There are 10 episodes and they are available on DVD (and Youtube).
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Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday Night Video: Bargearse Part 1
I was doing research for another entry when I discovered a funny parody of a 1976 Australian cop show called Bluey by the Late Show in 1993.
There are 10 episodes and they are available on DVD (and Youtube).
There are 10 episodes and they are available on DVD (and Youtube).
Hedge mazes and iPhones
Melbourne is surrounded by hedge maze attractions; you know, the big things like they had in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but with fewer dragons. This weekend we had visitors and so trekked out to one of these. These are great activities for the kids. Basically, they can run off on their own and unlike your normal predisposition on such things the actual point is that they get lost and have to work their way out.
For parents you are either going to do take it seriously or not. Common sense would dictate making that decision prior to entering a maze. Sadly, you usually decide on this after you have stepped in the maze and are yourselves, lost. So there I was, along with a prominent economist, both realising that we were too busy talking about other stuff to have paid attention where we were going. It could take a good half hour to navigate our way out.
Fortunately, I decided on another path. I had a newly purchased iPhone 3G and so decided to use the GPS to locate us on an actual aerial shot of the maze. My colleague had a Blackberry that did a similar thing but the screen shot was too small. For me, the screen shot was barely readable but didn't quite have the detail to help us get out. The technology failed us. That said, I was able to see whether it was possible to book a nice lunch at a warm restaurant as we trapsed through. Turned out it wasn't but I could at least multi-task.
We eventually emerged from the maze. There was a tower at the end so we could see what else is happening. There were some adults in a 'clearing' and they signalled our attention. They then held up a child and asked us if we owned him. Turned out that it was my 7 year old son. (He had got really lost and used the age-old strategy of 'looking lost with a hint of distress' to secure help). So after a thumbs up I re-entered the maze to locate the clearing. Of course, that was as hard as finding your way out. This time I took another child who had paid attention with me so it was a bit quicker.
And the moral of this story is ... hedge mazes are fun but current technology isn't going to save you just yet.
For parents you are either going to do take it seriously or not. Common sense would dictate making that decision prior to entering a maze. Sadly, you usually decide on this after you have stepped in the maze and are yourselves, lost. So there I was, along with a prominent economist, both realising that we were too busy talking about other stuff to have paid attention where we were going. It could take a good half hour to navigate our way out.
Fortunately, I decided on another path. I had a newly purchased iPhone 3G and so decided to use the GPS to locate us on an actual aerial shot of the maze. My colleague had a Blackberry that did a similar thing but the screen shot was too small. For me, the screen shot was barely readable but didn't quite have the detail to help us get out. The technology failed us. That said, I was able to see whether it was possible to book a nice lunch at a warm restaurant as we trapsed through. Turned out it wasn't but I could at least multi-task.
We eventually emerged from the maze. There was a tower at the end so we could see what else is happening. There were some adults in a 'clearing' and they signalled our attention. They then held up a child and asked us if we owned him. Turned out that it was my 7 year old son. (He had got really lost and used the age-old strategy of 'looking lost with a hint of distress' to secure help). So after a thumbs up I re-entered the maze to locate the clearing. Of course, that was as hard as finding your way out. This time I took another child who had paid attention with me so it was a bit quicker.
And the moral of this story is ... hedge mazes are fun but current technology isn't going to save you just yet.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Dinner time togetherness
Today's Slate inspired post is on having dinner with your children. The article cites various studies showing beneficial effects from everyone having dinner together for both children and parents. Of course, it is hard to work out whether the dinners cause the benefits or the benefits cause the dinner or something else causes both. Indeed, the NPR program that delves into this further suggests that the type of conversation you have over dinner really matters. You listen to that and you just worry.
Anyhow, we are a household that dines together. This is one of the benefits of having our dual incomes coming from academia and public service. We can all be at home by 5 or so. And that means dinners together at 5:30 almost every night. (Well, actually, these days the other parent darts off to the gym or something so we ain't the perfect model of this anymore).
Now the studies suggest that you have to have meaningful conversations for all this to mean anything. From this I take to it to mean pleading to sit still or eat your vegetables or not wipe your dirty face on your shirt doesn't cut it. On that latter one, it does result in instant shirt removal without replacement.
We do better with "how was your day at school?" with the typical response "good" or "I don't want to say" which always piques my interest, making said child not wanting to have even said they didn't want to say. Sometimes it is more intriguing and we hear about playground politics and engage in thoughtful responses of how to deal with it. For example,
Anyhow, we are a household that dines together. This is one of the benefits of having our dual incomes coming from academia and public service. We can all be at home by 5 or so. And that means dinners together at 5:30 almost every night. (Well, actually, these days the other parent darts off to the gym or something so we ain't the perfect model of this anymore).
Now the studies suggest that you have to have meaningful conversations for all this to mean anything. From this I take to it to mean pleading to sit still or eat your vegetables or not wipe your dirty face on your shirt doesn't cut it. On that latter one, it does result in instant shirt removal without replacement.
We do better with "how was your day at school?" with the typical response "good" or "I don't want to say" which always piques my interest, making said child not wanting to have even said they didn't want to say. Sometimes it is more intriguing and we hear about playground politics and engage in thoughtful responses of how to deal with it. For example,
"So and so won't let me play this and that."And so it goes on. This is far removed from the intellectual discussion that is supposed to be associated with dinner time togetherness. So sometimes an adult attempts to transmit knowledge:
"Well, have you tried asking nicely."
"Yeesss, it doesn't work. They just tell me to go away."
"Well, maybe this and that is pretty dull. How about doing something more interesting? You get the interest and that just shows them!"
"There isn't anything more interesting."
"You know maybe I can just come into school and flog those bastards."
"Dad, you're not helping."
"So they think they discovered water on Mars today."Suffice it to say, perhaps we should leave the serious learning to school.
"We already have water here."
"True and we have life here too. If they find water on Mars that might mean there is life there too."
"Why can't they just look around for the life and not bother with the water?"
"Well, it may be that the life died out many years ago. So the water indicates life might have been there."
"In that case, the water didn't do them much good, did it?"
"True, I guess not."
Week 9: Pageant of the Transmundane
Well, I almost handed out the Krusty this week to a blog centered on a single theme. Almost. But then, I read something so exquisitely well crafted and so tailored to my tastes, and well, I just had to recognize it.
Burbanked almost snuck this one by me this morning, but our crack research team (an intrepid lad who looks strikingly like me), found it and saw the beauty contained within.
What did Alan do to win this award? Nothing much... well, except for weaving movie cliches and verse together into a neat little package.
And I guess it doesn't hurt that I sell a related t-shirt. I mean great minds think alike.
Because this week's winning entry is movie related, well, wouldn't the most appropriate picture be one that was used to advertise the Simpsons Movie? I thought so, and thus ran with the following for the Homer Simpson Transmundanity Award this week:
Congrats Alan... just think, if you win again in the next 35 weeks, you can get the Triple Crown to go with your two Super Transmundanity Awards.
The rules of this little contest: Every week I will be selecting one blog post that I have seen from the vast reaches of the blogosphere to bestow with the Homer Simpson Transmundanity Award for being one of the freakiest(in a funny way) things I've seen or read during a 7 day period. It doesn't necessarily have to have been written during the week, I just had to have encountered it. That means that if you find something interesting and repost it like a movie or whatever, if I saw it at your blog first, you get the prize. Of course, creating your own content is also a very good way to win.
Now, if you see a post that you think is worthy of this illustrious prize, just drop me a line at campybeaver@gmail.com and we'll see if we can't get your suggestion up and award-ready while giving you some credit and a link to your own blog.
Burbanked almost snuck this one by me this morning, but our crack research team (an intrepid lad who looks strikingly like me), found it and saw the beauty contained within.
What did Alan do to win this award? Nothing much... well, except for weaving movie cliches and verse together into a neat little package.
And I guess it doesn't hurt that I sell a related t-shirt. I mean great minds think alike.
Because this week's winning entry is movie related, well, wouldn't the most appropriate picture be one that was used to advertise the Simpsons Movie? I thought so, and thus ran with the following for the Homer Simpson Transmundanity Award this week:
Congrats Alan... just think, if you win again in the next 35 weeks, you can get the Triple Crown to go with your two Super Transmundanity Awards.
The rules of this little contest: Every week I will be selecting one blog post that I have seen from the vast reaches of the blogosphere to bestow with the Homer Simpson Transmundanity Award for being one of the freakiest(in a funny way) things I've seen or read during a 7 day period. It doesn't necessarily have to have been written during the week, I just had to have encountered it. That means that if you find something interesting and repost it like a movie or whatever, if I saw it at your blog first, you get the prize. Of course, creating your own content is also a very good way to win.
Now, if you see a post that you think is worthy of this illustrious prize, just drop me a line at campybeaver@gmail.com and we'll see if we can't get your suggestion up and award-ready while giving you some credit and a link to your own blog.
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Pleo in Australia
So your friendly dinosaur toy, Pleo, will soon be available in Australia. Regular readers know that I bought my son one for his birthday last year and it is an expensive toy. However, if you are flush with cash and want to spoil yourself children, you can pre-order from Next Technologies for iPhone territory prices.
Home Alone
This week, for the first time in a decade, I am home alone. Everyone else is in Sydney during the school holidays. I was there at the weekend but had to come back for work.
Now you would think that such a change would be relished, just for a little while. Five nights without obligation, no compromises, television before 7pm and so on. Just for a little while, it sounds like a welcome change.
But no. The second I walked into the empty house I was lost. I literally did not know what to do with myself. Getting dinner seemed not to be worth it just for myself. There was no laundry to do and I actively sought it out. But all around were reminders of what the house is usually like but with less mess. I didn't watch any more TV or read. I just sadly went about paying bills and getting other work done. Even at work this week I spent a considerable amount of time (and I am not making this up) co-opting a visitor and working on an economic model of marriage.
It has been five days and my attitude hasn't changed. Sounds like I am a bit of a baby about this but what can I say. I have never looked forward to a homecoming as much tomorrow's. I know people say you sometimes don't appreciate things until they are gone. But sometimes, even for a little while, it can surprise you. I'll be avoiding weeks like this in the future.
Now you would think that such a change would be relished, just for a little while. Five nights without obligation, no compromises, television before 7pm and so on. Just for a little while, it sounds like a welcome change.
But no. The second I walked into the empty house I was lost. I literally did not know what to do with myself. Getting dinner seemed not to be worth it just for myself. There was no laundry to do and I actively sought it out. But all around were reminders of what the house is usually like but with less mess. I didn't watch any more TV or read. I just sadly went about paying bills and getting other work done. Even at work this week I spent a considerable amount of time (and I am not making this up) co-opting a visitor and working on an economic model of marriage.
It has been five days and my attitude hasn't changed. Sounds like I am a bit of a baby about this but what can I say. I have never looked forward to a homecoming as much tomorrow's. I know people say you sometimes don't appreciate things until they are gone. But sometimes, even for a little while, it can surprise you. I'll be avoiding weeks like this in the future.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Code Search: Improved browsing and new search operators
Software engineers who work with huge code bases always wish searching thousands lines of code and navigating through the file and code structures was easier. They may use powerful IDEs for the local sources on their development workstations, but until recently they have been unable to efficiently browse huge amounts of the open source code in repositories and archives on the Internet. The latest Google Code Search updates add a few features that improve code browsing and searching. The first one is Code Outline which shows you the structure of code written Java, C, C++, C#, Python, JavaScript and Pascal. You can find it under a new "Outline" tab next to the existing "Files" tab.
But what if the include list is too large and you can't guess where a class or method is defined? To help we added two new search operators, class: and function: which allow you to restrict your regular expression to the names of classes and functions only. Together with the package: operator and new radio button "Search in ..." that restricts search to the files from the specified package, these are powerful ways to find exactly what you are looking for. Compare the results of searching for "Shell" in the whole code base with the results of searching for class:Shell inside SWT.
We continue improving Code Search and look forward for your feedback at our discussion group.
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