20 most recent
Fri, Jul. 10th, 2009, 07:25 pm
Useful little application
Cool app called Exit Strategy NYC for New Yorkers with smart phones who habitually take the train. Tells you the best car to ride in to get off at the right subway exit, closest to your final destination. Eminently useful for directionally challenged people like myself, except I spend more time on planes than I do in the subway and it would take a much cooler app to make me carry around a device that doesn't fit into the back jeans pocket.
Wed, Jul. 8th, 2009, 11:24 am
In the news
Google is taking on Microsoft. They just announced plans to have their own OS available by second half of 2010 and they are not talking about Android:
Same as with Google Wave, it looks like they want to involve the open-source development community even before the product launch.
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.
Same as with Google Wave, it looks like they want to involve the open-source development community even before the product launch.
Tue, Jun. 30th, 2009, 03:44 pm
Godwin law in action
How long does it take for a Godwin's law to work? Let's take a completely innocent article praising some vendors for finally adopting a long overdue standard for handset (namely smartphones) chargers. It only applies to EU at the moment. Article also suggests, with some sarcasm thrown in, few other things that could use standardization. Anyhow, the article was published on June 29 at 6:09pm, by 00:27:56 of June 30th standardization was condemned, complete with Holocaust references and mention of EU Fuhrer. I know, offering reasoned thought out arguments instead of emotionally-charged unwarranted comparisons would not have been nearly as easy.
Sun, Jun. 28th, 2009, 11:22 pm
Book review
Прочитала последнего Акунина, "Сокол и Ласточка " из серии про Николаса Фандорина. Фантастическая ахинея. Читается легко, однако, на мозги совершенно не давит. Идеальное чтиво, если ваш самолет три часа не может вылететь из Бостона из-за грозы в Нью-Йорке.
Tue, Jun. 23rd, 2009, 06:08 pm
Anti-virus from MS
If you like living on the edge, starting today you can try out Microsoft's new free anti-virus cleverly named Microsoft Security Essentials.
Mon, Jun. 22nd, 2009, 09:32 pm
Рабочее
Была сегодня на совещании с представителями одной компании, которую называть не буду, но они все очень интеллектуальные и весь интеллект у них внутри. С нашей стороны участвовали куча директоров и один VP. Ну и я, для украшения. Один из представителей делал нам доклад по теме "как я провел лето" и в какой-то момент заметил, мол, есть такие люди, вы наверняка все с ними знакомы, они все знают, все умеют, но на cocktail parties их приглашать не рекомендуется. Geeks, в общем. Мы где-то минуту все напряженно попереглядывались, потом кто-то вкрадчиво поинтересовался: "А на что это ты намекаешь?"
Mon, Jun. 22nd, 2009, 06:14 pm
Greece
Мне 
Володя своей котлетой (которая, кстати сказать, нещадно воняла и ему пришлось ее в темпе глотать, а то окружающих начало подташнивать):
Пошли мы с Ленкой в последний наш вечер в Афинах в ресторан. Милое такое место, с красивым видом на Акрополь, вкусной едой и очень ненавязчивым сервисом. Ленка первая по обыкновению заказала себе кувшинчик вина (500мл). А я, соответственно, стакан апельсинового сока. Выслушав мой заказ, официантка повернулась к Ленке и поинтересовалась: "А вам одной много не будет?"
Володя своей котлетой (которая, кстати сказать, нещадно воняла и ему пришлось ее в темпе глотать, а то окружающих начало подташнивать):Пошли мы с Ленкой в последний наш вечер в Афинах в ресторан. Милое такое место, с красивым видом на Акрополь, вкусной едой и очень ненавязчивым сервисом. Ленка первая по обыкновению заказала себе кувшинчик вина (500мл). А я, соответственно, стакан апельсинового сока. Выслушав мой заказ, официантка повернулась к Ленке и поинтересовалась: "А вам одной много не будет?"
Fri, Jun. 19th, 2009, 08:40 pm
Отделим мух от котлет
Senate is really taking an interest in wireless market. In addition to pushing FCC to examine the exclusive deals between handset makers and carriers, they are looking at completely unbundling handsets from the networks by finally applying the Carterfone regulation to the wireless. Looks like Skype, who previous FCC chairman basically told to take a hike last year, might get their wish after all. It's about time, too, the rest of the world has been enjoying just this type of flexibility for years. Not that they don't have their own share of problems, of course.
The case for US was well summarized in the Hearing on the Consumer Wireless Experience by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation this past Wednesday.
( To summarize the summary )
The case for US was well summarized in the Hearing on the Consumer Wireless Experience by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation this past Wednesday.
( To summarize the summary )
Tue, Jun. 16th, 2009, 11:43 pm
In the news
Some senators are asking FCC to look into the exclusive arrangements between handset makers and wireless service providers. Supposedly they are worried these deals might "unfairly restrict consumer choice or adversely impact competition in the commercial wireless marketplace". Either that or one of them wants to have an iPhone without the AT&T network.
Fri, Jun. 12th, 2009, 02:31 pm
Greece: Ano Mera on Mykonos
We had three days scheduled in Mykonos, one to explore Mykonos Town, one for a trip to Delos and the third day... wait, asked we after returning from Delos, what are we going to do on the third day!? Luckily, our guide had just the place for us.
( Ano Mera )
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( Ano Mera )
Wed, Jun. 10th, 2009, 12:27 am
In the news
Sun, Jun. 7th, 2009, 10:25 pm
Greece: Kerameikos
If you not reading yet Lena's account of our adventures in Greece you absolutely should. Firstly, because what I am about to write won't make much sense otherwise and, secondly, because she writes well. I'll even make it easy for you:
Athens, Part One
Athens, Part Two
Mykonos
Delos
Our first full day in Greece, spent in Athens, was fully devoted to ancient ruins. After the usual suspects such as Acropolis, Ancient Agora and Roman Agora we had a choice of either visiting Temple of Olympian Zeus or an ancient cemetery. I, of course, picked the latter because there are just so many fragments of pillars one can absorb in a day and I already filled my quota. Thus we ended up on our way to Kerameikos.
( Kerameikos )
Athens, Part One
Athens, Part Two
Mykonos
Delos
Our first full day in Greece, spent in Athens, was fully devoted to ancient ruins. After the usual suspects such as Acropolis, Ancient Agora and Roman Agora we had a choice of either visiting Temple of Olympian Zeus or an ancient cemetery. I, of course, picked the latter because there are just so many fragments of pillars one can absorb in a day and I already filled my quota. Thus we ended up on our way to Kerameikos.
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( Kerameikos )
Mon, Jun. 1st, 2009, 01:21 pm
MS Bing
In an unprecedented move by Microsoft they launched their new search portal Bing two days early.
Mon, Jun. 1st, 2009, 10:30 am
GAO on GPS
Interesting report from US Government Accountability Office on the current state of the GPS.
Few quotes for those who don't want to read the full document ( Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives )
Few quotes for those who don't want to read the full document ( Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives )
Fri, May. 29th, 2009, 12:02 pm
Google Wave
Google introduced their vision of the collaboration/unified communication tool which they named Google Wave (there is a longish demo if you follow the link). It's supposed to be rolled out later this year but they already presented it during the Google I/O developer conference. They are positioning it as an open source development and want as much development community participation as they can get even prior to the roll out.
Fri, May. 22nd, 2009, 05:24 pm
Диалоги
Мама приколола сегодня случайной оговоркой (почти по Фрейду). Пообщались по телефону, она прощается:
- Будешь скучать - звони, будешь мимо проезжать - проезжай.
- Будешь скучать - звони, будешь мимо проезжать - проезжай.
Fri, May. 1st, 2009, 11:28 am
On high seas
Turns out somebody actually took a few pictures of our boat adventure and was kind enough to share.
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Thu, Apr. 30th, 2009, 06:51 pm
Бьют не по паспорту...
Была сегодня на совещании с Национальным Агенством по Безопасности. Нас заранее предупредили, что пускать будут по паспортам, так что я свой специально привезла. Меня пропустили без проверки, а коллегу, американца в третьем поколении, попросили предъявить документ. Загадочные люди занимаются нашей безопасностью.
Thu, Apr. 30th, 2009, 12:22 am
Тяготы работы
Каталась сегодня на этом кораблике, только в воде и с парусами. По бостонскому порту. Вендоры нас развлекали презентациями, а потом, в виде компенсации, покатали. Сегодня было не жарко (в отличии от вчерашних 90), но под тремя куртками и двумя свитерами вполне ничего, особенно под парусами и двигаясь с ветром. Beats the hell out of a trip to Cuttyhunk in March. Камеру я с собой взять не догадалась. Кстати, мероприятие открыто для обычной публики, корабли будут в порту на Fan Pier до 16 мая. Ребята из Ericsson сказали, что они в выходные планируют открытые презентации и демонстрации.
Volvo Ocean Race was run for the first time in 2001-02. Today it is, quite simply, the ‘Everest of Sailing’.
During the nine months of the 2008-09 Volvo, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2008 and concludes in St Petersburg, Russia, during late June 2009, the teams will sail over 37,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm.
Volvo Ocean Race was run for the first time in 2001-02. Today it is, quite simply, the ‘Everest of Sailing’.
During the nine months of the 2008-09 Volvo, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2008 and concludes in St Petersburg, Russia, during late June 2009, the teams will sail over 37,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm.
Sun, Apr. 26th, 2009, 12:02 pm
Было бы за что, вообще убил бы...
Общалась с вендорами в неофициальной обстановке, болтали, в общем, и разговор зашел о России. Я им рассказала об обязательной регистрации, прописке и ментовской традиции без всякой причины останавливать людей на улице, чтобы проверить паспорт/прописку/регистрацию. Один ужаснулся: "Если они так с местными, то что они делают с иностранцами?"