Musings
by Andrew
on 02 December 2009
Virtual Reality Introversion
I'm pretty sure that in my lifetime virtual reality systems will become commonplace. They may not be at a level that’s indistinguishable from reality but they will be good enough that people will spend a lot of time in them.
by Andrew
on 24 January 2009
by Andrew
on 28 December 2008
Original Context
We all know the danger of taking someone’s words out of context. It’s too easy for meaning to be lost when all we have is a snippet of the person’s words.
by Andrew
on 03 May 2008
Signs of the Impending Apocalypse
I had the idea of starting a new blog titled “Signs of the Impending Apocalypse”. It would feature stories of the worst in human behavior as well as showcasing celebrities, new products, or entertainment that I see as examples of incredible stupidity. Then I realized there is already something very similar. It’s called “The News.”
Anyway, here’s my list for today:
- 20 Different Flavors of Coke
- Comic Sans penetration nearing critical mass
- Candy dispensers in the form of pooping animals
- Bikini Baristas
- Indiana Jones 4
(not because it’s stupid, but because I never thought I'd live to see it come to fruition)Yikes, it was stupid.
by Andrew
on 31 January 2008
High Finance
I'm fascinated with the concept of bartering. It would be cool if I could use my skills in direct trade to the things I need from other people. I think that with only slight changes to what we've grown accustomed to that bartering could make a comeback.
If someone didn’t directly need my skill, but I was in frequent trade with someone else, I could trade for extra items and earn a surplus with the other person, and then trade the surplus with people who need it, but don’t necessarily need my services. To make it simpler we could create physical “barter credits” and trade them back and forth rather than hauling actual items around.
Then I think bartering could really take off.
by Andrew
on 31 October 2007
Thoughts on Candy
Where do artificial fruit flavors come from? How did they become standardized? Artificial cherry tastes nothing like cherries yet this flavor has been accepted across many forms, be it candy, gum, juice, popsicles, or jello. The same with strawberry, grape, orange, and many others.
Was there some kind of Artificial Fruit-Flavor Consortium in the early 20th Century, a think-tank that developed the formulas that we've now come to know, love, and crave? How come I've never heard of this momentous event of human achievement?
Also, I subscribe to the theory that all candy corn ever made was produced in a single batch sometime in the 1930’s and sits in a warehouse until it’s divvied out a little each October.
by Andrew
on 09 August 2007
Chocotastic
Everyone knows that you’re not supposed to feed chocolate to dogs and cats. The official reason is that it will make them sick. I think this is a lie. Those in power are afraid because they know that once animals develop a taste for chocolate they will collectively overthrow our society. Hence this myth that it somehow makes them “sick”.
by Andrew
on 24 February 2007
Smoke Break
I spend altogether way too much time in front of the computer. In fact, I've considered taking up smoking as a way of getting myself up and away from the desk at regular intervals.
by Andrew
on 11 February 2007
Oscar Predictions
It’s that time of year again. I haven’t seen many of this year’s Oscar nominees but I felt obliged to take a stab at what the future might hold for this most prestigious of award ceremonies.
by Andrew
on 25 December 2006
Cat Nativity?
We got a Christmas gift catalog in the mail filled with
tasteless gift ideas. The catalog’s cover features a “Cat Nativity”. The set depicts the classic nativity scene, with all the main players represented by anthropomorphic cats, with an adorable sleeping kitty representing the Newborn King. What’s next, a kittyfied Jesus on the cross?
by Andrew
on 15 December 2006
Hand Clapping
What is applause all about? Why all the hand clapping? It feels so primitive, banging our meaty appendages together as a show of collective approval. We’ll watch an elaborately rehearsed symphony concert, performers who've dedicated their lives to perfecting their expertise on delicate instruments. They’re showing us the culmination of Western culture.
All we can offer in response are meat sounds?
by Andrew
on 06 December 2006
by Andrew
on 05 December 2006
Seattle "Weather"
Last week we had our annual snow panic, wherein Seattle and surrounding areas completely shut down for two days because of a light dusting of snow. This might be the only place in the country where they announce school closures the night before any snow has even fallen. Despite this annual frenzy, the city has virtually no infrastructure in place to handle a modest size patch of snow.
by Andrew
on 15 October 2006
Why The Long Face, Senseo?
At work we have one of the popular (so I'm told) Philips Senseo coffee makers, and every time I walk by it in the lunch room I feel sorry for it because it looks so sad!
by Andrew
on 17 June 2006
