Category: Personal

Perhaps I can save you the price of a ticket with this interpretation.

I realize that Sun’s best path to profitability is selling as much hardware as possible, but the fact that they’d do a press release with Oracle exclaiming that Oracle’s application set a performance record still strikes me as odd since Sun has its own application server. And from what my contacts inside Sun tell me, the managers of that product put no pressure on the developers to deliver performance, or even quality. Just release new versions on some picked from thin air schedule, or close to it, and upper levels are happy. One is tempted to agree with Merrill Lynch’s Steve Milunivich that SUNW still has about 20% too many employees.

Later: Just to add to the amusement over management at Sun regarding their expertise with software: the brand name for the enterprise software line is changing. Again. SunONE was only unveiled last year but in a flash of brilliance TPTB have decided to throw out that investment, just like they threw out the iPlanet brand the year before. Not sure exactly how the renaming will play out but Java System Web Server is the new name of the web server, so one would think that Java System Application Server will follow soon.

Coming to a home near yours soon: Design of a Primitive Nanofactory

One of my good friends and I disagree about the intentions and aspirations (that seems like a fair way to express it) of the Bush Administration and its allies. I see creeping fascism–and I use that word after careful consideration, something my friend challenged me on–almost everywhere I look. But sometimes The Powers That Be don’t even attempt to hide their actions and we get a good look, as can be seen in the decision by media conglomerate Viacom to move The Reagans from CBS to Showtime.

The government can’t revoke the license of Showtime, since a pay cable network doesn’t need one, nor can advertisers pull their money away (ditto). Executives claim that the two networks have different broadcast standards but that seems like a load of hooey to this observer–we’re not talking about nudity (yeccch! Ronnie and Nancy naked?!?!?!) or foul language but the alleged historical accuracy of a program that is not advertised as a documentary.

The dictionary.com definition of fascism includes this aspect: “suppression of the opposition through … censorship.” Where, one might ask, is the pressure coming from that’s causing this decision by Viacom? “The chairman of the Republican National Committee also told CBS President Leslie Moonves that historians should review the miniseries for historical accuracy, or that a disclaimer should be run declaring the program fiction.” So look closely, because we rarely get to see the mechanisms exposed so clearly.

No, I’m not stalking Scoble. But happy first anniversary, dude!

Scoble traces the MSFT wants to buy Google rumors back to a dinner he had a couple of weeks ago with Brin and Page at O’Reilly’s Foo Camp. I mean, of course a huge company like Microsoft would choose a guy who can barely keep his mouth shut (though in a good way) to approach such a visible company on M&A business. Of course they would use someone whose job is to get information out to do this. Of course the highly experience executives would have him do it in a meeting where there were 200 or so other people present. Talk about your ROFLs!

Scoble is standing in front of my Lotto car!

I noticed several lines on either side of my eyes in the mirror after showering today. They go nice with the first grey hairs I’m getting. Fortunately I can barely see this with my poor eyesight.

Assuming Francisco Goldman isn’t stretching the truth beyond all connection with reality, and I doubt he is, we now have a completely criminal state just south of our border in Guatemala. Some smart and ruthless characters have taken over the army and government, pretty much killing and torturing anyone who stands in their way, giving drug traffickers and, potentially, terrorists a protected haven a short plane ride away from America. So where is President CheneyBush on this tragedy, where certainly American security is at stake?

Thomas Friedman wrote a column titled “The End of the West” the other day (interesting MeFi discussion) and I’m beginning to wonder if modern technology should have more of an impact on politics, specifically in terms of international alliances, then tradition or geography. France seems to match up better with China, on numerous levels, than it does with America, while we match better (current Administration twits aside) with countries like Poland, Taiwan and Argentina than France.

A local (that is, in high cost Silicon Valley) company is posting their webmaster job on Craig’s List with a stated salary of $32,500. PhillW goes into more detail but none of it is very encouraging for me.

Good: Liverpool beat Fulham, at Fulham, 2-1 on a late penalty kick into the back of the net by the renewed Danny Murphy and an early swat by Emile Heskey. The Reds wasted a lot of the match with poor keepaway in their own half, allowing the Cottagers (gotta love that nickname, you’d never see it on an American team in any sport) to hang around and nearly win.

Not as nice was the performance of Michael Owen, whose name was only heard during the broadcast being called for offside and who is the subject of transfer rumors which have him going to Real Madrid in the January window for over US$40 million. As if the Spanish side needed another striker when they have Raul and Ronaldo plus a buttload of world class attacking midfielders.

Good: BCS doesn’t come until tomorrow but both AP and ESPN/USA Today have USC at Number Two! Good things come when you score so many points and the other team doesn’t. Oklahoma, not surprisingly, got all the first place votes in both polls.

Shocking: The 49ers’ Cedric Wilson took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, then the Rams answered with a field goal. Tim Rattay drove the Niners 72 yards ending with a short touchdown pass to Terrell Owens and later threw a bit long but rookie receiver Brandon Lloyd was able to lay out and grab it for another TD. Todd Peterson made all three PATs and a 44 yard FG, putting some equilibrium in the kicking game after the mess that was Pochman. Niners defense was stellar as well as Marc Bulger was under strong pressure most pass plays, finally resulting in a Tony Parrish interception. Halftime score: 49ers 24, Rams 3.

How does the second half start? More of the same as Bulger holds onto the ball too long and Bryant Young strips it from him. A Garrison Hearst rush and two Rattay passes put another six on the board (Peterson’s PAT was blocked), with Tai Streets making a terrific grab in tight coverage. San Francisco has certainly gotten the better of the officiating up to this point but St. Louis got a little makeup with two unearned penalties that combined gave them first and goal at the one on their next drive. Mike Martz then blew it by challenging an obvious incomplete pass and wasting a timeout, after which Bulger had another pass batted down by the DLine on fourth down. Seventh straight time a 49er QB won their debut start.

Really makes me wonder how the fuck the 49ers lost to Arizona last week.

Amusing: The Raiders never even led at Detroit and lost 23-13. They also lost their backup QB Marques Tuiasosopo who was starting today due to Rich Gannon’s injured shoulder but the Raiders were already losing 10-0 on points scored off turnovers at the time. Career failure Rick Mirer finished up.

Contrary view: Why do employers pay for health insurance?

Pattern humor

Good: USC won, won big, and won against a conference rival who were only two spots behind them in the polls; so much for the doubters who said that losing their entire backfield would mean a rebuilding year. Yeah, Carson Palmer won the Heisman and was the first pick in the NFL draft but soph QB Matt Leinart is hot, three of the four main running backs are freshman (Dennis is a sophomore), and the wide receivers (especially Mike Williams and Keary Colbert) are money.

More good: Virginia Tech did USC a huge favor by decimating previously unbeaten Miami, not even allowing the number two Hurricanes to score until late in the 4th quarter. This is going to make for some interesting reading when the BCS rankings come out Monday. UCLA and Georgia lost, Nets, Sharks, Devils and Rangers won; Sharks finally get a big offensve breakout (Alyn McCauley’s first career hat trick) and defense. Also, Cal had their second big win of the year and Stanford came out of a funk by beating the aforementioned FUCLA.

Less pleasing: The San Jose Earthquakes went down to Carson and gave it up big time, 2-0, to the Galaxy in the first leg of the opening round of the MLS playoffs. This is the second season in a row that the Quakes costed through September and October (they scored ZERO goals in the whole month of October) and fell flat in the playoffs; this loss means that they’ll have to outscore LA by three in the return match at Spartan Stadium next Sunday. Also, the New England Revolution beat the NJ/NY MetroStars by the same score in their opening match and Oklahoma and Florida State, ahead of the Trojans in the BCS standings, each won handily.

Tomorrow: Liverpool can add significantly to my cheer with a good result over the surprising Fullham squad, though I have little hope for the bruised, battered and not playing well anyway 49ers against a Rams team that’s getting revved and getting Marshall Faulk back. Raiders don’t beat the Lions they might as well go to sleep and not wake up until Spring mini-camps start; Callahan and Woodson can glare each other to death, don’t care, but Raiders cannot afford another Cleveland.

Note: Watching the USC-Washington State game reminded me of why I wouldn’t want to be a wide receiver or, more realistically, play any helmet football position since they all get hit and hit hard. Screw that!

If you were a fan of the old Airplane comedies, you might enjoy Scary Movie 3. That early ’80s comedy is probably a better point of reference than the first two Scary films, which shouldn’t be too surprising since the Wayans brothers, originators of the series, dropped out and gave control to David Zucker. He wrote and directed Airplane!, then went on to such high brow cinematic achievements as Naked Gun, the Trey Parker/Matt Stone collaboration BASEketball and this year’s Ashton Kutcher gem, My Boss’s Daughter.

SM3 is funny, and lots of laughs but really brings very little from the first two movies except Anna Farris, who had supporting roles previously but takes the lead this time alongside Charlie Sheen, Simon Rex, Regina Hall, Zucker regular Leslie Nielsen, and Anthony Anderson (in dreadlocks). Lots of high profile cameos, lots of pop culture references, and a few aliens. Actually has a plot–Zucker and co-authors Pat Proft and Craig Mazen are pros and able to work in the movie parodies without forgetting the movie isn’t just a collection of sketches.

Recommended

We’re pretty, pretty vacant.

I know that you know but I’m not sure what he knows. She knows a whole lot but I’m not clear on the details. Mr. Scott is responsible for knowledge management, these days.

Talk about your mindfucks!