Friday, October 28, 2005
A new kind of DDR
Say you are working for the world's leading government-operated space agency, the same organization that landed on the moon. You have been working on some new robotics technology that uses infrared sensors to detect humans in close proximity and allows the robot to get out of the way. Finally, let's say that your creation is now complete. Just how do you plan to show it off? Isn't it obvious? Hire a ballerina of course! I'm not kidding on this one people. NASA even has a video of this awkward dance couple in action. Sheesh, lose a shuttle or two and I guess you loose your marbles. I guess when space-flight doesn't work out you try out the arts.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
2^10 visiters and sister visits
I just looked at my blog's visiter statistics and noticed that I was sitting at exactly 1,024 visits to this here blog. I never thought I would have broken 1,000 visits so soon; I was sitting around 600 just last week. But with the large number of people coming into view my review of Facebook it seems that I have made it past that milestone. I shall now take 5 seconds to party. Whoopie!
Anyways, on to stuff that people might actually care about. I picked up my sister from Lincoln this morning and spent some time trying to track down our cousins to no avail. So we headed back to campus where she wandered around saying hi to people and sitting in on classes of students she knows, like Spanish, Singers and Wind Ensemble. In Wind Ensemble, Dr. Kuhn referred to her as a spy from CUW. Heh heh. I'm not sure where she is now but I'm sure I will see her soon enough.
This weekend the big fall play is being put on. I need to figure out were to get tickets, at least I think there are tickets. Not even sure what the play is off the top of my head.
Well, I best be getting back to trying to talk myself into doing something productive.
Anyways, on to stuff that people might actually care about. I picked up my sister from Lincoln this morning and spent some time trying to track down our cousins to no avail. So we headed back to campus where she wandered around saying hi to people and sitting in on classes of students she knows, like Spanish, Singers and Wind Ensemble. In Wind Ensemble, Dr. Kuhn referred to her as a spy from CUW. Heh heh. I'm not sure where she is now but I'm sure I will see her soon enough.
This weekend the big fall play is being put on. I need to figure out were to get tickets, at least I think there are tickets. Not even sure what the play is off the top of my head.
Well, I best be getting back to trying to talk myself into doing something productive.
The Masses Come
Whoda thunk that posting a review of Facebook would result in a wave of visits to this blog. In the last week or so I have been receiving a large number of hits. They all seem to be coming from Google searches relating to Facebook.
If I manage to have free time I could make a number of posts and perhaps capture an audience. But first school comes as well as my sister visiting in the next few days.
If I manage to have free time I could make a number of posts and perhaps capture an audience. But first school comes as well as my sister visiting in the next few days.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Pastor Lucas
For those of you who are interested, I corrected the link on the right-hand sidebar to Pastor Lucas' page. From what my parents told me a couple of weeks ago it sounds like he will be returning to the States soon. While in Iraq he lost his parish so what he will be doing when he returns is kinda up in the air right now.
Pastor Lucas, if you read this, I know it's been a tough time while being away. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for serving both God and country as a chaplain for our soldiers and all the others you came in contact there.
Pastor Lucas, if you read this, I know it's been a tough time while being away. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for serving both God and country as a chaplain for our soldiers and all the others you came in contact there.
It's time for a little ride
This is going to be one heck of a week coming up. For the campus as a whole it is homecoming week. That means lots of activities and people
Also this is the week that the wind ensemble will be spending with David Holsinger. That means extra rehearsal time. But it should be great fun. The week ends for wind ensemble with a concert at the high school with all David Holsinger and conducted by him. One piece will have Accepella and Singers joining in. To top if off the concert will mark the release of the group's first CD. I can't wait to get my copy. Anyways, my parents and brother should be attending the concert, barring any unforeseen mandatory forks in the road.
I also have a numerical analysis test on Friday that I will be studying for throughout the week. It's with a relatively tough prof, but I swear, the guy has been giddier than normal this year. It's almost like he's a different guy, until it comes to grades that is.
Also this is the week that the wind ensemble will be spending with David Holsinger. That means extra rehearsal time. But it should be great fun. The week ends for wind ensemble with a concert at the high school with all David Holsinger and conducted by him. One piece will have Accepella and Singers joining in. To top if off the concert will mark the release of the group's first CD. I can't wait to get my copy. Anyways, my parents and brother should be attending the concert, barring any unforeseen mandatory forks in the road.
I also have a numerical analysis test on Friday that I will be studying for throughout the week. It's with a relatively tough prof, but I swear, the guy has been giddier than normal this year. It's almost like he's a different guy, until it comes to grades that is.
Friday, October 14, 2005
It seems that Facebook has been all the rage around here lately. It has even made the front page of the school newspaper. I have been casually tinkering it for the last couple of weeks and I think I'm ready for a rough review.
First of just what is Facebook? Facebook is community site that is based around schools, be it high school or college. This is mostly what separates it from the run of the mill community site. You let Facebook know what school you are attending or where you have attended in the past. That way old-long forgotten friends can find you again. If you are currently enrolled at a school you can tell Facebook about your class schedule to enable you to link up with other students in the class.
Once you have found people you can declare them as a friend and vice-versa. There is also a group section to create school groups based on clubs, sports, other such groups or just any old interest. Also you can inform other students at your school about parties or other get-togethers. Messages can be swapped back and fourth between just about anyone as well. With a little bit of money, you can buy an ad to inform everyone at your school about whatever it is you wish to advertise for ten bucks a day. There are a variety of privacy options to help prevent stalkers or other types of predators.
I really like Facebook's capacity for social networking. Finding long-lost contacts is a fun thing to do. You can also get to know your friend's friends as well. The social networking element is ruined a bit by an epidemic of people adding anyone who is vaguely familiar as a friend. For this reason I will only seek out some people to add as a friend and confirm those who add me. Because of this, my account is currently sitting at less than ten friends while others have more than a hundred.
The groups feature is also another weak link. Available groups seem to be listed randomly and I haven't come across a way to simply list them. Also the features has become polluted by superficial groups such as, "Seward Smells Like Cows!" and "I Drink Soda - Not Pop..." which serve little purpose other than to complain about things that can't be changed. Names have been poorly chosen in many groups with names such as, "Relient K Rocks My Face Off!" and "One Tree Hill Is the Best Series Ever!" It would seem to me that it would be better to call them something like, "Relient K Klub" or "One Tree Hill fans." I suppose those might be too mundane, but surely people can come up with clever group names that don't sound like the dialogue between two highschool girls. There are some groups that seem more sensible like the Singers which is for one of the choirs in the music program.
Finally, we are left with the more informational features, parties and ads. I can definitely see a use for the parties features in inviting people and coordinating events. I will likely use it when I have my Star Wars saga marathon in November. The ads seem to be a great way to advertise to a student body, provided the Facebook fad doesn't wear out. I might take an ad out to get service requests for my GS301 project.
All-in-all Facebook has some neat features. A lot of it's problems are not caused by Facebook but those who use it. I don't quite understand people's fanaticism for the service, it's not that great. But then again I never understood the mass's obsession for services things like Xanga or Hotmail. That's why I choose things like the more elegant Blogger and Gmail. As far as Face book goes, I'll check it every couple of days and see what's up. I'm not likely to devote my life to this little social tool as some people have.
First of just what is Facebook? Facebook is community site that is based around schools, be it high school or college. This is mostly what separates it from the run of the mill community site. You let Facebook know what school you are attending or where you have attended in the past. That way old-long forgotten friends can find you again. If you are currently enrolled at a school you can tell Facebook about your class schedule to enable you to link up with other students in the class.
Once you have found people you can declare them as a friend and vice-versa. There is also a group section to create school groups based on clubs, sports, other such groups or just any old interest. Also you can inform other students at your school about parties or other get-togethers. Messages can be swapped back and fourth between just about anyone as well. With a little bit of money, you can buy an ad to inform everyone at your school about whatever it is you wish to advertise for ten bucks a day. There are a variety of privacy options to help prevent stalkers or other types of predators.
I really like Facebook's capacity for social networking. Finding long-lost contacts is a fun thing to do. You can also get to know your friend's friends as well. The social networking element is ruined a bit by an epidemic of people adding anyone who is vaguely familiar as a friend. For this reason I will only seek out some people to add as a friend and confirm those who add me. Because of this, my account is currently sitting at less than ten friends while others have more than a hundred.
The groups feature is also another weak link. Available groups seem to be listed randomly and I haven't come across a way to simply list them. Also the features has become polluted by superficial groups such as, "Seward Smells Like Cows!" and "I Drink Soda - Not Pop..." which serve little purpose other than to complain about things that can't be changed. Names have been poorly chosen in many groups with names such as, "Relient K Rocks My Face Off!" and "One Tree Hill Is the Best Series Ever!" It would seem to me that it would be better to call them something like, "Relient K Klub" or "One Tree Hill fans." I suppose those might be too mundane, but surely people can come up with clever group names that don't sound like the dialogue between two highschool girls. There are some groups that seem more sensible like the Singers which is for one of the choirs in the music program.
Finally, we are left with the more informational features, parties and ads. I can definitely see a use for the parties features in inviting people and coordinating events. I will likely use it when I have my Star Wars saga marathon in November. The ads seem to be a great way to advertise to a student body, provided the Facebook fad doesn't wear out. I might take an ad out to get service requests for my GS301 project.
All-in-all Facebook has some neat features. A lot of it's problems are not caused by Facebook but those who use it. I don't quite understand people's fanaticism for the service, it's not that great. But then again I never understood the mass's obsession for services things like Xanga or Hotmail. That's why I choose things like the more elegant Blogger and Gmail. As far as Face book goes, I'll check it every couple of days and see what's up. I'm not likely to devote my life to this little social tool as some people have.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
What's in a Name?
I got to thinking a bit about various nicknames I have been given or assigned myself over the years. So here they are.
Dan
Danny
Daniel-san
Dangerous Dan the Candy Man
Dangerous Dan the Candy Man with the Master Plan
The Mad Professor
Billy (after Bill Gates, I shudder at the thought)
Tang (short for Tangent Boy)
Internet Aliases:
The Real SimDan
SimDan
If I think of any more I'll add them later.
Names added later:
D-Boy
Dan
Danny
Daniel-san
Dangerous Dan the Candy Man
Dangerous Dan the Candy Man with the Master Plan
The Mad Professor
Billy (after Bill Gates, I shudder at the thought)
Tang (short for Tangent Boy)
Internet Aliases:
The Real SimDan
SimDan
If I think of any more I'll add them later.
Names added later:
D-Boy
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Fall Break
Well, Friday is the beginning of fall break. Tomorrow I will be heading back to "home" to see my family and dragging a friend, Josh, along for the ride. Being the mischievous little bugger that I am, I am sure I will make sure that he will regret it. (whew, now that's a clunky sentence, and I like it) If I were going alone I could be sitting back in Iowa already seeing how I don't have any classes tomorrow. Anyways, (yes, I like that word) Josh and I might stop by the court house in Denison since it is supposedly is the sister of the courthouse in this town. I will be brining a belated (by about a month and a half) birthday present for my dad. I can't wait to see what he thinks of it. I am quite sure he will enjoy it. I would tell you what it is, but since he reads this blog it would ruin the surprise thereof.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Whouct awen fawniktz wurct phaur mi!
I feel like being random tonight. So let's have a little activity! Who can botch the spelling of "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!" the worst? The limit being that said botched spelling must still be pronounced the same as the real spelling. The subject for this post is the worst I can come up with at the moment. Post your spellings! Have your friends post their spellings! Oh, and don't tell your English teacher. He will surely have my hide for promoting bad spelling.
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