Slashdot | Adieu to Ken Jennings

Slashdot | Adieu to Ken Jennings: "Adieu to Ken Jennings"

All good things must come to an end. I wonder how much of a 'good thing' this was for others. He's just 30 years old. Don used to mock my Quiz Bowl success, 'what good is it to memorize useless facts?'. Some of the facts I remember are quotes. One in particular I am not sure to whom it is attributed: Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Research is a good thing, and I foresee a future where my history and my choices are available for my children and grandchildren to review. And mock.

Speaking of Tolman, my ego surfing gets #1 still. And #2, 4, 9, and 10. #9 is from Matthew Gregori's ramblings.

But funner for my ego is a Google search for Brett Walker finds me at ~#175, far after the #2, Brett W. the Equine Sports Masseur. But far ahead of where it was six weeks ago

Rediscover the web

Firefox has a few dozen buttons for you to add to your blog or website.

This one is mine:

Free will

I have been on the phone with my brother Golden talking about whether he should leave the country. He talks about Bush, and a promise made years ago to leave if Bush is re-elected.

We argue back and forth, me trying to understand his decision, him trying to explain to me it's better to 'wash my hands of the situation'. I ask him to blog, he says no, so I hope that this will help share his opinions with others.

He doesn't want to picket in front of the White House, he will express his disappointment with 58 million Americans who voted for Bush.

"It's maybe naive and childish, but I can't take it". "I can't believe he was re-elected after seeing the debates, and all the lying, and the horrible situations we're in". To me it's not a bad thing, it's something I've always wanted to do, but this puts a sense of urgency on it. It's not a drastic thing for me.'

The cover of the London Mirror.

I sent him a link to http://decisionaid.ohri.ca/decguide.html, asking him to send me his pro/con list that the site so excellently elicits from its users.

"I want to learn a language fluently, ... to become fluent in Spanish, French, and German". I applaud Golden's self-improving goals, and I worry that they are only used as an excuse to justify the less-noble goal.

I tell him he can learn just as easily in an immersion course here. "I believe a few thousand dollars for 30 days" is not good enough.

I wish I had done more in my first few decades. I could buy Golden an immersion course.

I wish there were more time.
"With my business, I have a more vested interest in Bush staying in office."

"Do you want to buy any shirts?" Yes, I'll take one of each of 'em.

What about a way to profit off of Bush in office? "I've got it paid for over the next year"

What about other new, fresh ideas? "I'm very well aware of all the [cultural events]..., and I can slap it on a T-shirt"

"Other than blogging or selling T-shirts or protest material, maybe I could develop a 'protest headquarters' of sorts, where continual protests are organized from, and just make it a long, constant, one-stop place to continually protest against Bush? He's already had the most people in the world protest against him"

What about getting people with moveon.org

"If the last four years didn't open their eyes, nothing will." I hope Golden's cynicism doesn't last forever.

Slashdot | Will Our Cars Become Our Chauffeurs?

Slashdot | Will Our Cars Become Our Chauffeurs?: "Many car experts think that autonomous vehicles which avoid collisions and communicate wirelessly with other cars will be the norm in two to three decades."

I have been saying this for months. I wonder how many people answer yes to the question about whether they'd like an extra hour each day to get things done. If you do not have to pay attention to driving, you will 1) get to places faster 2) have more of an ability to read, write an email, or talk on the phone. It's unfortunate we have to wait until 2030.

The most successful economies will be the ones who can adapt the quickest to changing environments. Was Darwin talking about the origin of more than just species?

Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster: A Holy War on Reality

Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster: A Holy War on Reality: "Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster:
A Holy War on Reality"

I have been frustrated in the hour since I read this. Why is the #1 result for ticket master antitrust so sympathetic to the monopoly? Is my understanding so one-sided? Damn life is hard. What does it take to be good?

Doctrine & Covenants - Lesson 23

Doctrine & Covenants - Lesson 23: "'Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.' (D&C 130:18-19)"

This is a Mormon quote Mom made us memorize. I have forgotten it the last few years, but the last few weeks it has been a source of strength and motivation. For others, it may serve a karmic example of what to do in the next 15 minutes or 15 years.

Organizing Your Files and Folders

Organizing Your Files and Folders: "On the computer, there are two basic types of items that need to be organized. The first, a folder, is an object that can hold multiple files or documents. (Folders are sometimes referred to as directories.) On the computer screen, a folder most often looks like a yellow or blue paper file folder. The second type of object is a file, which may be a picture, a document, a video clip, or other piece of data. A file often has a small icon or picture associated with it."

Good stuff. I tire of looking for something cool I saved a while ago. And Google's desktop search may eliminate the need to be organized. Google's search tool may be required for certain searches.

Firefox Help: Keyboard Shortcuts

Firefox Help: Keyboard Shortcuts: "Keyboard Shortcuts

This is a list of the most common keyboard shortcuts in Firefox, and the equivalents in Internet Explorer and Opera."

Wow. Internet Explorer has a viable replacement. This is good. Very good. Golden will be proud of me.

There is a time and a place for everything; maybe now is the time to start making Internet browsing a little better.

Google just doubled its number of indexed pages. 2^33 now? Confusing.

Google Blog

A very nice blog from the company that 'does no evil'.

Making junk mail illegal

Making junk mail illegal

voila. I will print this out, and send it off. I will start with Charter. Thankyou, thank you.