Here are the update notes for the iPhone Google app:
Sent from my friking iPhone!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tilt Shift from 5777
Here are a couple tilt shift photos I whipped together in 5 minutes. These are select pictures looking out the window from the 12th floor where I work. I used a 3 megapixel camera and GIMP 2 to create concentric blur effect with the least blur on the subject of the photo.
The roach coach photo would have been a little more realistic sans the shadows. I know mine aren't as convincing as some. But it's still fun.
The roach coach photo would have been a little more realistic sans the shadows. I know mine aren't as convincing as some. But it's still fun.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
iPhone/iPod touch and Benjamin
Benjamin loves iPhone/iPod touch. No, I don't think Apple had autistics in mind when they designed them. But that's just it. Apple designed it so intuitively, practically anyone can fiddle with it and figure it out without instruction.
One morning, after my shower, I found him in his room, playing with his mom's iPod touch. He swiped it out of our room, turned it on, unlocked it, navigated through the home screen, found his favorite applications, and launched it (currently either Banner and Peanut Butter Jelly Time). He probably did this multiple times on this morning because he likes the transition between the home screen and the app when it's launched. But we still have to supervise him. It might actually make sense to set up a pass key to discourage him from swiping it. Then again, that might backfire.
Here he is using my iPhone:
So far, there are only two things I have to really watch him on. First, he still likes to put things in his mouth, especially objects he really likes. This hasn't happened yet, that I'm aware of. Second, he tends to accidentally get the home screen into "uninstall/move" mode. The main reason this happens is because sometimes he doesn't realize his other fingers are touching the icons. Touching the icons on the home screen for more than a couple seconds causes it to switch into this mode. When this happens, all the icons shake and non-Apple apps can be removed by tapping the X. He hasn't managed to uninstall anything yet.
There is a feature in the Settings that allows Restrictions on various features. It'd be nice if "uninstall" was one of the listed restrictions, but it's not as of OS version 2.2.1.
One morning, after my shower, I found him in his room, playing with his mom's iPod touch. He swiped it out of our room, turned it on, unlocked it, navigated through the home screen, found his favorite applications, and launched it (currently either Banner and Peanut Butter Jelly Time). He probably did this multiple times on this morning because he likes the transition between the home screen and the app when it's launched. But we still have to supervise him. It might actually make sense to set up a pass key to discourage him from swiping it. Then again, that might backfire.
Here he is using my iPhone:
So far, there are only two things I have to really watch him on. First, he still likes to put things in his mouth, especially objects he really likes. This hasn't happened yet, that I'm aware of. Second, he tends to accidentally get the home screen into "uninstall/move" mode. The main reason this happens is because sometimes he doesn't realize his other fingers are touching the icons. Touching the icons on the home screen for more than a couple seconds causes it to switch into this mode. When this happens, all the icons shake and non-Apple apps can be removed by tapping the X. He hasn't managed to uninstall anything yet.
There is a feature in the Settings that allows Restrictions on various features. It'd be nice if "uninstall" was one of the listed restrictions, but it's not as of OS version 2.2.1.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Ministry of Slow Compliance
I have decided to start a new activist group called the Ministry of Slow Compliance (on Facebook). Officially starting with the 2008 tax year, I have implemented this plan to begin slow compliance. In case you weren't aware, in the event that you are not able to file your income tax return by April 15th, both the IRS and states allow you to extend your filing deadline by six months. Keep in mind, an extension to file is not an extension to pay. Penalties, including fines and interest, may be assessed for a payment made after April 15th. To request an extension to file, submit Form 4868 to the IRS by April 15, 2009.
Here in California, state taxes are extended six months automagically if returns are not filed by April 15th.
Fun fact: On this day in 1944, Donald Duck made $2,501. Today, that would be around $30,000. As result, he owed $13 in 1944, which is about $150 today. Donald Duck was paying a tax of about 1/2 of 1 percent in 1944, check it out!
Here in California, state taxes are extended six months automagically if returns are not filed by April 15th.
Fun fact: On this day in 1944, Donald Duck made $2,501. Today, that would be around $30,000. As result, he owed $13 in 1944, which is about $150 today. Donald Duck was paying a tax of about 1/2 of 1 percent in 1944, check it out!
Mr. Duck's income tax was about one silver dollar each month, which would be one ounce of silver. Today, it comes to about the same number of ounces, only now we would have to pay in gold.
Isn't it interesting Donald Duck faced World War II with a lower population and less percentage in taxes? Yet today, with a population explosion and 50 times the taxes, we have a longer war fighting against far fewer men in caves wearing sandals holding AK-47's.
Whether or not taxes really were voluntary then, 1/2 of 1 percent is tiny, compliance wouldn't have been a big deal (though still morally wrong). Taxes are clearly more oppressive and compliance is certainly not perceived as voluntary at all anymore. The only form of protest most of us have left is slow compliance.
If you haven't figured it out, the Ministry of Slow Compliance is just an approach to elaborate procrastination. But if you procrastinate, you may as well do it correctly, using the proper forms.
The name is inspired by George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. This book depicts four ministries called the Ministries of Truth, Love, Plenty, and Peace. The name of all four of these ministries are actually misnomers because they actually do the exact opposite.
My ministry is a misnomer as well. Compliance is not the goal.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tax Freedom Day
Today is National Tax Freedom Day, an Orwellian notion to signify that we have paid all our taxes on this day and thus are now free from the burden of government. Here in California, we actually have to wait until the 20th for our state taxes to be paid up.
So while the IRS expects tax returns on the 15th every year, National Tax Freedom Day changes from year to year and budget to budget. But another way to look at it is in terms of an 8 hour workday, 28.2% of which is 2 hours and 15 minutes, every workday, all year long.
But 28.2% is a fiction. The real number is 40.8%. Why? Because that's how much is actually being spent. The other 12.6% is deficit spending. 40.8% of a workday is 3 hours and 15 minutes. So I really don't start earning money for my family until after lunch.
This is why taxes should be voluntary. What crime have I committed and been duly convicted of to warrant such a tax burden?
Instead, we've been tricked. If I ask people how much they pay in taxes, many of them would say they got money back. They don't even know how much they pay because the system took more than they owe all year then give them a "refund."
And don't tell me about the Fair Tax. Read my article on the topic.
Tax Freedom Day answers the basic question, "What price is the nation paying for government?" An official government figure for total tax collections is divided by the nation's total income. The answer this year is that taxes will amount to 28.2 percent of our income, and the stretch of 103 days from January 1 to April 13 is 28.2 percent of the year. Income and tax data are then parsed out to the states, yielding 50 state-specific Tax Freedom Days.
So while the IRS expects tax returns on the 15th every year, National Tax Freedom Day changes from year to year and budget to budget. But another way to look at it is in terms of an 8 hour workday, 28.2% of which is 2 hours and 15 minutes, every workday, all year long.
But 28.2% is a fiction. The real number is 40.8%. Why? Because that's how much is actually being spent. The other 12.6% is deficit spending. 40.8% of a workday is 3 hours and 15 minutes. So I really don't start earning money for my family until after lunch.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.Source: 13th Amendment, US Constitution
This is why taxes should be voluntary. What crime have I committed and been duly convicted of to warrant such a tax burden?
Instead, we've been tricked. If I ask people how much they pay in taxes, many of them would say they got money back. They don't even know how much they pay because the system took more than they owe all year then give them a "refund."
And don't tell me about the Fair Tax. Read my article on the topic.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The Foot Book
Karen told me she read "The Foot Book" to Hannah months ago. As result, Hannah, who is almost three, can now tell the difference between her left foot and her right foot.
Tonight, Hannah asked me to read this book to her for the first time. I am astounded to see how silly this book is. How she picked up such a useful piece of information is completely beyond my ability to reason! Here's a video of me reading the book with comments about left feet and right feet at the end:
I then cryptically reference Jonah Chapter 4 at the very end of the video. To me, this information take together is an indictment to Christians. Children most certainly do qualify as worthy to receive the Gospel. But they are largely ignored. Usually, Christians claim children are "under the age of accountability" but if God was so willing to destroy Nineveh though it contained those who could not tell their left from their right, what does that say about children who can? Maybe I'm taking things too literally.
Fact is, I am a Christian. I largely do not believe in this "under the age of accountability" stuff. If we are to "become as a little child" then I would like to become as Hannah and love Christ. Then be judged rightly.
Thus, it seems like any age of accountability is perhaps two and under. Which means we have been mislead by most pastors in the church. What else are they wrong about?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Hannah's After Action Report (Haircut)
I shot and edited this video last night. Hannah went to the barber and got a haircut with her friend. Then they had lunch. Turns out they had "snack & cheese" (what Hannah calls macaroni and cheese) with chocolate milk. She couldn't remember what chocolate milk was called. Before I shot the video, she told me it was special. That's what inspired me to get the rest on video. We also had to make some phone calls.
On a technical note, it took a while to encode and upload because it is in HD. I shot it with a Sony Cybershot which records video at 640x480. Then I converted it to 720p and re-centered it to the lower portion of the screen to maintain the proper aspect ratio. It's not as crisp as it would have been if I recorded it to native HD, but it's a tiny bit better than what my standard camcorder could capture if it were still working.
The stills were stylized for the "sci-fi" theme (actually, the camera was in the wrong mode, so they look a little blurry).
On a technical note, it took a while to encode and upload because it is in HD. I shot it with a Sony Cybershot which records video at 640x480. Then I converted it to 720p and re-centered it to the lower portion of the screen to maintain the proper aspect ratio. It's not as crisp as it would have been if I recorded it to native HD, but it's a tiny bit better than what my standard camcorder could capture if it were still working.
The stills were stylized for the "sci-fi" theme (actually, the camera was in the wrong mode, so they look a little blurry).
Monday, April 6, 2009
Cubic Pastry Fail
There was a box of these in the lunch room for public consumption. I'm not sure what they're going for. It didn't seem cubical nor like any pastry I've ever had. I'm sure there's demand. Just not from me.
It's very nutty and flaky. Kind-of like me. I can't tell if there are any artificial ingredients because the only English on the wrapper relating to the product's description is "Cubic Pastry" and "Flavor." There is also another clue, "TK Food :: Since 1979 :: Baked Wheat Cookie."
Maybe it's an acquired taste, which I am usually a big fan of. So plan on acquiring more than one if your goal is to eventually enjoy these.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Dumb Warnings for Geomag
Television news pieces like this completely astound me.
Geomag is one of my personal favorite toys. I have a thing for Lego and other types of modular building toys. But Geomag is much higher on my list of favorites than Lego.
After Benjamin was born, I think I got them out maybe once or perhaps twice. I didn't introduce them to him when I got them out. I got them for me to enjoy (adults "enjoy," children "play"). They are mine. I would never allow any child who is still anywhere near the "oral" phase to even see them.
To me, it's obvious that these toys should never be given to small children to play with. Not even under strict supervision. Because if you have these toys and you let your three-year-old play with them, you had better put them under lock and key when you're done. Otherwise, kids will seek them out like an AFT agent on Ted Kasinski.
If you need an additional warning about these toys, then you probably also need instructions on the heel of a boot explaining how to extract water from it. Needing additional warnings puts it beyond stupid.
In fact, ubiquitous compulsory warnings make things worse. If you rely on everything having the proper labels and warnings, when new-yet-obvious hazards come along, you will fail to use your own brain.
Geomag is one of my personal favorite toys. I have a thing for Lego and other types of modular building toys. But Geomag is much higher on my list of favorites than Lego.
After Benjamin was born, I think I got them out maybe once or perhaps twice. I didn't introduce them to him when I got them out. I got them for me to enjoy (adults "enjoy," children "play"). They are mine. I would never allow any child who is still anywhere near the "oral" phase to even see them.
To me, it's obvious that these toys should never be given to small children to play with. Not even under strict supervision. Because if you have these toys and you let your three-year-old play with them, you had better put them under lock and key when you're done. Otherwise, kids will seek them out like an AFT agent on Ted Kasinski.
If you need an additional warning about these toys, then you probably also need instructions on the heel of a boot explaining how to extract water from it. Needing additional warnings puts it beyond stupid.
In fact, ubiquitous compulsory warnings make things worse. If you rely on everything having the proper labels and warnings, when new-yet-obvious hazards come along, you will fail to use your own brain.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Geek Lunch
This is my geek lunch. Ramen in my reusable noodle cup, my reusable chop-sticks, with exactly one pint of dihydrogen-monoxide (water) in my perfect beaker.
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