Stellarium really is a first-class piece of software. It makes me wish I lived somewhere where I could see more than half a dozen stars. One of these days, when mini-Elbeno is older, we’ll have to make a midnight trip out to the desert to do some astronomy. West LA is a far cry from… Continue reading Stellarium is brilliant
Knowing what to search for
The Internet has its limits. Sometimes one of those limits is simply not knowing what to search for. There is a book that I read in school which I have been trying to track down for many years. It was an anthology of short stories, called Twisters – each story had a surprise ending, you… Continue reading Knowing what to search for
Rock the mix
Mini-Elbeno has always loved Guitar Hero, especially certain songs. So I’ve made him a mix CD for the car… I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Back In Black – AC/DC Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ – Judas… Continue reading Rock the mix
IFComp so far…
SPOILERS AHEAD (But for games that are pretty bad, so you might not be bothered…) Somewhat perversely, I like to try play the worst games first, and get them out of the way. I score not according to a strict system, but vaguely according to puzzle fun, plot, and implementation competence, with a good helping… Continue reading IFComp so far…
14th Annual IF Comp is underway!
Get the games while they’re fresh! Just in time for my enforced 2-week hiatus from work…
Cancelled
My project got cancelled today. I don’t have too much to add to the official memo; I am one of the lucky ones who now has his pick of which project to go to next. Many good people I worked with have been let go; others have been shifted to other projects; I expect some… Continue reading Cancelled
Optician
Yesterday I went to the optician for my yearly checkup. I still have 20/20 vision (both eyes at 0) and intraocular pressure of 15 mmHg in both eyes, which is normal. Since I have a family history of glaucoma, my optometrist always does the pressure test. I also have a small nevus (mole!) on my… Continue reading Optician
Money music
If there’s a silver lining to the current financial crisis, it’s that I prefer the “market down” music on NPR’s Marketplace Morning Report to the “market up” music. Markets are up: they play We’re in the Money Markets are down: they play Stormy Weather Markets are a mixture: they play It Don’t Mean a Thing… Continue reading Money music
How many programming languages do you know?
I had a lecturer in university who claimed to have taught something in the region of 15 languages. I was wondering recently about how many languages I know and how to count them, given that there are many languages out there that are similar. Do C and C++ count as different? I think most people… Continue reading How many programming languages do you know?
Dreamhost backups: the appropriate incantation
Recently, and without much fanfare, Dreamhost introduced backup users. Each account gets a single backup user, whose function is to provide a remote backup. Dreamhost’s TOS states that regular user content must be served on the web: it is not intended to be a backup service. However, clearly the need for remote backups exists, and… Continue reading Dreamhost backups: the appropriate incantation