Stack Overflow makes it quite clear that they frown upon the submission of questions exhibiting signs of spontaneity sans investigative effort on the part of the inquisitor, hence my reluctance to wade in there like some jackass who gets drunk and hits-up Twitter on a weeknight. Asking dumb questions can sully one's ranking on this particular website, so I intend to preserve my current good standing by waiting until I've got a real whack-a-mole of a hangup in my script before surrendering my work to expert analysis.
I know enough about coding to know that my code would be considered extremely inelegant and full of needless redundancies by any real acolyte, so prior to almost giving in with an "ask," I renamed the variables - thinking that perhaps such purposeful absurdity might soften the irritatingly pedestrian nature of my question. It was tempting to just ask, especially after hours of bumbling around between round and square brackets, careless typos, and fruitless sifting. In the end, however, I managed to refrain and finally managed to get something working on my own.
Not sure if it's safe to stick in the sidebar of this blog, but I'll try anyway. I present to you esteemed reader, my first triumph in writing JavaScript. Check out the Sackhammer!
Are you spellbound by a media induced trance? Am I? I know it's easy for me to spend hours sifting through my Facebook feed, clicking off into unexpected tangents and reading article upon article, opinion after opinion. It's sure a heck of a lot easier to do that than to fill a page on this blog or take the dog for a walk.
I'm the sort of person who, if it weren't for personal computers, would fill most of my day with sedentary activities anyway, so it's not as though I feel social media is pulling me away from what would be an otherwise active sort of lifestyle. Of course, I'm also a curious minded person who appreciates a multifaceted approach to the familiar.
For example, I might say to myself something like, "Facebook is a customizable platform I find useful for bringing a blend of current affairs, opinions, and humour to my attention in a convenient fashion. It's easy to use, and it allows me to connect with friends or other ordinary people."
Does this not ring true? It does for me. I also realize however that Facebook is highly advanced and complex system that uses artificially intelligent constructs to steer targeted advertising to the end user. I suspect it also tracks and tabulates every link a user clicks, and every word they type. Why wouldn't it? Does it bother me? Not yet! I posted this lame video on Facebook after punching around in OpenOffice Impress. It's an impressive piece of software that I managed to use in a very unimpressive way,
I could drive myself bonkers thinking about what sorts of data-based profiling initiatives may or may not exist in relation to my writing. Twitter's the same-same but different. It has a more linear feel to it. Recently I've gotten into some other websites like Stack Overflow and W3 Schools in my quest to learn how to effectively write code and get more out of my computing experience.
Another way to get news is through RSS feeds. I've always been aware of them, but only just recently have I begun to employ them as a way to browse headlines. I find that Mozilla Thunderbird, an email client, is great for processing the news feeds of my favorite media channels.
A GIF screen capture of The Lynx browser channeling
the CBC website on my Windows 7 desktop.
It can all be a little overwhelming as there's really no limitations to the ways in which one can cross-utilize different applications to filter and manipulate internet traffic.
Kicking back with a piping hot cup of coffee and taking-in a videotaped introductory university lecture can open regions of your brain you never knew existed. Although I was a bit of a laggard in high school maths, I've always found numbers and their geometry fascinating. Yesterday, while looking into using the Octave programming language, it reoccurred to me how deficient I am when it comes to more advanced mathematical concepts, and I happened upon one of professor Edward Frenkel's classes after nosing around with Google. He's really good:
It's fair to say I have a rather glum outlook when it comes to my own prospects in regard to employment. Given my dodgy work experience history, merely landing an interview would be a minor miracle.
This morning I was contemplating starting a business. Of course I'd need a business loan. That wouldn't be much of an obstacle in itself, considering a current initiative in our province to spur growth in the economy.
I did some quick math based on a presumption that I could generate $200 per day in profits over and above associated operational costs. Working five days a week, that would total a sum of $52,200 annually before servicing the $90,000 in debt I incur with the borrowed seed money. Supposing that I paid myself a modest $24,000 per year, it'd leave me with $28,200 per annum to repay the loan. Barring any unforseeable glitches it'd take about three years before I'm running fully in the black.
Of course, I'd be working nine hours a day, 260 days a year, and handling every aspect of the business for what would amount to a wage equivalency of about $10.10 per hour in the first three years, and $22.00 per hour thereafter - at which point, some unanticipated expense would surely manifest, and I'd be back at square one.
In all honesty, I don't yet feel ready for anonymous contributions. I'm getting there... still working on formulating some realistic dimensions to encompass my future media empire.
Unlike big bureaucracy, I'm reluctant to gamble with other people's money. A friend once slapped a CDN $20 note into my pauper's hand at a casino, and I was almost overcome with anxiety over the gesture. At his insistence, I tried my luck - but between you and I, I'd have rather spent it on whiskey!
I guess I'm someone who's grown quite accustomed to operating on allowances that would measurably equivocate to quantifiable boundaries spanning whatever breadth lies between perks enjoyed by modern-day serfs, and the pleasures afforded indentured slaves - call it my comfort zone. There's no pressure to deliver a return on investment.
If ever I have a financially winning idea, trust that you'll be the first to know about it!
I stuck a little PayPal donation link on the sidebar... just in case you happen to count yourself among the lucky who have more money than you know what to do with. If I were you, I'd probably just spend it on a fancy guitars or more RAMs for my desktop PC.
Felt it was time for a Blogger exclusive video. A little ditty I wrote yesterday morning. I just went with the first take I made along with the guitar, and then layered in some bass and harmonies.
Here are the lyrics:
When the best of the best lay their heads to rest;
"How will new new Carbon SuperTax affect life in Alberta?"
It'll lead to consternation in what were once vibrant workplaces as managers seek to pinch every possible penny merely to remain competitive.
Expectations on front line employees will escalate. Workplace tensions between workers will become palpable in an prevailing atmosphere of desperation to cling to any thankless job.
Those on fixed incomes will be forced to choose between living in the cold, or living in the dark.
Stress and anxiety becomes the new normal, placing more of a burden on municipal services - property taxes will be hiked.
Average diets will adapt to rising food prices out of necessity, and many children will go without proper nutrition at best, and empty tummies at worst.
Ensuing financial struggles will result in foreclosures on homes, skyrocketing divorce rates, and waves of suicide.
Uprisings, rebellion, and widespread chaos will make city streets menacing. Boutique retailers will shutter their displays.
The resultant chain reaction of exponentiating misery across the province is something the governing NDP sees as desirable; much to the delight of the public sector, the ensuing shitwaves will justify pouring even more money into unionized labour,
Self-proclaimed Sir Elton John impersonator, Blake Mathews, does indeed sing sometimes while playing the piano, but he's never actually done so before a live audience. Oddly enough, he's made a point of announcing that he's cancelling pretend bookings in the state of North Carolina ahead of a non-existent tour.
"Everyone's doing it, and I sort-of felt excluded," he admits, "but just because I've never actually performed as an Elton John impersonator, doesn't mean I'm not an Elton John impersonator. I've done promotional stuff like photo shoots, and I might decide to take my show on the road eventually."
When asked about his stance concerning the so-called bathroom bill he tells me, "I've suffered from anxiety about using public restrooms since adolescence, so I can understand people's frustration. I never use them myself. I'll risk going behind a dumpster before I set foot in the men's room."
Pembroke, ON - In a bid to "streamline consumer electronics policy with environmental goals," Hon. Misty Dunfien, Minister of Science, announced yesterday the introduction of a bill that aims to see the desktop PC become a thing of the past in households across Canada. The announcement took place outside the St. Pierre Community Hall during a ribbon cutting for a new low-income housing co-op.
"These boat anchors demand considerable levels of electricity to power all their cooling fans and hard disk drives and whatnot. With the advent of clown computing and a general shift toward the remote provisioning of processing power, we feel that the average Canadian should have no need to continue running these energy hungry boat anchors in their homes."
Bill C-21, known as the "Green Computing Initiative" seeks to impose a licensing framework around the purchase and use of desktop computer components.
"Unless you're running a small business, do you really need a laser printer or a terabyte of disk storage? Most laptop computers today have more than enough internal storage for most home-based applications."
Professor of Mathematics Ray Khan expressed concern over the legislation, saying that it would present challenges for students who's course list includes data-intensive programs.
"It's worrisome. It seems counter intuitive that a minister of science would promote such an intrinsically anti-scientific bill," he laments, "for many students, desktop PCs provide the affordable customization needed for specific kinds of number-crunching applications. Not to mention their usefulness in web development."
The proposed legislation would include a one-time registration / licensing fee and a tariff on any electronic goods associated with desktop PCs.
"This bill will only affect a tiny segment of the population, but we feel it's the responsible thing to do if Canada is expected to take a leadership role in the reduction of greenhouse gasses," the minister said before concluding the Q & A.
