myShoggoth

Pradipta's Rolodex

At approximately 8pm PDT last night Pradipta Archiputra sent out an email to 416 people without using BCC.  That's problem number one.  It looks like the email was meant to be sent out under the pseudonym:

Max Archie
Technical Recruiter
Prodigus Source

Which is how the email signature looked, but the from: line wasn't.  Problem number two.

What happened after that was a group of people sent the usual "UNSUBSCRIBE" and "Stop replying all!" reply-alls to the group.  Problem number three.

And then win #one billion: It turned into pure entertainment.  People started enjoying the opportunity of interacting with a large group of random people.  Someone set up a Google Group, a FriendFeed Room, and who knows what else is in the works.

They're researching Prodigus Source, the probably mythical Max Archie, networking and chatting about all sorts of fun stuff.

My favorite thing so far is the title of a thread on the Google Group:

Job Postings: Threat or Menace?

Particular given my history with TalentSpring.

Here is another account.

I'm Famous!

Well, I'd better be.  Soon.  Go make that happen.  I'll wait.

A good friend of mine referenced my musings on the future of Hollywood and the Internet and the Writer's Strike in the new episode of his podcast Sturgeon's Law.

The strike itself is over, but the causes of the friction are just beginning.

His podcast is great stuff, highly recommended.

Anonymous vs. Scientology

This is quite possibly the funniest thing I've read in a long time, and I'm very very sad that I wasn't able to see it in person.

This is probably a better form on politics than traditional democracy anyway: Mockocracy.

Alternative Aviation

This post at the Science Based Medicine group blog is so hilarious and telling that  I can't just point to it through my Google Reader Shared Items, I have to point as much traffic at it as I possibly can.

The blog itself is awesome, I find myself sharing probably half of their stuff.  Subscribe, subscribe!  Ok!

kthxbye

ar ar science humor

This lolscience cracks me up.

Yes, I know how much of a nerd that makes me.

Daily Show Fix

In the words of Kevin Smith, never a good idea to attack the dude with the microphone.

Plato's Northwest Drivers

I know I've already complained bitterly about the quality of Northwest Drivers, but this morning on my way to work I witnessed such a Platonic Idealist example I just have to share.

Said driver decides, too late, that he wants to turn left at an intersection.  Since we're in the PNW, he naturally shifts into reverse and starts backing up so that he can switch to the turn lane, which has vehicles in it that he pulled up next to.  I'm driving up behind him at this point, and switch into the right lane.  I wish I was more upset or shocked or something, but I'm pretty used to this.

Once he's in a position to switch lanes, which for some reason involves taking up part of the right lane as well, he just stops.  At least one car has to work their way carefully around him in the right lane to get by.  I think at this point he has noticed that the city put up barriers to keep people just like him from making a left into the Safeway (grocery store), which has a nasty driveway right before the intersection.  Locals now know exactly where and what I'm talking about.

After a minute or so of just sitting there taking up multiple lanes, he goes straight (back to where he started this whole thing).  But that's not the best part.

When the left turn folk finally get their light, he cuts one of them off and makes the left turn at the intersection after all.

Writers Guild Strike

I'm not normally a union guy, but I am a 'use your brain' guy, and thus I don't think you should be trying to fit reality to your preconceive notions of it but rather let evidence drive the theories.

I believe historically unions were required to fix horrible conditions and situations, but as they are successful their utility decreases more quickly than the changes they cause.  Over time they become like most human institutions that put the institution itself above the individual, and cause more harm to the people they were created for than they help them.

That doesn't mean they have no purpose in modern society, just that they tend to outstay their welcome... again, like most institutions.  There are probably unions out there that through the effort of individuals keep it focused on the big picture and the real (rather than nominal) welfare of its members, but I suspect those are in the minority.

I think the causes for the current WGA strike are reasonable and that the union/strike are probably the only realistic ways to get those issues addressed.  The best writeup I've seen is from Kung Fu Monkey, whose blog I started to follow a few months ago for various reasons.

Since you guys are on strike, and as the joke goes you can't write new, creative picket slogans because you're on strike, I'll donate the following:

One Two Three Four Insert Witty Slogan Here

Hilarious Irish humor

This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time, and actually made me spittake for real.  I had to clear off my monitor.

Dara O'Briain is hilarious as always, but Neil Delamere's bit about the hotel front desk nearly killed me.

Completely original new joke #1

"I see," said the blind man, who was a filthy stinking liar.