• What’s the most challenging part of working as an independent? | TechRepublic
  No free coffee?
  Tags: techrepublic consulting
• In Another Universe… a new web comic
  I love how the Java and C# examples are not only identical, but both compilers will complain about the same stupid Simon-says error (missing semi-colon on line 5).
  Tags: innovation microsoft humor

• Why You Should Learn "Weird" Languages – Blog – Alex Thornton
  
  

  An important part of spending time with “weird” languages is to acclimate yourself to seeing syntax as the least important battle you face; the broader ideas are always more important, in my view, than the low-level syntax.

  
  Tags: programming languages erlang haskell scheme c++ autodidact

• Jenga Driven Development
  The hardest part is attempting to stuff the offending piece back in place.
  Tags: programming brittleness jdd jenga

• Building nuclear reactor at home – from scratch : Svarychevski Michail Aleksandrovich
  via the Code Project
  Tags: nuclear reactor homemade
• Phil Factor’s Phrenetic Phoughts : A brief nod at reality: Who was that masked man anyway?
  Why consultants shouldn't be heroes.
  Tags: philfactor consulting humor

• Defiant Japanese boat captain rode out tsunami – CNN.com
  Awesome, dude!
  Tags: tsunami cnn
• Perfection | Redstone Science Fiction
  Jay Garmon's first paid published fiction!
  Tags: jaygarmon scifi

• Why the cloud won’t kill IT consulting | TechRepublic
  "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day"
  Tags: techrepublic consulting cloud

• Oi: Object-integer mapping for Synergy/DE — Chip’s Tips for Developers
  Too bad "integer" doesn't begin with a "y".
  Tags: chipstips synthesis oop synergyde

• Four signs your consulting project will fail | TechRepublic
  5. All the good people are leaving, and the others are already pointing fingers.
  Tags: consulting techrepublic projectmgt
• CEO Friday: Why we don’t hire .NET programmers « Expensify Blog
  "Enterprise" and "startup" don't mix.
  Tags: dotnet startup programming microsoft enterprise
• High Scalability – High Scalability – Did the Microsoft Stack Kill MySpace?
  Choosing Microsoft wasn't what killed MySpace.
  Choosing Microsoft was only another symptom of the cultural disease that killed MySpace.
  Tags: myspace microsoft scoble scalability facebook
• Programming, Motherfucker
  Cut to the chase!
  Tags: programming manifesto

• 5 Reasons Your Javascript Stinks | PatrickAvella.com
  
  

  You're a brilliant programmer, you eat C++ code for lunch and poop Lisp. You know what variable scope is, you have full control over your variables and watch them like an overlord. Then Javascript put a metaphorical laxative in your coffee and had a good laugh.

  
  Tags: javascript programming

• Unix – the apprentice’s enlightenment
  The same could be said of programming languages
  Tags: unix editors humor

Elizabeth Taylor died today.

I met her once, a long time ago. She visited a small group of students in Danville, Virginia, and the superintendent of our district made sure I got to go. I was a part-time actor with the local Community Players Association, and I had written a play and starred in its production at the High School I attended.

Ms. Taylor was then married to Senator John Warner of Virginia, and he accompanied her to the event. They sat on stage and took questions from the audience of about a hundred students. She was a little overweight then, and he seemed not to know what to do with himself. I think I may have asked a question, but I don’t remember what it was — probably something inane.

Afterwards, Ms. Taylor shook hands with each of us. I remember gazing into those beautiful eyes, and what I saw was… panic? She seemed to barely cover her fear of being swarmed to death. I wondered how she couldn’t have gotten used to that sort of attention by now.

That was about 33 years ago, and we haven’t spoken since. I should have gotten her number, I guess.