I realize that the content of my BLOG is boring, but I'm willing to bet that at least my titles are above average! And, after all, that's what counts... well, no, maybe not.

I'm not sure if I should be embarassed or think it's very cool -- the efforts to have a robotic receptionist for my building at CMU continue. I've heard that it's supposed to be another big public image thing. I do think it might be cool, although it is weird seeing the wooden enclosure they built for it up against the thick, strange walls here. That reminds me -- I recently saw another office for someone in my group -- it's in another nearby building, and they have windows opposite the entrance and are really high up. I wish I had something like that -- it'd be great to be able to watch it rain and thunder when the code isn't coming.. For a time I was thinking of asking to be moved in the opposite direction, down into the lab with all the servers -- they were going to put someone there anyhow, and I figured it'd be more useful to me to be near the machines... also, then I wouldn't need to deal with the irritating flourescent lights.. but someone else pointed out that several times a day, people come to ask me Unixy or programming things, so I guess I'll stick with this office.

Semi-recently, I had the experience with being asked to implement something in a way that I think is bad, after failing to convince the other person that it's better than their preference. It's never fun doing that, especially with the hairiness of the code, and when I can't even be satisfied with the result, but these things happen.. and they happen far less here then they did in my first job, where ... oh, nevermind.. don't want to get threatened again with a lawsuit (hello, Mitch McLeod!).

It looks like the Episcopal issue involves a lot of hardball. This really was kind of predictable -- the conservatives are doing their very best to rally right now, while they have a sympathetic political climate.. We probably won't hear the end of this one for a looong time.

This article on alternatives to the iPod/iTunes offerings, is interesting. The iPod/iTunes combo is still what I'd recommend to people, be they Windows or MacOSX folk -- the cases he brings up are actually corner cases, and WMA is a bad music format to encourage.

I'm in a slim minority, I think, when I'm happy to see things line this. I think cloning might be a very good idea, I don't buy that the ban is just going to be until the technology is understood, and I hope that people will violate the hell out of the ban, when they manage to get it in place, until the luddites are screaming in horror. I delight in every twinge they feel as the 'dignity of human reproduction' (cloning), the 'sanctity of the human mind' (AI), and all that mental crud is flushed.

There's some funny stuff here. I wholeheartedly agree with the criticism of BushJr (pretzels be unto him)'s mind-bogglingly stupid speech on democracy in the middle east. "His treatment of the various governments reflects their policy towards the United States. The more you applaud him, the more democratic you are. It's transparent and it's ridiculous." -- Unnamed Arab diplomat exactly. But, that kind of sums up the American president right now. Transparent and ridiculous.

One of my friends in Columbus has something that's a bit like a webcomic. While I'm on the topic, this is funny. And how about a Go-go-gadget phone? Here's a guy who's approaching things entirely the wrong way. Cousin to the really cool Wikipædia, here's Disinfopædia. It's focused on topical political/funding issues.

Although I have a rough draft of a big paper due next week, I'm going to do my very best to keep this weekend low-stress and relaxing. It's starting well -- just as I was leaving for lunch, I saw there was a huge amount of Indian Food being catered to a meeting, and there was likely to be enough left afterwards that I'd be able to get a meal out of it.. and I certainly did. 3 plates full of mostly Saag Paneer... I'm still stuffed, but it was very tasty. I would be leaving work right now, but I'm still too stuffed to bike.