Can't...get...song...out...of...head

Daft Punk, you bastards! Why did you have to make such a memetic melody (warning: windows media WMV file), basal thump-o-rama of a base line, and lyrics which encourage replay?

I bow to your will-bending whims.

Download Greasemonkey NOW!

'nuff said. This new and improved version finally addresses the fatal security flaws in the original design and IMHO proof-positive that "Mozilla is the new EMACS"

The "War on Terror" as Unix shell session

The title says it all. Now if only shell supported a rollback command...

Random bag searches in NYC

Via Kottke

NYC commuters will now have to submit to random bag searches or will not be allowed to use the subway and/or other metro services.

I'm no legal scholar, but I can't see how this is constitutional under any possible interpretation. Granted, the inevitable lawsuits which will come about as a result will eventually work their way through the court system.

My problem is that not only is it illegal, it's dumb.

I, for one, am quite sick and tired of having one stupid idea after another implemented for the sake of "security". Given the volume of daily commuters in the NYC transit system, the time it takes to "search" a bag, the limited available man power in the NYC police department, and the portability and ease of concealment of simple IEDs (let alone professional bombs) it's worse than a needle-in-a-haystack situation.

The best defense against something similar to the London bombings is an informed, aware, networked, and educated populace who work in conjunction with local law enforcement. The only definite outcome from these searches will be a further mistrust and suspicion between the local police and the populace they are sworn to protect and serve.

Pedantic pet-peeve

It really irritates me when folks refer to the duration, amount, level, or increment of something in "seasons" rather than in units of time such as years, months or the psuedo-standard unitless 'points'.

I am, of coarse, aware that seasons are accurately demarcated by the solstices and meridians, but, outside of meteorology they're almost never used in that context. I'm usually not one to be overly donnish, but there's simply no reason, outside of social customs and politics, to inject further ambiguity into dictive discourse--especially when it comes to measurements.

Uncommon Wisdom presented w/ aplomb

This is quite possibly the best slide-set (warning: pdf) I've seen in the past 2 years--and I've seen my fair share from VCs, fellow entrepreneurs, government agencies, and large corporations.

Ya gotta love the 'Bite Me' photoshopping on the license plate.

iPod Flea

A hilarious and very well-done spoof of the iPod.

A great jab at the whole overly Bauhaus simplicity trend in portable devices. I'm all for invisible computing with a largely appliance-like interface, but there's clearly a point at which device simplification reaches deminishing returns for users/consumers and only serves to provide additional up-selling /demographic-diversivication channels for the manufacturer. IMHO, Apple has already gone there with the iPod sock.

Cutting off cell phones to prevent bombings? Dumb!

So it appears that the New York City transit authority cut off cell phone coverage last week to several tunnels with the hopes of "preventing remote-detonated bombs".

There are sooo many bone-headed things wrong with this it's hard to know where to start.

1. It's far, far more effective to simply use a $1 digital alarm clock for detonation rather than a cell phone. For maximum effect, multiple charges should be set off simultaneously in the least acessible tunnels during peak commuting times. Fortunately, timing this is simple due to the very nature of the fixed schedule of public transit systems. Historically, cell phone detonators have been used for assasinations and/or sniper-like strikes on civilian targets when maximum effectiveness is achievable only through direct or indirect observation of the target. The more random your target's movements, the more you need to depend upon human intelligence and observation to effect maximum destruction.
2. With suicide bombers, remote detonation isn't even an issue.
3. A sufficiently high-powered "spark-box" resonator could broadcast the detontation signal w/o the help of cell-phone repeators. Such a system can be constructed from common everyday elements and carried in a backpack or shoulderbag.
4. Monolithic defense strategies always fail against a mobile, networked, and highly organized offense (Maginot Line anyone?). Especially on today's urban combat battlefield where anything that can be targeted can be killed by a man-portable system.
5. By blacking-out cell phone coverage they lost the most reliable and accurate intelligence channel with which they could assess damage and manage rescue/triage operations should an attack occur.

Foods chefs hate to eat (NYTimes)

A great article on what happens when the executive chef at a restaurant does not like a particular ingredient (hint: it's usually NOT on the menu).

Fellow sweet-potato haters unite!

I must admit though, that I have always loved green peppers.

Off Camping

Off on a short mini-camping trip to the tree house over the holiday weekend. No fireworks this year, but instead the gentle gurgles of a mountain stream, crickets chirping away, and fire-flies to light-up the night sky.