rule set is startling--and painfully--reflective of our own nature.

And, incidentally, Word's equation editor? Yeah, it sucks even more.

Things lately

Been working a lot. Not sure exactly why--though I am now working on some more interesting projects and I'm at least a little more confident that we're not all getting fired next week.

School is going alright. I still have no love for math, however. Also, while my database class is pretty easy so far, it's also slightly irritating in that I'm practically spending as much time simply figuring out the requirements of each assignment as I am actually doing them--which seems like the same thing, but it's sort of not. An assignment will be given from, say, the textbook--except there's like 8 pages of instructor notes altering/correcting the book, along w/ a separate set of sample data to be downloaded from the Blackboard site, rather than using what's in the book.

Finals

Math: B. Not bad, since I only went to class 3 or 4 times the whole term.

Software design: A. Not bad either, since I completely forget to even take the final (actually, I logged in today to do it, and noticed it's been closed for half the week and grades are already posted).

Also

I'm itching to redesign this thing again.

Been really bad about updating lately

Been sort of busy and distracted lately.

Watched the Obama speech the other night. Quite impressive. The reaction from the right has been... well, as others are pointing out, it's probably not such a bad thing when the more vile factions of "mainstream" conservatism air their frothing racism for all to see. Kudos to Obama for not rolling over for those pricks. He has a real gift in his ability to discuss issues in a calm and rational manner while approaching them from all sides--and still keeping it personal. That's the big drawback of Hillary--for all that she represents, it never really feels like she has a personal connection to issues in play. Also I can't imagine her handling this sort of issue with such grace--this should settle the question of whether Obama has the stomach for the sort of dirty campaign the Republicans are bound to wage against him in the fall.

Best line of the month

From Sadly, No:

Yes, it's Ace again. Yes I know, but much like the new Spicy Baconator at Wendy's, he's been totally excessive and on a roll.

Forest Park again

Ride data: 20 miles in quite a while.

Went up Erickson and down 5 this time. 5 is pretty muddy, and has had some mods since I last rode it. Also feels a lot different now that the trees have lost their leaves. Good ride though. Legs are sore from the climb, but that's how it should be.

Comment of the year

On slashdot.

More rides!

Ride data: 22 miles in way too long.

22ish miles out Springwater and back.

Same loop

Ride data: 15 miles in 1 hour.

15ish miles along the waterfront and back.

Quick links

I adore Ellen Page.

I also, uh, adore Michael at Balloon Juice.

I've always felt that there's a really strong Christian argument to be made against meat-eating. Usually, though, the dominion line is tossed out in justification--that is, if God has given us authority over these creatures, then we own them and can do w/ them as we see fit. I'm not religious, but I think if I were, I'd have some serious concerns w/ that sort of thinking. I'd be wondering if man's dominion over animals and the earth isn't supposed to parallel God's dominion over man--which is to say, sure, God could make sausage out of us, but he doesn't. His rule is nurturing and loving, and so perhaps our rule over the lesser creatures within our province should be nurturing and loving as well. Authority as responsibility, not license for brutality.

Again, I'm not religious, so for me this is more parable than anything.

Holy crap, a 3rd ride!

Ride data: 6 miles in way too long.

Made a run up to the zoo Sunday evening. Wasn't sure I'd actually make the climb, but I did, and it even felt shorter than when I did it last year. Probably will start doing laps on it so I can build up some climbing capacity.

Cult of Personality

Article in nytimes today about Obama.

I'm afraid I don't really understand this criticism. He's a good speaker, he has a positive and compelling view of America that people are drawn to, his policies are relatively in line w/ most center-left voters, and he's not a Clinton. That's his appeal.

I'm not sure to what extent he could actually change politics in this country. But the accusation that he's an empty suit, only capable of pretty speechifying and rhetoric seems to miss a couple important points:

1) Presidents often don't do much more than just that.
2) Obama governing in the same way he's campaigning would be a pretty radical departure from the last 8 years.

Via Sully

This is really pretty funny.

2nd ride!

Ride data: 15 miles in Hour plus.

Took the road bike out Willamette for a ways past UP. 15 painful miles in total. Ran into a guy maybe twice my age while stopped in the little hobo park at the trailhead up toward PIR. He mentioned he put in 7 hours on the bike last weekend. Embarrassing.

Days are getting long enough that I can cut out of work an hour or two early and start riding after. Should be in decent shape soon. Still considering a ride today, but after the late start this morning, it seems somewhat unlikely.

Sorry, but

Who has stationary anyway?

Bacon

vacation... nation?
separation?
veneration?
masturbation!
emergency medication
polarization
bacon.

What can you really say

About this?