thoughts.on.code

neurobiology, cognitive Singleton isn’t as simple as it when to use them, how Something more fun

That is a good question. I will ponder time to take microwave the popcorn. (I think I could be a spam writer! Yay!)

and of course this brilliance:

brain in a way that sticks.

I think I’ll do that!

And finally the full thing:

into my congressional 9

real OO design principles In a way that lets you put (and impress cocktail party guests) and experience of others, that you can hold your to know how they and Adapter. With Head First
and Adapter. With Head First You’ll easily counter with your You want to learn about Something more fun. how patterns are in between sips of a martini. of patterns with others
be wrong (and what applications. You with brain in a way that sticks. want to see how

Head First book, you know support in your own code. deep understanding of why also want to learn Best of all, in a way that won’t Head First Design Patterns
deep understanding of why
principles will help (and too short) to spend Something more fun. the latest research in design problems, and better

and why everything format designed for the way In their native when to use them, how Something more fun. want to see how
advantage challenging. Something his stunningly clever use of Command, patterns look in
support in your own code. to do instead). You want
somewhere in the world

look “in the wild”.

to learn how those principles will help Head First Design Patterns you get to take
what to expect–a visually-rich support in your own code.
brain in a way that sticks.

design problems, and better

used in the Java API to know how they your brain works. Using Most importantly,
patterns look in own with your co-worker
the patterns that

or on the real relationship

up a creek without will load patterns into your Patterns–the lessons someone struggles
and experience of others, principles will help learned by those
But you don’t just But you don’t just more complex.

neurobiology, cognitive Singleton isn’t as simple as it when to use them, how Something more fun. will load patterns into your With Design Patterns, better at solving software
the next time you’re
the patterns that the same software
the same software
more complex. patterns look in
Head First book, you know

who’ve faced the Patterns–the lessons reinvent the wheel on your team. design problems
will load patterns into your format designed for the way the “Trading Spaces” show. when he casually mentions
alone. At any given moment, so that you can spend (and impress cocktail party guests) advantage real OO design principles
it struggling with academic
matter–why to use them,
and Adapter. With Head First be wrong (and what somewhere in the world the patterns that In their native

(or worse, a flat tire), between Decorator, Facade how patterns are

so you look to Design will load patterns into your
challenging. Something (and too short) to spend be wrong (and what challenging. Something
you get to take matter–why to use them,
your brain works. Using

or on the real relationship

Right View
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
- The EightFold path - Buddha

Seth Godin linked to the Global Rich List in a blog entry entitled “Where did it all go?” today.

I am one of the 50 million richest people in the world. It doesn’t seem like a big number, until you realize that 50 million / 6+ billion puts me in the top 0.75%. That is just crazy.

And of course, the Global Rich List has some provacative questions:

All you have to do is make a choice.

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

As the Dalai Lama asks in “How to Practice” (paraphrased from memory):

Imagine yourself standing. In front of you to the right you see your most ignorant and selfish “self”. To your left you see all of the needy and downcast people in the world. You are given the choice to help one of the parties. Choose.

So, last weekend I went to RubyConf 2006. And yes I am finally getting around to writing about it… and this probably won’t be the last time. It was a very interesting experience for me, but I have not quite got my mind around all that happened there yet.

It was immensely fun, and I definitely learned alot. It was great catching up with so many people that I have met over the last few years. And of course, how can you not have fun hacking on code into the wee hours of the night? (even though a little bit of it was *gasp* Java! *gasp*)

If you have not seen the blow-by-blow, take a look at Nick Seiger’s blog. Also, there are a ton more links out there:

A great one-act/one-man play by Adam Keys at RejectConf (which I unfortunately missed… too busy writing code and trying to find coffee ).

Tim Bray has a recap and some comments on his talk.

Curt Hibbs aggregates it all

Also, Ruby-lang chimes in (with some more linkage).

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.
- George Bernard Shaw

So, a little over a year or so ago my wife decided she wanted to make some logos. She used Microsoft Publisher, as we had it, and it was the easiest thing for her to pick up and start using. Well, she wanted those logos last night, and since I have completely switched, we were without Publisher. So, I spent last night trying googling for “MS Publisher Linux” and various other similar queries. Nothing.

Then this morning I happened to look at Lifehacker, and found a recent post on converting *documents* to PDF. They were talking about a website called PDFOnline. I went to the website and there it was… they convert .pub files. Woohoo!

So, I gave it a try and it works pretty well. Some of the images have a border, which somehow got a little screwed up. Nothing that GIMP can’t handle t hough. Overall I am very happy with the results.

I was able to bring up the PDF, screen capture them into .png files, and then edit them in GIMP. Worked extremely well. Thanks Lifehacker and PDFOnline!