The Simplicity Survival Handbook

Do Less. Accomplish More.

1440. The number of minutes in the day. No more, no less. When theyre gone, theyre gone.

Do less of the corporate silliness.

Ignore more of the noise and senseless stuff that comes your way.

Spend your time and talent on what really matters.

http://www.simplerwork.com

Sweet Pic Of Saturn

Saturn and its rings completely fill the field of view of Cassinis narrow angle camera in this natural color image taken on March 27, 2004. This is the last single `eyeful of Saturn and its rings achievable with the narrow angle camera on approach to the planet. From now until orbit insertion, the rings will be larger than the cameras field of view. The image is a composite of three exposures in red, green, and blue, taken when the spacecraft was 47.7 million kilometers (29.7 million miles) from the planet. The image scale is 286 kilometers (178 miles) per pixel.
http://ciclops.lpl.arizona.edu/PR/2004D29/final.jpg

Fundamental Limits On Computation & Consciousness

The physical limits to computation have been under active scrutiny over the past decade or two, as theoretical investigations of the possible impact of quantum mechanical processes on computing have begun to make contact with realizable experimental configurations. We demonstrate here that the observed acceleration of the Universe can produce a universal limit on the total amount of information that can be stored and processed in the future, putting an ultimate limit on future technology for any civilization, including a time-limit on Moores Law. The limits we derive are stringent, and include the possibilities that the computing performed is either distributed or local. A careful consideration of the effect of horizons on information processing is necessary for this analysis, which suggests that the total amount of information that can be processed by any observer is significantly less than the Hawking-Beckenstein entropy associated with the existence of an event horizon in an accelerating universe.
http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0404510

Scientific American: The White House Bends Science To Its Will

The administration misrepresented the findings of the National Academy of Sciences and other experts on climate change. It meddled with the discussion of climate change in an Environmental Protection Agency report until the EPA eliminated that section. It suppressed another EPA study that showed that the administrations proposed Clear Skies Act would do less than current law to reduce air pollution and mercury contamination of fish. It even dropped independent scientists from advisory committees on lead poisoning and drug abuse in favor of ones with ties to industry.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=2&articleID=0001E02A-A14A-1084-983483414B7F0000

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done

This book was OK, nothing too groundbreaking. Basically insist upon realism and make sure of the details when someone says that they can get something done.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0609610570/qid=1083123101/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-3514907-4324832?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

The White Stripes: Elephant

This is not bad. A mix of 70s rock and 80s punk with some good lyrics. Songs range from boring to excellent. Id give it a B+.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008J4P5/qid=1083118901/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-3514907-4324832?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

Fierce Conversations

This book is about having the courage and finesse to have difficult conversations. Some good ideas. Some good quotes:

"As a leader, you get what you tolerate"

"I have not yet witnessed a spontaneous recovery from incompetance."

"Hire attitude. Train skill."

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0425193373/qid=1083095967/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-0027190-5299331?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Balvenie Doublewood

Bought another bottle of the Balvenie Doublewood. I just cant stay away from this Scotch, especially for its price range.
http://timmyp.typepad.com/the_tasting_room/2004/01/the_balvenie_do.html

Old Computers Site

Found http://old-computers.com -- hilarious.My first PC was a Sinclair ZX-80, I cant believe I was coding databases out to audio cassette tape with this thing when I was 10 or 11.

My second PC was a bad boy, even by the time my dad let me have it -- a Tandy Model 100. The first laptop with a built in 300 baud modem! I was into the local phone and power companies with this thing when I was 12.

Next came the Apple II+ and Apple IIe of course. Although it wasnt mine -- my juniour high was one of the first in canada to have a computer lab. Wrote some sweet basic on this unit:
http://www.old-computers.com

First Bank Transfer Using Quantum Cryptography

Quantum cryptography is a superior technology which overcomes limitations and drawbacks of classical cryptographic schemes by utilizing quantum physical effects.The appeal of quantum cryptography is that its security is based on the laws of nature. In contrast to existing classical schemes of Key Distribution, Quantum Key Distribution does not invoke the transport of the key, since it is created at the sender and receiver site immediately. Furthermore, the key is created from a completely random sequence, which is in general an extremely diffcult task in classical schemes. Finally, eavesdropping is easily detected due to the fragile nature of the qubits invoked for the quantum key distribution.
http://www.quantenkryptographie.at/

Neal Stephenson Interview

The author of "Cryptonomicon" and the "Baroque Cycle" talks about the brighter side of Puritanism, the feud between Newton and Leibniz, and the literary worlds grudge against science fiction.
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2004/04/21/stephenson/index_np.html

New Strong Bad Email

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail101.html

Dilemma: Bring Doctor Who Back?

Next year Doctor Who, the long-running British science-fiction serial, will return to television after an absence of 15 years. The people who are happiest about this are, naturally, the vast subculture that is Doctor Who fandom. But many of the same fans have greeted the news with foreboding, even though none of them has seen the new series and thus had a chance to be disappointed with it yet. Why would someone be dismayed to learn that his favorite show is returning to the air? The answer should tell us something about the nature of pop culture, and the relationship between those who produce it and those who consume it.
http://www.reason.com/links/links040804.shtml

The Experience Economy

Excellent book. Some key take aways:

• Work is theatre.
• Act with intention.
• Cut 95% of unnecessary tasks.
• The customer is the product.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0875848192/qid=1081181234/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-3679236-6348920?v=glance&s=books

Valis

Phenominal book by Philip K. Dick.
Imagine Jean-Paul Sartre and William Gibson dropping acid and debating the nature and existance of god.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679734465/qid=1081138384/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-3514907-4324832

Re-imagine!

Some of his ideas, like the unlimited potential of the Internet, have begun to wear a bit thin, while others need overhauling thanks to the recession. There are strong chapters on the spending power of women and the need to restructure the American education system, but not all the new twists are as satisfying.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/078949647X/qid=1081138294/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-3514907-4324832?v=glance&s=books&n=507846