MountAbbey

I guess I knew the second game in the series was coming out when I started playing the first. Pretty good game so far. I’m horrible at games requiring me to aim but it feels fun enough to keep playing.

Uncharted 2. Not so much. I feel like I’m in a bad dream. So, I’m about to rob a place… wouldn’t I look at a map? That would be helpful. Running through jungle having to shoot a gun… I think I’ll stay at home and play “Chess with Friends” thanks.

Chess with Friends – a ranking system and name filter would be appreciated.

I’m moving from Flex back to AS3 only for my next contract. So I’m going to experiment with some alternatives to Flash Builder.

FDT 4 from Powerflasher.com is a commercial alternative. Being an eclipse editor, the features should be familiar. Downloading and starting my trial period with it. The cost for the entry level version is cheaper than Flash Builder. The mid-level is definitely not. And the high-end version with profiler is similar to the Flash Builder 4.5 Premium version.

Sublime is a text editor for code. The beta supports AS3. $60.

Previous tools I have used: FlashDevelop.

Off to write some code!

SPOT is a personal location beacon that uses satellites to send up position information and predetermined messages, including a “Help” request that triggers a Search and Rescue effort. I carried one on my 500 miles Washington PCT backpacking trip.

The SPOT Connect is a blue-tooth device that lets a smart phone act like a SPOT device and send custom message up (41 characters.) $170. Extra cost for custom messages.

SPOT GPS messenger only allows for two predefined messages. $170. With a rebate of $50, now might be a time to buy.
The older SPOT is only $99.

Service is $99/year and $50/year for tracking progress and $13/year for Search and Rescue up to $100K.

I had good luck with SPOT on my PCT hike. I’m not sure I’d trust my iPhone batteries to make the communicator worthwhile.
And the downside, I’m not sure I need one for my current activities. $150/year + cost of device is high for an occasional weekend trip and a few day hikes. But, as cell phones don’t work along much of the coast, I might be useful. Summary: I’ll check back in another year unless someone has one they want to donate to a good cause.

Anyone want to

I’ve seen job descriptions that ask for “open source project experience”. I disagree that this is really what the team really wants. I can’t check that box so perhaps this is just my self-justification.

Some things that working on an open source project may give a candidate: Exposure to open source code. Exposure to peer review. Exposure to some software development tools and process. Exposure to a large code base. Exposure to interesting and talented people.

Some of the expectations that this item might give to the hiring manager about the candidate: an interest in writing code because do it outside of work, highly motivated individual, higher than normal enthusiasm for technology, contribution to make the world a better place.

All of those expectations may be false.

I think this job requirement item fails to recognize that perhaps a person heavily involved in an open source project may not be looking for a day job that consumes them, rather one that pays the bills so they can work on their favorite project. Or that some open source projects are no better than a personal side project. Or that the person’s contribution to the project might be minor.

Instead, a screening interview can ask the candidate about projects they have worked on… open source, at work, hobby. And if the person did the actual work and was interested in the project and learned valuable skills, this should show through. I don’t think there is a short cut to interviewing. Ask the specific thing you want instead.

I really would rather that the person I interviewed found interesting projects at work and made a contribution to the company that paid them. I mean, after all, that’s what I’m hoping they’ll do when I hire them.

However, if you work someplace that isn’t giving you the right type of experience for your dream job, or isn’t letting you contribute in a meaningful way, or makes you wonder what you will say when I ask you about your project during the interview: please… go find a project (at work, open source, hobby) that will make you sound crazy enthusiastic and make me want to know more during the interview.

I think the same holds true for wanting “an internet personality” as one of the job descriptions. Perhaps you should specify the skills you want and the type of things about the person you want to add to the team (or avoid adding to the team.) Of course, saying “outgoing for a programmer” is unfair. And disregard this if you are looking for a community manager or evangelist or some other role that is best served by someone that already has a following in the community.

Best of luck to everyone that is trying to grow their teams.

We were 6 miles away on the NASA causeway. Closest public viewing.
Totally worth the expense, and the return trip.

It was over quickly (we had cloudcover) so visible launch lasted about 10 seconds.
Then the shockwaves hit.
We have some photos. But everything online already will be better.

We’ll likely follow the mission so 16 days of distraction.
I won’t shift my sleep schedule to match the crew though.

Timeline:
Left home at 2pm Saturday
Thai food at 4:45pm in San Bruno.
We took at red-eye from SFO at 7:30pm.
Checked into Orlando hotel at 7am.
We left the hotel at 10pm Sunday.
At Kennedy Space Center visitor center around 1am.
In line for bus out to viewing site around 3am.
Bus starts moving at 5am.
On causeway at 6am.
Countdown in earnest at 8am.
Crying around 8:47 at T -9:00.
Launch at 8:56am.
On bus home at 9:30.
Back at hotel at 11:30am.
Napping, 11:31am.
Home soon.
Looking up at the stars differently: forever.

We were both inspired. Not so much the actual launch which was impressive,
but by the shared experience, by the history and honest sense of adventure and overcoming obstacles involved in space travel, and with us making a dream happen.

Next up:
1) world domination summit in portland
2) walking across the golden gate bridge (sometime in June/July).
3) lots more adventures

bob – from Space Channel 5.