You were a software engineer?

Heard the news of Joe Stack crashing his plane into an IRS building.
I wouldn't say I am a fan of the IRS in any capacity.
But I'm also not a fan of some failure-at-life moron taking his failing-at-life frustrations out on other humans.
It's tragic for the tenants of that building and hopefully they are all accounted for and treated back to health promptly.

His suicide letter is online and the link was forwarded to me.
Skimming it, I noticed a few errors, typos, whatnot - but this one stuck with me because of the douche bag's alleged profession, software engineer.



I make tpyos and stupid spelling errors that stem from rushing or simple ignorance all the time...did you know it is "piqued my interest" and not "peaked my interest"? Oh...you did.
...Well, me too...
But this prose that you are leaving behind for the world...worth a spell check? Proof reading? Maybe give it to your CPA to look over?
I hear they are good with documents...

Ignore the obvious stupidity of someone who fails to report thousands of dollars of his spouse's income and then acts surprised when he's called on it - it's also quite possible that the jackass failed to start up several software companies because as a software engineer, he never quite mastered the if-then-else control statement.
Joe, it goes something like this...in pseudocode:

if [ you own a plane]
then

you are not middle class, shut the fuck up.

else

realize
(

lots of people are frustrated and feel powerless, they are not zombies

)

end.
if [ you are unhappy with things you can control ]
then

work to change them.

else if [ you are unhappy with things you can't control ] && [ you want to die ]
then

kill yourself away from others you tool.

end.

The Great Strumblogi

Tax Refund + ESPP Sale + Old Laptop Sale via Craig's List + Trip to Guitar Center =

Say hello to Eloisa.

She's a Taylor 414ce Acoustic Electric Grand Auditorium Saxophone...

...I mean...Guitar.

Check out the hottie from the back:

mmm....the curves....wushow name shawty?

I played a couple other Taylors, a Martin DC16GTE, a smaller Martin grand auditorium, a Breedlove, and a Gibson. I was at the shop for about 2 hours and kept coming back to the 414.

I wasn't even planning on an auditorium piece, having only owned dreadnoughts, but this thing felt so right. I have 30 days to return the guitar for a full refund and no restocking fee...but I don't think I'll be bringing her back.

We are still getting to know each other so no blaugdio for now...check back elsewhen.

Guitar not your thing?

Check out the crabby domination that is Zoidberg the Hermit:

Zoidberg the Hermit from Scott Bolter on Vimeo.

Insignificant much?

Movie by Hayden Planetarium, showing the universe humanity has mapped so far.

The world’s most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas (maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History) was used to position every single satellite, moon, planet, star, and galaxy to scale and is in its correct, measured location according to the best scientific research to date.

Puts your ingrown toenail into perspective, no?

Something about a bunch of dudes in tights...

I enjoy watching sports. The Superbowl this year was a good game.
This makes it gooder.
Good thing CBS banned that homosexual commercial...

Loner's Odysseys

Professional Inventor

I told my family about this, they smiled and humored me, but I am still high on excitement, so I'll tell you too.

I have been considering ways to capture video while snowboarding without damaging myself or my devices. I had a dream the night before going to Dodge Ridge that involved a tube sock.

Tube socks and duct tape can essentially solve any modern problem, so I went with it.

What you need:

1. Sock
2. Scissors
3. Duct tape
4. Cool Dad to make you a delicious breakfast burrito

Process:

1. eat the breakfast burrito
2. dissolve any emotional attachment you have to the sock
3. clip a small piece of duct tape, about 1.5" x 1.5"
4. find the center of the sock (between toe and opening) and place the clipped duct tape over this section
5. pinch a fold of the tape-covered sock and cut a half-circle to make a hole about the size of your camera's lens
6. turn camera to the video setting and slip it in to the sock, positioning the lens to come out of the hole you cut
7. tie the sock around your shin
8. start the video

Testing.

Does that goose perspective look clear and about shin level to you?

Me too...we are in business.

Implemented only on the bunny hill. It was a snowy day and my shin was in the snow on most other runs.

Added Cake because it is boring.

Snow Sock Cam from Scott Bolter on Vimeo.

Problems:

1. requires a waterproof camera
2. tube sock knot could easily come out and fall off while heading down the slope
3. people look at you funny
4. even on a less than stormy day the camera lens is likely to catch snow from carving, obstructing the view
5. cameras often have no outside indicator telling you that video-record mode has been started so you don't know if you pressed the button (through the sock) correctly
6. if you use this invention, you will be nicknamed "Captain Jenky" by your friends, family, and strangers
7. my camera is not meant for taking videos

Sand or snow, still true:

Day's Discourse

• To the 7-toothed limping pregnant lady smoking a cigarette at the gas station: Don't do that. Don't you realize you're pretty much limiting your kid to being a snow shoveler at some ski resort?
• To the Subaru in front of me: I love to hate or I hate to love you, I can't decide...but my hick-mobile certainly envies your WRX and STI-ness
• To Sonora's WAL-MART: Thanks for welcoming in to your bosom all of those people, helping to keep the interwebs hilarious.
• To the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid owner pulling in to the Arco gas station: Who the hell are you kidding?
• To the snow starting to hit my windshield at increased speeds: Chewy, lock in the hyperdrive! Light speed!
• To the CHP officer: Did you give my buddy Casey a bull shit fix-it ticket? No? Then yes, I am carrying chains, carry on.
• To the Subaru crashed in to the snow bank: ha ha.
• To the snow shoveler with dreadlocks and pessimistic countenance: I'm sorry buddy. I bet your mom smoked while she was pregnant with you and also had few teeth and also didn't love you when she limped around at gas stations. It's not your fault.
• To the chair lift operator: Yes, that is a hidden camera on my shin inside a sock. Yes, the sock is clean. And yes, I am a spy, but we are not after you.
• To the heavy storm and powdered-with-snow mountain: Please don't have an avalanche for the next 100 seconds while I am in this porta potty.

Finally, to my hick-mobile...

Thanks for backing out smoothly and turning around to exit without requiring me to shovel lots of snow and install chains like the folks all around us.
Let's never fight again.

Conclusions

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Not sure about the name...

Hooray for magnetism, wasting time, and wasting time with magnets.