ztraffer

The thing about presentations is that they almost invariably make your brain want to doze off... Unless you've just had, say, a venti mocha with an extra shot to try to prevent that exact situation, and the darkened room and monotone of the presenter aren't enough to put you out. So you actually pay attention to it, or try to. Of course, after the first 30 seconds or so of each slide, there isn't any new information for your brain to absorb, no matter how hard the presenter tries to repeat the same thing in different ways. That's when you start trying to remember when was the last time you saw that particular background, and getting annoyed by the corny "appear from top" effect for the bullet points... I mean, please... doesn't everybody know that the "fade in" effect looks much more professional? And you should use the same effect through to the last slide... and at the end there is yet another meeting, so of course, another day working OT just...

by Sentimiento Muerto Mirando sombras en la pared Gritado por su encierro Todo es, alguna vez, los ecos Lagrima que corta el vidrio en dos Se lleva en ella un mar De sentimientos; los ecos Looking at shadows on the wall From their confinement, shouting Everything is, sometimes, the echoes Tear that cuts the glass in two It carries with it a sea of feelings; the echoes Mirada resquebrajada Hay un vacio frente al espejo Soy transparente, no me veo, Soy transparente, no me encuentro Broken glance there is a void in front of the mirror I am transparent, I dont see myself I am transparent, I do not find myself Al fondo se ve un murmullo Que que flota entre vapores de bano Y notas, que le huyen al sol In the backround a whisper is seen Floating among bath steam And music notes that flee from the sun Lagrima que corta el vidrio en dos Latigo rompe el silencio, rompe con el Tear that cuts the glass in two Whiplash breaks the silence, brakes away Mirada resquebrajada Hay un vacio frente al esp...

Apache vs. Lotus Win Mac

A few days ago I was thinking about what I like. What is the common denominator of most things I like? The apparently equivocal answer eluded me for quite some time. I consider myself a simple person. I like simple, elegant solutions. My thought process could be described with the following question: "what is the minimum number of words needed to enunciate a thought accurately?" I dislike ambiguous situations. I favor freeways over city roads, open space over clutter. My behavior in general seems to indicate a preference for directness and simplicity. However, when it comes to my tastes, I almost always tend to favor complexity. My favorite books have multiple plot lines, many characters in many locations, and multiple perspectives, both personal and historical. I like movies with very unpredictable plots, unique characters, great photography, outstanding and mood enhancing soundtracks, an unusual "angle" to the story, etc. I prefer dishes that combine many flavors ...

The Five Secrets of a Perfect Relationship It’s important to have a woman who helps at home, who cooks and cleans from time to time, and has a job. It's important to have a woman who is smart and can make you laugh. It's important to have a woman who you can trust and who doesn't lie to you. It’s important to have a woman who likes you and is good in bed. It’s VERY, VERY important that these four women don’t meet each other! I found this in an Arabian blog and I thought it was too funny, and quite to the point... sometimes it seems that finding someone with the right attributes is somewhere between unlikely and unreal. But not to worry! There is always something new to learn, a new friendship to be made, an unexpected thrill around the corner...

I was just reminded of a parable I learned in school. The subject was anthropology. The question was not new: at what point in our evolution did our ancestors become human? This is how the teacher answered it (well, close enough): "A group of primates was moving in search of a better life. After several years of drought, life was hard, and many had starved in the arid land. Propelled by hunger and hope, they traveled towards the setting sun. Eventually they reached a place where some food could be found, but it was not enough to sustain the clan for long. After a few days, they continued forward -they had no choice. Further on, the promise of abundant water and fresh pastures was carried by the wind blowing from the west. The clan was given renewed hope and marched on. As the sun set, the scent of water was very strong, so they were reluctant to stop even after the first stars shone. Eventually, exhausted but hopeful, they slept. The next morning, most of the clan was woken by the...

Today was the one-week anniversary of my new carless existence. I have not driven a vehicle in 7 days. I am in good health, and have experienced no withdrawal symptoms so far. Amazingly, I have been driving almost daily since I was eighteen. There was a period of a few months, when I took the subway to work, back on the east coast. Even so, I would drive at least 3 or 4 days a week for errands or other reasons. Driving was almost therapeutic too; whenever I felt stressed or ill at ease, I would go out for a scenic drive and listen to my favorite music, and I would immediately relax and find peace. But I can accomplish the same by walking or biking. I have the utmost confidence that in eight days time I will be breaking my previous record, which I will exceed by orders of magnitude. My goal is a minimum of six months. I have decided that if I accomplish my goal, I will reward myself with an exotic two-seater with a nice manual transmission; perhaps I will even start my own restoration p...

For no particular reason, I found myself reflecting about the modern workplace. From my experience in the IT industry at least, things are very progressive. Micromanagement is discouraged, individual initiative is rewarded, cooperation encouraged, and mobility unrestrained. Employee well-being is seen as a key to high productivity, and so corporations strive to pamper their employees with perks of all sorts. Power structures tend to be horizontal rather than vertical. Horizontal structures make for more dynamic teams, bring the decision-making closer to the stakeholders and ensure subject matter experts' voices are heard. Everybody (personality conflicts aside) working in happy synergy for the common good -and the stock's upward trend. Horizontal (cross-functional) teams can make quick decisions without going all the way up and down the corporate ladder. This is a good thing. There are of course, drawbacks -PMs know these well; but those belong in another posting.

My New Year's resolution: to give up my car. I will donate it to a charity, and bike, walk, or bus to wherever I need to go. The advantages: helping the environment, saving money, improving my health by exercising more, and perhaps most importantly, find out if I have enough self-discipline to do it. Disadvantages: increased travel-time and reduced mobility. No late-night social events. Innability to give my friends rides, no large-bulk cargo hauling ability. My last attempt lasted two weeks. I am determined to make this second try last longer. P.S.: This isn't entirely an intellectual decision. I have never liked this car, even though I've owned less appealing vehicles in the past, I just could never entirely befriend this one. Sorry, car. I guess that makes it in part an emotional decision.