The Woodwork

Yesterday, after the iPhone 3G announcement, someone at work made a comment, “For $200, there is no reason not to get an iPhone.”
I thought that shows we engineers have a serious lack of imagination.
The reasons I gave at the time to him are no different that this Gizmodo article.
Still shows a serious lack of imagination.
On [...]

At least you made it home alive, Terry.
Last night I prayed at the porcelain altar.
The Long Tail of the Ballmer Peak should never be experimentally determined.
I remembered that I spent most of my time in college, between problem sets, in a dynamic equilibrium consisting of an elevated state of inebriation and wishing I was dead.
…or [...]

It’s my birthday today!
“Happy Birthday to you! Thank you for being born, you make this world a better place. :)”
—twitter from a friend
Well, thank you, thank you. I can’t claim all the credit for being born—my mom pushed too.
Which reminds me of a story…
[A birthday story after the jump.]

From Chris Kelly’s article on Huffington Post:
One good thing about Hillary proclaiming her right to a four-day national non-concession? We’ll never have to wonder what it would have been like if she’d been elected and that phone in the White House had rung at three AM.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Hello?
KIM JONG IL
All your base [...]

As I mentioned before, everyone in my family but me is an expert at statistics. It’s hard to explain…
When my brother was angry that O.J. got away with it, my dad calmed him down by pointing out that in was a natural consequence of our legal system minimizing Type II error.
When my mom pointed out [...]

The child on the bus has just entered the quizzical-pointing phase.
Child: “Why are we stopped? Where is the bus driver, mommy?”
Mom: “Oh! I think she just stepped out to go the bathroom.” *laughs*
Child: “Why? She’s a big person and she’s wearing underwear.”
And I think to myself, How thoroughly practical—that kid will grow up to be [...]

A friend broke the news that he has a second child on the way.
I was like, “Already? Must be the Irish Catholic in you!”
It occurs to me that now his first born has entered ankle-biting school. And maybe some of you have kids. How are you to know your child has a future in programming?
Well [...]

Someone noticed today my random use of Latin. And it got me thinking about translations, mostly because English is the only (non-programming) language I know.
[The Stranger and Latin maxims after the jump.]

Overheard over dinner.
Girl: “I’d like to order some expensive beer but I can’t finish it.”
Boy: “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll chug this equally expensive beer and help you with yours later.”
Now that’s love right there.