You don't get to be on my phone anymore, Facebook: Why Does Facebook Need to Read My Text Messages? (yro.slashdot.org)
Google Hangout: You stay signed out until I need you. Which might be never.
So this was an interesting tidbit from the wiki: " A later iteration of the project, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Jessica Biel and Al Pacino and directed by Terry Gilliam, was set to begin production in 2009, but Thornton vetoed filming in London because of his phobia of antiques"
I go back on forth on this one. Partly due to my professional bias, partly because many people get by just fine without it. Then again, a lot of people get by without being literate, but the degree to which that is culturally acceptable varies wildly.
I separate computer literacy into three areas: automation, coding, and reuse.
Being literate in automation means being literate enough with a machine (human or otherwise) to automate menial/repetitive tasks. For example, this is knowing about copy-paste, undo/redo, being able to use key commands to make a job faster (Ctrl-A rather than click+drag-for-years), or understating the concepts of "batching" or "macros" within a specific context. Automation concepts are much older than modern computing interfaces. I often find people who consider themselves computer illiterate but still maintain excellent process that lets them perform complex tasks quickly, repeatably, and with little error. However, the rigidity of automation also tends to damage people's psyches. They clutch to their coffee-stained, dog-eared process manuals, fearful of ever losing them. They will not deviate, and they will not seek a deeper understanding of a process in the event that it breaks.
However, simply being "code literate" is not necessarily taking on that deeper understanding either. Knowing how to read code, while daunting at first, is not incredibly difficult. Computer languages are designed with small, concise syntaxes so that the humans writing them don't have to keep too much in their little heads at once. They "encode" an idea using symbols and numbers in a specific order. If you can parse math equations, you can get a sense of code's purpose, and generally read all but the most exotic computer languages. However, that does not make you able to understand the task being performed by the code, why it's being performed, and how the solution was arrived at. And more critically: being able to read code does not mean you can write code that would be able to automate and solve a new problem.
However, as time goes on, it is rarer and rarer that a particular common problem has not been solved to some degree. There is a vast ecosystem of good software that can do a task and do it well. Having prior experience and knowledge of that existing software goes an incredibly long way. In the programming world they refer to this as "code reuse," but I like to think of it as playing with old Lego blocks. You don't have to make the Lego pieces, and the old pieces can fit with the new pieces just fine, so you can put them together to make something new. This requires knowledge of the inputs/outputs of the tinier pieces, and how to arrive at those solutions. Without that knowledge and experience, being unable to put those pieces together can put you way, way behind.
I agree that children should be taught on computers when they are young so that they aren't afraid to use them. At a minimum, they should be taught about automation so that they don't give themselves carpal tunnel or drive themselves crazy. They should know how to do most tasks, and have a healthy distaste for having to "do something manually." They should be exposed to code so they understand its purpose and its place. And they should be introduced to the existing, good tools so that their jobs are made easier.
The act of writing code, however, shouldn't be unduly forced on someone. Frankly, it won't take. Unless you're going for a STEM career. Then ya'll muthafuckas need coding. Be free of your Excel shackles.
What a bizarre release. These songs are all thrash classics, but re-recording them is even less interesting than a live album. Chuck Billy's voice is certainly more metal nowadays, and the guitar tone on these recordings beefier... but still, cash-grab or contract fulfillment releases are not worth it.
2.5/5 - if all these songs were classics, this would be embarrassing... but the songs still rock, 15 years after the fact. But! Best to listen to the originals.
Holy shit! Someone else rates music in iTunes (www.angrymetalguy.com)! And I remember loving this album back in college!
This album is some of the best instrumetal I've heard in a while, and not just because they have a song named after the Sargasso Sea (I am obsessed with the phenomenon of gyres). Too bad it doesn't translate that well live, as I've seen these guys in concert once and it was a tad boring (even if they are super talented).
4.0/5 - Complex yet accessible, heavy but melodic, technical without being pretentious. A great instrumetal album along the same lines as Animals as Leaders but less djenty.
This album is in a tough spot in the Iron Maiden catalog, because it came after one of the best comeback albums of all time. So, in that regard, it is definitely a rehash of that success, even down to individual songs playing like songs off the former (the title (www.youtube.com)tracks (www.youtube.com)are really similar, as are Montsegur (www.youtube.com)and The Fallen Angel (www.youtube.com)). But, with an album as good as Brave New World, a rehash is still good, if not inventive.
3.5/5 - While I'd give Brave New World a 4.0 or 4.5, this one is still very good... despite the godawful cover art. Paschendale is a true standout track.
Whoa. This turned out to be technical sludge. With a lot of singing. Color me surprised.
4.0/5 - this album is indeed great. Unpredictable. Melodic. Jazzy. Metal. Tons of bass riffing. It's like Mastodon had a three-way with Alice in Chains and Fredrik Thordendal with Django Reinhardt playing on vinyl in a room filled with pot smoke.
It's that time of year again... for cloying surveys! Consider linking to your past surveys, so the chains of time remain unbroken.
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
5. What countries did you visit?
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
9. What was your biggest failure?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
14. Where did most of your money go?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
- ii. thinner or fatter?
- iii. richer or poorer?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
20. How did you spend Christmas?
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
23. How many one-night stands?
24. What was your favorite TV program?
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
26. What was the best book you read?
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
28. What did you want and get?
29. What did you want and not get?
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
34. What kept you sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
37. Who did you miss?
38. Who was the best new person you met?
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? Traveled to Iceland
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't recall making a resolution.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? THE HEIR TO THE HANUS THRONE
4. Did anyone close to you die? My 95 year old grandfather's mind has failed him. It is like he is gone.
5. What countries did you visit? Iceland
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? Time.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? See; #10
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Learning how to be a consistent and great stay-at-home dad.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not writing enough.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? The stones. (www.google.com)
11. What was the best thing you bought? A video camera.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Josh, for being a patient co-writer.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled? Alaska Dispatch commentators.
14. Where did most of your money go? Vanguard.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Fantasy football.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012? Woodkid - Conquest of Spaces
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder? happier
- ii. thinner or fatter? fatter
- iii. richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Writing
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Dicking around online.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Surrounded by family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013? Still in love.
23. How many one-night stands? Does begging my wife for sex count?
24. What was your favorite TV program? Mad Men continues to dominate.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Erik lost points with his secret santa gift.
26. What was the best book you read? The Dog Stars
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? The American Dollar
28. What did you want and get? Another child.
29. What did you want and not get? More time to write.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Wolf of Wall Street
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? A night out with friends while Kristen gallivanted around the world.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Kristen having an easy pregnancy.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? Unassuming and lazy.
34. What kept you sane? Tuesday breaks from child rearing.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Anna Kendrick has infected my subconscious.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? SB21.
37. Who did you miss? My sister and cousin. Living in Alaska has drawbacks.
38. Who was the best new person you met? My sisters Belgian boyfriend.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013: Don't piss free time away.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:♫Instrumental♪
Last year's survey. (secure67.nocdirect.com)
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Eat a cube of fermented shark, among others.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Like people's names, I forget them as soon as I make them. My brain continues to be a shockingly efficient information relevancy filtering mechanism.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Everyone? Everyone.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Iceland, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A few more users.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 27th. When I went to see Bigfoot and Other Lost souls. More scarred than etched. Also, seeing younger relatives graduate. Walking through maternity wards. Seeing folks get married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making it through a whirlwind European vacation and back.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't have DuckTales. But I'm going to make it better.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I almost passed out a few times.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Vitamix blender.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Edward Snowden.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
Russia.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage payments.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Giterary. And smoothies.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Wrecking Ball.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
Sadder.
- ii. thinner or fatter?
Same.
- iii. richer or poorer?
Same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spent more time with my niece and nephew. And biking. And jogging.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eating peanut butter.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Fiestamas with the family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
No.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Avatar: The Last Airbender, with Parks and Rec or Adventure Time coming in close second or third.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so.
26. What was the best book you read?
I felt pretty good about A Fire Upon the Deep.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Zedd.
28. What did you want and get?
An Ender's Game movie adaptation.
29. What did you want and not get?
A sense of relevance and utility.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Star Trek: Into Darkness.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Costco-related religious experience. 28.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less bears.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Sweaters. Now thinner and reedier.
34. What kept you sane?
Writing, and projects.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't know.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
NSA surveillance.
37. Who did you miss?
Everyone out of state.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Nobody new has exited their seven year friendship evaluation period.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
It's not the public/private key that is important, it's their resultant shared secret.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Your everlasting summer, you can see it fading fast / So you grab a piece of something that you think is gonna last"
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? Swam in the ocean. Overrated, brine-y, full of horrific sea monsters.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? NaN
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No family members. Plenty of friends are successfully breeding.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit? Iceland
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? More time for friends
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 30 APR – first date with Tom.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finally got the job I’ve been working toward since moving to AK
9. What was your biggest failure? My general absence from most social things
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Olympus E-M5. Yay pictures.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Edward Snowden, Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer
13. Whose behavior made you appalled? The American public
14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage and travel
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Gas turbines
16. What song will always remind you of 2013? Get Lucky
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder? happier
- ii. thinner or fatter? Same, give or take
- iii. richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Listened to more music, read more books
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Watched fewer shitty movies and TV shows, worry about useless shit less
20. How did you spend Christmas? troubleshooting pump performance north of the Arctic Circle
22. Did you fall in love in 2013? Yes.
23. How many one-night stands? None. I wound up keeping him around.
24. What was your favorite TV program? Orange is the New Black / Bob’s Burgers / American Horror Story: Coven / Breaking Bad
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Not measurably so.
26. What was the best book you read? The Signal and the Noise / Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Jonathan Coulton (I know, I know.)
28. What did you want and get? Someone who balances my personality and gets up before I do to make coffee.
29. What did you want and not get? Omnipotence
30. What was your favorite film of this year? For funsies? The Heat. For serious? 12 Years a Slave
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I ate a chocolate torte and turned 28.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More time at home
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? a shame to the gay collective. Also: hoodies.
34. What kept you sane? Coffee, quitting Reddit completely
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Michael Fassbender
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The NSA data leaks and associated privacy implications
37. Who did you miss? A lot of people. Being a transient has down sides.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Tom (obvs)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013: The actions of others can frequently be both surprisingly good and surprisingly bad.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts and figures
And instructions for dancing (www.youtube.com)
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Got married. Went off continent for the first time (hawaii doesn't count)
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any last year, not making any this year
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
we got baby James!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
E's grandmother (who I hadn't met) passed away
5. What countries did you visit?
Guam
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
vacation time
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
6/8/2013. giant crazy party.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
getting married!
9. What was your biggest failure?
joining the board of a professional society.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
tore some cartilage in my knee, had it taken out.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
honeymoon tickets
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
everyone who was in our wedding or did events surrounding it, thank you so much for your patience with us.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
The Internet.
14. Where did most of your money go?
the mortgage
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
getting married, then finding out we are gonna have a kid
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
You're My Best Friend, Queen.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
happier
- ii. thinner or fatter?
fatter?
- iii. richer or poorer?
richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Soccer
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Workin
20. How did you spend Christmas?
with the fam
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
over and over again, dawwwww
23. How many one-night stands?
We have three nightstands in our house?
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Parks & Rec, Game of Thrones, Newsroom
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
no one comes to mind
26. What was the best book you read?
Ender's Game
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Johnny Cash
28. What did you want and get?
an awesome wedding
29. What did you want and not get?
more Smart Connected Home things. a .30-06. a 9mm.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Man of Steel is up there, but I didn't really see a (new) film the latter half of the year, so i don't know
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
i was 29, we watched Game of Thrones
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
endless vacation time
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
clothed
34. What kept you sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Anna Kendrick is still amazing. Jennifer Lawrence is up there.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oil Taxes
37. Who did you miss?
my baby sis
38. Who was the best new person you met?
my brother in law
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Don't Stop Believin'
Here is my previous year’s list. Seems 2013 was kind of a stagnant year for me!
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Went on dates. Some were good, some were bad, but dating in general sucks.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don’t think I made any. I have goals for turning 30, but no resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
The chosen Hanus was birthed. Danger was born. More friendspawn to come.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
USA, RMI, Iceland, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Long term plans. I have made no progress after noting this last year.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 27, the long haul was finally over (Kwaj – Europe – Greely – CA – OR – Kwaj – home). Great trip, but that was a lot of consecutive travel. Also, don’t remember the date, but I will not soon forget the bear encounter.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
A survivor promotion?
9. What was your biggest failure?
No career development or life achievement.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The knee hurts when it’s cold. And it’s always cold.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Various plane tickets.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Pope Francis
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
The Republican party. Fuck those guys.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Even being homeless for a stint, probably rent. Then food. Then Amazon.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Iceland
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY???
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
same
- ii. thinner or fatter?
same
- iii. richer or poorer?
Same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Preparing for the future
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Getting hangovers.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family and friends, mostly the former, at my mum’s house. Got gin-wasted.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Nope.
23. How many one-night stands?
Just one, I think.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad (and Star Trek, always Star Trek). Honorable mentions: Shame, Game of Thrones
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
My hate has been pretty consistent. But definitely Miley Cyrus.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: The Dog Stars
Nonfiction: If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
There are so many. I got much more into electronica. But always the metals. I guess I’ll agree with Josh and say Zedd, I’ve listened to that album a shit ton. Honorable mention: Steven Wilson – I’ve listened to him a lot, but his newest solo album made me a believer.
28. What did you want and get?
So many compulsive purchases
29. What did you want and not get?
Accomplishment
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Drama: Gravity
Comedy: This is the End
Documentary: Blackfish
Entertainment value: Pacific Rim
Honorable mention: The Conjuring
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Chugged a pitcher of beer at a bowling alley with friends, turned 29. Whoa, whoa… hold the applause.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Permanency
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Mix & match. And funny t-shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
Gin.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Fancy is a little ambiguous. The Slumbernatch was in my most fancied roles. Alternately, I jerked off to Jessica Chastain more. I’ll let you be the judge.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Government Shutdown and the party of “No”
37. Who did you miss?
My continental buddies.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Tom and Jordan are certainly good additions to the nerd collective.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
We all turn inward as time goes on.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“We circle over and over...”
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Had a son, started a small business, traveled with a child
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeah, my wife. But also my cousin down in Texas.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully no.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed in 'Merica
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Established routine and periods of normalcy.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
4/2/2013, the birth of my son.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Achievements include strong performance at work, successful recruiting season and losing some weight through intense exercise, successfully carved my foot out of unwanted guests
9. What was your biggest failure?
Can't stabilize on a healthy diet, failed to negotiate synergies between Scriptless/Yeti
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
None worthy of a yes to this question.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Osprey baby carrying back pack.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Big Picture Level: Pope Francis
Local Level: My mother continues to be one of the most supportive forces in my life.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
Big Picture Level: Hollis French.
Local Level: I didn't know Jason was capable of such things...
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Always food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Vegas trip after Thanksgiving, trip to WSU and going to WSU/Texan football games
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Daft Punk indeed!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder? Happier, but more tired and exhausted
- ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner
- iii. richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sleep, but I don't want to be ungrateful for the sleep Mallory has let me have.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Anxiety about relationships with friends/acquaintances.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family at home in Alaska. Why is this question in the survey? Seems out of place.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Mooshy mooshy blah blah blah.
23. How many one-night stands?
Hardee har har har.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad is the best show to ever air on television and the last season lived up to the hype. Best new show was House of Cards.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes, but let's replace 'hate' with 'frustration'. Being frustrated with folks is something I need to personally work on. I don't like these thoughts and take personal responsibility for letting them get to me.
26. What was the best book you read?
Walking Dead comics.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Rediscovered Michael Jackson when seeing One in Vegas.
28. What did you want and get?
Maps of ice and fire.
29. What did you want and not get?
I need to get some better frames for college diplomas. Not that interesting, but its been bugging me lately.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Still have a bunch to see, but so far I was most drawn to 12 Years a Slave. Incredible acting and story arch.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 28 this year and I did what I do every year, ate big cookie.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A solution to indigestion when drinking beer.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Business casual, same ole rolled up sleeves Hanus.
34. What kept you sane?
My wife and peers at work.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Pope Francis deserves TWO answers in this survey.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Growing debt crisis.
37. Who did you miss?
To be honest, as I grow older, I miss spending time with my parents. I also miss some good friends living in different states like Aaron, Robbie.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Met a pretty bad ass recruit down at U of I that I worked hard to network for an internship.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
The emotions of parenthood can not be logically anticipated.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
We're up all night to get Sully... (This one was made up by Mallory)
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
From my womb a babe was untimely ripped.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any, but I intend to do a lot of running this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Me... and my sister, but technically that was at the end of 2012.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My last grand parent, Grandma Johnson, the day before James was born.
5. What countries did you visit?
U S of A
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A little more patience, and maybe some control over my obnoxious outbursts.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 2nd, Sulley's debut
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
April 2nd, Sulley's debut. Oh, and still having the cleanest house in the whole damn borough despite having a young child.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting on my bike even once. Eesh, I know.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Cesarean recovery was pretty tough.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
It's true, that Osprey child carrier changed my life.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The Seattle Seahawks
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
Congress, grumble grumble grumble.
14. Where did most of your money go?
FOOD
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Traveling with baby to introduce him to family. And then I realized that I’m really, really, really stupid.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Blurred Lines
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
Happier
- ii. thinner or fatter?
Pretty much back down to pre-babyness
- iii. richer or poorer?
Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
More mom/baby shtuff around town… library story time, etc.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
TV
20. How did you spend Christmas?
In-laws and sister Ren came up for James’ first Christmas. Baby played with wrapping paper, wicked good times for all.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Absolutely.
23. How many one-night stands?
Nadda
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Orange is the new Black, Mad Men
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Kevin Nealon subliminal speech here—> If I had a new years resolution, it would be to not talk about this (Scriptless) because I’m trying really hard to be positive about things that are purposefully trying to get me down (Jason and/or Warren) and I really think it’s best to turn the other cheek (eat my yeti ass).
26. What was the best book you read?
Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Passion Pit, it’s new to me.
28. What did you want and get?
A baybay
29. What did you want and not get?
SLEEP
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
12 Years a Slave
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Drinks at home with friends, 28
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
See #29
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
An already momed-out wardrobe exploded into a full on maternal disaster
34. What kept you sane?
Pedicures and Johnny Boy
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I kind of have a thing for Jason Segel, I guess
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Probably the shut down
37. Who did you miss?
All family
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My niece Anna, because she’s literally a new person
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
The most difficult challenges are the most rewarding… and sleep when the baby sleeps, blah blah blah.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing” - Stevie Wonder
If you're looking to feel smugly superior, they paid $50 for this Wordpress theme (www.templatemonster.com), and this is what they ended up with (tinyurl.com):
Sorry But you’ll have to go find last years answers on your own.
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Real ski mountaineering, climbed all the way to the top of Mt. Hood and skied pretty much all the way down
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Made none that I remember, kept none that I remember
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hanus’s, Hughes’s, bunch of people at work… lots of babies this year
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandfather, my namesake passed away early in 2012. It was a shitty trip to Kansas
5. What countries did you visit?
Made it to Mexico this year.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Some kind of personal growth or career path, or just path in general I can be excited about.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don’t think I will remember a specific day this year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I finally made my goal of an 800 mile bike to work month.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Personal Failure? Well I got turned back on Mt Stuart yet again this year. That’s now three times I’ve bailed.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
None that were noteworthy.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
New car to replace the old Exploder, my Mitsubishi Outlander is hella sweet.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Maybe I was really self centered this year but for #12 and 13 I really don’t know, I guess I wasn’t paying enough attention to other people this year.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
See #12
14. Where did most of your money go?
Overall probably mortgage and childcare, I still spend all of my personal monies on mountaineering gear, but this year we did lay down some fatty stacks to have a sweet 10th anniversary trip to Mexico.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Mexico for my 10th Anniversary then getting to go to Anchorage for my 10 year reunion.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
If I’m honest future JD will probably never look back due to a song and think “Ahhh Yiss, Motha fuckin 2013” but I guess due to its nature I will go with “What does the Fox say” because I have children and they love to parody that kind of shit.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
Probably happier, though right at this exact moment I’m not really feelin 2014
- ii. thinner or fatter?
Maybe about the same at this time of writing
- iii. richer or poorer?
Maybe richer, though I don’t really feel that way.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
It was a pretty poor year for climbing and other outdoor adventures for me, I really feel it when I don’t get out climbing much.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Not finding ways of doing the things that I wanted to do.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family and friends up in Anchorage, As is Tradition
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Don’t I every year/day?
23. How many one-night stands?
Two, I count Two night stands ah ah ahhh. Like no shit, there’s one for each side of the bed.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
There was literally one show I watched this year that wasn’t something the kids or the wife had on, Katy had me sit down and watch Sherlock with her, it was pretty good.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Naw not really, maybe the pricks at UW dental school, but I also hated them this time last year as well.
26. What was the best book you read?
Can I say worst as well? Because there was a tie between Dracula, and Moby Dick which I finished reading last spring, I was irritated with both for various reasons. But best, well the Hunger games trilogy was pretty entertaining.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
None really
28. What did you want and get?
A personal locator beacon, so now hopefully my mom and Katy will worry a little bit less when I’m out climbing.
29. What did you want and not get?
Accepted to dental school, hell even an interview would have been nice, and shit I would have taken any damn feedback at all beyond hearing that I’m still in processing.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Did not really watch any new films, so the best one? The desolation of Smaug is probably the best, really I saw maybe 3 movies in the theater this year and maybe nothing new from netflix or rental.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 28, had some kind of food which I don’t remember and we made gourmet jello shots with some friends over. It was pretty chill.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
An interview, and job promotion or even a framework that I could use to work toward a promotion, finally summiting that beast Mt Stuart. I’m sorry it’s not just one thing.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Jeans and a Tshirt, same as always.
34. What kept you sane?
Probably my lovely wife, but bike rides and being outside do wonders as well.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Couldn’t really give less of a shit this year.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The shutdown I guess. It messed up a lot of shit we had going with the CDC and NIH.
37. Who did you miss?
All of my AK friends, plus Aaron, I miss him as well.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I don’t really think my circle of friends and acquaintances has changed much this year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
Shit mostly works out in the end.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
[Screeching metal sounds] ”Ugh” - Rage against the machine-Testify
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
2013 was strikingly similar to 2012 on the surface.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I succeeded on several, failed one that is somewhat perennial. I generally write down a few every year. Next year's are pretty esoteric, though.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
J-Sulz (did I just coin that?), Danger, and two cousins, as well as some pregnancies and such. Busy baby year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I always think really hard about this question, because how awful is it if you forget someone?
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, Mexico, some island nations, technically the Netherlands since Curacao is part of the Dutch Antillies.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Maybe a home, although I don't mind the gypsy life.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 11th (ish?) when I asked a question that was responded to with "uhhhhhhh… sure but let's talk about it."
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Although I feel there were a variety of victories over the year, it would be difficult to sum them up in one specific thing.
9. What was your biggest failure?
As usual, I would have liked to have been in better contact with my friends afar.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I think I had gout. Also, hemorrhoids. SORRY IF THAT GROSSES YOU OUT. And a wart. Ugh, I'm old.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hulu plus?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Supreme Court on the DOMA stuff I guess. Also, investors for making my stocks continue to climb.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
Government, of course. But mostly just divisive uncompromising conservatives.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Airfare, hotels, rental cars, etc. The trappings of a gypsy.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Each new big job, but also the end of those jobs.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Blurred Lines, to which I tried to dance with my bf in a small town gay bar in West Virginia and was, for the first and only time, not reciprocated in my gyrations.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
Happier!
- ii. thinner or fatter?
The same?
- iii. richer or poorer?
Richer, somehow.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Singing, playing, writing, song-making, creating.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I always say stupid interneting and games and such, but I do them anyway, so whatever.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my boyfriend in a friend's tiny basement apartment in Washington, DC, he wearing a santa onesie and making breakfast casserole, until we had to leave for me to do a show. You know, totally normal.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Yes!
23. How many one-night stands?
Amazingly, a few.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
SHERLOCK. Sorry I was late to that party.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
One former co-worker/boss comes to mind.
26. What was the best book you read?
Still working on it, but I'm digging War and Peace. Sorry for being so pretentious.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, currently playing off-broadway in a tent in midtown. IT IS EVERYTHING
28. What did you want and get?
Big paychecks for working in music. A satisfying and sustainable romantic relationship. Excitement in globetrotting.
29. What did you want and not get?
…I've got it all!
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
2013 was the year I stopped watching movies I guess.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Played 2 shows and then went to a speakeasy in Raleigh, NC with a cast of actors and some musicians.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Maybe more high-profile work, or a more concrete promise of such, but it was a pretty satisfying year.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Transitioning from thrift store chic to J. Crew classiness.
34. What kept you sane?
Star Trek, podcasts, working out, playing piano.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Chris Pine always takes my breath away.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
DOMA of course, government shut down was fun, also fiscal policy.
37. Who did you miss?
Friends in AK, friends in SF, friends in NY, friends in DC, family in all over, bf(s) when I wasn't with him. Missing is the hard part about being all over.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Elliott!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
You never know what's going to happen tomorrow. You hardly know what happened yesterday. But if you're lucky, you'll really enjoy what's happening right now.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Slow down, you move too fast,
you've got to make the morning last!
Just kicking down the cobblestones,
looking for fun and feeling groovy."
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
I got married!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Single-family detached home with a two car garage. Or, Chickens.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
6/1/13: day I met Sean. Or, 8/9/13: day I got married. You do the math!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Bagging a husband? Continued general competency?
9. What was your biggest failure?
Wasting my time.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, SO SO SO MUCH. Shingles, cracked rib, flu, at least 4 colds. Not a banner year for health.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tandem Bicycle.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mom and dad.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled?
My nephew? I mean, he’s just a little guy. But, still. No.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Debts.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
4th of July in McCarthy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Explosions in the Sky-Time Stops
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- i. happier or sadder?
Happier.
- ii. thinner or fatter?
So much fatter.
- iii. richer or poorer?
Richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Running.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Crying.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my new family. I have grandparents again!
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Yup.
23. How many one-night stands?
None!
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad, House of Cards, and Girls were my favorites.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
26. What was the best book you read?
No new good ones, only repeats.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Again, nothing new this year.
28. What did you want and get?
Dreadlocks.
29. What did you want and not get?
A particular job.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
AHhhhh haha. I literally only saw one movie in the theatre, and it wasn’t that great.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Had a party at the American Legion. I was 27. I heard it was fun; I wore a lime green wig.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not getting so sick all the time.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
No pants! Dreads! Eyelash extensions!
34. What kept you sane?
Meeting the loml.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Andrew Halcro. RUN FOR MAYOR, PLEASE. Also, Mayor Stubbs.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Debt crisis, SB21.
37. Who did you miss?
Brother, Sister, and Nephew.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My husband!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
Being yourself isn’t so bad.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I wanna see you tonight
Would you come for a drive?
You can lean into me
If you ain't been in love for a while
These guys releases albums at a pretty fast pace, but I would rank this as one of their best. While the lyrics are bizarre attempts at ESL-lightheartedness (read: Pussyfoot Miss Suicide), it works... considering they are one of Finland's bestselling artists of all time.
3.5/5 - Definitely a worthwhile listen. I love me some punchy synth hits.
I will invite them in, mostly because of that last paragraph (well, 2nd to last paragraph counting that last sentence)... whenever I get a home. Efficiency!
I still don't understand the harm from them knowing more about my behavior, since this knowledge would ultimately save me money/make life more efficient. Sure, companies like Amazon and other retailers manipulate behavioral data so that I spend more money... but, so what? Are you saying these companies are going to coerce me into bankruptcy against my will? That they're going to form megacorporations (techcrunch.com), build (www.theatlantic.com)robots (articles.latimes.com), and take over the world (googleworlddomination.com)?
I'm pretty sure this is ultimately ideological for you, and perhaps I'm missing something about how this is going to subvert the control I have over my own life (or something) and turn me into a pod-person. But I will say my life is probably easier now than it's ever been, in many ways thanks to services provided by Google. And I've never had to pay a cent for anything from them (and their ads are perhaps the least annoying on the internet). And they are coming up with some really (www.npr.org)interesting ideas.
It has more to do with my privacy than anything else, I suppose. My online information is largely kept in a couple of silos that, for most purposes, never really interact. As this (www.vocativ.com) article states, Google likely knows more about me than the NSA (or any person, really, including my family). I find that idea supremely disconcerting. I don't mind providing personal data to a service online if I have some reasonable expectation of control of that data (say: the ability wipe my email and expect to to actually be deleted, which is not provided for inside gmail. or the expectation that my Home/Away status from my thermostat is not linked to the registered address provided for my Google Wallet account). None of these things are allowed inside Google. They collect every scrap of information they can get their hands on about you and collate it into one file, and you don't get any control.
I'll happily pay for services like email/calendaring/web hosting/etc if it means I have control over its interaction/life span/use. Fastmail works great for my email, Fruux keeps my contacts and calendar synced, OTR provides a secure way of using GTalk without being spied on, and my NAS obviates the need for Google Drive. Once I find a place to store my recipe archive, I'll be taking steps to remove myself from Google's ecosystem entirely, which will definitely take some time. You are right, however, that it is an ideological pursuit. The simplicity and efficiency of a shared single ecosystem are outweighed by my fear of its eventual corruption or misuse.
Final thought: I readily admit that Amazon knows everything there is to know about my spending habits. However, they also don't get to see my emails to friends, internet search history, or my plans for Friday night. Individual silos are something I've learned to deal with. Aggregate data about everything in my life? I don't want any part of that.
The above reply being stated, the idea of an information monopoly (www.huffingtonpost.com)is compelling. This is interesting because there's never really been a company quite like Google.
We are probably the last generation to have a choice when it comes to what a computer knows about us. And we'll also probably be the last to care, or to be at all aware. We will always have to balance convenience versus trust. Is it convenient to have a reliable email service with which to conduct the majority of my personal affairs? Certainly. Can I trust that a corporate entity will never use my correspondence and recorded behaviors for nefarious means, no matter the price, or politics, or ethics/morality of its employees? No. But the risk, for me, has yet to outweigh the reward, so on Gmail I remain.
We haven't seen a company like Google before. We also haven't seen one fail. Or be split apart. Or be compromised on the scale of the recent Target intrusion. Google is smart. But they cannot be perfect.
I'm sure people at Google also take great care to make sure data doesn't disappear. Things we store in the Google services will be around for a long, long time. Let's say in 20 years, GoogleGlaxoSmithKline decommissions its original data centers by throwing its old platter drives in a dumpster. They only used pre-quanta encryption algorithms, which can be broken in constant time by performing the break in the higher-plane universes. How many passwords did I email to myself? How many accounts are still active? How much compromising information is still valid? How much incriminating information?
However inconvenient, the choice to avoid something like Google is the choice to deal in impossibilities rather than improbabilities. There will always be inherent risk in storing sensitive information in a computer. For some, it's a step too far to transmit it to somebody else's computer.
But how can a company that's stated central philosophy is to do good ever cause us harm?
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EVIL. BUT GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOD.
GOOGLE IS GOOD.
GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD. GOOGLE IS GOD.
GOOGLE IS GOD.
There is frequent discussion of what Alaska Native Corporations, shareholders, and descendants are going to with the "afterborn," a legal term for those born after Dec 19, 1971, who did not receive shares in an Alaska Native Corporation.
Considering that people living in this current time will likely fill up the "good" or "simple" usernames (firstname.lastname@google.com, etc), what will we do with the "internet afterborn" who will have to find new combinations for their login?
- it's been a long time since I listened to these guys... their lead singer has the most ridiculous dreads ever.
These guys could never live up to the height of their popularity in the early naughts as pioneers of metalcore (The Art of Balance and The War Within). But man, what an unrecognizable (and somewhat cool) version of Marley's War!
2.5/5 - while not a bad album, doesn't deliver anything new. I think getting signed by a major label was not a good thing for them. About on par with Threads of Life.
Awesome. I love this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWZLa4AnN5k (www.youtube.com)
Mike, you'd like this too.
Always-on kinect is definitely one of the reasons against buying an xbox one.
"Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of themselves without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, 'If I live, I WILL KILL YOU. (If I die, You are forgiven.)'
SUCH IS THE RULE OF HONOOOOOOOOOR."
2.5/5 - Lamb of God is so brutal in concert that it's impossible to capture that on a recording, but this serves as a fun reminder. The documentary that was created when this concert was recorded is much better.
Frenetic as all of their releases... but especially impressive, because the band members (www.mondogonzo.org) were all under 20 when this was released! Crazy music for a debut album.
3.5/5 - chops aplenty, with the dynamic and varying vox a high point... but still a bit too unfocused.
