My cousin popped into town rather unexpectedly last week. By this I mean I had no idea she was going to be here until she was here! This is par for the course for this cousin but do we get a choice in our relatives?
Tune out the negative connotation of that last sentence please.
It should also be said that "in town" means within reasonable driving distance. In this case, Tampa to Orlando. So I tell my boss that a relative popped in and I want the day off.
Now cue Friday, the day of, and I'm eventually off. Things start going bad right out of the gate. Not far out from the pad, the AC packs up. That's no small deal here in Florida either. Especially considering we are talking about the height of summer. Good thing I had an extra shirt in the car becuase it was hot! It doesn't help that I sat in traffic going through Tampa in what was absolutely sweltering conditions. May as well turn up the music and be glad you're alive.
I stopped somewhere about 3/4's of the way there to get some water and call my cousin. I left her a message and decided to have some lunch where I was there (needed to kill some time), which was no more then a greasy spoon truck stop with gnarly food, hairy big guys that spend all day long behind the wheel, and an adorable waitress that seemed way out of place with this sea of junkfood muching human bears.
I'm eventually off and into the Kissime area. I've spotted the Nicklelodeon Hotel and head for the lobby. No answer on the phone or via text so after sitting there for 30 minutes, I head out looking for a bookstore to blow some more time. May as well.
Of course, I just can't get away from mis-fortune. 1 mile down the road and the temp on my car has shot for the moon. Eventually getting into a parking spot and popping the hood provides a curious picture. The coolant overflow bottle is blown up like a ballon?!?! What the heck is that all about right? By this time, there are some really dark thoughts knocking around my head. I check the oil and at least it still looks like oil. I slowly release pressure from the cooling system then pour in some cold water, zip the system up, and head back out on my trek. Now everything is fine which just makes it all the more strange.
After questing around Kissime based on bunk directions I get a call from the point of this trip and head back The Nick. Sitting in the lobby, I start wondering just how different she's going to look from the last time I saw here. Her being Vanessa. I was terrorfied I wouldn't recognize her. But no, she is just as gorgeous. Even behind the gigantic black framed glasses, it was that face.
My cousing Vanessa is THE BOMB!!! I don't know why but I just dig her like no other. We just hang out and it's all good and all that easy.
And on top of all that, her kids are absolutely beautiful. I was so smitten by Alex and was very close to taking her back home with me. A perfect blend of 'Nessa and Vernon (her husband who is cool and mellow as h311!) with a rich and dark complexion unlike 'Nessa and I with our milk chocolate hues. The youngest girl, CC, has the amazingly subtle and exquisite features.
And boy could those kids raise hell! When they started throwing rocks at one of the windows at Friday's, I about died. LOL.
But what I was really looking forward too was when everyone else knocked off for the night and I could have 'Nessa to myself. I hadn't got to spend any alone face time with her in 15 years. Remembering now how I felt, I can't believe I let it go that long.
And that's something that has to change a bit. My aunt and uncles are less then 8 hours drive away and cool as ice in addition to being real characters. Everytime I get to see them I'm reminded of just how bitchin of a family I come from! All the coolest things a group of people could have. Beauty, intensity, hilarity, kindness, and unconditional love.
Leaving that evening was hard. I got three hugs out of the deal tho so I'm not complaining. But I also had the best drive home ever. It was 2 in the morning and had cooled off. The stereo worked and the turbo was as faithful as ever. The temps stayed reasonable so you could say there was nothing to spoil the after glow of the visit.
It's funny how good of a decision it was to just ignore the problems and conditions knowing that it would end up being more then worth it. I was so worth the trouble and will still be worth the trouble of the work I'm about to get into to fix the blown headgasket that was the cause of so many problems on the trip.
Thanx 'Nessa
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I've never been one for binds. Or at least less and less everyday. But a bind nonetheless is here.
Once again I am multiply engaged! A furball with two immediate threats and a deep yearning for a distant and greying objective. But let's let the truth be known shall we. I am The Brown Bear and I'm playing with these guys. But for each target, the nature of the play is different and in time, they'll both be splashed in their own unique way. But until that time, let's just manuever. Let's bring one in close and put distance on the other. Let's confound the intent of one and trap the manuevering of the other with an embrace of concern.
There will be no kills from this engagement.
But alas, my dearest objective is WINCHESTER, BINGO, and RTB to a place I know not. I miss her, my fellow Saint and embracemate, our feet on deck on the Oriskany.
Once again I am multiply engaged! A furball with two immediate threats and a deep yearning for a distant and greying objective. But let's let the truth be known shall we. I am The Brown Bear and I'm playing with these guys. But for each target, the nature of the play is different and in time, they'll both be splashed in their own unique way. But until that time, let's just manuever. Let's bring one in close and put distance on the other. Let's confound the intent of one and trap the manuevering of the other with an embrace of concern.
There will be no kills from this engagement.
But alas, my dearest objective is WINCHESTER, BINGO, and RTB to a place I know not. I miss her, my fellow Saint and embracemate, our feet on deck on the Oriskany.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Did yet more screwing around with the T04E 50 trim map and came up with the below.
There are now two new points and a plot as well.
The plot is a very wild and generous guess of where I would be in terms of efficiency at various points in the rev range starting at 2500 and going to 6200 RPM for a redblock. That plot suggests that the unit spools relatively quickly but that's something I really have no idea of until the unit is on the car and spinning. There are others running very similar setups but I yet have no data from someone running the same Cosworth hotside / T04E combo that we are talking about here.
Another thing about that plot line is it's suggestion or hint that if I spool faster then the guesses I've made, I could well be into surge land. Let's hope tat's not the case.
I just can believe how good of a setup these T04E 50 trim units are. Look at the size or combined areas of the 78% and 76% regions. That's absolutely huge!
There are now two new points and a plot as well.
- The yellow point represents a boost ceiling of 24psi and 86% VE.
- The blue point is 26psi and 86% VE.
- The light blue area represents an efficiency range of 76%.
- The green area is 78%!
The plot is a very wild and generous guess of where I would be in terms of efficiency at various points in the rev range starting at 2500 and going to 6200 RPM for a redblock. That plot suggests that the unit spools relatively quickly but that's something I really have no idea of until the unit is on the car and spinning. There are others running very similar setups but I yet have no data from someone running the same Cosworth hotside / T04E combo that we are talking about here.
Another thing about that plot line is it's suggestion or hint that if I spool faster then the guesses I've made, I could well be into surge land. Let's hope tat's not the case.
I just can believe how good of a setup these T04E 50 trim units are. Look at the size or combined areas of the 78% and 76% regions. That's absolutely huge!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wow! T04E 50 trims rock!
After banging my head for a while and doing more math then I've done in some time, I'm forced to see the wisdom of what various others have been telling me about the 50 trim compressors. I've been hoping that I'll be able to realize my goal of 300 HP at the wheels with 20psi at the lest. Based on VE and PR calculations and laying this information over the top of a T04E 50 trim compressor map, I get some awesome results. Below is the point if I decide that I want to shift at 5500 rpm and 20 psi.
That's fantastic!
Now I really suspect my goal will be realized based on what others are doing out there with the same heads without porting and using the stock valve sizes. One freind of mine hit 320 at the wheels at 26psi with no mods to the head (as mentioned) other then an IPD turbo cam.
I state the above as comparison to what it is I'm running. The same 530 head, but ported, polished, grooved, and running 38mm exhaust (as opposed to 35mm) valves. The other difference is a V cam. That said, I should have superior flow potential through the head then he does, not to mention I'm using a far more efficient cold side then he (T04E 60 trim). This greater flow capability is the first reason I am hoping I won't need more then 20psi. But if that's the case, it's no big deal to turn it up a tad right?
OTOH, I could make an absolute boost ceiling of 20psi and just live with the results whatever they are. In this way, I can stay with OE pistons and ensure a bit less stress on the bottom end.
Yeah, I may just have to give that idea some serious consideration. :-)
That's fantastic!
Now I really suspect my goal will be realized based on what others are doing out there with the same heads without porting and using the stock valve sizes. One freind of mine hit 320 at the wheels at 26psi with no mods to the head (as mentioned) other then an IPD turbo cam.
I state the above as comparison to what it is I'm running. The same 530 head, but ported, polished, grooved, and running 38mm exhaust (as opposed to 35mm) valves. The other difference is a V cam. That said, I should have superior flow potential through the head then he does, not to mention I'm using a far more efficient cold side then he (T04E 60 trim). This greater flow capability is the first reason I am hoping I won't need more then 20psi. But if that's the case, it's no big deal to turn it up a tad right?
OTOH, I could make an absolute boost ceiling of 20psi and just live with the results whatever they are. In this way, I can stay with OE pistons and ensure a bit less stress on the bottom end.
Yeah, I may just have to give that idea some serious consideration. :-)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
G.O.W.! Started and finished in two days.
There is a reason I don't buy video games anymore.
Friday night, after writing code all day and being at work for a bit more then 8 hours, I decide to head downstairs into the break room and play the game I'd been excited about playing for some time.
Gears Of Wars.
We've actually had this game in the building as long as I've worked here but for some reason when I first played it, I just couldn't gel with the 3rd person POV, not to mention those blasted controllers. I'm a PC guy! Controls for games should be with a mouse and keyboard in my opinion.
Anyway, I guess I decided to stick it out Friday night. I started sometime around 10:15 and just got busy. Time passed and Locust died. Suddenly, there is this beeping sound that I thought was the building alarm going off. An alarm that shouldn't have been set in the first place right? Well after running around trying to get down to the bottom of this, I realize it's the alarm clock ON MY PHONE! iT WAS 5:30 AM!!!!
There is a reason I don't buy video games anymore.
Seeing it was 5:30, I decided to go home. Of course, when Monday came around, I headed back to the break room to play some more. The level/checkpoint/act that I picked back up on was the very last of the game. As it turns out, I pretty much knocked over the entire game in a single evening. Wow!
Now that's kinda nice as I now won't find myself dreaming about re-immersing back into the G.O.W. world all day long while I should be hackin' out code. It's done and the urge to spend serious hours at the controls are gone. of course, that's not to imply that heading back down and doing a little blasting still isnt' fun. It is! Especially when I can go back to my favorite fights and engage.
Ultimately, the G.O.W. world is amazingly beautiful. Even the wreckage of the civilization they are fighting to preserve is staggering in it's beauty.
Or is it just the graphics?
Whatever the case, it's amazing! The level of detail is stunning. The effect of distance is emotive. Walking through and fighting in courtyards and gardens with absolutely incredible lighting effects is just downright bitchin'! Even running with your mates and listening to their ridiculous banter is too damn cool (tho Baird will throw down with the best of 'em, he needs to stop whining!).
The level of dread wasn't as high as I expected at times, tho it was there. It wasn't like the original Doom or Half Life, much less Doom III (which scared the hell out of EVERYBODY), but you certainly felt your tension level rise when the Boomers showed up or wrenches(?) rushed you in the middle of a reload.
So what is/are the coolest thing(s) about Gears? How you use cover and the blind fire. It's awesome to take cover behind something and just stick your weapon out and pull the trigger. Great for keeping Locust noggins down while your boys advance. You can even chuck grenades over too! And once you get the hang of using the A button to dive, run, and take and slide into cover, you are good as gold.
Best weapon? Sniper rifle by far! Not as useful for general throwing down, but there are times when it's scope and one hit one kill glorly is going to make the going a lot easier.
So yeah, I'm glad I knocked it out. It was like a good movie that I was part of living.
Drawbacks? Yeah, there is a big one. Why did they have to make Marcus so terminally macho. Where was the anger about being in prison for nothing for 14 years? Where was the anger about seeing everything destroyed by the Locust? You did see glimpses of emotion at times (like when Raam killed the Lt), but it's not enough. Showing Marcus to be more complex then a collection of cheesy Duke Nukem one liners would have paid big for those that aren't so apt to become immersed in a story line.
Hair splitting aside, G.O.W. II is now highly anticipated.
Friday night, after writing code all day and being at work for a bit more then 8 hours, I decide to head downstairs into the break room and play the game I'd been excited about playing for some time.
Gears Of Wars.
We've actually had this game in the building as long as I've worked here but for some reason when I first played it, I just couldn't gel with the 3rd person POV, not to mention those blasted controllers. I'm a PC guy! Controls for games should be with a mouse and keyboard in my opinion.
Anyway, I guess I decided to stick it out Friday night. I started sometime around 10:15 and just got busy. Time passed and Locust died. Suddenly, there is this beeping sound that I thought was the building alarm going off. An alarm that shouldn't have been set in the first place right? Well after running around trying to get down to the bottom of this, I realize it's the alarm clock ON MY PHONE! iT WAS 5:30 AM!!!!
There is a reason I don't buy video games anymore.
Seeing it was 5:30, I decided to go home. Of course, when Monday came around, I headed back to the break room to play some more. The level/checkpoint/act that I picked back up on was the very last of the game. As it turns out, I pretty much knocked over the entire game in a single evening. Wow!
Now that's kinda nice as I now won't find myself dreaming about re-immersing back into the G.O.W. world all day long while I should be hackin' out code. It's done and the urge to spend serious hours at the controls are gone. of course, that's not to imply that heading back down and doing a little blasting still isnt' fun. It is! Especially when I can go back to my favorite fights and engage.
Ultimately, the G.O.W. world is amazingly beautiful. Even the wreckage of the civilization they are fighting to preserve is staggering in it's beauty.
Or is it just the graphics?
Whatever the case, it's amazing! The level of detail is stunning. The effect of distance is emotive. Walking through and fighting in courtyards and gardens with absolutely incredible lighting effects is just downright bitchin'! Even running with your mates and listening to their ridiculous banter is too damn cool (tho Baird will throw down with the best of 'em, he needs to stop whining!).
The level of dread wasn't as high as I expected at times, tho it was there. It wasn't like the original Doom or Half Life, much less Doom III (which scared the hell out of EVERYBODY), but you certainly felt your tension level rise when the Boomers showed up or wrenches(?) rushed you in the middle of a reload.
So what is/are the coolest thing(s) about Gears? How you use cover and the blind fire. It's awesome to take cover behind something and just stick your weapon out and pull the trigger. Great for keeping Locust noggins down while your boys advance. You can even chuck grenades over too! And once you get the hang of using the A button to dive, run, and take and slide into cover, you are good as gold.
Best weapon? Sniper rifle by far! Not as useful for general throwing down, but there are times when it's scope and one hit one kill glorly is going to make the going a lot easier.
So yeah, I'm glad I knocked it out. It was like a good movie that I was part of living.
Drawbacks? Yeah, there is a big one. Why did they have to make Marcus so terminally macho. Where was the anger about being in prison for nothing for 14 years? Where was the anger about seeing everything destroyed by the Locust? You did see glimpses of emotion at times (like when Raam killed the Lt), but it's not enough. Showing Marcus to be more complex then a collection of cheesy Duke Nukem one liners would have paid big for those that aren't so apt to become immersed in a story line.
Hair splitting aside, G.O.W. II is now highly anticipated.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Oh Grace, please let me go!
I'm STILL at work! At least I'm about to leave. The problem right now is that it's too hard to get up. I've knocked over a ton of code today and this project is lookin' mad toite yo! LOL!
Another problem is that same old problem that is very good at grabbing me from time to time. Music! "So who is it this time", you're asking?
That's Grace Valhalla. It's essentially Ambient Electronica. And it's rockin'! Music in the vien of Juno Reactor and Orbital. She's using some awesome sounds too. Some of that stuff reminds me of my old Yamaha TG-33 tone generator. A good deal of it's rather warm and analog sounding. Good stuff.
Of course, I've just restarted 'Empty' on the "Peak" album. Man, this isn't helping my exit from the building one bit.
Anyway, she deserves notice if you're into that kind of thing. Check her out at one (or both) of the below links.
Myspace
Jamendo
And make a point of checking out Jamendo. Too many good artists there to ignore.
Another problem is that same old problem that is very good at grabbing me from time to time. Music! "So who is it this time", you're asking?
That's Grace Valhalla. It's essentially Ambient Electronica. And it's rockin'! Music in the vien of Juno Reactor and Orbital. She's using some awesome sounds too. Some of that stuff reminds me of my old Yamaha TG-33 tone generator. A good deal of it's rather warm and analog sounding. Good stuff.
Of course, I've just restarted 'Empty' on the "Peak" album. Man, this isn't helping my exit from the building one bit.
Anyway, she deserves notice if you're into that kind of thing. Check her out at one (or both) of the below links.
Myspace
Jamendo
And make a point of checking out Jamendo. Too many good artists there to ignore.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Vicki Butler-Henderson
I'm so in love with this girl it's ridiculous. I'd love to have a girl that can drive like this. Besides, it would be nice to have some that giggles with me when the back hangs out and the engine starts singing.
She's certainly prettier then Jezza eh?
She's certainly prettier then Jezza eh?
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Realizations (or however you spell it)
Tho I'm soft as charmin, I've come to realize I'm hard as quartz. Nothing should disrupt dedication to line.
Am I dedicated?
I say yes and I mean it! At the risk of outer darkness, I want to be there.
The sad part of this resolute quality is it's far less then soft and crushing to the unwary.
Am I dedicated?
I say yes and I mean it! At the risk of outer darkness, I want to be there.
The sad part of this resolute quality is it's far less then soft and crushing to the unwary.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
I need to find and shoot the source of that little voice
I'm not sure where or how I developed this little nag of a voice that complains and rationalizes away the actual act of getting things done. It's like a constant fight that I'm in. Even as I start working on things, that voice is with me the entire time saying "That's enough for today", or "You're almost out of sunlight", or "Sheesh, that's going to be some hard work".
There are times when it's been a real pain in the butt. I'll hem-haw and walk around in circles when I should be working out. That "little punk" (I sware I'm going to shoot that fool when I catch him!) suggesting I play with the cat, play my guitar, play Q3 freeze tag, play KoboDL. Everything BUT what it is I was trying to do.
This weekend was more of the same. I had a lot of things I wanted to get done. Tho I accomplished a good deal, I started off late because I was listenting to bonehead.
You know, about the only time when I'm alone and not plauged by this racket is when I have the mp3 player on my head or when some music is going in general. Then I just get into it and hours pass.
Anyway, it's certainly nice when you fight through and just get it done. I finally got the head unit, sub, and guage set out of Sylvanna and into Motoko as well as figuring out what some racket was under hard accelleration. I even started testing a Type H BOV I got at a yard sale. Oh, I also edged the front yard when I found my spare roll of line.
Last night after taking a shower, I took the car out, parked at the beach, rolled down the windows, and turned up the tunes. I leaned the chair back and took the remote in hand so I didn't have to get up.
Yeah,that's the shiza right there!
I just wish Lauren was around.
Anyway, I'm going to banish that little voice once and for all real soon here. There is too much work to be done. I'm a soldier with a loooonnnnnnggggggg target list to service so whiny little voices have no future here.
There are times when it's been a real pain in the butt. I'll hem-haw and walk around in circles when I should be working out. That "little punk" (I sware I'm going to shoot that fool when I catch him!) suggesting I play with the cat, play my guitar, play Q3 freeze tag, play KoboDL. Everything BUT what it is I was trying to do.
This weekend was more of the same. I had a lot of things I wanted to get done. Tho I accomplished a good deal, I started off late because I was listenting to bonehead.
You know, about the only time when I'm alone and not plauged by this racket is when I have the mp3 player on my head or when some music is going in general. Then I just get into it and hours pass.
Anyway, it's certainly nice when you fight through and just get it done. I finally got the head unit, sub, and guage set out of Sylvanna and into Motoko as well as figuring out what some racket was under hard accelleration. I even started testing a Type H BOV I got at a yard sale. Oh, I also edged the front yard when I found my spare roll of line.
Last night after taking a shower, I took the car out, parked at the beach, rolled down the windows, and turned up the tunes. I leaned the chair back and took the remote in hand so I didn't have to get up.
Yeah,that's the shiza right there!
I just wish Lauren was around.
Anyway, I'm going to banish that little voice once and for all real soon here. There is too much work to be done. I'm a soldier with a loooonnnnnnggggggg target list to service so whiny little voices have no future here.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
T.R.A.F.F.I.C 2008 Orlando
Just got back from the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East conference in Orlando and have to say that I really had a blast this time compared to others. I was also smart enough to attent the after parties this time and make some very very good and influential contacts.
For those that don't know, T.R.A.F.F.I.C conferences concern the Domain monetization industry wich on one hand deals with parking domains and on the other looks at domain as real estate. Very interesting thing if you hadn't considered it. As a matter of fact, it was a world completely alien to me until the Las Vegas event a number of months back. Now being "in" it, there is a good deal of opportunity regardless of the nature of the business being very much "in flux".
One very interesting personal realization was/is that SEO really isn't BS.I developed a negative attituded towards it about 4 years back as many (most) of the supposed SEO specialists I bumped into tended to be blow hards. After that, I got tired of listening to their crap and shut down to the entire community. Wel......, I was wrong to do that. Two very, very good companies that I've come across as of late are SEOP (seop.com) and webcastone.com. Rick Waters, the CEO for Webcast One is a great guy that is both exceptionally nice and exceptionally knowledgable.
Now I will say that I think there is an area that nobody has yet really learned how to take advantage of: Social Networking. On the last day of the conference, I suspsect I stumped the CEO's of SEOP and Webcast One when I asked how Social Networking will continue to play a role and/or grow in the activities of major SEO operators and efforts. While they acknowledged that it was a good question, it also stumped 'em. You could see the question marks painted on their faces and the eys pointing upwards and darting about.
After chatting with some of these guys later, I do believe they are sufferring from the industry view of how to make money. Too much focus on existing models like PPC and derivatives. It's my opinion that those do/will provide greater short term gain and will, depending on the site they are used on, be sustaining. However, they WILL NOT EVER HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF A WELL CRAFTED SOCIAL NETWORK OR COMMUNITY! Now perhaps that's a bold thing to say, but it's not without a foundation of observation from the likes of Joel Spolsky, Clay Shirky, and Neal Stephenson.
Now depending on how one aggregates these thoughts mentally, this could be a bit of leap, but my experience tells and suspicions tell me otherwise.
Another killer thing about this community building model is that it's future proof against the disapperance of a PPC revenue stream.
It's all simple really. Advertisers will go where the people are. Real successfull online communities tend to have a lot of people no? And if you think advertisers aren't willing to spend some dosh where the hordes of people regularly (like highways) then you aren't paying attention or the inside of your box is a little too comfortable.
Want an example of an ad driven site that's doing well? Toms Hardware.
One last observation along these lines. I suspect that the term "Social Network" brings to mind visions of bonehead predators, vacuous coeds with tawdry myspace pages, and Pink Razor carrying bimbettes. And if it's not something like that, then Twitter or Facebook or whatever. The reality of those types of networks is they are networks for the sake of being networks as opposed to being centered a particular topic or area(s) of common interested.
At least Ning differs in this way.
Anyway, it was a good show and I certainly hope to get up to New York or Australia for one of the next shows.
For those that don't know, T.R.A.F.F.I.C conferences concern the Domain monetization industry wich on one hand deals with parking domains and on the other looks at domain as real estate. Very interesting thing if you hadn't considered it. As a matter of fact, it was a world completely alien to me until the Las Vegas event a number of months back. Now being "in" it, there is a good deal of opportunity regardless of the nature of the business being very much "in flux".
One very interesting personal realization was/is that SEO really isn't BS.I developed a negative attituded towards it about 4 years back as many (most) of the supposed SEO specialists I bumped into tended to be blow hards. After that, I got tired of listening to their crap and shut down to the entire community. Wel......, I was wrong to do that. Two very, very good companies that I've come across as of late are SEOP (seop.com) and webcastone.com. Rick Waters, the CEO for Webcast One is a great guy that is both exceptionally nice and exceptionally knowledgable.
Now I will say that I think there is an area that nobody has yet really learned how to take advantage of: Social Networking. On the last day of the conference, I suspsect I stumped the CEO's of SEOP and Webcast One when I asked how Social Networking will continue to play a role and/or grow in the activities of major SEO operators and efforts. While they acknowledged that it was a good question, it also stumped 'em. You could see the question marks painted on their faces and the eys pointing upwards and darting about.
After chatting with some of these guys later, I do believe they are sufferring from the industry view of how to make money. Too much focus on existing models like PPC and derivatives. It's my opinion that those do/will provide greater short term gain and will, depending on the site they are used on, be sustaining. However, they WILL NOT EVER HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF A WELL CRAFTED SOCIAL NETWORK OR COMMUNITY! Now perhaps that's a bold thing to say, but it's not without a foundation of observation from the likes of Joel Spolsky, Clay Shirky, and Neal Stephenson.
Now depending on how one aggregates these thoughts mentally, this could be a bit of leap, but my experience tells and suspicions tell me otherwise.
Another killer thing about this community building model is that it's future proof against the disapperance of a PPC revenue stream.
It's all simple really. Advertisers will go where the people are. Real successfull online communities tend to have a lot of people no? And if you think advertisers aren't willing to spend some dosh where the hordes of people regularly (like highways) then you aren't paying attention or the inside of your box is a little too comfortable.
Want an example of an ad driven site that's doing well? Toms Hardware.
One last observation along these lines. I suspect that the term "Social Network" brings to mind visions of bonehead predators, vacuous coeds with tawdry myspace pages, and Pink Razor carrying bimbettes. And if it's not something like that, then Twitter or Facebook or whatever. The reality of those types of networks is they are networks for the sake of being networks as opposed to being centered a particular topic or area(s) of common interested.
At least Ning differs in this way.
Anyway, it was a good show and I certainly hope to get up to New York or Australia for one of the next shows.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Too soon!
There is some energy inside. Something growing. A grillage failure that I knew would come, but expected to happen months later. This is far too soon. And the
wreckage seems it's going to be just as strong as if the construction had lasted the year I expected.
This is far too soon.
I was hoping for one of those summers. I was interested in one of those time frames where I climbed out of a valley I didn't know I was in and basked in a sun that
I really wasn't aware of. One of those summers where it's good to be wet in the sun and feel the grit of sand in your food. Where the fan is loud and chatting is
it's most comfortable. When the movies don't matter because it's not the point of the movie. Big hugs under full moons and gazing into a brilliant gaze.
I held her in my arms and cradled her head to my chest enrapt with the look of comfort and ease in her face. She would close her eyes and purr as my squeeze grew stronger
and pulled her closer into me, hanging her head back exposing her neck. That thin smirk of pleasure breaking across her face.
THIS IS FAR TOO SOON!
Every bit of my chemistry is screaming! Every sinew is crying out! Every bit of calmness is broken. There is a deep and desperate din, now just little more then a
whisper, getting louder from someplace deep and miles inside. An area of expression not heard in ages. A power not felt for an eternity. It's siesmic energy poised and
ready to lash out screaming what I don't want to hear. Acknowleding what I would rather not know. Forcing into me what I would rather not admit.
THIS IS FAR TOO SOON!
But I have Motoko. I miss what what little there was, but I have Motoko. And Motoko's call is sweet and soulfull. Her demands are clear. The failure to heed
terminal. But damn, does her engine bellow a sweet warning. That red heart spinning with vim and aggression, her note wavering as she rotates and laughs at the idea of
traction. Where I can't hold, I can accellerate. Where I can't be held, I can relax and drift. Where I can't be kissed, I can brake deep into the objective with power
and smoothness. And where I can yell and scream out a deep desperate cry I would rather not existed, Motoko can go positive ambient and crush the gainsayers while
ripping out her mellow roar.
wreckage seems it's going to be just as strong as if the construction had lasted the year I expected.
This is far too soon.
I was hoping for one of those summers. I was interested in one of those time frames where I climbed out of a valley I didn't know I was in and basked in a sun that
I really wasn't aware of. One of those summers where it's good to be wet in the sun and feel the grit of sand in your food. Where the fan is loud and chatting is
it's most comfortable. When the movies don't matter because it's not the point of the movie. Big hugs under full moons and gazing into a brilliant gaze.
I held her in my arms and cradled her head to my chest enrapt with the look of comfort and ease in her face. She would close her eyes and purr as my squeeze grew stronger
and pulled her closer into me, hanging her head back exposing her neck. That thin smirk of pleasure breaking across her face.
THIS IS FAR TOO SOON!
Every bit of my chemistry is screaming! Every sinew is crying out! Every bit of calmness is broken. There is a deep and desperate din, now just little more then a
whisper, getting louder from someplace deep and miles inside. An area of expression not heard in ages. A power not felt for an eternity. It's siesmic energy poised and
ready to lash out screaming what I don't want to hear. Acknowleding what I would rather not know. Forcing into me what I would rather not admit.
THIS IS FAR TOO SOON!
But I have Motoko. I miss what what little there was, but I have Motoko. And Motoko's call is sweet and soulfull. Her demands are clear. The failure to heed
terminal. But damn, does her engine bellow a sweet warning. That red heart spinning with vim and aggression, her note wavering as she rotates and laughs at the idea of
traction. Where I can't hold, I can accellerate. Where I can't be held, I can relax and drift. Where I can't be kissed, I can brake deep into the objective with power
and smoothness. And where I can yell and scream out a deep desperate cry I would rather not existed, Motoko can go positive ambient and crush the gainsayers while
ripping out her mellow roar.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Yeah, this is where I'm at right now.
On the car front, I pay for some of the bottom end and other custom work today. Woot! My machinist is an awesome guy with tons of experience. He has a gorgeous Stingray Vette that is in immaculate shape.
I drool!
So the block has been cleaned, some timing holes drilled in a cam gear, and my strut tower brace has been reworked a little. Now to buy pistons and bearings.
I also payed for my Cossie (Cosworth) .48 T3 hotside today. Woot!
I'm getting pretty close know to just being able to send it, an extra CHRA and some doe to G-Pop shop and have them build the custom unit I'm after. A T3/T4 with the Cossie hotside and a T04E 50 trim cold side. I just think I better pay for those pistons first.
Oh well
Monday, May 19, 2008
Guitar lovage
I think I'm starting a new improvement spurt in my guitar playing.
Just so you know, I've been playing since I was nine. Let's see...., I'm 41 now so that's 32 years right?
Now I'm not going to claim to be some guitar god but I can hold my own. However, I've really become a specialized instrument. I play what I like to play and play that rather well. A lot of other stuff that I don't care much for will be a challenge to some degree. Sure, I'll pick it up much faster then a noob, but I won't sound as tho i've been at 32 years either.
But whatever. Last night and this morning was great for playing. A passage that I had found a number of months back got some new stuff added to it. As a matter of fact, it's now just about a complete song. I can hear the singing and the guitar is in place.
The key, and this harkens back to the first sentence in this rant, is that it's difficult stuff. I've gotten into this thing or sound that requires slides to affect lightning fast position changes. It's funny how it started with another passage I wrote a couple of months back then worked it's way into the one in question. However, in finishing the song, it's now blossomed to a level of difficulty that almost has me feeling like a beginner.
But man does it sound awesome also!
It's a good thing I learned sometime back how to practice. In short, only play it as fast as you can play it perfectly.
Prolly the funniest thing I've learned in my playing in the last two years is how much the consideration of showmanship and performance increases as the difficulty of passages increase. I never gave it much thought before, but those lazy sloppy days have to go away to pull off the stuff I'm doing now.
BTW, this is my main guitar these days. Pretty well knackered, but I love it.
Just so you know, I've been playing since I was nine. Let's see...., I'm 41 now so that's 32 years right?
Now I'm not going to claim to be some guitar god but I can hold my own. However, I've really become a specialized instrument. I play what I like to play and play that rather well. A lot of other stuff that I don't care much for will be a challenge to some degree. Sure, I'll pick it up much faster then a noob, but I won't sound as tho i've been at 32 years either.
But whatever. Last night and this morning was great for playing. A passage that I had found a number of months back got some new stuff added to it. As a matter of fact, it's now just about a complete song. I can hear the singing and the guitar is in place.
The key, and this harkens back to the first sentence in this rant, is that it's difficult stuff. I've gotten into this thing or sound that requires slides to affect lightning fast position changes. It's funny how it started with another passage I wrote a couple of months back then worked it's way into the one in question. However, in finishing the song, it's now blossomed to a level of difficulty that almost has me feeling like a beginner.
But man does it sound awesome also!
It's a good thing I learned sometime back how to practice. In short, only play it as fast as you can play it perfectly.
Prolly the funniest thing I've learned in my playing in the last two years is how much the consideration of showmanship and performance increases as the difficulty of passages increase. I never gave it much thought before, but those lazy sloppy days have to go away to pull off the stuff I'm doing now.
BTW, this is my main guitar these days. Pretty well knackered, but I love it.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Just plain bad | Just plain good. Skinship > Wamu!
I went a long ways down in the last 12 hours and came a long ways back up. Now that may not make a lot of sense, and how could it without some background right?
A couple of weeks back a break down (tranny) put me in a real tight bind (well, it was actually my insistence on not asking for help (in some way) that doomed me to the present troubles). It was so bad as a matter of fact that when my primary account went negative the bank hit me for overdraft fee's totalling over 500 bucks! Suddenly not having the money to take care of some important bills, things looked pretty damn dark.
Now in the story of a lot of peoples lives this is the point where medication makes an appearance. Personally, I chose a different path long ago. However, there are still things that make a huge difference when you need just a couple of moments of bliss.
For me, that "couple of moments of bliss" is named Lauren. 5'8", beautiful and strong shoulders and arms, beautiful brown eyes, an amazing mane of brown hair, and absolutely crazy and rambunctious. She's is absolutely perfect!
Before many of you start to get too far into the gutter, just go ahead and stop right now. It's not that kind of thing. While we I adore each other to death, WE ARE FRIENDS!!! While I could very easily see myself being involved with her, it's most likely not in the cards for numerous reason for both parties.
That said, she, just like me, is very affectionate and intimate. She, just like me, rates intimacy well above sex. She just like me loves holding and being held. On top of that, she loves being at the beach.
I have a plan for her!
So no, we are not having sex. So no, we are not even kissing.
That said, there is an amazing affinity blossoming between the two of us. An amazing skinship. An amazing bond that I know is going to rip my guts out in a year or so when I move. The kind of crushing seperation that pushes parents that lose their children into depression and mates that lose their significants in the mad weight loss. The ever present empty feeling that hangs around for what seems like ages after you've learned how to breathe again.
Lauren put me in a good place last night. Instead of going to sleep full of dred and stress, I went to sleep with a smile on my face. I went to sleep smelling her on my shirt and pulling her hair out of my goatee. I went to sleep smiling thinking about her way out jokes and stories. I went to sleep thinking about how she was gorgeous in that long brown summer dress. I went to sleep thinking of those broad, strong, soft shoulders and the feel of her skin. And finally, I went to sleep totally happy that she is totally happy when she is with me.
Sooo Wamu 0: Lauren 1.
A couple of weeks back a break down (tranny) put me in a real tight bind (well, it was actually my insistence on not asking for help (in some way) that doomed me to the present troubles). It was so bad as a matter of fact that when my primary account went negative the bank hit me for overdraft fee's totalling over 500 bucks! Suddenly not having the money to take care of some important bills, things looked pretty damn dark.
Now in the story of a lot of peoples lives this is the point where medication makes an appearance. Personally, I chose a different path long ago. However, there are still things that make a huge difference when you need just a couple of moments of bliss.
For me, that "couple of moments of bliss" is named Lauren. 5'8", beautiful and strong shoulders and arms, beautiful brown eyes, an amazing mane of brown hair, and absolutely crazy and rambunctious. She's is absolutely perfect!
Before many of you start to get too far into the gutter, just go ahead and stop right now. It's not that kind of thing. While we I adore each other to death, WE ARE FRIENDS!!! While I could very easily see myself being involved with her, it's most likely not in the cards for numerous reason for both parties.
That said, she, just like me, is very affectionate and intimate. She, just like me, rates intimacy well above sex. She just like me loves holding and being held. On top of that, she loves being at the beach.
I have a plan for her!
So no, we are not having sex. So no, we are not even kissing.
That said, there is an amazing affinity blossoming between the two of us. An amazing skinship. An amazing bond that I know is going to rip my guts out in a year or so when I move. The kind of crushing seperation that pushes parents that lose their children into depression and mates that lose their significants in the mad weight loss. The ever present empty feeling that hangs around for what seems like ages after you've learned how to breathe again.
Lauren put me in a good place last night. Instead of going to sleep full of dred and stress, I went to sleep with a smile on my face. I went to sleep smelling her on my shirt and pulling her hair out of my goatee. I went to sleep smiling thinking about her way out jokes and stories. I went to sleep thinking about how she was gorgeous in that long brown summer dress. I went to sleep thinking of those broad, strong, soft shoulders and the feel of her skin. And finally, I went to sleep totally happy that she is totally happy when she is with me.
Sooo Wamu 0: Lauren 1.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
And another! (Killer Emiliana Torrini song that is)
Oh my, this is a killer song. I got this feeling I'll be playing some guitar tonight.
Of course, the live versionrecording just doesn't do it justice.
Of course, the live versionrecording just doesn't do it justice.
Emiliana Torrini
I've long been seeing / hearing killer song after killer song pop up on as I listen to Lush / SomaFM from Emiliana Torrini.
First off, that's an awesome name!
Second: She's gorgeous!
But that really doesn't matter. What's cool is the music and her voice. As can be told from earlier posts, I love female singers and good chick music, if you want to call it that.
At this point in time, the song I want to play over and over again is Baby Blue. An awesome sound that harmonically manages to remind of the clever stuff from the Beatles and many musicians copied in the '70's. The guitar work during the chorus has a Cheap Trick sound, if you can believe that.
But listen to her voice. Kind of sweet and sharp or biting at the same time. Unmistakably female, there's also the same touch of a seemingly drunken Mazzy Star feel with regards to how some notes are handled.
I think music is one of the greatest gifts ever! To not enjoy something like this is a shame.
*** Ahh! OK! I remember now the other person she reminds me of. Yet another woman with an amazingly sweet voice. EDIE BRICKELL!!!
Man, I'm getting old. ROFL!!!!
First off, that's an awesome name!
Second: She's gorgeous!
But that really doesn't matter. What's cool is the music and her voice. As can be told from earlier posts, I love female singers and good chick music, if you want to call it that.
At this point in time, the song I want to play over and over again is Baby Blue. An awesome sound that harmonically manages to remind of the clever stuff from the Beatles and many musicians copied in the '70's. The guitar work during the chorus has a Cheap Trick sound, if you can believe that.
But listen to her voice. Kind of sweet and sharp or biting at the same time. Unmistakably female, there's also the same touch of a seemingly drunken Mazzy Star feel with regards to how some notes are handled.
I think music is one of the greatest gifts ever! To not enjoy something like this is a shame.
*** Ahh! OK! I remember now the other person she reminds me of. Yet another woman with an amazingly sweet voice. EDIE BRICKELL!!!
Man, I'm getting old. ROFL!!!!
Dragonfly down
It seems a friend of mine has gone away. At least I got a chance to send her a note. At least I got a chance to tell her how much I've missed her. To tell her how important she is to me and just how much affect she's had on my life.
Losing her the first time is what I imagine a parent feels when losing a child. An eternity of emptiness that ebbs away so slowly as to be barely noticeable. You just get used to it. You just become accustomed to feeling as tho you are wasting away, starving, and unable to breathe. Crushed!
How do you choke off love? How do you kill longing?
It's not easily or often that someone bores into me in this manner. That someone turns into a weed that grows in me stealthily. By the time I was aware, I was completely coopted. The daily injection of her was so regular, how could I have know that I was addicted? How could I have known that there was a dependence on her dry wit? How could I have known?
This is the price I pay for being open I guess. But if the alternative is cold brutishness, I'll take my chances.
Losing her the first time is what I imagine a parent feels when losing a child. An eternity of emptiness that ebbs away so slowly as to be barely noticeable. You just get used to it. You just become accustomed to feeling as tho you are wasting away, starving, and unable to breathe. Crushed!
How do you choke off love? How do you kill longing?
It's not easily or often that someone bores into me in this manner. That someone turns into a weed that grows in me stealthily. By the time I was aware, I was completely coopted. The daily injection of her was so regular, how could I have know that I was addicted? How could I have known that there was a dependence on her dry wit? How could I have known?
This is the price I pay for being open I guess. But if the alternative is cold brutishness, I'll take my chances.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Console_GetOpt
For you PHP nerds out there, I'm sick and tired of GetOpt. It's nice and useful for dealing with gathering command line arguments, but HOW you get to those arguments is the problem.
As an example, if I pass an argument to a script such as ....
"some_script -p Jack -u Dempsy"
... then the data structure I get back is something like...
Now is it just me or is that kind of cumbersome? Wouldn't it be nice to get back something like...
That said, I wrote this.
This will provide the type of data structure we're talking about.
I sent this as a note to "somebody" at the PEAR site. It would be great if I could actualy send it straight to a maintainer but the site doesn't seem to support this.
Now let's see what happens shall we?
As an example, if I pass an argument to a script such as ....
"some_script -p Jack -u Dempsy"
... then the data structure I get back is something like...
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[0] => p
[1] => Jack
)
[1] => Array
(
[0] => u
[1] => Dempsy
)
)
[1] => Array
(
)
)
Now is it just me or is that kind of cumbersome? Wouldn't it be nice to get back something like...
Array
(
[p] => Jack
[u] => Dempsy
)
That said, I wrote this.
function &condense_arguments($args)
{
$new_args_list=array();
foreach($args[0] as $arg)
{ $new_args_list[$arg[0]]=$arg[1]; }
return $new_args_list;
}
This will provide the type of data structure we're talking about.
I sent this as a note to "somebody" at the PEAR site. It would be great if I could actualy send it straight to a maintainer but the site doesn't seem to support this.
Now let's see what happens shall we?
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sylvanna is dead! Long live Sylvanna!
Yeah, that's the case. I've decided to stop any further work on my project car, Sylvanna (a turbocharged '89 Volvo 244). Other things in life are forcing my hand and forcing my schedule.
This is really a bummer in my mind. My ex wife and I picked up the car when we got back into the country and needed something to get us by while we worked towards other things. After getting my wife a 765 Turbo, I turbocharged Sylvanna, did a lot of work towards the guage set, suspension, transmission, audio, wheels, and have recently had a worked head finished and delivered a block for a rebuild.
Driving the car was the bomb. Mad torque and killer handling. It accellerated off corners like a bomb blast! When it got sideways, it always provided tons of feedback and the Fuzion ZRI's give great feedback while not being harsh during the transitions between sliding and traction.
Prolly the only area where it was kind of a bummer was the brakes. 240's have fantastic OEM brakes with gigantic 4 piston calipers. Remove the glaze from the rotors and the bite and overall power is impressive by modern standards. The problem I was having however seemed to be the rotors, fixing run out, and getting them and the Hawk HP+S pads to bed properly.
I really enjoyed that car a great deal and will really miss seeing it go away. :-(
On the bright side, almost all of the things that have been done can be translated to my other 244, Motoko. That said, I've already started the process of moving stuff to the other car. So far, I've got the drivers seat, front speakers, spacers and wheels, and front sway bar and end links (with poly bushings). So from now until as long as it takes, I'll be subracting from Sylvanna to add to Motoko.
There are some other advantages as well. Since I got a suspension rebuild kit (essentially all new bushings for both ends), I can just take some of the bits off Sylvanna, rebuild, and put on Motoko. This will work great with the control arms and trailing arms that I'm still going to have braced and boxed.
You know, another way of looking at all of this is that Sylvanna is being transplanted into Motoko. A lot of Sylvanna will live on in Motoko. Considering the rebuilt engine and AW71 will be there, a lot of what was the very heart of Sylvanna is making the trip.
Now just to find a roommate! $1300 bucks by yourself sucks!
I'll get pics of Motoko up in upcoming posts.
This is really a bummer in my mind. My ex wife and I picked up the car when we got back into the country and needed something to get us by while we worked towards other things. After getting my wife a 765 Turbo, I turbocharged Sylvanna, did a lot of work towards the guage set, suspension, transmission, audio, wheels, and have recently had a worked head finished and delivered a block for a rebuild.
Driving the car was the bomb. Mad torque and killer handling. It accellerated off corners like a bomb blast! When it got sideways, it always provided tons of feedback and the Fuzion ZRI's give great feedback while not being harsh during the transitions between sliding and traction.
Prolly the only area where it was kind of a bummer was the brakes. 240's have fantastic OEM brakes with gigantic 4 piston calipers. Remove the glaze from the rotors and the bite and overall power is impressive by modern standards. The problem I was having however seemed to be the rotors, fixing run out, and getting them and the Hawk HP+S pads to bed properly.
I really enjoyed that car a great deal and will really miss seeing it go away. :-(
On the bright side, almost all of the things that have been done can be translated to my other 244, Motoko. That said, I've already started the process of moving stuff to the other car. So far, I've got the drivers seat, front speakers, spacers and wheels, and front sway bar and end links (with poly bushings). So from now until as long as it takes, I'll be subracting from Sylvanna to add to Motoko.
There are some other advantages as well. Since I got a suspension rebuild kit (essentially all new bushings for both ends), I can just take some of the bits off Sylvanna, rebuild, and put on Motoko. This will work great with the control arms and trailing arms that I'm still going to have braced and boxed.
You know, another way of looking at all of this is that Sylvanna is being transplanted into Motoko. A lot of Sylvanna will live on in Motoko. Considering the rebuilt engine and AW71 will be there, a lot of what was the very heart of Sylvanna is making the trip.
Now just to find a roommate! $1300 bucks by yourself sucks!
I'll get pics of Motoko up in upcoming posts.
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