Gathering Darkness

I was reading this blog post earlier today, which suggests that if you've been laid off, the first thing you should do is book a one-way trip to Bangkok. Coupled with Bruce Webster's (BTW, how the heck does that guy manage to maintain three seperate blogs?!) recent blog posting about why Johnny is a better programmer than I am, and a recent promotion at work where employees who achieved certain goals were rewarded with GPS devices, I find myself (not for the first time) completely mystified as to what is going on in the mind of normal people most of the time...

Maybe I'd better explain that last one. There were actually a number of options, including iPods and digital cameras, but the GPS was by far the most popular choice. I was confused by this interest in what seems to me a completely useless piece of hardware, so I asked a few people why they chose a GPS. Invariably, they responded to the effect that they plan to use it next time they travel - and a majority of responses indicated an intent to travel outside the US.

With my trip to php|tek in Chicago on the horizon, I'm already starting to panic. I'll be in a strange city, where I don't know a single person, let alone know how to get from place to place or even where I should eat.

What's the draw? Isn't there enough to do here - at home, or in your current job - to keep you interested and busy? I mean, I've already given you 16 books that should keep you sheltered in your bedroom for at LEAST a year, if you don't have enough to do at work...can someone explain this to me? Do you actually think it's going to be any better anywhere else? Am I the only one that realizes it's all pretty much crap no matter where you go, where you live, where you work....?

They've removed all licensing restrictions from the SWF format specs, as well as FLV (the video format that more-or-less created YouTube).

"Over 75% of broadcasters who stream video on the web use the FLV/F4V formats."


This might mean we finally get a decent open-source implementation, probably from the Gnash team.

During a discussion regarding "Personal Information Managers", wherein I tried to understand how they differ from "Email client", the following was delivered at the end of a long string of argumentative metaphors:

< TML> For example, I've already had ElizabethN give one concrete thing I will look around for: due dates.
< spoon> dont bother
< spoon> you wont like a pim
< spoon> they go against your moral inner fiber
< spoon> they do everything you stand against
< spoon> they are counter productive for you
< TML> spoon: What makes you say that?
< spoon> you just seem like that type of person
< TML> I don't have any kind of "moral stand" regarding PIMs.
< spoon> im making a character judgement
< spoon> because you rock at being annoying argumentative and giving good responses
< spoon> you know how to debate
< spoon> and it makes me dislike you becuase i cant

Hmm....

I hadn't seen this joke in a while, but came across it again when I was reading on Raganwald about "Green Shift". Anyway, that's just a lead-up to the following joke:

In the beginning was the Plan.
And then came the Assumptions.
And the Assumptions were without form.
And the Plan was without substance.
And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.
And they spoke among themselves, saying, "It is a crock of crap, and it stinkith"
And the Workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a pail of dung, and we cannot abide the smell."
And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer and none may abide its strength."
And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
And the Directors went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the company with powerful effects"
And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good.
And the Plan became Policy.
And that, my friends, is how crap happens.

The poll contains no valid options for my "favorite OS".