threemonkeys | Recent Entries

Keen observers* of this blog will have noticed that there used to be book reviews here. To be honest, I have rather lost interest in writing them. But then I have been publishing them in one form or another for about 18 years. So I figure that I'm entitled to a break. I imagine I will get back to it sometime.

But what I was reminded of today is how few of them have been requested. From time to time I get offered a review copy of a book. I do the review then decline to do any more. Well I decline for a few years, then forget why I refuse, so I do another one. Then I start refusing again.

I'm not really sure what the reason for this is. I guess it has something to do with expectation or obligation that I don't want to buy into.

Why think about it today. Well I wrote this today from a supplied review copy. I won't be doing any more.

*Yes, the existence of such is a bit of a stretch, but let me have this one - OK.

Yeah I can be a bit hype averse. For example, lots of people I know raved about Koyaanisqatsi when it was doing the rounds. I finally saw it tonight.
1 - Pretty - well framed shots of stuff through interesting filters.
2 - A DIY message - suitable for projecting your own interpretations on - BYO agenda.
3 - Boring. So very very boring.

I won't be hurrying to see Avatar.

This follows on from the drop-by visit post a while back. It goes via the fact that I got woken up by a phone call last night - grr. And it hits a trigger point with this little piece, found via Boing Boing which says that The telephone was an aberration in human development. It says that the popularity of texting is because it is not as intrusive as a phone call which demands immediate attention. I would extend the argument to also include the popularity of email and discussion forums. Come to think of it, blogs and comment threads fit that model too.

There are a lot of us who are not always up for a discussion. Asynchronous mechanisms like texting and email allow us the luxury of holding a conversation at the time and pace of our choosing rather then when some other party demands it. Nor is it generally socially easy to say "I don't want to talk right now", even if that is how you feel.

Of course, there are some people who don't ever feel like this. By nature or upbringing, they are always up for a conversation. The telephone is their friend. Social gatherings are made for them too. If you go into a social situation, you are signaling your availability for conversation. But at least you have some control over that situation. You aren't subjected to the same intrusiveness that the phone suddenly ringing presents.

I suppose you could argue that its all about controlling your life. I'm not convinced that is the case though. Interesting times eh?

Did you know that if you do a nation wide online white pages search for "A Fake" you get three hits.

Don't you hate it when you have a good idea, then at the last minute you get told about a constraint that breaks the whole thing - a constraint that you had been previously assured wasn't the case.

In this case I came up with an algorithm for compressing data down to fit within a particular system constraint. The off the shelf tools we had available didn't quite fit the requirement so I came up with something simple to do it.

This sort of stuff happens pretty often really. The reason why it was of note this time is that it used skills (bit level manipulation logic) that I haven't used in a very long time. It was surprising just how easily it all came back. The satisfaction factor was high until the extra constraint was suddenly revealed.

*insert expletive here*

You should try to learn a new thing every day. What I learned today is that even in this day and age, it is possible to be a registered, legal, above-board company in this country and have no visibility to a google search. None at all.

I'm aghast. Not really at the practicalities of managing it - but just why?!

Luckily the companies office has an online search.

Gosh, I've had the computer I'm using for nearly a year now and until today I didn't need an ftp client. Luckily adding such a client as a Firefox add-in only takes a few seconds and I could do the web site update that I needed to do. But what was the update?

Nominations for the FFANZ delegate to attend Aussiecon 4 are now open.

Yep, if you are a New Zealand fan and want to represent Kiwi fandom at the worldcon, then why not put yourself forward. Similarly, if you know somebody suitable, why not nominate them.

That web site I was updating - it's over here. It has a little bit of the history etc of the Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand.

And, yes I know its ugly - one of these days...

Malcolm McLaren has died. A manic publicist, he wasn't as brilliant and important as he thought he was - but then nobody could be. Nevertheless, he was there when the music world needed somebody like him and for that I thank him.

I've dropped into the habit of saying "good news everybody" when delivering news to people at work. Thing is, nobody at work watches Futurama. My Farsworthisms aren't really appreciated.

I only note that by way of passing the time. Actually, there is proper good news. There will be a NZ natcon in 2011 after all. It is called ConText and it will be at QB weekend next year in Auckland. Interestingly Continuum 7 will be the following weekend - mysteriously also QB weekend in Melbourne.

What this means is that all you poor people who won't be able to do the NZ and Aussie convention thing back-to-back this year can do it next year instead. Well its a thought isn't it.

PS

luciusmalfoy - you really need to visit the Continuum website. You will know why when you get there.

Hybrid vigor. Its when you breed two distinct populations and end up with a stronger offspring. It works for good solid mathematical and somewhat less solid but also good genetic reasons. But either way you validate it, not all the offspring actually are enhanced. Sometimes you end up with duds. The mathematics pretty much dictate it. And by extension, there are a whole bunch of results in between.

It doesn't quite work the same way when you try to make literary hybrids. There aren't the same mathematics that you can apply. But then the starting populations are never that separate anyway. But there is one thing that animal populations and literary forms have in common. Yes there are strong outcomes, but there are also duds.

This stuff is what came to mind as I started reading Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds. Space Opera plus Steampunk is what we are talking here. Plus some other bits I guess. But why the focus on the dud end of the hybrid outcomes? No, it isn't really a dud - it's just that it isn't strong either, its well down the dud end. Not as strong as Reynold's other work. Sometimes things don't come together the way you want.

Watching Lab Rats prompts me to ask... What is your favourite element? And why?

(That is chemical element from the periodic table of course.)

Enquiring minds want to know.

Supplementary question. What is your favourite temperature?

I bought a package of handkerchiefs yesterday. They aren't uncommon things - I think most menswear stores carry them. As do places like the Warehouse or even PaknSave. That would indicate that they are still everyday items. However I don't really think of them as everyday anymore and that is because of tissues. I don't think anybody blows their nose with a handkerchief these days - nobody wants to carry snot around with them.

I do think though that handkerchiefs still have their place. A single re-usable hankie is much more portable than a box of tissues. Even one of those little travel packs of 10 tissues - useful things to keep in the notebook bag or the car. And a handkerchief has lots of utility value that a tissue doesn't have. I've seen plenty of things tied up with a hankie because there wasn't a bit if string close by. And in a minor accident they are better at staunching blood than a tissue.

But it in the area of sweat that I find that the humble handkerchief really comes into its own. The lunchtime walk often has me perspiring by the end of it. Mopping my forehead with my easily carried handkerchief is essential to comfort. Try wiping your face with a tissue and you will have little bits of paper all over yourself - especially if you drag the tissue over a half day facial hair growth. Even using the more efficient blotting motion, it still isn't satisfactory.

Of course, there is also the whole re-usable thing. At the end of the day, it goes into the laundry pile and after a wash is ready for action again. I bet you all know what happens when you put a tissue in the wash.

Interested in science writing? There are lots of people blogging about various science related bits & pieces. There are consequently people who make lists of such writing. But for coolness of presentation, this list of science bloggers leaves the rest for dead. Have a look and you will see why.

Excuse me while I dream a little. Have a look at this. I'll wait while you admire the pictures.

Isn't it beautiful. Not for what it looks like (although it looks great) but for what it represents. I always wanted to go into space. I grew up listening and watching the Mercury and Gemini missions and I remember the Moon landing with great clarity (although not necessarily accuracy). I remember that Pan Am announced that they were selling advance bookings for commercial flights to the Moon. It was going to happen before the end of the century - that's last century they were talking about.

So Virgin are taking some small steps. At some level it makes me sad. This venture will only take people to LEO and I will never be able to ride it anyway. And yet, I'm happy that the steps are being taken.

And I'm not going to stop dreaming of going to true outer space.

I need a small simple zippered durable pouch to keep some compact electronics safe in. I cannot find anything that suits - not even amongst the stupidly overpriced accessories for iStuff. Not that I buy iStuff anyway.

But I did spot something for sale today that comes in a bag that would do the job nicely. Is it wrong to contemplate buying an item just for the bag it comes in?

I know y'all are thinking about the Hugos right now, but just a reminder that the Sir Julius Vogel Awards nominations are open until the end of the month.

Key points:

Anybody can nominate. Yes, that means you can nominate.

Any New Zealand citizen or resident is eligible. That means non-resident citizens are eligible.

The SJVs has a lot more categories than the Hugos. Yeah, I don't know why either.

I offer the following two links without further comment...
Australia
New Zealand

Waves at

beagl.

Too much negativity today. I need to think positive. How about this. As a result of the atmosphere today, I left work 10 minutes earlier than I would usually do. Within a couple of minutes of arriving home the rain started bucketing down. If I hadn't been smart/lucky/whatever I would have been soaked at my normal time. That is A Good Thing (tm). Any more positive stories out there? The more trivial the better.

ETA: No trivial rain either look at this.

Time goes by quickly. Already it is Girl Guide Biscuit season again. I find myself falling into a pattern of observing the arithmetic abilities of the sellers of these additively tasty shortbread treats.

A couple of years ago, the girls selling to me were simply not capable of adding up the cost of the packets that they had sold me. No it wasn't because it was a large number either.

Last time, the girl running the transaction was supportively coached through the calculation by her parental minder (could have been her mother - given the way Guide troupe events seem to run it may have not have been).

This morning the girl confidently did the calculation (correctly) but then looked over at parental minder for confirmation. The minder furrowed her brow and muttered something about high finance. It didn't matter, the girl was already giving me my change. I don't know why but I felt encouraged by that.

I got home last night to find a For Sale sign at the front of my property. No, I'm not moving. It appears as if the neighbours are on the way out - not that they have told me.

For those of you who don't know my place, it is perched on the side of a hill and there is a shared driveway along the front/bottom of the section that is a right of way access to the neighbours place. The sign is on the grass beside the start of the driveway. It is a logical place to put a sign - but it is actually on my property and directly in front of my house (albeit a lot lower). I don't mind a sign as such, but I wish they had asked me first and consulted on the specific positioning. The placement is actually pretty annoying and is probably a safety risk when entering or exiting the driveway.

Despite this little grump, I will be sad to lose these neighbours. They have been friendly and quiet and happy to keep an eye on my place when I'm away. What more could you ask really.

Trapped on a desert island? What disks would you take with you? I know the old radio show is all about music disks, but what about video or games disks? Yes, I know disks are so last century but there is a reason.

So given the availability of a player and a power source, what video disks would I take? No - there won't be any games.

Well one of the strongest contenders would be the box set of Daria - the animated MTV series. It is very smart and funny and I can happily watch it many times.

But, I know some of you are fans of the show and you will be saying - "Daria isn't available as a box set". But yes it is - just look here.

Yes, that was the whole point of that desert island disks ramble. Your point being? Now if it was a dessert island ramble...

Just heard a phrase that I haven't heard for ages. "Come the revolutions [insert group here] will be first up against the wall and shot". Or some variation thereof.

A couple of things come to mind. First, it isn't ever anybody who would actually be considered a capital punishment target. Its usually marketing people or telemarketers etc.

Second, as a phrase, it almost seems a reverse victim of celebrity. Douglas Adams use a variation of it to make a joke about the marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation in HHGTTG. They were, in a future version of the guide, "a bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the revolution came". The thing is, I haven't heard anybody use the phrase since Adams made that joke. Until today that is.

So, come the revolution, who would you line up against the wall? Assuming you hadn't been lined up first.

Last week there was a dead rat in the work car park.

Today there was a dead duck.

Symbolism?

So the Super 14 started this weekend and I've just watched the Crusaders beat the Highlanders. Usually at this time of year it's almost obligatory to say that it seems to early for rugby. But not this year - perhaps it's the lack of summer that does it. That doesn't stop me planning to appreciate another month of cricket though.

I say this in the knowledge that as an SF fan in this country, that puts me in a significant minority. I'm not sure why that is, It doesn't seem to be so much the case across the Tasman. One thing you do see here from time to time is the vocally dismissive fan. The SF fan who makes disparaging remarks about sport that pretty much mirror the dismissive remarks that the same fan would so hate about their own interests. Serious hypocrisy there. But luckily most non sporty fans just seem to regard my sport interests as a mildly harmless eccentricity. Oddly paralleling the way my SF fandom is regarded in the the non fannish world.

So in full self awareness, I say, please don't try to engage me about the Winter Olympics. Here is this huge sporting event and yet I have absolutely no interest in any of the events - not one. Actually, I have similar lack of interest in the Summer games too. As per the above, I'm cool if you are interested, but I really don't want to hear about it.

And don't even get me started about the America's cup.

In return I promise not to talk rugby at you unless you are actually interested too.

I've taken a day leave today. Why?

Because we didn't get a day off for Waitangi day this year? Good reason but no.

Because there is a cricket match to watch? Bangladesh = No.

Because there is so much work to do around the house? Well there is, but that isn't it.

Because it is the superbowl today? That is certainly a reason I have used in the past. But I'm no longer the fan I was, so no.

Why? Because I really just need a day off work.

Kage Baker died last night. I loved her work - she was a superb author and will be much missed.

Childhood memories time again. From time to time, our parents would bundle us in the car and we would all go for a drive somewhere. But no matter what the announced destination of the drive, there would always be a side trip. Our mother would say "lets drop in on ..." and a visit would happen. No prior arrangements would have been made - the drop-in was a surprise to the victim who would always be welcoming and rush around to be hospitable - making tea and the like. It happened in reverse too - we would occasionally get unexpected visitors doing the drop-in as well.

So, from my upbringing, there is a tendency to think of the drop-by as normal. Yet I have never practised it myself. There is something vaguely intrusive about visiting somebody unannounced that just gets the attention of my politeness reflexes. So I don't do it. On the other hand, if somebody drops by I don't really have any reason to think that it is unusual behaviour. Those same politeness reflexes mean that I open my door and welcome them.

A couple of things make me wonder though. The weekend just gone, I wasn't feeling well. I had a couple of unexpected drop-by visits from people who I had to give a pretty swift hello and goodbye. I really wasn't in a good state to receive visitors.

This added to a similar thing that was raised on Moata's blog a couple of weeks ago. In the comments, all the people who expressed an opinion about the unexpected drop-by were clearly against it. There was a clearly stated opinion in favour of the warning call or text message.

So I'm asking the same question here. How do you folk feel about the unexpected drop-by visit? Has its acceptability changed as communication technology has changed?

On a related note, how about the phrase "I may call around sometime tomorrow"?

Is it just me or do others find local anniversary day holidays feel odd. It is wellington anniversary holiday today and it just seems strange that we have the day off on the day that morning report is back on the air denoting the unofficial end of the holiday times. Strange that I know (Auckland based) clients are still at work getting frustrated that we aren't there. Next weekend it works the other way. Nor is the anniversary day like a day of leave because other places are shut. Just odd.

Or it could just be the crap weather stopping me getting out to do stuff I want to.

Edit: No question now about it feeling like a holiday. The chainsaws and lawnmowers are out in force now.

The current fashion in British documentary making is to have them presented in some sort of hands on manner by an expert. So amongst recent documentaries I have been following is a documentary abut how geology shaped the planet presented by a geologist and a documentary about the history of mathematics presented by mathematician. And then there is the one that I just now watched the first episode. A documentary about the history of chemistry - presented by ... a physicist. What! He is a perfectly good presenter, but really, are there no chemists able to do the job? I despair if the answer to that is yes.

To forestall any smartarse who quotes "all chemistry is just an exercise in applied physics" or worse "all science is either physics or stamp collecting" (said jokingly by Ernest Rutherford who won his Nobel prize in chemistry), be warned that you may be in for a good slapping. I might also say to you: physics is to chemistry as masturbation is to sex. Good fun but no substitute for the real thing. Or then again I might not say that.

It is one of those regular con panel topics - "its 20xx and where is my flying car" or why isn't the future as cool as I thought it would be. So therefore every so often along comes an article showing off the latest attempt at a real flying car. All these attempts just don't really cut it and I think the main problem is that they are still really like planes - they need specialised infrastructure - i.e. a runway.

But this one shows a bit of promise. It has hover/VTOL capability. Really, it is more like a personal helicopter than a flying car - you can't use it on the road. But I don't think that is the important thing - personal convenient point to point flying is what matters. And it is electric.

There are a bunch of reasons why letting everybody fly is a bad idea, but that doesn't stop me wanting one.