Author: John Roberts

Buy your own World War II aircraft carrier, for $4,500,000. Found via Slashdot, of course. And someone does consider the obvious (to me) Snow Crash connection. Wonder how many gallons-per-mile this thing gets?

I think I’ve read most (all?) of Gibson’s novels and much of his short fiction. Reading the transcript of a recent speech he gave at the
Directors Guild of America’s Digital Day, Los Angeles on May 17, 2003 reminds me why. He’s talking about film, of course, considering his audience, but he doesn’t limit himself in any way.

Our ancestors, when they found their way to that first stone screen, were commencing a project so vast that it only now begins to become apparent: the unthinking construction of a species-wide, time-defying, effectively immortal prosthetic memory. Extensions of the human brain and nervous system, capable of surviving the death of the individual — perhaps even of surviving the death of the species. The start of building what would become civilization, cities, cinema. Vast stone calendars, megalithic machines remembering the need to plant on a given day, to sacrifice on another.

I certainly consider digital technologies as part of my personal effort to the create a “time-defying, effectively immortal prosthetic memory” — I know if I don’t write it down, I don’t remember it well enough to describe to others, even though the emotional impact resides and accrues.

One other phrase jumped out at me, in part because of Pattern Recognition, his newest novel, which I have yet to read. He describes man as:

“an animal distinguished by a peculiar ability to recognize patterns…”

What he didn’t write here is that we (humans) also have an incredible ability to try and fit patterns on anything, whether they exist or not.

My father loves a good nap. Here’s a note from EMERGIC, written by Rajesh Jain in India: “Sleeping is a universal love.” Amen.

Like so many of my classmates, I probably had an M.C. Escher poster on my dorm room wall at some point during high school or college. I certainly grew up with at least two jigsaw puzzles made from his artwork. An inventor in England was inspired, and created a wonderful illusion, where water flows uphill. Most amusing part of the article for me was the description of the man responsible: “Inventor James Dyson, he of the bagless vacuum cleaner” I guess everyone hopes to known, for whatever reason. Not having seen or used a bagless vacuum cleaner, I won’t comment on how ingenious the fellow might or might not be, but certainly the BBC found it noteworthy. Anyway, there are pictures, diagrams, and explanations of how the illusion of water flowing uphill was created.

I’ve used Google AdWords a couple of times at work, out of personal curiousity more than anything. Here a quick report from a Jupiter researcher about his effort to market his blog, and the (mild) success of AdWords for him.Of course, he doesn’t link to his own blog in the article… which may explain the title: “What If You Built a Blog and No One Came?” Since I think I have maybe three readers (including me), I’m not really one to throw stones, but then again this isn’t a professional duty. It’s just mine.

Mike proposed in a sunrise hike this morning. Samantha said yes. Yay!

Will graduated just fine, and it didn’t rain. Phi Beta Kappa for the youngest… nice work! I certainly didn’t come close to working that hard in college, and having brains ain’t enough if you’re not prepared to back them up with effort.

Memorial Day was a quick trip up to Healdsburg to relax with family and swim, before returning with Ben for a nap while Brooke stayed for a funeral. I remain torn between the urge to take a nap myself when Ben sleeps versus the impulse to rush about and get things done that will not get done with him awake. Whose time is that?

Regarding the weekend, the travel was a bit much, but it all worked out smoothly, and I was even able to get back earlier, thanks to filling the last seat on the plane from Burlington to Chicago, and then sprinting through O’Hare from one terminal to the next to get on an earlier-still flight than the one I was supposed to get. Worth the run, definitely. Earlier in the weekend, I just made a ferry from Burlington to Port Kent… saved me nearly two hours overall! On a sidenote, driving in the Lake Champlain region is beautiful this time of year.

Also, all the Lone Tree business went well, and I even lent a hand, however briefly, to some porch reconstruction. It’s gonna be a great step.

My brother graduates from college on Sunday morning in Vermont, so I’m getting on a plane tonight to get there. As the youngest of six, he was dragged/brought to so many family events it’s only right that we convene to celebrate this milestone. I’m not sure how much Will found his particular college right for him, but I know he’s ready to move on. We’ll pull/push him onwards. Congrats.

When was the last time your computer couldn’t keep up with your typing? Yeah, thought so… about never. (If you have an example, then you need to try different software!) So I appreciate Clay Shirky’s recent essay comparing “grid computing” to “push”. There are so few people who really need more cycles. Businesses do, but not people. Shirky writes, in part:

As long ago as 1968, J.R. Licklider predicted that computers would one day be more important as devices of communication than of computation, a prediction that came true when email overtook the spreadsheet as the core application driving PC purchases.

The Licklider essay is online (PDF). A 1964 viewpoint of “autonomic computation” was published in The Atlantic Monthly as “The Computers of Tomorrow. Remember your history.

Finished Bay to Breakers on Sunday in 49:59, according to the official timer. My watch had it as 49:55, but as long as I squeaked in under 50:00. I’ve been faster. Sporadic training doesn’t do it anymore. Time to pick a race and be serious. Of course, given child #2 coming and lots of work to do, additional training doesn’t seem very likely. Guess I have to remember that my really selfish days are over, or at least limited. Can I whine yet? 😉