Slashdot user rodgster sent me 1000 slashdot subscription pages because he likes my comments. Thanks, rodgster!

Some 25 million years ago, humans and vervet monkeys diverged from a common ancestor. In very rough terms, perhaps one and a quarter million human generations, or five million vervet generations, have been brought forth upon the Earth since that common ancestor lived. Of course, many differences have evolved between humans and vervets in those 25 million years: among other things, human parents choose toys for their children; vervet parents do not.

But after all that time and genetic change, and despite studies attributing human children's toy preferences to adult stereotypes, a new study by Dr. Gerianne Alexander finds that vervet males, like human boys, prefer toy trucks and balls, while vervet females and human girls prefer dolls and toy cooking pots. What's more, the vervets play with the toys much as human children do: males roll trucks on the ground, females inspect dolls (apparently) for genitalia. Previously on Slashdot: Harvard president Larry Summers and his daughter's "baby truck", Gender and gaming.

[Submitted and, of course, rejected.]

I've got a number of fans, and I've never asked for anything other than that you appreciate my comments here.

But now I need your help.

A spark jumped from my finger and now my Touchstream LP keyboard is dead. Like the parrot in the Python skit. Dead.

Windows plug-and-play doesn't recognize it at all.

So I need your help.

Can anyone either

• suggest possible repairs
• or, tell me where I can get a replacement?

Neither of these are easy: the keyboard uses capacitance to track fingers, so the spark may have burnt those out, or -- since it doesn't respond at all -- the main circuit board may be fried.

And the manufacturer of the Touchstream has been bought up, and Touchstream keyboards are no longer manufactured.

Please, Obi-Wan, ^HHHH er, Slashdot fans, you're my only hope.

I usually don't write journal entries here on account of that I already have a regular weblog, two if you include my stealth LiveJournal site for responding to webcomic LJ communities, but had a significant enough experience that I thought to reproduce it here.

It all started on Friday, around 7:30 PM or so. I was working at my computer and got a spontaneous nosebleed. That's not that uncommon for me. I used to get frequent unprovoked nosebleeds when I was a child. The frequency slacked off as I got older, but I still get about one a year. So I waited for it to stop bleeding (it was what most people would probably see as a "bad" one in that the flow was steady enough to soak through two Kleenexes despite clamping, but as aforementionned, I'm used to it) then went off to help out in building the set for the next show at the local community theater. About two hours in, my nose started up again, this time with a steady enough flow that I made my way through two cotton handkerchiefs before it stopped. Well, once is chance and twice is coincidence, but it seemed like a decent chance something in the theater led to this state, sawdust, etc. I had a minor nosebleed on getting home, but nothing major. So, I headed off to bed. Woke up at 3AM with blood about to exit my nose. This was another gusher and it got me to worrying as I was getting these nosebleeds so I drove myself down to the mergency room where they told me they see nothing wrong with my nose. Essentially they handled it as a routine "dumb person goes to the E.R. to waste our time when all that's wrong is a bloody nose," gave me a nasal decongestant to shoot up my nose when the bleeding is down to the seeping level to shrink the blood vessels. Well, I've only had three more cases since then so maybe I'm on the mend. Last night, I got through eighteen hours without a bloody nose although unfortunately the record was broken with a bloodsoaked pillow that will probably never be the same again. Fortunatly, it was the only non-washable thing that got hit this time. *grumble* It's annoying having to look at my clothing and make my decision on what to wear based upon what's appropriate for the day's activities and what I can afford to lose if it gets soaked with blood and never washes clean.

I'm thinking of getting a Twiddler2: the one-handed chording keyboard.

Before I do, I'd like to hear opinions of the Twiddler2 from anyone who has used one.

Anyone?

(Cross-posted to WWdN)

The final table of the 2005 World Series of Poker started at 4pm yesterday afternoon, and wasn't finished until just after 7am today. I'm not sure, but I think that's a record. I'd call Pauly to be sure, but something tells me he's crashed out until at least Sunday.

Two qualifiers from PokerStars made the final table, and one guy, who qualified using free play points, made it to the final two tables, finished in 13th place, and won $400,000. Not bad for a freeroll!

Speaking of Pauly and PokerStars, we're doing a charity tournament on Sunday in memory of Pauly's friend Charlie Tuttle:

Charlie is from Clarksville, Tennessee and he's a twenty-six year old music enthusiast who loves hanging out and playing poker with his friends. Charlie was dealt a bad hand in life when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which he has been battling this past year. A couple of weekends ago, he was hospitalized because two tumors in his chest pressed up against his lungs, causing him breathing problems. I don't have to tell you how serious his condition was.

Felicia Lee, who is fighting her own battle with cancer, knows several top professional poker players, so she got several of her friends to call Charlie: John Juanda, Marcel Luske, Max Pescatori, and Barry Greenstein to name a few. In fact, when Barry Greenstein won his bracelet in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event, he dedicated it to Charlie.

As Pauly wrote:

Situations like this one make you reassess what's really important in life. Las Vegas is a city built on greed. Poker is a game that often attracts some of the lowest forms of life. However, in the past two weeks, there has been a small group of professional poker players who have earned my respect and admiration. Amidst all the darkness and debauchery, I have caught a few glimpses of the bright side of humanity. The hearts of some of the biggest sharks in Las Vegas are filled with compassion.

Thank you, Charlie, for inspiring us all. We'll never forget you.

Charlie passed away on June 22 and his friends have organized a charity poker tournament this Sunday at PokerStars. It's going to be a lot of fun, and I hope to see lots of WWdN readers there.

Details:

SUNDAY, JULY 17th
18:00 EDT (15:00 CDT)
PokerStars
Buy-in is $20 — all of it goes to charity.
"WPBT Charlie Tournament" under Tourneys -> Private tab in the lobby

I'm playing around with the idea of getting a laptop and (geek warning) some sort of VR glasses instead of a screen.

Optimally, I'd like something with the form factor of a Sharp Zaurus, but with a hard drive and standard ports.

Basically, I want a "real computer" that I can put in my pocket. To use the VR glasses, I'd need standard USB ports and the ability to use a standard video card.

Is this too bleeding edge? What are my options for a really small laptop, possibly without a screen?

This is slashdot, so I know you guys have some good ideas, and a good sense of what's possible.

I'm sure this is just begging for vandalism (unless those douchebags have grown up and finally kissed a girl) . . . but there is an error on my Wikipedia page that needs to be corrected. I'd do it myself, but that's against Wikipedia editing policy.

I am not in Brother Bear. Willie Wheaton, Wil Wheaton, Jr., and Reginald Maudling (Mrs.) are all not me. I've tried to get this taken off imdb, but someone (well-intentioned, I'm sure) keeps putting it back, and Wikipedia editors (also well-intentioned) are putting Brother Bear back up . . . so we're in an infinite improbability loop, and my towel is getting dirty.

Would someone please correct that, and cite this journal entry so it doesn't get corrected back?

I recently sequentially listened to all of the music mentioned in an earlier article while coding at work. To those unwilling to follow the link, it's computer-created music on the basis of statistical appearance of notes and sequences, kind of a Markov chain approach to music. How is it? Eh... as several people commented, it's similar to letting your three-year old bang on the keyboard or letting your cat walk along the keys. Really, it's mildly eerie just because it sounds pretty fundamentally wrong with its dissonance and bizarre timing. *wry grin* And that's not even getting into their choice of instruments like using a maracca sound for one track, which makes it sound like there's a rattlesnake closing in on you throughout the song.

Anyhow, I also tend to play my music using the 2.0 Speed Setting in WIndows Media Player because it helps keep me on my toes while coding. (Not to mention a lot of songs sound so much more funny at that speed) And, well... *shudder* Let's just say that I think I know where to get music for my survival horror game if I ever create a survival horror game.

(A)bort, (I)gnore, (R)evert to Grandma's DNA A jaw-dropping revision to Mendelian inheritance: bad genes can be replaced from a secret ancestral stash. (Is the stash in RNA? DNA? A gzip file? We don't know.)

The same researchers have previously mentioned other ways to get around Mendel. See abstract #34.

Almost as interestingly, this discovery could undercut the deleterious mutation hypothesis theory of why sexual reproduction is useful, useful despite what John Maynard Smith termed its "two-fold cost", and explain the eighty-million years of asexual reproduction without extinction in bdelloid rotifers.

Also, brought to you by the letter... 3FB? DNA gets a fake fifth letter.

(This was submitted to Slashdot and rejected, so you get to see it exclusively in my journal, or over on MetaFilter.)

"When you wanted me, I figured I had, or would have down the road, better prospects than you. Um, things didn't work out as bright and shiny as I hoped. Now I'd, you know, be willing to settle.

"Ok, actually, I really don't even think of you anymore, and your name doesn't still make me pause and wonder 'what if', if it ever really did, (it doesn't, even though the mere thought of me is still like a fresh punch in the gut for you after all these long withered years).

"But if it consoles you to think that you cross my mind on lonely white nights at three a.m. and I feel some sort of vague formless regret -- honestly, any regret I feel is more for my lost youth than for you per se, at this point you just kinda symbolize that lost youth for me, like an old 'Letter' sweater from highschool or a copy of the program for that play we were in together, or those pictures of guys with long sideburns that you know instantly are from the time of the Nixon Administration --, well, you always were the sentimental sort who wrote poetry and believed bathetic crap like 'true love', so keep on with what's essentially your form of mental masturbation if it makes you feel better."

"Ok, stop crying, it always annoyed me when you cried because it made me feel like I was supposed to do something and what did you want me to do, I mean, you were nice and fun and all that --- yes the sex was good, why do you always ask about that --but, come on, we never -- hell, you especially never really expected it to last, I mean we travelled in different circles and you weren't Jewish, not that that's a big deal to me, but Jesus, your family -- please stop crying, ok, so sometimes on occasion I miss you, is that what you wanted to hear?

"Ok, so sure, sometimes I think of you, but really, if I'm the 'one who got away' for you, don't you sometimes stop to think there's one who got away for me too, and it's only natural that rather than think of you when I'm lonely -- yes, yes, yes, sometimes I do think of you, and you were really nice. Yes! Yes I mean it! Why would I lie now?? Really. I do mean it.

"Yes, you were really nice. Ok?

"And it was great talking to you. Sure, sure, same time, next year, give me a call like always. No, I do like hearing from you. I do.

"Ok, you have a nice night too."

silicon.com reports that 'the US Department of Homeland Security has decided to trial RFID tags' .... 'to track both pedestrians and vehicles entering the US to automatically record when the visitors arrive and leave in the country.'

Welcome to the Land of the Free!, number 4c62c570-70c5-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66! You'll be reflecting at 2450 MHz, enjoy your stay!

The article goes on to explain that

The testing phase will continue until the spring of next year. The exact way RFID will be used with the travellers is not yet known.

. . . .

US Under Secretary for Border & Transportation Security, Asa Hutchinson, said in a statement: "Through the use of radio frequency technology, we see the potential to not only improve the security of our country, but also to make the most important infrastructure enhancements to the US land borders in more than 50 years."

What is your frequency, Kenneth?

Remind me again why the most talented foreign scientists are no longer doing research in America?

And how soon will the "success" of this program lead to tagging government employees and contractors as a prelude to tagging all citizens?

On craigslist.org I see under "Computer Gigs", an ad for a "senior level web programmer" with, additionally, "exceptional Microsoft SQL 2000 administration... skill".

By "senior", the ad explains, they mean "someone with at least 5 to 6 years working experience in Microsoft Platforms. Microsoft certification is a plus."

The offer requires a minimum three month contract, with set hours of 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Thursdays (with Fridays off). That's 20 hours a week (but without apparently the ability to time-shift or moonlight so as to accomodate another 9-5 job).

The compensation offered is $800 per month -- in other words, a "senior level web programmer" is apparently worth only ten dollars per hour.

And yes, I emailed them to confirm this, and they really do mean ten dollars per hous, twenty hours per week, minimum three month contract. And this is in the San Francisco area.

So my question is, is this what's becoming the norm, or is the job poster smoking something?

----
Addendum: As artifex2004 (766107) notes below, the job posting has been removed from craigslist.

However, another craigslist reader was er, kind enough to respond to the original listing; but I'm not sure how he calculated $12.50 an hour. (And no, I didn't make the response.)

Also, for those wondering about my email with the job poster, this is his reply to my query confirming his ad, with addresses elided:

Hi

Yea exactly we are a small start up. And that is our offer

Thanks

----- Original Message -----
From: orthogonal's address elided
To: job poster's address elided, too
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: Wanted: SQL 2000 Admin With ASP, HTML skills

>>
>> From your ad at: http://www.craigslist.org/sby/cpg/54284856.html
>>
>> You're offering $10.00 per hour for a senior level web programmer?
>>
>> Quoted:
>> This is a senior level web programmer position. You will program and
>> manage our existing database driven community portal.
>>
>> We are looking for someone with at least 5 to 6 years working
>> experience in Microsoft Platforms. Microsoft certification is a plus.
>>
>> Working hours will be 10.30am to 3.30pm with Fridays Off. Salary is
>> $800/month. Minimum 3 months contract required.

^_^ I've got a +5 Funny to go with prior +5 Interesting, +5 Insightful, and +5 Informative posts (all of which I didn't think to grab URLs for, although I'm sure they're out there somewhere...) Now all I have to do is manage a +5 Troll and +5 Flamebait to have the whole set!

I have a few friends and fans here, people whose posts I enjoyed and people who apparently like what I write. I have never had a foe, but I apparently now have two freaks. *wry grin* One of them I understand. I got on the Profanity Blacklist after that Elmer Fudd/Porky Pig post, which I probably justly deserved. ^_^ Still, given the same situation again, I'd probably still post it. It appeals to my sick sense of humor and literary imagination abilities. The other one, I have no idea... he doesn't seem to have posted in any of the same topics as me lately. Maybe I just said something that pissed him off. *wry grin* I know, I shouldn't take it personally when someone I really don't know apparently doesn't like me, but it really does. I've always been one of those people who wanted to believe that everyone likes them. And, well, I'm generally successful, so it hurts all the more when I do find someone who doesn't like me.

The subject line above relates to another incident like this. A girl I knew in college suddenly pointedly stopped talking to me. I tried to confront her in an effort to find out a) if she really was socially cutting me or if it was just my imagination and b) if so, what the problem was and how we might resolve it. She told me that I knew very well what the problem was and stormed off. Later on, she suddenly started talking to me again and that period where she apparently hated my guts wasn't mentioned again, but it really hurt at the time. After pouring my troubles out to my roommate, a good friend, he clapped me on the shoulder and said, "Sean, not everyone is going to like you." It seems like an obvious thing, but, well, until then I'd lived my life believing that I could get everyone to like me. I was always the fellow who rode through intra-friend turbulence, managing to be friends with both sides. When I play computer games involving factions, I usually manage to keep them all happy with me right up until some hard-coded event makes me choose. *sigh* Not everyone is going to like me. I know it, but I think it will still take me a long time to accept it.