Tuesday, September 23

It's Pining for the Fjords!

Ladies and Gentlemen! I just downloaded and compiled Parrot v0.0.11! I am running Windows NT 4.0 SP 6. I used CVSNT 2.0.3 to download the parrot source code and build environment using the commands for anonymous access listed here. I have ActiveState Perl v5.6.1 build 633 installed. (I haven't even compiled my own copy of Perl 5 for windows, and here I am compiling Perl6!) I used Microsoft Visual C++ 6 to compile Parrot following the instructions in the file docs/intro.pod.

I ran the two PASM programs listed in docs/intro.pod, showtime.pasm, and fibonacci.pasm. Both worked like a charm! Then I read the instructions for running the test suite, and ran it. Some tests in t/src/hash really screwed up bad, I got windows error messages indicating an un-initialized pointer causing the hash_4.exe program to be terminated completely. So it looks like test 5 of t/src/hash failed. All the other tests appeared to complete uneventfully. I should look into what is causing this failure, and see if I can contribute to the Perl community.

I am so excited to use Perl 6.

A Tilley Hat Please?

For any of you wondering what to get me for my birthday or for Christmas. One of these, in a size 8+, would be really nice. I would have loved to have one this weekend at the Inland Invasion.

Monday, September 22

Template Tweaker

OK! Too much playing with my Blog today!

But hey, what do you think of the new layout? Just call me the template tweaker.

KROQ's Inland Invasion

I went to KROQ's Inland Invasion III this Saturday. Brian came up with two tickets and Grandma agreed to watch the kids all day Saturday. It was a total blast. I never went to a festival/multi-band-concert before. Most of the bands were ok. I was most excited to see the Violent Femmes. For me they were the highlight of the show. Hot Hot Heat was a lot of fun too.

On the way home my wife, Betsy, got pretty sick with what ever my oldest kid, Elijah, had last week. This bug really opens the sluices at both ends!. Here's hoping I don't get sick as well.

Two pieces of knowledge were confirmed this weekend. First, I am getting a little old for this type of shenanigans. Second, the Violent Femmes kick butt.

Thursday, September 18

Write Something. Anything!

Well, It turns out I am more of a consumer than a producer. I was hoping to put something here every working day. Uh ... no such luck.

It's not like I don't have any thoughts. I just don't put them in words I think would be appropriate to publish for the world to see (like the world really reads this!). Maybe I should just get used to the fact that not all my writing is perfect (or even good) and not all my thoughts are inspired genius, and just post the drivel I have.

Wednesday, September 17

Dissent

The Power of Dissent is an op-ed article at latimes.com which states an opinion that I have held for a long time. To summarize, it says that nay-sayers are very important for any community or organization. The article is specifically directed at NASA in the wake of the report from the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, but I think, and the author seems to agree with me, the concept has implications for every community.

However, if dissent is really a necessary part of a healthy community how do we know how much dissent is good? A group can be torn apart by petty bickering. If more effort is spent "putting out fires" than achieving the community's aims, then the dissent is destructive to the group. But, dissent can be destructive at much lower levels, Sometimes the motives for dissent, and/or the motives for ignoring the dissent, are intellectually dishonest. I think most of these cases can be detected as logical fallacies. (But really, who knows all the logical fallacies? (Maybe this is why we should learn them.))

So, the real question is how much dissent is too much?

Monday, September 15

Test Results

Well I think the stupid essay went well. I'm pretty sure I passed. I was a little disappointed in myself for not being a little more ironic and cynical. I was hoping to send the message that I was not happy having to take the test. Instead I wrote some sappy chicken soup for the soul type essay. I compared myself to Ward Cleaver, Beavers Dad, and I actually used the phrase "pitter patter of little feet". Blech! The writing topic was, discuss your different "selves". Who comes up with this stuff?

I just when to lunch with an old friend. I was one of the groom's men in his wedding a year ago. I just learned that he and his wife are split up and have been pretty much since they got back from the honeymoon. I'm really bummed out. The are both really decent people. I've known him since high school. He is probably the most honest loyal person I know. He may seem a little coarse at times, (he claims to be "guarantied to offend in five words or less") but he will always talk straight with you and you pretty much always know where you stand with him.

Oh well, off to run Pilot Carrier Phase Lock Loop Bandwidth tests.

Friday, September 12

English! you must know English.

I'm currently in the process of getting my Masters degree in mathematics from Cal State University Fullerton. I completed all my classes this summer and have a high enough GPA to graduate (although it was close for a while there). So I submitted to get a grad check, you knew you needed a grad check didn't you, and found out that there is a English writing proficiency test I have to take. ... Huh, I have to take an English writing proficiency test to get a Masters degree in mathematics. I felt like saying, " You know I did get a bachelors degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara. It's in my transcripts. They though my English was good enough.", but I'm too big a wimp.

So my stupid English writing proficiency test is tomorrow, (exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday). It's a standard five-paragraph essay in ninety minutes thing. As described here. The last time I had to do this was in High School. Grr!