Life with a flatulent greyhound...

Waving Good-bye

2009-11-13T01:23:27Z

Today I finally got an invite to Google Wave. I had no clue what it was but it is apparently the "hot new thing". So upon activating my invite, I see Google Wave for the first time.

It looks a lot like e-mail. I don't get it. I have gmail as well as a couple of other accounts. Poking around the help feature, I find an hour video about GW. An hour? Are you kidding me? If I have to watch an hour video on something, I don't need it.

So after puttering around and talking to someone about it, Wave is this new collaborative thing built on the premise of "what if e-mail were invented today with all the collaborative tools available?" You can have a threaded conversation and invite people to your conversation, share pictures, do collaboratives games, create and edit documents together, yadda yadda.

Um, okay.

I already have tools that do that. Ooh, but now I have them all in one place.

So what? Do I use them? Not really. My pictures are on Flickr. My e-mail is mainly through Gmail. I use gmail chat or Google Talk and occasionally use Google Docs.

Ah, but the independent video on Youtube proclaims that Wave is better than e-mail. With e-mail, things get forwarded and replied to, and attached, and not replied-to-all, and you end up having this monster e-mail and monster e-mail spawn that no one can understand. Wave will thread your conversation and you can attach documents and people can replay conversations so you have that all in one neat little piece. Instead of one monster big e-mail with a bazillion replies, you now have one big monster Wave with a bazillion replies. But hey, it's threaded so it makes it easier to read, right?

You know what I say to that? Learn how to fucking use e-mail!! Cut out the irrelevant bits. Summarize the rest. Don't keep sending attachments back and forth if someone has already gotten them or put them on a shared space where everyone can access them and not clog up your inbox. E-mail is not for cutesy stationary, fancy sigs, colorful fonts, or the tons of other crap that people put in there these days. It is to convey information quickly and efficiently. I learned to send e-mail over 20 years ago with nothing but ASCII text and guess what, IT WORKS. E-mail is a TEXT communication tool, not a vehicle for personal artistic expression, especially at work or a massive file sharing device. (Fancy marketing e-mails excluded.)

The more I puttered around in Wave the more pissed off I got and I didn't really know why. Maybe because I was stupidly talking to an ex that I really shouldn't have been talking to in the first place but I was ticked off before he came on the scene and it really wasn't his fault that I was pissed off at Wave. After some thought, I realized I don't NEED another collaborative tool. I'm collaborated out. I don't need to collaborate more efficiently, use more widgets, or play with yet another tool that may or may not be useful in a few years when everyone gets an invite.

No, I need a "I don't feel like cooking and am looking for a dinner partner" tool. Or a "who wants to see this movie tonight that isn't at least a 2 hour fight through traffic or far enough away that I'll get home after 9pm" tool. Or a "hey it's a nice day out. Let's go hiking" tool. A "there's got to be someone in my bizarre group of friends that has at least heard of this band or would be willing to to go to this concert with me" tool. And lastly a "I'd like to start teaching my own highland dance class since I went through all the trouble to get my teacher's certification but need a place to teach that doesn't cost an arm and a leg since I don't have room in my house" tool.

People need to connect to people - IN PERSON. Yes it's hard when you live in a densely urban area and all your friends are scattered about within a 2 hour radius. It's hard to do the spontaneous "let's do dinner thing" but come on Google, you can link e-mail and chat and video and pictures and games and documents, can't you link real human beings to other real human beings in the real world, not the virtual one?

This is a Test

2009-11-10T20:32:13Z

And now, an educational rant.

I just listened to a webinar on gaming in education. For the most part, it was really cool. The last presentation was on a game by the Florida Virtual School on learning American history. In a nutshell, students complete history missions in the game and then do some type of assessment with their online teachers. It's a full, year-long history course that students can take instead of a regular online history course. I wish they would have talked about the assessments more as that is what most interests me.

What killed their presentation is when they showed a slide that graphed the grades between the game AH class and the regular online AH class. The kids in the game history class did significantly better than the kids in the regular online class. Thus my question - did the students in the game AH class get the same tests/assessments as the students in the regular class? The answer from one of the facilitators, "Yes, they are the same assessments, they test the same standards." My answer was, "Different things. Were the *tests* the same, not the standards." Another person said that the assessments were different but again, repeated that the standards were the same.

THIS IS WRONG!

Unless you use the same testing/assessment method, you CANNOT, I repeat, CANNOT compare grades/scores/achievements between two classes, even if they teach the exact same material. Apples and oranges. If one class is tested with a multiple choice instrument and another is tested with a short answer/essay, those are two separate tests and cannot be compared to each other.

I see this happen ALL THE TIME and it drives me batshit. If you were having a race between two runners for a set distance and ran one on a gravel track and the other on a turf track, that would be an INVALID test. But they ran the same distance!! It's the same race!! Right. Tell that to the runners who will tell you that track surface makes a difference in racing times. So why, oh why, educators, do you compare student achievement with different test methods? That's right, you don't. Give me a multiple choice test and an essay test covering the same material and I can guarentee you that I will score higher on the essay test because I'm just weird like that.

Please save my sanity as well as others out there and quit trying to make comparisons and draw conclusions between different methods of teaching if you aren't going to use the same evaluation instrument. It makes school systems dump scads of money into programs that really aren't proven when you start to pick them apart. I'm sure your teachers would appreciate the raise instead or at least fix up the crumbling schools.

Supernatural Collective Nouns.

2009-11-07T00:03:47Z

In case, you know, you ever needed to know what to call a bunch of mole men or sex bots.

Justice

2009-11-05T14:12:12Z

On November 10, John Muhammed, the DC sniper, will be executed by lethal injection in VA. Family members of his victims will be allowed to witness this execution. This really disturbs me.

First off, I'm against the death penalty. Not so much on principle but the fact that the court systems are biased and inefficient. I fully believe that if you have enough money, you can literally get away with murder. I'd hazard a guess that most murderers on trial are represented by court appointed attorneys who I don't think are truly incompetent but are so overworked that it is impossible for them to make a credible case. Hundreds of convicts have been cleared of charges that were questionable in the first place thanks to new forensic techniques like DNA analysis. This makes me wonder how many innocent people have been executed over the years. Lastly, it's been proven that the death penalty really isn't a deterrent for crime. Murderers are either crazy and live outside of reality or so full of themselves that they just don't believe that they will be caught.

So given all of that, I find it incredibly creepy that the families are being allowed to witness his execution. I can understand wanting to confront the killer of a loved one. I think that friends and families of victims should be allowed to do that. But how is killing someone justice or a comfort?

I've only known one murder victim, Tom Fox, who was a civilian on a peace mission, captured in Iraq and executed a few months later. His murder incensed me because the bastards that did were doing so to get back at America. The 2 Canadians and the Brit that were captured with him were left mostly alone and eventually rescued. I'd like to see his captors stripped naked and dragged by their toenails all the way to the prison. I also wouldn't be upset if they got into a shootout with US forces and killed in the process. But to execute them? I don't know. I know that Tom nor his family wouldn't want them executed. I also realize that my desire to see them suffer a miserable existance is not out of justice but schadenfreude. Killing them won't bring back Tom. I want them to realize what a horrible thing they've done and work for their rest of their lives to make sure it doesn't happen to any one else. I also know that no amount of prison rehab will make that happen so the best I can hope for is that they get to rot in a dark hole for a very long time or perhaps be forced to work at some menial task like cleaning toilets in refugee camps for war orphans.

This quotation from one of the victim's brothers particularly bothers me, "We're expecting justice being done, but not from a vengeful standpoint," Robert Meyers said. "It is more about the payment of his debt to society, because that was decided by others."

"Payment of debt to society". What is a life worth? The sniper killed or wounded 10 people. Is one life worth 10 people? Again, what if Muhammed had to spend the rest of his life doing work? Isn't that better "payment" than being executed? Over time, Muhammed could probably earn enough money to pay for his trial, his "room and board", and have the rest go to a victim's fund or other charity. But here's another conundrum in our society, we can't force prisoners to work but we can execute them. I don't get it.

Convicted felons go to jail to "pay their debt to society". One could argue that someone could never "pay back" society or the victim's family for a murder. But why take away a life and not give them a chance to at least try?

I Hate You All

2009-11-04T00:24:11Z

Research shows that feeling grumpy is "good for you."

For Your Soul

2009-11-02T02:07:41Z

In honor of All Soul's Day, which is tomorrow but I'm posting this now because I'll probably forget tomorrow.

Soul Cake from Sting's new album.

Frogs

2009-10-30T00:58:02Z

In light of the discussion from my last post, Robin Williams on the French.

Of Cookies and Taxes

2009-10-27T17:54:58Z

I need to channel my inner Foamy Squirrel for a moment. My sister was really gung-ho for me to watch this video below on military spending by Ben of Ben and Jerry's.

This is total bullshit. I want to write a letter to B&Js and say, "Dude, STFU and just stick to ice cream. You know NOTHING about which you speak. NOTHING."

The liberals get on the teabaggers for being knee-jerk and uninformed. Well guess what, it goes both ways people!! I don't like EITHER side.

Let me start off with the education issue. Funding of local K-12 schools is the responsibility of the local school districts, NOT, let me repeat, NOT the job of the Federal government. The majority of school funding comes local property taxes. You want to improve schools and get them more money? Vote to raise your local property taxes. We don't want the Federal government involved in local schools because that would mean national standards, MORE tests, and more generic programs where student would fall behind. Local schools are the most in touch with their students and can create curricula and programs to best address their needs.

I really hate when something goes wrong in society and people rush to blame the Federal government and scream that they should do something about it. That's not the purpose of the Federal government - but I digress.

Now the Feds do provide money for programs aimed at "leveling the playing field" so to speak for all students - school lunches, early reading programs and Head Start. But again, local communities can get involved and provide programs like that as well.

Now the military part, I'll leave you to my co-worker A:

Oh there are lots of ways to refute the video. Let's just focus on military spending and culture.

It is true that the United States spends far more than other countries, especially when looking at the magnitude of spending (dollars or Oreos). But if we look at spending as a percentage of GDP:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html

Then we see we're number 28 out of 173 countries ranked, with China just a little ahead of us and Russia just a little behind.

Next, our military relies on a technological advantage, which keeps personnel casualties relatively low. Spending on systems to increase
our edge and decrease our personnel losses costs a lot of money. We also spend a lot of money to reduce civilian casualties. These two
desires work together to drive costs upwards across the board, from RDT&E (Research, Development, Test & Eval) through O&S (Operations and Support).

Imagine if we didn't care about civilian losses. Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea would have been resolved with 4-8 nukes and 0
American casualties.

By contrast, if we held both losses cheap, we could pursue a fairly inexpensive campaign of attacking populaces with human-borne explosives.

Finally, it could be argued that we're spending to maintain world peace, which decreases the need for other countries to spend on their own
military. Much of Europe and the Pacific are protected, at least in part, by US military power. Without that, those countries military expenditures would have to increase in magnitude and percentage.

So, yes, it's true that we could move a few Oreos. The consequences of such a move, however, remain unaddressed by the video.

Thanks A.

I'd also like to add that the military budget just isn't weapons and nukes. It's health care, salaries, family support, housing, humanitarian missions, pensions, and many other "non-combat" type efforts. So you cut the budget, you might be cutting health care for dependant families or slashing the salaries of the enlisted grunts that barely make above poverty level in the first place. Granted, the grunt does have some decent benefits but if my job was to put my life on the line, I'd want to be paid more than someone who flips burgers, cheaper groceries and free health care be damned.

Magenta Colored Glasses

2009-10-21T02:56:56Z

So basically, I need a new kilt. My old one is really tight and my vest doesn't fit any more. I am now going through the myriads of dance tartans out there. I just came across this one and think it would look really stunning with a matching magenta vest. Stunning without being too "OMG TOO MUCH PINK!!" or in the case of a purple vest - the dancing eggplant effect. Opinons?

I'm also fond of this one, with a darker blue vest:

Or this one, also with a dark blue vest - scroll down on the page because I can't link to the photo.

Shosholoza!!

2009-10-15T03:03:56Z

Team USA will represent at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

FUCK YEAH!!!

Rant on edubabble will probably follow tomorrow.

That is all.

Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?

2009-10-12T15:18:40Z

Happy 30th birthday to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!! Fans celebrate in London for not only the anniversary of the book but to mark the 6th book in the series And Another Thing written by Eoin Colfer. In related news, NASA LCROSS probe that smashed into the Moon tweeted the whale's last words as he fell to the surface of Magrathea. It apparently did not tweet the last words of the bowl of petunias, "Oh no, not again."

Stay hoopy my froods!

Design FAIL!!

2009-10-12T14:04:38Z

I'm as much of a fan of Silly Songs by Larry as the next guy but the Veggie Tale Cookie Cutter gives His Cheeseburger a whole new meaning.

Trophies...I Got Your Trophies Right Here!!

2009-10-08T22:54:39Z

The slogan of this year's DC United is "We Win Trophies". Sadly, unless a minor miracle happens, this will not happen this year. Way to jinx the team marketing department.

Bollocks

2009-10-07T23:51:11Z

And this is why soccer is called "the beautiful game".

Oh Deer!

2009-10-04T23:37:20Z

So hi, dis is Monty. sorry i no post in a while. tonite, i wuz out waking and saw sum new friends.

Dey wer right across da street from my hous. i tink dey wer nice.

Looking For Love In All the Wrong Places

2009-09-30T01:11:59Z

German men have been voted the world's worst lovers, narrowly beating English men to the unwanted title. Swedes coming in 3rd. Spain tops Brazil as best lovers. Not really into either country but New Zealand and Denmark are on the list. Hmmmm...Denmark, eh?

WORLD'S WORST LOVERS:
1. Germany (too smelly)
2. England (too lazy)
3. Sweden (too quick)
4. Holland (too dominating)
5. America (too rough)
6. Greece (too lovey-dovey)
7. Wales (too selfish)
8. Scotland (too loud)
9. Turkey (too sweaty)
10. Russia (too hairy)

WORLD'S BEST LOVERS
1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. Italy
4. France
5. Ireland
6. South Africa
7. Australia
8. New Zealand
9. Denmark
10. Canada

Viking Rock

2009-09-27T03:37:50Z

A new favorite band - again in Swedish!!

I give you, Nordman:

The Art of Art

2009-09-27T02:16:33Z

Today I finally made it down to the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton (just up the street from historic Occoquan.) It has been transformed from a working prison to an arts center. There are artists studios, classrooms, dance studios, gallery spaces, and a museum in the works. I'm always excited to see new arts communities and there seems to be a trend of them popping up in the area.

As I wandered in and out of the studios, I wondered, "What is art? When does one cross the line between 'artist' and 'crafter'?" I ask these questions because I look at a lot of pieces and think, "How is this person different from all the other "artist"? If you make most of your living from your art, does that make you an artist? Likewise, if someone can take a class in a technique like painting or jewelry making, does that make them an artist?

I see a lot of work in these studio spaces that I would count as "crafts". Not that there is anything wrong with being a crafter. I consider myself to be a crafter. The ultimate crafter is of course, Martha Stewart. To me, a craft is something that the average person can learn with a little practice. I knit and while I might embellish patterns or make up my own, I don't consider what I'm doing to be "art". It's not particularly innovative nor significantly different from all the other knitting going on out there. I know people like to call themselves "fiber artists" because they spin their own yarn or create their own patterns but unless you are doing something significantly different from everyone else, I'd still consider you a crafter.

-rant- I can pretty much say what doesn't make someone an artist - cranking out novelty yarn scarves in simple patterns does not make you an artist. Those should be in craft shows. Grrr!! There were some at the Workhouse by a "fiber artist" who has the nerve to charge $110 for them!! Seriously?!?! Is your wool, silk, mohair, bamboo yarn commercial yarn that you didn't spin yourself worth that much because I know that scarf didn't take you longer than an hour to knit. /rant

I'm also concerned that with the popularity of these art spaces, we're seeing true art being diluted with crafts. While these studio spaces tend to be reasonably priced, they still cost money. This means that if you are a full-time artist, you need to sell enough of your work to make rent. True art tends not to be popular during its time and many artists have been "discovered" only after their deaths. Thus these art studios tend to be rented by people who do more "popular" work like photography, "pretty paintings", kitschy woodwork, easy jewelry, quick and dirty knitting, and other things that again, I'd expect to see at the higher end craft fairs and not in artist studios.

Not that I'm discouraging people from making a living through their handiwork. I'm curious about what makes an artist, an artist. Is the art world being diluted with the influx of crafters or is it getting a much needed boost? Do these art spaces truly encourage art or just mediocre crafts?

Yar!!!

2009-09-19T19:36:59Z

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day - I give you this little gem from The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou:

I hate pirates.

Rock on Baltimore

2009-09-16T13:03:34Z

So, who's in with me? Can't go on the 3rd - DCU game.

Gründlehämmer is an entirely original, medieval, fantasy rock opera that combines completely ridiculous stage theatrics with great live music. It will be staged October 2 through 4th at the 2640 space in Baltimore, MD, and will feature 15 original rock songs performed live by a 7-piece metal orchestra, in addition to a full cast and crew of talented people. Our goal is to produce an entirely new and original Rock Opera that is as epic and face-melting as possible, while remaining true to the DIY ethic that inspired the BROS to band together.

Stupid People

2009-09-08T02:12:29Z

Yeah, what he said.

FSCK SEATTLE!!!

2009-09-01T19:32:03Z

If you've ever thought about coming to a DC United game - this is the game you want to see.

Wednesday night, RFK, 7:30PM. DC United will take on the pansy-assed whiners, the Seattle Sounders for the US Open Cup Trophy, the longest running soccer competition in North America. Those latte-drinking stoners have been calling us out for a month now saying we don't have near the support they do. We've been around since 1996 bitches. Where were you? Oh right, until this year, you were a USL-1 team with 4000 fans. And how many trophies do you have? Um...none!! We'll happily add #13 to our trophy case kthxbye.

Tickets start a $12. That's right - $12. Beers are $2!! That's 2 $1 bills, 8 quarters, 20 dimes, or 200 pennies. Free beer and food at the Barra tailgate starting around 3pm in Lot 8. I'll probably be there around 5pm. You are welcome to stand with the Barra (sections 135-138, get tickets at the tailgate) but a warning, there will be smoke bombs of epic proportions for the opening display. It clears out pretty quickly but bandanas are advised. The rest of the stadium should be pretty clear.

Dooo eeeit!!! You know you want to!!

A Good Day

2009-08-30T12:35:37Z

Saturday - Chick sewing and a DCU WIN!!!!

Gratitude Project

2009-08-29T01:11:56Z

Final Friday, Hawaiian shirts, crazy co-workers, and a bartender named Yanni - like the New Agey music guy.

Gratitude Project

2009-08-27T22:41:37Z

I don't even know what day it is any more but anyway:

Monday - 2 hour nap. *thunk*

Tuesday - (Did I already do Tuesday?) Getting through a sword dance without dying. It wasn't pretty, but I did it.

Wednesday - I got to hang out with the Barra before the game. Note that the game itself is NOT on the gratitude list.

Thursday - Getting through all of module 1 comments in as painless of a manner as possible.