JustinLL dot Com

May 22, 2009

Don't Stand For Being Seated

Filed under: General — Tags: — JustinLL @ 1:21 am

It’s true, I can’t handle folks who speak from a seated position when presenting to an audience from what should be an authoritative stance.  If you have the stage, then you should control the stage and all the space that goes along with it.  I suppose this is a problem more for panel presentations where there are a few, um…experts, sharing the spotlight.  But if it’s not the Q&A portion of the show, whoever is speaking should stand up and shout to the back of the room, even if there are only seven people in the audience.

When it’s my turn, I’ll ask (for the sake of being polite) the moderator if it’s okay for me to stand because "I have a proclivity for exaggerated gesticulation when I present that is greatly hindered from a seated position."  In which case everyone is confused and the moderator replies, "yes, that would be fine."  (Well, many people are confused most of the time by nature, which has little to do with my presence or line of questioning.)  So I take the floor, the mic, the remote (PowerPoint), and whatever else I need so as to ensure everyone is not only watching, but also listening, because I’m the expert and you all better be paying attention.

Let’s get serious here for a minute, this is an issue of confidence, not to be confused with arrogance, that by standing to demand attention tells the audience you’re worthy of their time and attention.  (Or at least you believe yourself worthy, and most likely rightfully so.)  The truth being that everyone knows something other people don’t.  And if someone has invited you to present your knowledge and experience, then that person values your time and attention.  So don’t cower to the crowd and hide in the shadows.

The same can be said for the audience.  Please get off your ass and stand up to ask your question so that the entire room can hear what you’re saying.  (We have two hundred people in the room tonight, can you please repeat the question.)  There’s a pretty good chance that your concern is shared by others, and if it’s not, then you should be pelted with rotten tomatoes.  But don’t take it personally.  Learn.

And I could go off on another tangent (but I realize I’m already rambling on) about how people are too…well, let’s just leave it at that.

Your knowledge is valuable — stand up and share it! Kick your chair, too, if you’re really feeling the power of controlling center stage.  Oh yeah

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April 22, 2009

Don't Write These Words

Filed under: UnTagged — Tags: , , — JustinLL @ 2:02 am

In my college-going days, one of my Software Engineering courses had a professor who put a sound deal of emphasis on the documentation side of programming — the written description of the solution to the problem our software was trying to solve. For a wannabe English minor with a focus in grammar like myself, his courses were a nice break from all the number- and theory-oriented course load required of the curriculum. I don’t know if said professor is still teaching, and I’m not that concerned, but he was one of the ones who left me with something worth remembering, and that was his list of words we weren’t to use in our writing, the "bad words list." (Surprisingly or not, it’s one of those handouts I’ve held onto all these years later, and I still make some kind of effort not to include those words in my writing, but then I also chuckle a bit when I notice that I have included one.) Long story short, here’s the list as last updated in November 1997:

Bad Words List

Avoid using these words in documents and on tests. They convey little
information and won’t help the reader understand.

  • and/or, etc., misc.

    • It is always possible to re-write the sentence to remove these vague terms.

  • basically, basic

    • A common speech filler; in a document, it is of the same genre as generally and is basically unclear.

  • compatible

    • These are hundreds of different opinions on this word. Say what you mean.  (e.g. The computer must be able to run Doom.)

  • easy, easier, easiest, easily, simply, hard, harder, hardest

    • These are impossible to test. State some specific number to write a clear sentence.

  • efficient, more efficient, less efficient

    • Unless you are discussing furnaces, this word is vague. Say
    what you mean.

  • flexible, flexibility

    • Unless you are discussing gymnastics, this word is vague. Say
    what you mean.

  • quickly, more quickly, less quickly, fast, faster

    • Same problem as easy.

  • maximize, minimize, optimize

    • These are precise in mathematics; in English they are basically unclear.  State clearly what parameters you are trying to maximize or minimize.

  • module, modular, modularity

    • These terms have a wide variety of definitions, probably more than compatible.

  • user friendly

    • Are you kidding?

  • usually, generally, should, probably

    • These are all of the same, unclear, genre. Write what you mean.   Document readers hate these words.

  • very

    • If emphasis is needed, use a precise word.

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March 16, 2009

Verizon's BlackBerry Storm More Of The Same, Sort Of

Filed under: Technology — Tags: , — JustinLL @ 2:01 am

I have to start by admitting that I’m biased toward BlackBerry devices.  They call my name in the middle of the night, I’m sure it has something to do with the bright blinking light.  No, but seriously, I like BlackBerry for business purposes and I also like that all my Google uses come with apps for the BlackBerry so I don’t have to load the weak web browser.

Before I get on about how I can’t wait for the next Verizon BlackBerry, let me first say that the Storm is everything anyone could want in a latest and greatest gadgetry device.  It feels solid in the hand, it has a large screen without feeling terribly bulky in the pocket, it sports a semi-super fast network connection, and it’s loaded with a bunch of apps for you to tinker with when it’s new or you’re bored.

Which brings me to what I really want to write about, and that’s the shortcomings of the Storm.  BlackBerry, and who knows why, insists on under powering their handhelds with slower than needed processors.  I consistently feel as though I’m waiting for the phone to catch up to whatever it is I’m trying to do.  (Perhaps we’re just too spoiled with desktops that do more by 6AM than the rest of us do all day.)  I wouldn’t expect it to be quick like a computer if it wasn’t trying so hard to act like my computer, what with its email, web browsing, and video games.  Really, must it do everything?

Lag time is my biggest gripe, but I’m also disappointed with how heavy it is.  Feels like I’ve got a pocket full of flat rocks that I’m walking around town with.  (My Curve 8310 is light as a feather by comparison.)

It’s not that I’m unhappy with the SureType so much as I’m not that interested in touch screens.  While I like that it makes for a larger viewable area, I’m usually bothered with the typing inaccuracies.  Practice has lowered my error count, but still is more time needed to send a message than when using a tactile keyboard like the Curve or the Bold.

Long story short, if you need a new BlackBerry with a 3G connection and are stuck with Verizon then go for the Storm, else, if you can handle the torture of waiting for the next, hold out for the Niagra from BlackBerry which should be out by the 3rd quarter this year.  And if you really have it in you to calm your wants, wait till the 4G networks are unloaded on the market and get your new phone next year.

In the meanwhile, this is Justin saying, “write to me if you must, but please don’t call me.”

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February 26, 2009

Luigi's Pizza By The Slice

Filed under: General — Tags: , — JustinLL @ 10:43 pm

Get there before it closes and check out the fungarden, if you’re into that sort of thing.  Otherwise, just enjoy the pizza.

Update: When I wrote this, I meant get to convey that people should get to Luigi’s before it closed for the night, not before it closed indefinitely. As far as I know, they are doing quite well and are in no danger of shutting their doors for good.  A slice and a soda is still the way to go.

February 19, 2009

Google Latitude "So Cool", Says Mom

Filed under: Technology — Tags: — JustinLL @ 9:04 pm

It’s true.  My mom thought Latitude was the greatest thing.  Not that she’ll ever use it, but that she could load up the web page and see exactly where I was.  Very handy, so as to avoid multiple phone calls asking "have you arrived safely?"  (Yes, my parents love me.  Be jealous if you must.)

Back story: It wasn’t anything I had originally thought of when the Latitude service from Google was first announced earlier this month , but adding my parents and my sibling was probably the best thing I could have done.  The idea came to me as I was packing to leave for a 3 day vacation to snowy Truckee, CA.  (Which supposedly had more than 4 feet of snow in 4 days.)  The road conditions to and from were far less than ideal, and I figured if anything were to go wrong, at the very least my family would know where I was last registered by my cellphone.

New story: While I’m still not entirely sold on location-based advertising (only because I don’t like advertising, not because I don’t like efficiency), Latitude is a great idea for parents.  It won’t be long before children everywhere are hearing, "if I’m paying your cellphone bill son, you’re damn well going to load some form of tracking service so I can find you whenever I want."  Not that it should be looked at in a negative way.  Safety first.

Truckee, CA Photos:
Cabin — Cabin in Truckee, CA. 2009

Snow on Truck (one day of snow) — Snow in Truckee, CA. 2009

February 12, 2009

What's The Point?

Filed under: General — Tags: , — JustinLL @ 11:38 pm

It doesn’t count to blag everyday if you’re not going to take it seriously and write something you’ve thought about, right?  Except, you can’t write it without first thinking, even if only long enough to get the message from your head to your fingers.  So it goes.

February 8, 2009

Sunday Slow Day, Let's Take A Break Day

Filed under: General — Tags: , — JustinLL @ 7:22 pm

While most Sundays are lazy share days, this here Sunday is a let’s take a rest day, so I’m shutting it down.  A break.  A sigh. And  a laugh.

Back tomorrow with further more and whatever we’re selling.  In the meanwhile, watch as I want this rest and nap.

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February 2, 2009

Video Call Via Mobile Phone, It's Coming

Filed under: Technology — Tags: , — JustinLL @ 12:02 pm

It was right around the end of October in 2008 when I started telling anyone who would listen that we were roughly a year away from having enough mobile bandwidth and hardware to sustain mobile-to-mobile video calls.  (Actually being able to see the person you’re talking to while you’re walking through town on opposite ends of the US.)  Now rumors are traveling the Internet that Apple could possibly be the first to offer such a thing.  who knows what the other big players have in the works.  It definitely creates a new demand for a full screen mobile phone, like the iPhone or Storm.

It’s not anything I could see myself using, at least not initially, but I definitely want to see this feature/service go mainstream.  Too cool for school, that’s what I say.

January 26, 2009

RIAA Won't Leave Slashdot

Filed under: Technology — Tags: — JustinLL @ 2:26 am

I first started following Slashdot back in 1997, right around the time pop music was popping up on file servers across the US in college dorm rooms for thousands of audiophiles to download illegally.  Sure.  And ever since then the RIAA has appeared in many a topic and been the subject of many debates over on Slashdot for any and every step they’ve taken to combat/thwart such activities online.  Even in 2009, the RIAA continues to crawl the web looking for folks to fight, and they continue to show up in Slashdot conversations, which would almost be fine, except nothing has changed.  When it comes to talking about the RIAA, we’ve been having the same conversations for twelve years.  Why?

Of course we have to talk about it on Slashdot because the RIAA continues to make decisions that a lot of folks want to complain about, at least those of us who know the actions are taking place.  Which many of us probably wouldn’t know if we weren’t reading Slashdot, and I can guess with certainty that it’s why I stopped reading daily for a couple years.  (It’s in my feed reader now.)

I’m not really interested in collecting music because I can’t be bothered to make time for it, and I have SiriusXM subscriptions.  I have plenty of legal music.  (I did buy two CDs last year, which I wrote about here .)

How can we get the RIAA to spend its time plotting to help consumers rather than hunting them?  I don’t have the answer, but I sure wish someone would figure it out so we can stop having to hear all the negative chatter on Slashdot.  It’s only a matter of time, right?  I don’t know about you, but I can’t take it anymore, and I’m disappointed that the music industry hasn’t found a whole bunch of ways to keep making money in the digital world.  In the meantime, I’ll just keep skipping those articles.

January 6, 2009

A retraction from a previous misleading article.

Filed under: Uncategorized — JustinLL @ 1:23 pm

buzzardzbar:

Lindsay Lohan has broken up with her girlfriend DJ Samantha something! No more jokes about her being a drugged out skank. Oh wait. She’s now a bi-sexual skanky crack whore. Hallelujah! The Republic is saved.

I don’t know if this stuff is true or not, but it’s nice to see that Ms. Lohan is still maknig her name around the way.  Let us all have a chuckle and get to moving along.  very well.

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