tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71656824324108213172024-02-07T02:35:45.302-08:00RussThoughts(.com)Still thinking thoughts, I think.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-79218883087194404202017-10-29T16:40:00.000-07:002017-10-29T16:40:05.599-07:00Halloween Trivia 2017<h3>
Round 1: Nestlé, Hershey, or Mars</h3>
<div>
Which candy companies produce the following candy?</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Twix</li>
<li>Mounds</li>
<li>Baby Ruth</li>
<li>Reese's Peanut Butter Cups</li>
<li>Butterfinger</li>
<li>Snickers</li>
<li>Nerds</li>
<li>Whoppers</li>
<li>Milk Duds</li>
<li>Raisinets</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Round 2: It happened on Halloween</h3>
</div>
<div>
Answer these questions all based on events that happened on October 31st.</div>
<br />
<ol>
<li>October 31st, 1864 – Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state. Located in TONOPAH, Nevada, someone with coulrophobia would definitely want to avoid this themed hotel. What is the theme?</li>
<li>October 31st, 1941 – After 14 years of work and with the help of 400 workers, Mount Rushmore is completed. How many workers died during the construction of Mt. Rushmore?</li>
<li>October 31st, 1926 – Harry Houdini, American magician and stuntman died. What was the official cause of Harry Houdini's death?</li>
<li>October 31st, 2000 – Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been crewed continuously since then. How many inhabited space stations were there before the ISS?</li>
<li>October 31st, 2011 – The global population of humans reaches seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as the Day of Seven Billion. As of 2015, in what year are we projected to hit 8 billion?</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Round 3: Music Round</h3>
<div>
Here's a link to a <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4tb6eheEOpoMnotLVI1ZVZTYTA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">few</a> snippets of songs you can use for a music trivia round.</div>
<br />
<h3>
Bonus</h3>
<div>
Just in case there's a tie!</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>When Apple-bobbing, or as it's known in Scotland, "dooking", what was the original prize for the first person to bite an apple?</li>
<li>According to the Guinness Book of World Records, how much did the worlds largest pumpkin weigh? (price is right rules)</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<h3>
Answers!</h3>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Twix - Mars - Twix was called Raider in mainland Europe for many years before its name was changed in 1991</li>
<li>Mounds - Hershey - The U.S. military purchased 80% of the production of Mounds for use in rations during World War II (5 million bars/month).</li>
<li>Baby Ruth - Nestle - The name of the candy bar sounds like the name of the famous baseball player Babe Ruth, but the creators claimed it was named after President Grover Cleveland's daughter, Ruth Cleveland, although many suspect that was just to avoid lawsuits.</li>
<li>Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Hershey - Today, the H.B. Reese Candy Company is maintained as a subsidiary of Hershey because the Reese plant workforce is not unionized, unlike the main Hershey plant.</li>
<li>Butterfinger - Nestle - Invented in 1923, the company held a public contest to choose the name Butterfinger. </li>
<li>Snickers - Mars - Named after the favorite racehorse of the Mars family.</li>
<li>Nerds - Nestle - Nerds also had a close cousin in the '80s named Dweebs. Dweebs were very similar to Nerds; but they were less sour and bigger in size.</li>
<li>Whoppers - Hershey - Whoppers were first sold unwrapped, larger, and two pieces for one cent.</li>
<li>Milk Duds - Hershey - They're called "duds" because the original aim of having a perfectly round piece was found to be impossible, so the oblong ones were the duds.</li>
<li>Raisinets - Nestle - Raisinets were introduced in the United States in 1927 just two years after Goobers which are chocolate covered peanuts.</li>
<li>October 31st, 1864 – Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state. Located in TONOPAH, Nevada, someone with coulrophobia would definitely want to avoid this themed hotel. What is the theme? Clowns - If a clown-themed motel adorned with hundreds of figurines isn’t enough to terrorize you, an early 1900s-era miner cemetery 100 feet away should do the trick.</li>
<li>October 31st, 1941 – After 14 years of work and with the help of 400 workers, Mount Rushmore is completed. How many workers died during the construction of Mt. Rushmore? - 0 - However many died years later from prolonged periods of inhaling the silica dust. Some say they still haunt the Keystone Cemetery to this day.</li>
<li>October 31st, 1926 – Harry Houdini, American magician and stuntman died. What was the official cause of Harry Houdini's death? - appendicitis - After Harry Houdini’s death his wife Bess conducted many séances, attempting to create circumstances and atmospheres that would help her beloved husband contact her.</li>
<li>October 31st, 2000 – Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been crewed continuously since then. How many inhabited space stations were there before the ISS? - ISS is the 9th - It has been continuously occupied for 16 years, 11 months, 26 days and completes 15.54 orbits per day.</li>
<li>October 31st, 2011 – The global population of humans reaches seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as the Day of Seven Billion. As of 2015, in what year are we projected to hit 8 billion? - 2024 - Estimates put the total number of humans to have ever lived are around 100 billion, which means there are over 92 billion ghosts!</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li>When Apple-bobbing, or as it's known in Scotland, "dooking", what was the original prize for the first person to bite an apple? - be allowed to marry</li>
<li>According to the Guinness Book of World Records, how much did the worlds largest pumpkin weigh? (price is right rules) - 1,190.49 kg (2,624.6 lb)</li>
</ol>
</div>
Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-39158821579350653812012-12-02T18:45:00.003-08:002012-12-02T18:45:56.063-08:00Working with Queues and To-DosPeople work through tasks using queues. Some people try to combine all the tasks they need to complete in a given day/week/month into a single list and call it a to-do list. Those same people tend to be the ones that write those lists down. And there's good reason. Combining and prioritizing all the tasks you need to complete takes a lot of mental time and energy, and no one wants to repeat that every time they need another task to work on. I don't have any problems with this method, but it has never quite worked for me.<br />
<br />
I've never been one to make to-do lists. I don't consider myself someone with an exceptional memory or an uncanny ability to keep track of things. In fact, if you verbally tell me even the simplest lunch order, I will forget it almost instantly, guaranteed. Same with directions. But I rarely forget about a task I need to complete. So I started to consider why.<br />
<br />
Last week, I had an unusually high number of tasks to complete. They fell into different categories, the two main ones being work tasks and personal tasks. But instead of creating a single to do list and then through each task, I formed two shorter queues, each containing the items I needed to complete in either my work life or my personal life. Each of these lists were prioritized based on the items in the queue.<br />
<br />
Now I tend to be very terrible at multitasking, so I can only work on one task at any given time. Each time I complete a task, I look at the next items on each queue and make a decision on which one to complete. Many short lists, with quick evaluations on what needs to be done next means that I don't need to spend a lot of time making decisions about priority between different tasks. And prioritizing personal tasks among each other is much easier than prioritizing work and personal tasks together. So take your to-do lists, group them into multiple smaller queues of tasks ordered by priority, and pick then next thing from the top of the queue.<br />
<br />
The other advantage is that when a new task comes in, you can quickly put it into a priority with the other tasks in that queue, and not have to spend time figuring out which work task your dry cleaning should go above.<br />
<br />
There are a few problems with this method. I tend to wait until the last minute to complete things. This is because a task is only completed when there are no other tasks of higher priority ahead of it in any queue. Also, some tasks I really just don't want to do. They tend to block an entire queue because I can't process anything else until I do the thing I don't want to do. That happened last week, and as soon as I did the thing I was trying to avoid, I rushed through the rest of the items in the queue in about five minutes.<br />
<br />
So in my opinion, the secret to getting rid of to-do lists is to make many short lists of similar tasks organized by priority instead. Then, as you complete each task, run through all the queues you can think of and see what the next thing to do is. Also, try to tackle queues that are blocked before they start to cause too much trouble. To me, this takes much less brain power than you would expect.<br />
<br />
Now if I could only spend more time on my RussThoughts queue...Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-32227718536940634212012-11-22T10:12:00.003-08:002013-12-03T20:42:48.519-08:00Weekend Project: FreeAdWordsScripts.comRecently, I started playing around with some of the awesome things you can do with AdWords scripts. So I started a blog that is dedicated to finding solutions to new problems using simple javascript scripts that can run within AdWords. All the scripts are free. Who knows. Check out <a href="http://freeadwordsscripts.com/">FreeAdWordsScripts.com</a>.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
RussRussell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-82844795449161557592012-11-05T19:56:00.003-08:002012-11-05T19:58:27.409-08:00Weekend Project: SEMLinkChecker.comSo a friend and I decided to build a quick django site this weekend and this is what happened: <a href="http://semlinkchecker.com/">http://semlinkchecker.com</a><br />
<br />
It is just a simple site that checks to see if your urls are returning the proper status codes. Yes, there are a thousand other sites that do exactly the same thing, but what a great excuse to brush up on/learn python, django, aws, and git skills. We also connected it to just about every Google tool out there: Google AdSense, Google Apps for Business, Google AdWords, Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools.<br />
<br />
One other reason to set it up is to learn a little more about improving SEO ranking. After only a weekend, we are the number one spot for "sem link checker," so now we have to try for some other keywords such as "<a href="http://semlinkchecker.com/">link check</a>" or "<a href="http://semlinkchecker.com/">url validator</a>."<br />
<br />
Anyway, check it out, and throw some suggestions for other weekend projects my way.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Russ<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2W8gGG5Y2PsJWbZO4gOjaaC7hpWLyh-vyJXcwwEDYdKhW2cehbZoMXgCiboRZIJ0hIaebGsgOHeAdPhnLu1Q95K8wTCLNTPLjWP10kvBEpqxdK0u0FipajphP7S2xUFU0rSYYhPSSGkk/s1600/SemLinkChecker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2W8gGG5Y2PsJWbZO4gOjaaC7hpWLyh-vyJXcwwEDYdKhW2cehbZoMXgCiboRZIJ0hIaebGsgOHeAdPhnLu1Q95K8wTCLNTPLjWP10kvBEpqxdK0u0FipajphP7S2xUFU0rSYYhPSSGkk/s320/SemLinkChecker.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-71925351154698161052012-08-28T17:57:00.002-07:002012-08-28T17:59:18.902-07:00The RNC Drinking Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Drink:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1x for each story about the small business owner getting crushed under taxes</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1x for each interview with a former candidate (and again every minute of the interview)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1x for the following buzzwords: Obamacare, Job Creators, National Debt, Small Businesses, EPA, middle class, American dream, Swing State</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1x anyone says or sees the word Ohio</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1x each time someone in the room says "they took our jerbs!"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2x whenever someone says "We Built It"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2x for every mention of Ron Paul</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuorSfp7tc37XDBy8LeQlfDBBuQaWDyMLgsi0ALkzzotlhzH6ZmAzypAdaBkInKUDnd8Z5WTdsAHTvwArRin0Tu80AuHQaOwqZ5KG74CEUxctTU86-xIB_Lh9sxsTBrTGUv5r93174_P0/s1600/08282012175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuorSfp7tc37XDBy8LeQlfDBBuQaWDyMLgsi0ALkzzotlhzH6ZmAzypAdaBkInKUDnd8Z5WTdsAHTvwArRin0Tu80AuHQaOwqZ5KG74CEUxctTU86-xIB_Lh9sxsTBrTGUv5r93174_P0/s320/08282012175.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warning: Do Not Attempt!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-18798304812685482022012-08-27T16:36:00.000-07:002012-08-27T16:36:52.238-07:00IM Is a Text Message, Not a Phone Call<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">person1: hey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(time passes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">person2: hey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">person1: blah blah blah blah blah blah...</span><br />
<br />
This is undoubtedly how most of your IM conversations start. But why? Why the initial hey? Just say "Hey, blah blah blah blah..." Why do you need for me to acknowledge your initial "hey" before you tell me what you're going to tell me?<br />
<br />
IM isn't a phone conversation, it's a text message. When you text someone, you don't have to preface it with "hey" and then wait for a response. Just say what you're going to say and let the person on the other end decide what to do with that information. Maybe they will respond, maybe they will not. If it is really important, send an email.<br />
<br />
And don't get me started about people who ask "did you get my text?" The answer is always "Yes, but because i'm an a-hole, i never bothered to respond."<br />
<br />
<br />Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-5218017122488037992012-08-23T21:58:00.001-07:002012-08-23T21:58:10.937-07:00A Theory About Happy HoursMost of the time, the more people you have at a dinner, the longer it takes. Except happy hours. When just two people are out for happy hour, there is no possible way to have just one drink. As that number increases to three or more, the happy hour will be much shorter.<br />
<br />
When two people are out drinking, they will always drink at different rates. As such, the bartender will ask if one person wants another drink before the other has finished. Then the other person finishes, and doesn't want to leave someone drinking alone, and decides to get just one more.<br />
<br />
And it continues until an external force breaks the cycle (train, significant other, dog, etc.).<br />
<br />
When there are more than two people, most of the time there will be enough momentum to disband if one person decides to leave.<br />
<br />
In this way, the optimal happy hour size for getting home before 9pm seems to be three. Of course, who wants that?Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-5380745454289529322012-08-17T12:53:00.002-07:002012-08-17T15:16:45.408-07:00Chatting About "The Hunger Games"Warning, spoilers for <i>The Hunger Games </i>follow.<br />
<br />
<pre>(2:40:11 PM) Russ: i watched the hunger games movie last night
(2:40:30 PM) SomeoneElse: wow couldnt help yourself
(2:40:44 PM) Russ: the main character is such a dummy
(2:40:59 PM) Russ: same as that damn twilight
(2:41:15 PM) SomeoneElse: katniss, omg not the same
(2:41:33 PM) SomeoneElse: those are fighting words
(2:41:39 PM) Russ: let's go through the list
(2:41:47 PM) Russ: not good with people: check check
(2:42:08 PM) Russ: guy chasing them that they don't want: check check
(2:42:19 PM) Russ: pale: check check
(2:42:21 PM) SomeoneElse: annoying in real life: not, untalented actresses in the other movies
(2:42:50 PM) Russ: not good at being a hunter/vampire: check check
(2:42:53 PM) SomeoneElse: not check check
(2:43:03 PM) SomeoneElse: wait why was she not a good hunter
(2:43:27 PM) Russ: ok, guy tells her not to go for the cornicopia: she goes for the cornicopia
(2:43:50 PM) Russ: gets trapped in a tree and the only reason she is save was that little girl
(2:44:00 PM) Russ: who also saved her ass while she was stung
(2:44:22 PM) SomeoneElse: hunters dont usually have to do that
(2:44:22 PM) Russ: then she gets her but kicked trying to go back to the cornicopia to save her bf, then someone saves her
(2:44:46 PM) Russ: basically, luck is the only way she manages to survive
(2:45:06 PM) SomeoneElse: true, she actually did a lot more in the book versus the movie
(2:45:08 PM) Russ: the only thing she did was blow up some food, which i'm still not sure why she did it
(2:45:21 PM) Russ: other than to be a beee-otch
</pre>
Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-71495667240881795082012-08-13T22:12:00.000-07:002012-08-13T22:13:40.648-07:00Five Trivia Questions for "My Cousin Vinny"Mild spoilers ahead for the 1992 film <i>My Cousin Vinny</i>.<br />
<br />
1. What crime were the two boys accused of?<br />
2. What takes about 20 mins to cook?<br />
3. This actress won an Academy Award for playing Mona. Name her.<br />
4. Why couldn't the car have made those tracks?<br />
5. What name did the Judge finally accept for Mr. Vincent Gambini?<br />
<br />
Need to brush up? Grab a copy over on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SFOW8I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000SFOW8I&linkCode=as2&tag=russthoucom-20">Amazon.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1. Murder of a store clerk 2. grits (non-instant) 3. Marisa Tomei 4. It had a solid back axle 5. Jerry Callo</span>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-17797603471923610912012-08-11T23:40:00.000-07:002012-08-11T23:45:38.303-07:00Why I Wear Flip Flops on AirplanesBefore a 6 hour flight:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFO94HfGhvPwIFyTULKJViHzNm1i5sTW8MCdYm6-NSHBpnfMhOUYeZxfNlDE5O_zSTRalpTwX70xzat91qNXOvLm3wbQ8VuS7Kb5kMFtHZlv9ea7kBfBWoulMhGJ2chSAGjol6-Ti4js/s1600/03272012039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFO94HfGhvPwIFyTULKJViHzNm1i5sTW8MCdYm6-NSHBpnfMhOUYeZxfNlDE5O_zSTRalpTwX70xzat91qNXOvLm3wbQ8VuS7Kb5kMFtHZlv9ea7kBfBWoulMhGJ2chSAGjol6-Ti4js/s320/03272012039.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez0yV9Iq-40hVhmBy6lNUwbU744a1G02RyYDcN9jHTtflgeFEmXI11Ahi9pGs0li8n0ZHdOFbSw3rcVQkejrj6MQMq4ah0LzFzGnttL37we50irndpM4mAGMygoAzHabQPYtvUOoVkNs/s1600/03282012040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez0yV9Iq-40hVhmBy6lNUwbU744a1G02RyYDcN9jHTtflgeFEmXI11Ahi9pGs0li8n0ZHdOFbSw3rcVQkejrj6MQMq4ah0LzFzGnttL37we50irndpM4mAGMygoAzHabQPYtvUOoVkNs/s320/03282012040.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So apparently, the extreme medical term for this is "gravitational oedema." This is most likely due to my unhealthy lifestyle and poor choices in diet. Instead of starting a plan for diet and healthy activity, I figure I'll just add these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SGNHPY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002SGNHPY&linkCode=as2&tag=russthoucom-20" target="_blank">compression socks</a> to my wishlist and enjoy that bacon cheeseburger.<br />
<br />
source: <a href="http://traveltips.usatoday.com/swollen-ankles-feet-after-airline-travel-17285.html" target="_blank">USA Today: Swollen Ankles & Feet After Airline Travel</a>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-22503966195668296722012-06-24T01:44:00.002-07:002012-06-24T01:46:12.429-07:00Thoughts from a Week in EnglandLady on the plane next to me complains about being a broke college student and proceeds to tell me about her frequent trips to Brazil. I thought she was going to say YOLO. She tells me I should run a half marathon.<br />
<br />
I tried to order a coffee but they asked me what kind. I had no idea. Apparently, regular is not an option. He throws out a few options, and I go for the americano. I make a note to learn more about coffee, but I probably won't. After a few tries, I was able to get a Starbucks order right. The way you can tell is if they write your name on the cup.<br />
<br />
Every time someone complains about the US sticking with Fahrenheit, I ask them when they will start driving on the correct side of the road.<br />
<br />
Crosswalks don't blink red to tell you they are about to turn, they just turn off. So you see green, then halfway across the street, it just turns off, and you freak out and start running.<br />
<br />
Biking in London is crazy. The streets are already too small and I saw multiple instances of cars running bikes off the road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vEPGGqm97F2DVKzR3KG4WpxnhLODdaPDu4NWt40V2NsYNFKo0eDkfVjeamp6EukkjVDkb9duuQv-_GVQqgZq6OWlkAMmudembiJyUGNu1FGNngXO7i9_QflfogbfrW5VPp1fBKnYNXw/s1600/Ten_Bells_Pub_2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vEPGGqm97F2DVKzR3KG4WpxnhLODdaPDu4NWt40V2NsYNFKo0eDkfVjeamp6EukkjVDkb9duuQv-_GVQqgZq6OWlkAMmudembiJyUGNu1FGNngXO7i9_QflfogbfrW5VPp1fBKnYNXw/s320/Ten_Bells_Pub_2001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I learned the difference between a Pub, a Bar, and a Cafe. A Pub serves mostly beer and is similar to what you might call a neighborhood bar in the States, but no food. A Bar serves beer and liquor, same as most bars here, some apps. And a cafe serves drinks and food.<br />
<br />
Pret-A-Manger shops are everywhere. Worse than Starbucks in Seattle. As of January 2012, there were 168 in London.<br />
<br />
Tipping: Don't tip unless something exceptional happens. At the bar: 1 pound max, and only if they help you in some way. Cab: Nope, unless they save your life, then 1 maybe a pound. Waiters and Waitresses make minimum wage which is around $9.50 an hour.<br />
<br />
Many shows (including MythBusters) have the narrator replaced with someone British. Also, for the seeing impaired, many of the movies and shows have a creepy voice in the background that describes exactly what is happening onscreen. I didn't realize you could turn it off until halfway through the trip. And even when I did turn it off, I could still hear it. I couldn't figure out if it was on TV or in my mind. Probably both.<br />
<br />
All men are required to have a drink at the pub on the way home from work. Also, if you want to do a London pub crawl, you might only make it 3 or 4 blocks. There is literally a pub on every corner.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-66645050706076995802012-06-09T09:54:00.001-07:002012-06-09T09:55:06.417-07:00Getting Rid of GoDaddyAnother 4 domains transferred away from the scum that is GoDaddy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI14TMAE0ebDSt7em_PyznXCGcp6HKQ29HSpfIa3TyrOPG2sPIo5TUxoXX8JIN27HmIG4CV8D6rggAl_E5r-tea-S1G93dDeoxKXAP7vzq_4OimUBnNp5pAgdVF40ghyphenhyphenrBkO1VK6CEYRU/s1600/not_a_single.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI14TMAE0ebDSt7em_PyznXCGcp6HKQ29HSpfIa3TyrOPG2sPIo5TUxoXX8JIN27HmIG4CV8D6rggAl_E5r-tea-S1G93dDeoxKXAP7vzq_4OimUBnNp5pAgdVF40ghyphenhyphenrBkO1VK6CEYRU/s320/not_a_single.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-23327539126951238942012-02-26T13:48:00.001-08:002012-02-26T14:25:06.654-08:00Cherry Diet Root Beer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This post is specifically designed to show up on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/90705379964933947/">Pintrest</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2GDPR9dZqDSMCJlkiJIrMh1jVAqHIoB2IiKmVCqZGbL1DPOJRR7yd2c9bqPfbfNvLTsgzLS6ZnSWTlVcRK6fQnMtF9vwKntorzY7z0nGdSVgNbKZd0qo6yCAhzuR0u_sYCK2N_qlfBs/s1600/DietCherryRootBeer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2GDPR9dZqDSMCJlkiJIrMh1jVAqHIoB2IiKmVCqZGbL1DPOJRR7yd2c9bqPfbfNvLTsgzLS6ZnSWTlVcRK6fQnMtF9vwKntorzY7z0nGdSVgNbKZd0qo6yCAhzuR0u_sYCK2N_qlfBs/s400/DietCherryRootBeer.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Coke recently started rolling out some soft drink machines that allow you to mix up to 120 different combinations of cola. In a word, they are amazing!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_quGsxEfg15f4hHXOCg0uSA8HcY0saNtZRh9fF8ADDlYfeQ4taRNMPFHTpdRW7avtGcssvymYkzsg_sVEUS25HLIZOt-RaqXtNmjcznEHRyGKmylzoy81ew4PHY3e1DyTj5x23DsVm_MC/s1600/coke+freestyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_quGsxEfg15f4hHXOCg0uSA8HcY0saNtZRh9fF8ADDlYfeQ4taRNMPFHTpdRW7avtGcssvymYkzsg_sVEUS25HLIZOt-RaqXtNmjcznEHRyGKmylzoy81ew4PHY3e1DyTj5x23DsVm_MC/s200/coke+freestyle.jpg" width="101" /></a></div>
And after a few disappointing combinations of various syrups, I stumbled upon a mix of Diet Barq's Root Beer and Cherry Fanta Zero and it tastes awesome!<br />
<br />
Try it.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-90468722460106929682012-02-22T21:17:00.000-08:002012-02-22T21:17:55.124-08:00Setup StraightTalk Mobile on Nokia N8I recently tried to setup my Nokia N8 phone with a new StraightTalk SIM card that I purchased here: <a href="http://straighttalksim.com/">http://straighttalksim.com/</a><br />
<br />
It was kind of a pain in the ass, so i figured i would save some people the trouble and walk them through the process.<br />
<br />
First, activate the SIM online following the instructions in the package. No phone needed.<br />
<br />
Once the SIM is in the Nokia, the 2 things to do are setup Mobile Web and MMS messaging.<br />
<br />
1. In the Menu, select Settings > Connectivity > Settings > Network destinations > Access point<br />
2. Automatically search for available access points and select Mobile data. Name it whatever you want ("StraightTalk" seemed reasonable) and add it to the "Internet" destination.<br />
3. Once the new access point is created, click on it to edit the settings. Select options from the bottom right menu and then Advanced Settings.<br />
4. Select "Proxy server address" and enter: proxy.mnvo.tracfone.com<br />
5. For port, use: 80<br />
<br />
Make sure you set this access point as the highest priority. You can go ahead and delete the ones from your old carrier. At this point, you should be good to access the internet from your phone.<br />
<br />
Next let's set up MMS.<br />
<br />
1. Go back to Settings > Connectivity > Settings > Network destinations and choose "New destination" from the bottom right menu. Name it: Multimedia Messaging<br />
2. Add a new access point, automatically search, select Mobile data, and name this one (again, can be anything but "StraightTalkMMS" seemed reasonable).<br />
3. Go into the access point and for Homepage enter: http://mmsc.cingular.com<br />
4. Then under advanced settings, enter: 66.209.11.33 and 80 for the Proxy address and the port respectively.<br />
5. Finally, back in the menu, open the Messaging app and select Settings from the bottom right menu. Under "Multimedia Message", select the new MMS access point you created in steps above for the "Access point in use" option.<br />
<br />
Now you should be all set up to send MMS and mobile data. Enjoy that cheapo no contract phone service!Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-16314773429433776962012-01-26T00:13:00.001-08:002012-08-11T23:26:29.992-07:00Define: Junk BedJunk Bed occurs when a single person occupies a room containing two or more beds. Inevitably, one bed will be used for sleeping, while any additional beds will be used as storage for junk. This most often occurs in lonely hotel rooms. Used in a sentence: "I was upset when I got the room with the single King bed because I was really looking forward to Junk Bed."Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-68146787726812704502012-01-22T22:55:00.001-08:002012-01-22T22:57:34.988-08:00The Problem with People and Google TVI've had a Google TV for over a year now and I think it's great. Sure, the software wasn't amazing when it first came out and yes, the Logitech Revue seems to has less processing power than my cell phone. But I still find it awesome to watch the latest music videos and check Facebook every now and then on my TV.
<br />
<br />
But there is one problem with the device that I don't think anyone at Google thought of. I call it the Viral Video Spiral of Death (VVSD).<br />
<br />
Let me describe a common scenario that I know everyone that owns a Google TV has experienced. A group of people will gather around your 55" flat screen television for an evening of snacking and sporting events. Midway through the first quarter and/or the 10th handful of Lays, someone will notice that you have a random keyboard on your coffee table and pose the following question, "Hey, what is that keyboard for?" (Note: this could be followed up with a bro, man or even chap depending on the sporting event.)<br />
<br />
"Oh that's my Google TV." You'll reply. "It lets me browse the internet while I watch TV. It's great for catching up on music videos."<br />
<br />
"Does it play YouTube videos?"<br />
<br />
"Sure."<br />
<br />
"Oh man, my ex-coworker showed me this <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=video+where+x+does+y">video where x does a y</a> (3,940,000 results by the way) and it is hysterical! I nearly fell out of my cube at work watching it. People were staring."<br />
<br />
And as the gracious host, during the next commercial break you will gladly pick up the keyboard and summon the video. Sure enough, it is very funny, and you find your living room briefly turned into a live version of Tosh.0.<br />
<br />
But unfortunately, VVSD has already started. "If you think that's funny, check this out!" Friend 2 will say. "Here type in 'shit _(color)/(gender)_ people say.'" By now, the crowd has already forgotten what show they were watching in the first place as they all focus on recalling the name of that video with the epic nut shot or the cute hippos playing.<br />
<br />
Each video watched by the group is followed by a video that is "even better" than the last in an endless cycle. VVSD is a very real problem and you can be stuck for hours watching video after video. But here's where the Logitech Revue's under-powered processor and Google's buggy beta software actually work in your favor. The system will crash. That you can be certain. This feature instantly brings everyone back to their regularly scheduled programming. The spiral is broken, and the people are free. At least until the next commercial.<br />
<br />
Everyone who owns a Google TV and a group of friends has experienced this phenomenon, and it will continue as long as viral videos go un-watched. So hide yo' keyboard, hide yo' wife, and prevent the VVSD from spreading. Know the warning signs, and get tested regularly.<br />
<br />
Oh, by the way, have you seen the video where the baby talks to the goat while it's milked? Hysterical!Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-53071545568976007932011-08-11T21:42:00.000-07:002011-08-11T21:42:17.144-07:00How Engineers Solve Conversations<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There's always that span of time during a night at the bar when you find yourself thinking about things in a much deeper way than you probably should. Last Saturday, during those precious moments of clarity, I found myself talking to a man in sales. As we sat there at the bar and traded stories, my mind started to wander. Follow along.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Successful salespeople always think about how to read people and successful engineers always think about solving problems. As an engineer (with a few drinks in him), I came to the realization that to me, conversations can be thought of as just another problem to solve.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Every conversation has variables: the other people, the topics, body language, social rules, and the number of drinks consumed. These are things that can change at any time during the conversation. Every conversation has a set of constants: you, the location, news, weather, something funny across the bar or on TV. A constant in this case can be thought of as a set of facts known or agreed upon by everyone in the conversation. The goal is to solve for the other person or people in the conversation.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When I start to solve a conversation, I normally start with a constant. "Can you believe what happened with at shooting in the Loop today?" Unless I'm talking to the person doing the shooting, I generally know how the others will react. Like most problems, verifying your constants is always a good place to start. In the process, you will start to see patterns emerge.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When I talk about shooting, I start to hear stories about the family member who was on the police force. Now I have more constants to work with. A problem can't be solved unless you add a little bit of past experience with other problems into the mix, so I share a similar story. As the conversation continues, I find myself getting closer and closer to turning variables into values you can predict with reasonable certainty.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Normal people solve hundreds of these problems everyday without even thinking about it while engineers fail to solve many of these problems every single day. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">That night, as you can probably already tell, I failed miserably at solving pretty much anything.</div>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-60502311932318846942011-07-24T21:57:00.000-07:002011-07-24T21:57:39.324-07:00Attention People of ChicagoIt's July, which means I'm halfway through my first Chicago summer. Everyone I talk to in or from Chicago raves about how great the summers are. I must say that the people in or from Chicago have a very strange definition of great.<br />
<br />
I will say that the city itself is amazing in the summer. You've got the great parks by the water, summer concerts, multiple block parties every weekend, and a beach where you'll find some impressive people watching. There is always something to do in the summer if you leave your apartment.<br />
<br />
But let's talk about the white elephant in the room: the weather. Chicago's weather is mentally ill. When it's happy, it's really friggin happy. Most of the last two weeks were spent with heat indices topping the 100 degree mark. But when it's sad, it's suicidal. The last two days, we've had some of the worst flash floods on record. One day it's 90 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The next day, or maybe even hour, it looks like the four horseman of the apocalypse have come for rapture. It's a mental patient that they're trying to cure with LSD and cocaine.<br />
<br />
Here's what no one here seems to understand. There are places with amazing parks, shopping, swimming, block parties, you name it, and the weather is bearable all 12 months of the year. Yes, that's right, no need to get beat in the face repeatedly for eight months waiting for the psychopath to let you in. I don't really understand why people think they need to bear the winters here, because even the summer weather is some of the craziest I've ever seen.<br />
<br />
So here's my description of Chicago weather. The winters are cold, snowy, and there's no decent skiing within a days drive. There will be times when you cannot leave your house for days, so keep some frozen pizzas in the freezer. The summers are sweltering, and once a week you will stare into the gates of hell when you look out your window, if only for an hour.<br />
<br />
But it's all worth it right? RIGHT?!?!Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-38972926422754839362011-07-19T23:05:00.000-07:002011-07-19T23:05:38.381-07:00My New Take on InceptionI just got back from San Juan, Puerto Rico and on the flight home, I got a chance to watch <i>Inception</i> one more time. I'm sure the last thing the world needs is another interpretation of Christopher Nolan's film, but here's one you might not have heard. WARNING: The follow paragraphs contain spoilers.<br />
<br />
I started thinking about totems. Every person going into the dream world has a totem that supposedly only themselves have touched. Except Cobb. Cobb's totem is the same as his wife Mal's, a small top. That got me thinking. There are three people who touch the top: Saito, Mal and Cobb.<br />
<br />
We learn later in the film that Cobb and Mal both worked as extractors together and began playing with the idea of a dream inside a dream. From Cobb's story, we know they spent almost 50 years in limbo together before Cobb incepted Mal with the idea that they were in a dream.<br />
<br />
Now back in the real world, Mal is still obsessed with the idea that the two of them are still dreaming. Cobb tries to reason with her, using the children as proof, but it is no use.<br />
<br />
And now the twist. What if Mal was right? Maybe they were dreaming. How can Mal convince Cobb that it was all a dream? She has to use the one thing Cobb believes is real, the children. What Mal does is create a scenario where Cobb can't be with the children. She kills herself and pins it on him.<br />
<br />
Enter Saito. He has chosen Cobb for his special task in part due to the test missions performed in the beginning of the film. But we never see that start of those missions. I believe that Mal and Saito are working together to wake Cobb up from the dream.<br />
<br />
In fact, you know from the very first dream sequence where Cobb and Arthur are trying to convince Saito to give them is secret. Mal tells Saito what Cobb is up to, forcing the dream to collapse. In fact, anytime Cobb attempts to go deeper into the dream levels, Mal is there to try to stop him.<br />
<br />
What we see at the end of the movie is the failure of Mal to get Cobb to wake up. Cobb is completely lost in his dream world because he no longer believes Mal is real, and she was his last link to reality.<br />
<br />
And there we have it. Re-watch the movie and look for the connection between Saito, Mal and Cobb. Also look for clues that Mal was right and that they were living in a dream world when she committed suicide. It's interesting that after a full year, <i>Inception</i> still has the ability to make you think.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-30734901464756859322011-04-25T20:27:00.000-07:002011-04-25T20:28:21.451-07:00Two Prisoners Missing From Classified Guantanamo Files<i>LOS ANGELES, CA</i> - Wikileaks recent release of classified <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135690218/military-documents-detail-life-at-guantanamo">Guantanamo Bay documents</a> caused even more controversy today as it was discovered that two high profile prisoners were missing from the files.<br />
<br />
Harold Lee and Kumar Patel were made famous in the 2004 documentary <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366551/"><i>Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle</i></a>. The success of the first film garnered a second documentary four years later titled <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481536/">Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay</a></i>. According to the latter film, the two men were placed in Guantanamo Bay after Kumar was found with an unknown electronic device and controlled substances on a flight to Amsterdam. They escaped from the facility during a highly publicized security breach involving at least three prison guards and a goat, all of whom where subsequently discharged. One of the guards, "Big" Bob, now runs a <a href="http://www.bigbobsoutlet.com/">flooring outlet</a> in Kansas City.<br />
<br />
But the authenticity of both films was called into question today as it was discovered that both men are absent from the classified Wikileaks documents. The files contain detailed information about some 158 men held at the facility along with intelligence summaries and assessments. It is unknown who provided the information to Wikileaks, but Secretary Ron Fox released an official statement earlier today relating to the publishing of the documents:<br />
<blockquote><i>[Holding up a picture of a little girl] Does NPR and The New York Times see this picture of a cute little white girl? With the release of these documents, it is clear that they want to see her get raped and murdered. It is unfortunate that these institutions want to rape America. [He then threw the picture against the wall]</i></blockquote>Harold, Kumar, and NPH were not immediately available for comment.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-35785141187651314962011-04-11T12:05:00.000-07:002011-04-11T12:09:22.359-07:00LinkedIn's Usability DisasterIf you've ever searched for a job on <a href="http://linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>, you may have noticed a feature that allows you to search for jobs near a particular zip code. Now I'm guessing most people don't memorize the zip codes for major cities in the US, but no problem. LinkedIn provides a nice little "lookup" link right next to the box. All this sounds just fine. Maybe searching by city would be easier, but it's certainly better than nothing.<br />
<br />
But here's the issue. When you click the lookup link, you don't get a simple ajax Javascript popup that allows you to enter a city, and get the correct zip code. You get a new window and this monster:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeIaTbK4X2HzqK-KEtIzrWwjyvMC-XPmU7QseZD-cIm2RFRUxnhF6Ca89pfV5hL-Tu694Ry-Gjd_cd9yyJdrT-G-W1uhg2MI0whblluh7zmSKrqBtrqHCFe-vszFFHpXOTfx4UfUR49Q/s1600/geonames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeIaTbK4X2HzqK-KEtIzrWwjyvMC-XPmU7QseZD-cIm2RFRUxnhF6Ca89pfV5hL-Tu694Ry-Gjd_cd9yyJdrT-G-W1uhg2MI0whblluh7zmSKrqBtrqHCFe-vszFFHpXOTfx4UfUR49Q/s320/geonames.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Even if <a href="http://www.geonames.org/postalcode-search.html?q=&country=us">GeoNames.org</a> has the best zip code lookup system anywhere online, this type of user experience is shockingly bad. I have to search for the city on another site, then copy and paste the zip code back to LinkedIn? Someone needs to prioritize this JIRA story and fast.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-47252342318494315592011-03-28T10:22:00.000-07:002011-03-28T10:27:38.220-07:00Apple is LazyThey have 350,000 app logos to choose from but there are (many) duplicate logos in the latest Apple promo. WTF?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tbsskKxvakXH9PDu9m4HZA?feat=embedwebsite" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxI1sJscPwxZgTsHldhRg4J9VJ_4QAsWcggdqPKRyq2j0rC_-w27yTTVjUzcHN9J8CNnYEvx5oYW9UZiJ9lzrmXzvNAIwgIrqJJ97Egal5AorafSftoy4aNcwyto0EGP8vwRUQam3HCE/s400/LazyApple.png" height="233" width="400" /><br />
Click to enlarge</a><br />
</div>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-66912810020956565502011-03-14T21:02:00.000-07:002011-03-15T07:42:11.354-07:00There Is No Twitter vs. FacebookThere was a time not too long ago when my roommate and I would spend hours on a Saturday night drinking beers and debating who would win the battle of the internet: Facebook or Twitter. We came to a few conclusions from those discussions: 1. We really needed more friends, and 2. we were convinced that Facebook was destined to slaughter Twitter.<br />
<br />
Facebook was in the middle of introducing incredible new features. The idea of Facebook connect was a single sign-in solution that seemed like it might actually work. The ability for websites to add social context to any page easily with the "Like" button was revolutionary. Meanwhile, Twitter wasn't doing much. They seemed to be busy trying to figure out how to make money and get rid of the infamous fail whale. It seemed pretty obvious that Facebook was the hare and Twitter the tortoise.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to a few months ago when revolution began sweeping through Northern Africa. There were many realizations that came from the protests, and one of them for me was that Twitter and Facebook will co-exist because they are used for very different things. And if I had to live with only one of them, I would choose Twitter every time.<br />
<br />
Facebook has been (and still is) in the process of changing the way people use the internet. The ability to bring your friends into your online world and communicate with them so easily is ushering in a revolution and we have only scratched the surface. But the same thing that makes Facebook so amazingly useful is what ultimately limits it: friends and networks.<br />
<br />
Twitter is different. Right now, anyone with access to the internet, can create an account, and join any conversation in the world. By including a hashtag (#tag) into their tweet, they are instantly connected to people all over the world. Groups on Twitter are created only when there is a purpose for that group. As soon as the conversation ends, the group ends. This allows for a constant evolution of groups as the events or conversations change. Messages can contain multiple hashtags which allow for similar topics to merge seamlessly.<br />
<br />
Facebook keeps you in contact with the people you know. You can instantly get feedback on whatever is going through your head, and that feedback has more value because it is from people you know. But that's all it is, feedback. Posts with comments. Twitter does not provide feedback (some might consider retweeting feedback, I don't), it provides a conversation. And a Twitter user with no followers can join any conversation instantly using hashtags. Millions of people being able to discuss any number of topics instantly all over the world. Most of those topics are worthless. But some of them have the power to change the world.<br />
<br />
As I said before, friends and networks are Facebook's greatest assets. But they are also what will keep them from ever conquering Twitter. People post on Facebook because they have friends and want feedback. People Tweet because they want to be heard.Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-15585630527266850332011-02-28T22:14:00.000-08:002011-02-28T22:14:16.685-08:00The Academy Awards of Kevin BaconThe winners from last night night's <a href="http://www.oscar.com/">Academy Awards</a> were all 2 degrees or less from Kevin Bacon (thanks to <a href="http://findthebacon.com/">FindTheBacon.com</a> for doing all the legwork):<br />
<br />
<ul><li><b>Best Actor</b>: Colin Firth -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373450/"><i>Where the Truth Lies</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon</li>
<li><b>Best Actress</b>: Natalie Portman -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116996/"><i>Mars Attacks!</i></a> -> Jack Nicholson -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon</li>
<li><b>Best Supporting Actor</b>: Christian Bale -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114148/"><i>Pocahontas</i> </a>-> Gary Sinise -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112384/"><i>Apollo 13</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon</li>
<li><b>Best Supporting Actress</b>: Melissa Leo -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0873886/"><i>Red State</i></a> -> Kevin Pollak -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon</li>
</ul><br />
The other nominees and their degrees:<br />
<b>Best Actor:</b><br />
<ul><li>Javier Bardem -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369339/"><i>Collateral</i> </a>-> Tom Cruise -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Jeff Bridges -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137363/"><i>Arlington Road</i></a> -> Tim Robbins -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327056/"><i>Mystic River</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Jesse Eisenberg -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367089/"><i>The Squid and the Whale</i></a> -> William Baldwin -> <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099582/">Flatliners</a> </i>-> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>James Franco -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284320/"><i>Mother Ghost</i></a> -> Kevin Pollak -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
</ul><b>Best Actress:</b><br />
<ul><li>Annette Bening -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116996/"><i>Mars Attacks!</i></a> -> Jack Nicholson -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Nicole Kidman -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099371/"><i>Days of Thunder</i></a> -> Tom Cruise -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Jennifer Lawrence -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1270798/"><i>X-Men: First Class</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Michelle Williams -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383028/"><i>Synecdoche, New York</i></a> -> Dianne Wiest -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087277/"><i>Footloose </i></a>-> Kevin Bacon.</li>
</ul><b>Best Supporting Actor:</b><br />
<ul><li>John Hawkes -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765429/"><i>American Gangster</i></a> -> Josh Brolin -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164052/"><i>Hollow Man</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Jeremy Renner -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229238/"><i>Mission: Impossible IV</i></a> -> Tom Cruise -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/"><i>A Few Good Men</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Mark Ruffalo -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199626/"><i>In the Cut</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Geoffrey Rush -><i> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0352520/">The Life and Death of Peter Sellers</a></i> -> John Lithgow -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087277/"><i>Footloose </i></a>-> Kevin Bacon.</li>
</ul><b>Best Supporting Actress:</b><br />
<ul><li>Amy Adams -><i> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264464/">Catch Me If You Can</a></i> -> Tom Hanks -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112384/"><i>Apollo 13</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Helena Bonham Carter -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0234354/"><i>Novocaine </i></a>-> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Hailee Steinfeld -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/"><i>True Grit</i></a> -> Josh Brolin -> <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164052/">Hollow Man</a> </i>-> Kevin Bacon.</li>
<li>Jacki Weaver -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115951/"><i>Cosi </i></a>-> David Wenham -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/"><i>300 </i></a>-> Michael Fassbender -> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1270798/"><i>X-Men: First Class</i></a> -> Kevin Bacon.</li>
</ul>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7165682432410821317.post-54781712447074859572011-02-17T21:38:00.000-08:002011-02-17T21:38:19.818-08:00You and Everyone You Know Is CrazyNot just crazy, fucking insane.<br />
<br />
When I was younger, I remember staring at my friends and classmates, how they acted, and thinking about why they did crazy things. I was thinking about how normal I was acting, and nuts the people were around me. Sure, it might have been a little pompous, but it worked for me, and I'm sure it worked for many others as well.<br />
<br />
I am a bit older now. I've had a few more relationships, and I've come to the realization that I'm just as crazy as everyone else, and I have been for a long time. Crazy is all around us. Men think women are crazy. Children think parents are crazy. You think that guy in the car ahead of you is crazy. And it turns out, we're all crazy.<br />
<br />
That's because everything I do in my day to day life is normal to me. And I bet you have the same feelings about what you do. But it's not. I think what you're doing is insane. And you should be thinking the same about me. Knowing that everyone around you is mad as a hatter keeps you on your toes. It keeps you from predicting what will happen next.<br />
<br />
There's nothing wrong with our crazy. It's there, so we should figure out a way to deal with it. In fact, I enjoy talking and hanging out with some of the craziest people I have ever met. What I've come to realize about every relationship I've had is that in order for it to continue, I need to keep three things in mind:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>I'm crazy. And I need to recognize that fact, and use it to my advantage.</li>
<li>The other person is crazy. They think about things in a crazy way and will act in an even crazier manner.</li>
<li>The other person either doesn't know that either of us is crazy, or knows that everyone is crazy. Most people I meet fall into the latter category.</li>
</ul><div>When I think about all my relationships, the ones that I still have seem to flourish on these three basic principles. And like I said before, all of this lunacy is a good thing. Because the main reason I think you're crazy, is because your ideas are so completely alien to me. When you let your crazy out, I begin to see and understand things in a very different way. It is a way I would never see in my normal life. And that's the irony of it all. The people from our relationships make us more crazy, which in turn makes us all feel a little more sane.</div>Russell Savagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03030632304611412622noreply@blogger.com