Rotating electrical outlets Feb 28, 2006
360 Electrical is a company that makes duplex electrical outlets where each receptacle rotates 360 degrees.  So plugs that normally take up both spots now only need one.  I'm not sure this would solve the problem entirely, but I think it's a cool idea.  (via Digg) #technology
Free FM Feb 28, 2006
This thing called Free FM that I keep hearing about on the radio is part of a huge "thing" created by Infinity Broadcasting (radio division of CBS) that's basically a dig at paid services like XM and Sirius.  They say the "free" word is supposed to indicate freedom of personality and expression.  But actually it's a reminder that regular radio is still free, as opposed to those evil paid services (which I'll probably try eventually).  Radio station 92.3 K-ROCK (WXRK) adopted the new format on January 3, 2006 and it changed its call letters to WFNY-FM.  I realized this wasn't just a local thing when I heard several other Free FMs on the way to and from Virginia. 

A lot of radio stations also keep talking about "HD Digital", which is the next best thing since the invention of water.  Basically, it has something to do with upgrading the signal to improve sound quality.  It also means that stations can have several different "multicasts", which is like splitting a single channel into several different ones:  104.3 becomes 104.3-1 and 104.3-2.  But the bottom line in all this is that it's another way for traditional radio to compete with satellite radio, which I think is basically impossible.  As soon as my car comes pre-installed with a satellite radio receiver, I'll fork over that $13 a month.  I'll willing to pay for good things.  Sometimes. #entertainment
Hey boss (1) Feb 28, 2006
I love when people call me boss.  Especially since I'm no one's boss.  It usually happens at gas stations and fast food restaurants.  "Hey boss, what can I get ya?"  "You got it, boss."  I love it.  It makes me feel so important even when I'm totally not.  It's like getting good service. #psychology
Progress bar (1) Feb 24, 2006
The progress bar is a great invention in computerland.  It performs the mighty feat of telling how much of a task is completed in terms of a percentage.  This is great because if a task is 35% complete and it's been working for a minute, you know that you have a while longer to wait, so you can go do something else while your dumb-dumb slow computer completes a simple little task. 

To the creator of the progress bar, I ask these questions: 

1.  What's the point of a progress bar making it all the way to the end and then starting over from the beginning?  It's like it's saying, "Hey I'm done.  Oh wait, just kidding.  Ok I'm done again.  Nope, not really.  I'm really done now.  Or am I?" 

2.  Why does stuff keep happening even after the progress bar is filled up?  This seems to be a bit illogical.  Shouldn't it only say it's 100% complete when it's actually complete?  Towards the end of the process, shouldn't it say it's 99% complete until it's actually complete? 

I guess some questions just can't be answered. #technology
The record (3) Feb 24, 2006
When I was a 3rd-grade student at McKeown Elementary School, they used to teach us multiplication and division the right way:  Memorization of tables.  I don't remember exactly how they taught it (like was it the same thing every day or did we count M&Ms some days?), but I remember learning a certain number at a time.  For example, we'd focus on the number 7 by listing the product of 7 and every number up to 10.  7x1=7, 7x2=14, 7x3=21 ... 7x10=70.  Then we'd go to the next number and do the same thing.  I think we did every number from 1 to 10; 11 and up get complicated. 

The part that I disagreed with was the testing method.  They used this thing called "the record", which was literally a vinyl record with a person saying, "5 times 6 ...  3 times 8 ...  7 times 2 ..." while the students feverishly filled in the answers on their sheet.  There were several variations of the record:  One variation focused on certain numbers, depending on how many multiplication tables you had learned.  The other variation was in the speed at which the person spoke.  Some records used a 5 second pause.  Others used a 3 second pause.  Still others used an even shorter pause.  Obviously, the shorter the pause, the harder the test. 

The reason I disagree with the record as a testing method is because of the trauma is caused in the lives of the students.  The record was continuous:  Once it started, it didn't stop until the end.  If you missed one, you had to forget about it and move on.  Sure that sounds easy for a "grown-up" like me, but it's not the same with 8-year-olds.  There's this weird thing that happens when people feel overwhelmed.  It's called a "meltdown".  There was a meltdown during every one of these tests.  Halfway through the test, a kid would burst into tears because they lost their place or couldn't keep up.  But the teacher never stopped the record.  Like I said, once it started, it didn't stop until the end.  So some poor kid would sit there sobbing because there was no way to figure out what number the record was on.  It didn't say, "Number 3:  5 times 6 ... Number 4:  3 times 8 ..."  And since it was just multiplication or division, there was no partial credit.  There was no "almost" or "close".  It was right or wrong.  There's nothing like telling a kid they failed because they're too slow at multiplication.  Ah, the joy of being a teacher. 

The record needs to be experienced to be fully understood.  My explanation of it can't possibly do it justice.  Talk to any McKeown School student from the 80s-90s, and they'll know what I'm talking about.  With utter fear in their voice, they'll say, "Oh yes ... I remember the record ..." #math
Ladies Against Feminism (3) Feb 23, 2006
Ladies Against Feminism is a site full of women-authored articles that go against feminism.  It's written from a very conservative Christian perspective, which is a nice change from the norm.  It's also cool that this site probably offends people.  I sort of like when people are offended. #religion
Windows XP zip (5) Feb 23, 2006
I'm amazed that people who use Windows XP still use products like WinZip, 7-Zip, and other file compression utilities.  Windows XP comes pre-installed with the capability to zip files from the right-click menu.  Just right-click on the file, click on Send To, and click on Compressed (zipped) Folder.  That's it.  Get rid of WinZip and those other stupid programs that cost money. 

The one thing Windows still lacks is the ability to open RAR, TAR, and GZ files.  That's where something like WinRAR comes in. #technology
Hoverboard Feb 22, 2006
This guy made his own hoverboard (a hovercraft slightly larger than a skateboard) and told everyone else how to do it themselves.  Awesome.  (via Boing Boing) #technology
Dog Powered Scooter Feb 22, 2006
The Dog Powered Scooter is exactly what it says:  a scooter powered by a dog.  It's like the urban version of the Iditarod.  Finally, a use for those large, smelly animals.  Now if I can just figure out how to hook it up to my cats...  (via Cynical-C) #technology
Lord of the Flies Feb 21, 2006
One time, many moons ago, I was a peer leader in high school.  Peer leaders were the people who helped little kids find their lockers when they first got to high school.  It was my way of giving back to the community.  Actually, like most people who did it, I was told it would look good on my college transcripts.  That was the reason I did a lot of things in high school. 

One fateful Friday night, the "leadership" (faculty advisers) of peer leadership decided to have a lock-in at the high school as a way to form a more "together" group of people.  I think I remember being forced to do some stupid things like lip syncing and playing games.  There were some sports in the gym (I think) and some music in the auditorium (I think).  I could be combining several different memories here, but that's not important.  What was important was the fact that the faculty advisers gave the peer leaders free reign of the entire high school.  I guess their rationale was that we were the cream of the crop students.  We were the good kids.  We wouldn't get into any trouble.  The events that followed would later come to be known as the Great Kittatinny Peer Leadership Fiasco. 

Giving teenagers freedom is the worst thing anyone can possibly do.  With freedom comes drug use and teen pregnancy.  Or in this case, the theft of ice cream.  A few select students found a big freezer that was chained shut.  Like ravenous sharks following the scent of blood, these students discovered that this locked freezer contained ice cream.  Like a lot of ice cream.  They also discovered that the lock wasn't all that impenetrable.  By forcefully opening one edge of the door of the freezer, they were able to squeeze their grubby little paws in and snag some beautifully tasty ice cream.  And not just ice cream in pints.  I'm talking about the good stuff here:  ice cream sandwiches, chipwiches, those cones with black cookie bits.  All the stuff you see in the food store and think about buying but then decide against it when you see how expensive it is.  These sneaky students took out a few things for themselves, and were even kind enough to ask a few other people if they wanted any. 

Later on in the night, people broke into the main office and commandeered the intercom system, which they hastily used to spread messages of propaganda to anyone with ears.  Some couples were found off by themselves doing things that only mommies and daddies should be doing. 

When we got back to school on Monday morning, we came to learn that the faculty advisers found out about some of the bad things and weren't exactly happy about it.  Concerning the ice cream heist, they questioned several people and dished out several in-school suspensions.  I was one of the people brought in for questioning.  I may or may not have lied directly to the vice principal when he asked me if I stole ice cream.  I may have said that I ate some ice cream sandwiches that were sitting on a table.  The truth may have been that I was the kid who said, "Hey Ian, can you get me one?"  This is all speculation and the truth will never be fully known. 

The reason I called this post "Lord of the Flies" is because I think these events are sort of like that book.  I was never very good at reading comprehension, but I think part of the book had something to do with the inherent evil in mankind and the almost instinctual regression of behavior to the primitive.  Leave a bunch of kids stranded on an island and somebody will wind up dead.  Leave a bunch of high school "leaders" in a rule-free high school and wind up getting ice cream stolen. #sociology