AstroTurf

AstroTurf refers, not only to the hideous un-natural grass-like substance that pollutes sporting stadiums around the world, but to the fake grassroots movement or organization that is actually a front for corporate lobbying. The thinly-veiled work of the Alexis deTocqueville Institute is just one example. Here is an excellent link to an in-depth examination of AstroTurf attacks on Open Source software.

http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~lambert/blog/computers/tanks.html

Great Douglas Adams Quote

I'm certain I will refer to this again and again:


"If anybody has any suggestions of features they'd like to see added (or taken away) please say so. We will of course completely ignore them. That's how the new electronic democracy works."

Father's Day

Father's Day was a very enjoyable one. Bonnie and I travelled along the D branch of the Green Line from Riverside station to the Museum of Science. I think that the D branch is some of the most beautiful riding to be done on the T, through green fields and backyards. Along the way we got to ride the elevated section of the Green Line one last time before the end of service June 26th. The elevated section will be replaced by service direclty into North Station. This will close the last elevated section of the T except for the section between Science Park and Lechmere stations.

The Museum of Science was kind enough to allow Fathers in for free in celebration of Father's Day. I would say the most entertaining exhibits were the Risk! exhibit (where I got to lie on a bed of nails) and the Big Dig exhibit. Also interesting was a video and display on the Xerox Alto, the forefather of single-station, GUI computing.

Random notes

I am currently reading David McCullough's biography of Harry Truman. I read McCullough's John Adams last year, and found it a fascinating read. This book starts a little earlier, providing some background as to the founding of Missouri and the battles between free Kansas and slave Missouri that broke out long before the Civil War. My friend David Babin has told me that it is his goal to read at least one book about each president of the United States, and I might decide to follow him in that goal.

I have been struggling lately with my moods and temper, and can't place a finger on it. I haven't been very good company lately, although I'm trying to work to correct it.

I will ride the Green Line Elevated between Haymarket and Science Center for the last time tomorrow, as the new North Station superstation is set to open on June 26. I am glad to witness the passing of history, but I am rather glad that the new superstation will be opening, as movement between the lines that intersect at North Station (Green, Orange, and commuter rail) will be much easier.

The Window on the World

I am listening to The Smiths right now (The Greatest Hits CD), sitting at my desk, doing a little writing and looking out the open window at the sodium-light-bathed parking lot of the apartment complex. The air is cool but still warm enough for the window to be open. I am thinking back to the time when I was hearing The Smiths for the first time, seated behind a different desk in front of a different window, looking out onto the side street of the little neighborhood I lived in when I was in high school and university. I did so much writing, schoolwork and thinking at that desk. I can recall when the March thaws came in late March and gave way to April when I was in university. There was nothing more frustrating than when the weather just started to get warm and I had to try to sit at my desk and focus on an essay instead of going outside to enjoy the weather. It's an interesting contrast with my life now, when work is probably much more exhausting, but when I leave work, I don't have to take anything home with me and as a result my free time is my own.

I was thinking this week as Bonnie is getting ready to end school for the summer that there is no adult equivalent of the feeling that you get when school ends for the summer. I can remember those days vividly, the final day when you couldn't focus on anything and couldn't wait for the final bell because it meant that you didn't have to go back to school for two whole months. There's nothing in the adult world that's similar - even when you leave work for a vacation, it's only for a week, maybe two if you're very lucky.

Life is generally good. Work is going well for Jennifer and me. We will be caught up soon from Jennifer being out of work. Weather has been good, we need to get an air conditioner by July, but right now it isn't too bad. Toastmasters is going well, my speech performance is improving, and my writing is going well.

I am able to listen to my iPod's music library while using Linux thanks to gtkpod and xmms. I am able to function fully in Linux and spend as much time if not more logged into Linux as Windows. The only problem is quality printing output. If only Linux could sort out its printer compatability problems.