Summer 2014 August 17 Sunday (Wired Magazine)

66 degrees this morning.  

Wired magazine is one of those magazines that I may  read one time and wonder why I continue subscribing and the next issue is full of wondrous information that I wonder why this is the only place I read the informaton.

Probably the most memorable article was the one about Twitter, before it became popular.  I got some Twitter accounts in my own name (@RobertWherry, @RobrerPaulWherry) as well as some other favorite names before Twitter became popular.  The article was generally positive although the author couldn’t really say why he or she was positive about having it restrict a message to 140 Characters.  They just said it was a new means of communication and I don’t think even they forecast the social and political impact.

I also read Chris Anderson  “The Long Tail” article in Wired and read the book by the same name, the concept that (I hope I get this right) that on the internet, the cost of carrying unlimited selection (niches) approaches zero.  (Maybe I need to reread the book). However, it is early in the morning and I really haven’t thought about this concept for a while. 

Another Wired article was about the concept of using living cells for computing to speed up computers and storage.  Haven’t heard much about this lately, although the other day I did read something similar to this (on Twitter, oddly enough).

Oh the other side, I read about the novel “Snow Crash” in Wired and read the book.  Not the normal type of book I read, but I was fascinated by it.  I also was amazed that,at the time, a copy of the original book (I got a reprinted paperback) sold for something like $3,000!  Just for the heck of it, I checked e-Bay and found a signed, first edition for $750, still more than I would pay for a book!  They also had copies for .99.

Anyway, it is one of those magazines that are well worth the time and money, even if I toss some issues and wonder why I continue to subscribe.  The next issue will probably have at least one article that makes me think!

The latest one (that I read anyway), has an article on Quantum computers, rather “A” Quantum computer (there is only one and only one chip) built by a company called D-WAVE.  

The article states that “if” this actually is a quantum computer (no one knows for sure what one is), and “If” they can figure out how to use it, it will be as big a breakthrough as the computer itself, since it will be so much faster and performs calculations in a completely new way.  That is roughly what I took from a quick scan of the article.  This is one of those articles I need to read when I can concentrate and dissect exactly what it is trying to say.

Anyway, Wired magazine is one of those magazines that occasionally has a lot of valuable information among the fluff.  

I recently read where Twitter officials were agonizing about how to change Twitter, with one expectation being that the 140 character lime would probably be raised, although I haven’t read that anywhere else.  

I recently subscribed to “Next Issue”, which has over 100 magazines I can read for around $9 per month.  I still haven’t decided if they are abridged copies or not.  I am going to compare an actual magazine to it and see if it really is an exact copy of not.  It does give me the opportunity to read magazines I normally wouldn’t read, which I enjoy.

The main problem is, I enjoy reading magazines while I take a long whirlpool bath after exercising.  A magazine on my iPad or iPhone doesn’t do me a lot of good there!  I know I can buy a waterproof case (my granddaughter, Kali, had one from a friend I believe that she even took into the swimming poo), so l’ll need t check that out.

I had planned to write about food, and some interesting books I was referred to, but I guess that is for another day.

That’s it for now, Sunday, August 17, 2014.

Spring 2005 June 6 Friday

66 degrees this morning.  Strong storm came through last night.  There has been a lot of rain the past several weeks.  Probably means a hot, dry spell is coming. 

D-Day.  Everytime I see videos or pictures of the action, I am amazed at the courage displayed.  I don't know what installs the ability to literally walk into death, but it illustrates a lot about the human capacity for motivation  Of course, courage is displayed in a lot of different ways and isn't always physical.  What has always amazed me about it is that it involves such a large group of people who display such courage.  (After writing this, I watched the ceremony on the 70th anniversary of D-Day and I am even more amazed.) 

We are in the midst of change, with no specific direction yet.  We have several people interested in our house, and we could be moving as soon as June 23.  On the other hand, maybe not.  We don't have another actual contract to purchase the house yet, Also job activity has picked up with several interviews.

We are really debating owning a house again.  There are a  lot of good points, but some really negative parts, like high fees for loans etc, and it literally ties you down at least people who don't have the financial capacity to keep one house going while buying another.  Also, renting is just so much more flexible.  Of course there are negatives to renting also.  

A call yesterday from a possible employer who got my name from another City brightened my day!  It sounds interesting and also was nice to receive an unsolicited call about a possible position!  My main objective in my next position is that it be interesting and keep me active and involved with people who are committed to creating a better organization or community.  I find that I frequently become more of a champion for the community than many people who live there.  I truly am committed to the community while I am there and it is a loss when I leave, especially when it is being destroyed as in Lakeland.  (That has never happened before, so it was a shock to see how fast a community can go downhill when you get "machine politics" and a spoiled brat mayor who has no concept of how to be major of a city, along with Commissioners who are simply toadies and won't stand up to him.)

Getting Aliene on "Twitter".  I think she will enjoy using it once she get's use to it.  She has become a great texter and e-mailer once she got her iPhone!  

Looks like rain today AGAIN!  One of things "I can't do anything about, so I just adjust!".

That's it for now, Friday, June 6, 2014

Spring 2014 April 18 Friday

55 degrees this morning.  

ATC Fitness was light this morning, probably due to Good Friday and Easter Weekend, but I have noticed that Friday is always a really slow day.  Saturday and Sunday I am frequently the only one there (at the time I go) while Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I expect there are at least 30 people there exercising.  Monday is kind of a mixed day, but Friday is always light.

Hockey and boxing are two sports I rarely watch, but I like when I do watch.  (I also like stock car racing but rarely watch it due to the time involved.  Formula one is always interesting and short enough I enjoy them.)  Started watching the "St. Louis Blues" and the "Chicago Blackhawks" last night, actually during the first overtime.  I was able to finish watching it this morning.  I think what I like about both boxing and hockey is the intensity involved, especially in the overtime.  In boxing, one mistake and that's it, in overtime hockey, the same thing could happen.  I think that is what i like, even though Hockey is a team sport, there is an intensity it has that I don't see in pro basketball (which i never watch) and pro football.  Anyway, that is my perception.  

I never have liked the "shoot-outs" to decide the game.  It seems rather strange (as well as unfair) to play a game based on one situation and then decide the game based on something completely different.  Of course, I have to remember it is just entertainment, not the real world (although the money is certainly real world!).  

In the game last night, I can imagine the disappointment of the Blackhawks.  I wasn't really for either team (highly unusual for me) since I like both Chicago and St. Louis, and both the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals are my favorite baseball teams.  While I don't watch pro basketball, I really have a lot of respect for the Memphis Grizzles, both as a team and for the players as individuals.  They have a lot of class and contribute a lot to the community.

Catching up on my "Wired" magazines.  Like a lot of magazines I get behind because I want to read them "when I can concentrate on it".  I learned to just do it and not worry about it if I didn't feel I was concentrating on it.  I learn a lot from reading Wired. They also have a lot of junk, but I've learned to skip over that, just like I do in newspapers.   Wired is where i first learned about Twitter, which allowed me to get my own name as a Twitter name etc. 

We should know if we have a contract on the house by today, or being Good Friday, it might be Monday.  We still don't know where we would move, will depend on a number of factors.  We just don't know yet.  

Looks like it will be a great day, high of 70 degrees or so, sunny.

That's it for now.

Summer 2013 September 1

82/81 degrees this morning.  Actually felt cooler today than lower temperatures earlier this week.  (This was at 3 a.m.)  Right now (about 6:30 a.m.) it is cloudy and a light breeze makes it seem even cooler as I sit on may patio in the waning days of Summer.

The middle of a wonderful 3-day weekend, the start of September.  

While I enjoy using Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter etc., I am increasingly put off and irritated by the irresponsible abuse of their attempts at adversing, forcing objectable blogs on users et., hiding the fact that much of the information is advertising.  I make a deliberate effort to avoid purchasing anything that is advertised in that manner.  

I don't think they fully have a grasp of the technology and go back to the TV and radio ways of attempting to intimidate the users with advertising.  I greatly reduced my use of twitter when they started their abusive advertising and the Facebook started inserting their junk advertising into the "timeline', I just quit looking at it and use the messaging feature.  Tumblr keeps throwing objectable "blogs" (read, heavy handed advertising) at me and it is impossible to delete it. All of them try to trick you into clicking on it so they can charge the advertisers for another click.  I expect their behavior will come back to haunt them.  It is about like the political candidates who trash up the neighborhood with their signs-enough if enough.

Aliene shopped for a dress for her Grandson's wedding yesterday.  She is actually relatively efficient as a shopper.  

Listening to "The Willpower Instinct" for a second time.  This morning I listened to the part about where the expectation of pleasure is more powerful than pleasure itself for some people and the "expectation" that you will do good in the future will lead one to negative behavior today.  (For example, we think there is always more time in the future, so we put off doing things we need to do "until we have time".  

What really surprised me was that "doing good" (for example driving a high gas mileage/low polluting car) could lead to excessive behavior in other ways, and a small selection of "healthy food" just being available could lead to unhealthy eating.  In one case, persons who thought about a previous contribution to charity gave 60% less etc.   

Looking forward to catching up on some work and personal stuff today.