Burningbird…with the Semantic Web doings at the W3C, though doing so precludes doing much else at times.
However, not keeping up means that I’m losing important bits of information; such as this bit that Danny Ayers named his new kitten after a proposed new query language for RDF.
Ah well, at least he didn’t name her Ontaria.
Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
Over the last several months, I’ve been moving more and more of my work from my Windows/Linux dual-boot laptop to my Mac. Now with the open source development environment working so effortlessly in my PowerBook, there’s little reason to stay with my other machine.
I still get Excel spreadsheets and Word documents, but today I upgraded my OpenOffice environment to 1.1.2, and the performance and ease of use with this application has now reached a point that I can do without Office. My printer doesn’t work with my Mac, but to be honest the print drivers don’t work with many of my Windows applications. Besides my roommate’s printer just died, and he could use a new one.
Next week I’ll take my Powerbook down to the Apple Store, to the so-called Genius Bar (how pretentious can one get?) and have them fix the battery, and tell me how much it would cost to upgrade my hard driver to a larger size. After that, I’ll spend the next week cleaning out my Windows laptop and re-installing the software from scratch; giving the box and the printer to my roommate and buying a new photo-capable printer, desktop keyboard and possibly a stylus and pad for my Mac. (Suggestions on all of these would be welcome.)
At that point, for the first time since I was a tester of the earliest beta release of Windows, back in the 80’s, I won’t be using a Windows box as my primary work machine.
A few years ago, I never would have thought this could occur. I had written a best-selling book on COM/COM+ and ASP for O’Reilly, I was a member of the Microsoft Development Network, had passed several Windows certification tests, attended Windows conferences almost exclusively, and programmed primarily in VB and VC++ and just a little Java. In addition, I scoffed at the Macs with their cute graphics, and decided if I were to go with a second environment, away from my beloved Windows, it would be Linux.
This weekend, though, I was able to install several open source applications far more easily than I ever could on Linux, primarily because Mac users won’t tolerate piecemeal packages, cryptic installation instructions, and a hackers attitude of “well, if you have to ask how something works, you shouldn’t use it”. Best of all, they work out of the box on the Mac — no mucking around with Windows ‘tweaks’.
I am now become one of the Mac people I used to look askance at years ago; you know, the starry eyed ones that wax on and on enthusiastically about their machines. However, I draw the line at standing in line for an Apple Store opening, or spending time in the Mac forums comparing the size of my local Genius Bar with those of other members.
Note from 2023 when this was recovered: No, I was wrong. Brooks is the pawn of the devil, and he’s not worth listening to.
Loren Webster talks about too many bridges being burnt, and I can identify with this. I am at that point now where I am thinking of burning some bridges, an impulse brought on by reading others’ implications that those of us who don’t share the sound and fury about the ‘reds’ winning, are somehow compromising our beliefs.
Per the Tracy Chapman song Loren quoted:
All the bridges that you burn
Come back one day to haunt you
One day you’ll find you’re walking
Lonely
Scott Hanson pointed to a NY Times editorial by David Brooks very worth reading. I know, I know — Brooks is the pawn of the devil. But he’s also one of the ‘reds’ we should be listening to:
But the same insularity that caused many liberals to lose touch with the rest of the country now causes them to simplify, misunderstand and condescend to the people who voted for Bush. If you want to understand why Democrats keep losing elections, just listen to some coastal and university town liberals talk about how conformist and intolerant people in Red America are. It makes you wonder: why is it that people who are completely closed-minded talk endlessly about how open-minded they are?
(Here’s another interesting NY Time’s article on this issue, but I don’t necessarily agree with all the opinions expressed.)
Looking at the vote counts in the states that passed anti-gay marriage initiatives, to get the numbers they’re getting, they’ve had Democrats vote for this in addition to Republicans. Remember my post, An Actual Conversation? Both of the people featured in this voted for Kerry. Nothing is ever as black and white as it first appears.
I wrote in comments in another weblog that I hope every fear I have about what could happen under Bush doesn’t materialize. I have no greater desire now, than to be proven wrong about all of it, and will do everything in my power to ensure this.
Last post on politics for a while. I think we all need to take a deep breath and give this subject some space. I for one happen to like most of the people on the other side of the bridges I’ve been thinking of putting to the flame; too much so to follow the impulses of the moment. They’ll have to make their own decisions as regards their own fires.
I guess I’m offline much sooner than expected, as my cable internet connection failed last night. Since I’m not ready yet for this, haven’t installed all I needed, and since I’m paid up until the 20th, a repairman is coming on Monday.
Now I’m at Panera, having a lovely Danish and latte, on a beautiful Saturday morning, using the free wireless.
I earned today’s Danish by walking around the zoo for over three hours yesterday. The place was surprisingly empty of folk, which is nice if you’re not necessarily comfortable with hordes of screaming kids, whining for their Moms and Dads to ‘carry me’ or ‘buy me something’ (from overheard conversations from the families that were there).
It was my first time seeing the new Penguin and Puffin exhibit and this alone makes the trip worthwhile. The zoo created an enclosed, ideal environment for the birds (cold), and then built the tanks so that you’re right next to them. In fact, it would seem that a favorite hobby of some of the birds is to splash the people. Flash photography is welcome and I tried to take some photos of one fine fellow, but every time I would move in close to the tank, he’d flip his wing and splash me. The attendant said he was playing with me, as I recoiled in horror, throwing my body between my new camera and the water.
At the cougar exhibit, a young girl, probably about 10 or 11 jumped up and down yelling at the cougar to, “Look at me! Look at me you stupid cat!”
My, but this Danish is good. So is the coffee. This disconnected thing could work out; after everything is installed, of course. But no worries, still plenty of posting. So don’t forget to look at me. Look at me.
It hit me yesterday about noon that what we all really needed was a dose of cat blogging. However, rather than disturb the little princess, otherwise known as Zoe, to take more photos of her, I thought I would go to the zoo and take photos of the big cats.
First up was the exhibit with this fine looking sun bear.
“Where are the cats”, I hollered.
I’m a cat.
“No, you’re a bear.”
I’m a cat. See? I have claws.
“Do you like catnip?”
No
“Do you like to play with mice before you kill and eat them?”
Eat a mouse? Ewwww! Gross! Okay I’m not a cat. But can I ask you something before you go?
“Sure.”
Does this fur make me look fat? Can you see the line of my bikini underwear?
A bit further on, I came across this fine fellow, waiting to have his nose scratched.
“What’s your name, cutie”, I asked, as I stretched out to pat his nose.
Elvis.
“Where are the cats, Elvis?
I’m a cat.
“No, you’re a camel.”
No, I’m a cat. I’m covered with fur, and I have an adorable face.
“But what are those two huge lumps on your back.”
Fur balls. I have lots and lots and lots of fur balls.
“Ewwww! You just grossed me out, Elvis.”
Hee hee hee. See, told you I’m a cat.
From Elvis, I went to the new Penguin and Puffin Exhibit. There I met up with this handsome fellow, diving in and out of the water.
“Hi, I don’t suppose you know where the cats are, do you?”
I’m a cat *splash*
“Wow man, you almost got my camera. And no, you’re not a cat. You’re a penguin.”
Am not. I’m a cat. *splash*
“Geez, you’re going to ruin my camera with your playing. And you’re not a cat.”
Tell me something. Don’t cats like to play?
“Well, yes.”
And don’t they like to destroy things.
“Yes, that’s true. Cats do tend to destroy things.
Isn’t that camera of yours a ‘thing’?
“You got me there. But you’re in water. Cats don’t usually like water.”
I’m special. *splash*
Walking further, I arrived at the Seal display, and spotted this lovely on the rocks.
“Hey, where’s the cats.”
Strike a pose.
“No, that’s not what I asked. I asked where are the cats.”
Strike a pose.
“Oh, never mind.”
Strike a pose.
Eventually, I found the cats, but by this time, most had crawled off to wherever they go for their afternoon naps. Except for the cougar, napping in the sun on a rock near the roof of it’s enclosure.
“Finally, a cat.”
Damn straight, I’m a cat. And I want you to….
Saaaaay. What’s that jumping up and down screeching out ‘Look at me’ next to you? It looks tasty. Like a young pig I had once.
“Well, urh, it’s a child my cougar friend.”
A child, eh? Well, why don’t you take it out of the packaging and slip it into my cage.
I looked at the child, screaming, jumping up and down and yelling out its demands. And for a brief moment…
“Sorry, no can do. I mean, someone somewhere loves this kid.”
Most things are loved by someone, somewhere, lady. But a guy still has to eat.
“That sounds very philosophical.”
Hey, I’m a cat.
And there you have it, my Friday cat blogging post; posted on Saturday, true, but which is about cats, but also somewhat about the world with a little Elvis thrown in.