Arrogant and Rude

I try to be outgoing in social situations because other people would benefit immensely from my understanding and insight, other people want to hear what I have to say!

No, I didn't say it, but my personality test said I should. But what does that even mean? If the test is based on self reporting of what I think of myself and what I think others think about me, then isn't it still me saying that about myself? Or is the test actually smart enough to filter out people who just think their opinions are awesome from people who are actually insightful?
On the one hand it seems to have reached this conclusion because I don't tend to jump on other people's so-called flaws, but maybe it just doesn't expect a narcissist to showcase their awesomeness by being forgiving. How can I take seriously an analysis that offers no explanation whatsoever of why I am "somewhat shy and reserved at times"?

The network is the computer

Matt Posted This criticism of YouOS that I think misses some key points of why YouOS and it's Open Source competition eyeOS are important and useful. Matt complains about adding two layers of abstraction between the application and the user, but he misses another that make all the difference. Web based operating systems also add the network layer between the system and the end user.

That is the key appeal of Web apps in general, they are accessible from any browser. Networked OS's are as old as UNIX, but networked Gui's usually depend on software that is not universally installed. EyeOS/YouOS is not competing with Windows as a platform, it's competing with with Windows plus Windows Terminal Services plus having a compatible client plus praying it works plus vendor lock in. In that context Web based applications are a clear winner in most cases, and have been for a while.

Another thing I think Matt misses is that these OS's are not tied to JavaScript for anything other than basic window operations. Application back ends run on the server, can be written in any language, and can run at native speeds. If an app needs more graphical power, the front end can use Flash or Java and still tie into the API's for file access. There will be a network bottleneck, but that's inevitable for any remote access solution. Matt is right that JavaScript wasn't made for systems programming, but the only part of Web OS's that is strictly tied to JavaScript is lightweight user interface programming, which is exactly what JavaScript was designed for.

Vista is Shit

Windows Vista is the worst version of Windows I have ever used. I've had it for about a week now and that's about enough.
This is the most powerful computer I've ever owned, and it is crawling. Even after I cleared out the bloatware it came with, it stalls for seconds at a time. Video playback stutters whenever the mouse cursor goes over the video.
There have been some improvements, but most of those are basic things that should have been fixed years ago.

I tried it, I gave it a fair hearing. Now I'm shopping for a flavor of Linux to install.

It takes a village to keep a marriage together

Chris Rock on the Late Show said something like: "If you're married, you've been in therapy. There's no way you're going to keep that together naturally. It takes a village to keep a marriage together."

This is the perfect way to frame so many discussions on child rearing, family values, and society in general.

Thomas Troy viral

Thomas Troy showed up sunday at the open mic night I frequent. This is a neat attempt at viral marketing, I keep telling myself I need to do a project like this. He has created a distinctive image and is trying to make himself famous in 30 days. It is extra neat because I saw him in person, so I'll get some nostalgia value if he succeeds. He played the guitar in an amazing way, and he had funny lyrics. Afterwards 'someone' came with a camera, asked what we thought of 'the guy in the tie and glasses', and gave us his card.
I was a fan of one red paperclip, the million dollar homepage, and similar projects. I like the idea of building up from nearly nothing, probably because that's what I've got. The question is: What kind of an event do I want to build? I saw Thomas Troy play music, but I don't know if he is trying for a music career. I don't have a problem with being famous for becoming famous for the sake of fame, but playing a guitar in sunglasses is not my style either.

Character Building

61. Write a story in which, during several conversations, two people create a fictional character. You can have them argue about the character; you can have them in harmonious agreement. The character need not be at the center of the story, but he should be involved with the plot.


"I'm not sure if he should be a boy or a girl."

"He should be a girl, obviously."

"Shut up, you know what I mean. I don't know what kind of a vibe I want between the captain and the engineer.

"If the engineer is a guy, you can have him be the one engaged to the Science Officer."

"No, she's engaged to someone from her planet. Anything closer would screw up the dynamic between her and the captain."

"So just move that story to the engineer and the science officer, and make the captain a chick."

"No, the captain has to be a guy, for the Kirk effect."

"You're going for the Kirk effect?"

"Oh yeah, that's half the story. The strong male lead seducing every hot female minor character, but always putting the ship first."

"Well...If you don't want him to alienate every female crew member, he could have a strict rule against dating subordinates."

"Hmm, and that would just add to the tension with he S.O. It's forbidden for both of them."

"Yep, and you can pick your other characters without concern for Mr. Sexypants."

"The thing is, I can see some good story between the captain and the woman who runs the ship. "

"Then make her a woman for now, and if you don't want it later, then make her a lesbian. "

"A lesbian mechanic...That could work."

A Proposal on Public Proposals

All public marriage proposals ought to be accepted, just out of politeness, even if the askee doesn't want to marry the asker.

You can imagine how devestating it would feel to go through all the trouble of arranging a public proposal, a magic moment, only to be rejected. In front of witnesses. It is something that would haunt you for the rest of your life. You certainly couldn't go back to the returant again.
It is far more compassionate to say 'Yes!', smile, and let the asker have their moment. Then later, even the next day, you can express rervations. 'Cold feet' and 'going so fast' are good phrases to remember.
If you still want to consider a future together, find a reason to set a late date. If you really think you want a future together, be honest.
If you were having fun, but were put off by the unexpected seriousness, then ask for a lot of space to gather your thoughts. Just don't take too long in breaking things off entirely.

What you should not do is be honest at the moment you are entrusted with someone's potential public shame and humiliation. That brutality should not be visited upon those whose crime is adoring you.