Timbu::Musings

Best Gift, originally uploaded by timbu.

I got a big surprise in the mail today. It was a box, from Jennie, a friend from my fifth grade class. Inside was something she had made, just for me, and a lovely hand written card. Not only was it a funny and thoughtful gift, it was also a play on a recent cartoon I posted on bitstrips.com. It was part of the "Make-It-Forward" meme that I posted on facebook a little while back.

Here is the referenced comic, btw.

So thanks Jennie, you have totally outdone yourself.

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.

CIMG7115, originally uploaded by timbu.

Have I mentioned how happy I am that spring is really finally here?

1. When I buy a whole bunch of groceries and the total bill is an even amount like $60.
2. When I peel an orange or apple and the peel come off in one piece.
3. When I buy something on Ebay that is actually an auction. I know it's dumb but I still feel like I won.

What makes me feel like a loser?

1. Getting a fortune cookie with no fortune.
2. Sending out a really important email, but forgetting the promised attachment, referencing a date which doesn't exist in support of a meeting which I inadvertently scheduled in the past.
3. Buying something I know I already own, but can't find.
4. Hitting the curb when I parrallel park.

People who know I twitter keep asking me why, what good is it. This video explains everything.

When it comes to real people, as opposed to marketeers and PR types hawking their wares, I think twitter is a way for people to try and know and be known. Still like any other art mostly the world is filled with lurkers, willing to admire but rarely able to try it for themselves.

Still the best thing about twitter is how I can use it to update facebook.

Last year I was disappointed that then Senator Barack Obama would not take a stand on the issue of telecom immunity.He voted yes and never provided a satisfactory explanation for the vote. This was frustrating because he touts the notion of transparent government and spoke out against the excess of secrecy and illegal wire tapping in the Bush administration.

So fast-forward to the present and we find the present administration fending off lawsuits from activity started during the Bush administration related to secret wire-tapping programs. They approach the matter in exactly the same manner as the Bush administration, namely invoking the common law notion of "state secrets" and furthermore asserting that they have sovereign immunity as long as there is no willful disclosure. Blech, not only have the hitched their wagon to Bush tactics they go even further than the last bunch. I didn't like it as a Bush tactic, I don't like it from the Obama administration.

Time to up my contribution to the EFF.

Additional coverage: Salon, The Atlantic

I've been busy on facebook, twitter, google reader, goodreads and friendfeed on occasion. I've been neglecting this blog, del.icio.us, flickr and a host of services I signed up for and haven't used much. While it's pretty rare that I don't post at least an item a day, they don't all show up here. So I think the next step is clear, I should convert this space into something between the "river of news" and "lifestream" concept. We'll see if I can reserve a late night slot for the upgrade.