I've long wanted to back up my cell phone (specifically the address book, which it would be quite a sad thing to lose), but until now haven't had the right methods. Nokia has a piece of software I've used before, but it only works on Windows, and as I rarely boot windows I only used it very infrequently. Today I discovered a piece of software called Wammu (http://wammu.eu/) which seems to work nicely. It's for Linux and Windows, so if you run one of those I recommend it.

There's no reason it shouldn't work on OS X, as it's just a wrapper over a cell-phone interface tool called Gammu which does work on OS X, and its only other major dependency is wxPython, which exists for OS X, but the developers don't provide an OS X build.

A woman was fired for using words in all caps, red, and bold in an email to coworkers. I say it's about time. (In all seriousness, she was awarded damages for unfair dismissal, etc and it wasn't something to fire someone over).

I am currently sitting on an MBTA train (because I get to pick up Amber tonight :)) with nothing particular to do, and as some of the MBTA trains now have wifi (like the Dartmouth Coach though a bit slower/less reliable) and (unlike the Dartmouth Coach) they have enough leg and arm room to make using a laptop moderately comfortable (at least when they're not crowded) I might as well do the unthinkable and actually make a post.

Many of my friends (both programmers and those with no special computer interest) use and swear by Macs. I've never had much to do with them until a bit over a year ago. Since I've been working on iPhone applications the last couple summers, I've gotten to know them a little better. And I really have to admit, they do some things really well. But sometimes they just fail. I set out on the Dartmouth Coach this morning with both an iPhone and a Macbook (neither of which I own, both property of work). I had music loaded on neither, but the Dartmouth Coach has pretty good wifi, so I figured I'd just use Pandora. I took the Macbook in preference over my own netbook (an Acer Aspire One) because while it's not as ultraportable as the netbook I had a large backpack and it has a larger screen and better battery life (my biggest regret with the netbook was not springing an extra $50 for the 6-cell battery). My first thought was that I'd listen to Pandora on the iPhone. It's obviously pocket-sized and easy to use. But the Pandora website detects the iPhone Safari version (I'm not sure if there's a way to modify the string sent except by Jailbreaking or programming a custom browsing application) and directs the user to the Pandora iPhone application. On Pandora's part, this is a sound move. The iPhone has a pretty capable UI, but it's not optimal for web-browsing. An actual iPhone app is going to be smoother than running a flash app in mobile Safari. But here's the part where Apple fails. You can't download an Application without an iTunes account (I'm a developer, but I don't use the iPhone for much besides work, I don't generally need to download iPhone apps). But you can't create an iTunes account without giving Apple a credit card number. No that's just silly. I have no interest in giving Apple my credit card information to store in a massive database somewhere. I don't plan on purchasing anything from the iTunes Store (If I'm going to buy digital music I prefer Amaxon). I just want to download a free application. Do they need my credit card for that? Sure, they can do whatever they want, but the fact that they *do* do whatever they want regardless of whether it's reasonable or not is why I'm not too keen on Apple.

So then I listened to Pandora on the Macbook. Which works fine. Except what I really wanted to do was just put it in my bag or at least have it lie closed on my lap. But NO. The Apple Gods decree that you cannot close the lid without the machine going to sleep (at first I felt stupid for a while, I who am used to doing configuration mostly through /etc files was looking through a perfectly reasonable GUI menu not finding what I wanted, but then I googled it). It reminds me of the fact that I also can't turn off the internal display in favour of an external one except by closing the lid. In fairness to Apple I suppose I should mention that the nominal reason for not being able to keep the machine awake with the lid closed is due to the placement of air vents opposite the hinge. Still a royal pain though.

This was a rather pointless entry and came out a bit whinier than I intended. But someone has to be a counter to the Mac fanboys :)

As this blurb from The Register points out. Apparently an editorial on Obama's health care plan got these facts a little mixed up.

(While I am amused at the idiocy of the editorial and not opposed to national health care, I haven't paid enough attention to the details of the plan to know whether or not I support it)

I have a distinct problem with doing schoolwork at the computer. There is only a certain amount of research I can do before becoming abominably (also, abdominally) tired of it, and there are so many other uses for the computer besides research, so many pointless ways to fritter away my time.

As I watched the Dartmouth graduation two days ago, I sat in the drizzle and thought to myself that honorary degrees are really quite silly. Dartmouth, like many other colleges and universities (especially big-name ones) gives honorary degrees to people it thinks have (I suppose) done good in the world and deserve to be recognized in some form. That's all well and good I suppose. People who do good things should get recognition. But is a college graduation really the place to give it? Especially as, in the case of some honorees, it was mentioned that they'd already received such-and-such prestigious recognition for their actions? Some of the honourees seemed more deserving of recognition and others less so (ahem, a basketball player), but regardless of merit I'm not sure an honourary Dartmouth degree is the right sort of recognition. Colleges and Universities are about learning, are they not? Is honouring anything that isn't directly related to learning and academic pursuits even within their purview? Each of the honourary degree recipients had a short bio of his/her accomplishments read and was individually applauded by the audience. That's far more recognition than was given to any one student (except perhaps the two co-valedictorians, who read remarks), yet some of the graduating students were amazingly talented and accomplished. They would have likely been just as interesting to hear about, and they actually graduated from Dartmouth as proper students.

Terry Pratchet was knighted. Congratulations to him. I need to start on the discworld book I got for Christmas.

I ate at my favourite brunch place in Rehoboth (Papa's Breakfast Barn) this morning, and for the third time in a row this fall, they did not have their (delicious) homemade raisin bread. I asked them about it, and they said they might not ever be getting it back due to apparently rising costs of making it. Lame! I say.

So, as many of you know I spent the last ~week in the snowy (and unfortunately sometimes drippy) woods walking 55 miles from Hanover to the north side of Moosilauke. It was fun, and I'm glad I did it. The normal cabinhopping trip is only four days, going from the skiway to Moosilauke. This year saw two normal cabinhopping sections and a Frozen Fifty section (the one I was on) adding two days by going all the way from Hanover. We had a pretty experienced and fit group (first time in a while I've felt that I wasn't necessarily in the top half of the group in terms of backpacking skill). I was very impressed especially with one of our leaders (Phil Wagner '09) who really seemed to know precisely what he was doing (of course it was his third time on the trip and second time leading it).

Day 1:

A nice wintry day, snowing lightly. Temperatures probably somewhere in the mid-twenties. We hiked over velvet rocks and across some mostly flat miles to the wonderfully nice and new Harris Cabin (aka Le Château Harris) and made dinner. The only thing which is not wonderfully nice about Harris is that even with two wood stoves and fireplace it takes forever to heat its cavernous space. By the time we were ready for bed though, it had warmed up nicely.

Day 2:

Not such a nice winter day. It started out drizzling. As we set out we encountered a feature of the landscape that would be with us for nearly the entire trip: all the trees and brush were coated in a thick layer of us, making them hang down over the trail forming and icy curtain. We spent much time pushing through icy branches, which I'm afraid I was not terribly fond of. I get bothered by things close to my face (with the exception of some select and very important things/beings) and pushing through the eye-level icy branches invoked that feeling. Later in the day it stopped drizzling, which was nice, and we climbed over Holt's Ledge (the mountain the skiway is on) and arrived at Nunemacher cabin, where we dried out and made ourselves cozy. I unfortunately did not sleep very well though.

Day 3:

This was precisely the sort of day for which it is a good idea to be badass and battle-ready. We got up about 5:30 A.M., ate a quick, cold breakfast, and headed out on the trail with headlamps before the sun deigned to grace us with her presence. We hiked down the skiway and over Smarts mountain. This was the coldest day of the trip, with temperatures in the single digits. We ate a shivering lunch in the old ranger cabin (just four walls and a roof) near the top of Smarts. We descended Smarts to find a river that should have been crossable on stones much higher than usual due to the high precipitation. We looked up and down the banks for a little ways but found no good way to cross. Looking at the map, we saw a bridge about a mile and half away. We groaned at the thought, because we'd be adding about 3 miles (1.5 to the bridge, 1.5 back on the other side) to an already long day just to cross a ten foot section of river, but we set off anyway. Luck was on our side there however, for either the map was wrong or there was an unmarked bridge, because we happened across a bridge in about a quarter of a mile. We then continued our way halfway up Mt. Cube to where Hexacuba shelter awaited us. This was the only night of the trip we did not spend in a cabin with a wood stove (and I must say, I am glad it was only one night, being able to dry out periodically over the course of winter trips is key). We got in just as the last rays of the sun were setting, meaning that we spent more time hiking that day than the sun spent shining (it was a long day, ~11 miles takes a long time in the Winter). As soon as we got there, we all immediately changed into dry clothes (it had been a dry day, but you always get wet from sweat hiking) and started cooking dinner and crawling into our down sleeping bags. Everyone was warm enough I think, and I was even sweating a little from some parts of my body with all the warm layers I had on inside my bag, but despite that I couldn't sleep very well and I don't think I ever did more than drift in and out of the fringes of sleep.

Day 4:

This was supposedly an easy day. All we did was hike mostly downhill to Armington cabin. I was tired from two nights of barely sleeping though, and it dragged a bit. Little memorable about the hiking. We summited Cube early in the day (the summit was very pretty) and then just moved on towards Armington. When we got to the road we were met by the people doing support for the trip, who were concerned. We learned that two girls on the section a day ahead of us had gotten frostbite. They'd been hiking to Hexacuba the wet day, and though they'd been fine at night, they'd had blocks of ice for hiking boots on the really cold day. This news chilled us as we went the final bit to Armington. We were happy to get to a warm cabin and food though.

Day 5:

Easiest of the six days. Which was nice, as it rained most of the day. We hiked over flat terrain and the totally forgettable and treed-in Mount Mist. It was a very short day, so we arrived at Great Bear cabin in time for a late lunch indoors (after stripping off our soaking wet garments).

Day 6:

Moosilauke! Probably my favourite day of the trip. I was raised on four-thousand footers, and they've always seemed to me what mountains should be. We had a nice day, cold but not unbearably so (though of course the summit was colder, probably around zero up there). We headed up the Glencliff trail. Treeline is always beautiful in the winter. Above treeline it was windy (as in very-difficult-to-walk-straight-because-you-get-blown-to-the-side windy, someone estimated around 40mph or so). I would have liked to stay a tad longer at the summit to enjoy the gorgeous view, but people were cold in the wind, so we lingered just long enough to take a photograph. We then headed down to John Rand cabin near the Lodge. That evening I found a bit boring, but it was pleasant enough as we just hung out at the cabin. In the morning we hiked out to the road in a reasonably heavy snowstorm and went back to Hanover.

And that's that. It was an enjoyable trip, and the woods in winter are so pretty. I'm glad to be back with computers, cats, regular tea (I kept from succumbing to caffeine withdrawl through a private stash of chocolate-covered espresso beans when I couldn't get tea, but they're not nearly so pleasant as tea), and other such trappings of civilization.

cheers

I don't usually do memes. But procrastinating papers is important. Thirty songs, see if you can guess them from the first lines. I know a lot of the music I listen to is obscure, I've tried to pick stuff I hope at least some of you will recognize.

1. A long, long time ago I can still remember How that music used to make me smile -- American Pie by Don McLean adobe_wedge
2. Only love Can make it rain The way the beach Is kissed by the sea -- Love Reign O'er Me by The Who dartmouth05
3. A modern day warrior Mean mean stride -- Tom Sawyer by Rush adobe_wedge
4. Heya, Tom' it’s Bob from the office down the hall Good to see you, buddy; how’ve you been? -- Re: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton for_callahorn
5. "Can you tell me where my country lies?" Said the unifaun to his true love's eyes -- Dancing with the Moonlit Knight by Genesis martian_42
6. There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold -- Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin chalavienne
7. Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind? -- Iron Man by Black Sabbath adobe_wedge
8. Sitting on a park bench eyeing little girls with bad intent. -- Aqualung by Jethro Tull martian_42
9. Ever since I've was a young boy I played the silver ball -- Pinball Wizard by The Who adobe_wedge
10. So ya thought ya might like to go to the show To feel the warm thrill of confusion, that space cadet glow -- In the Flesh? by Pink Floyd chalavienne
11. I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea -- Come Sail Away by Styx adobe_wedge
12. Once I rose above the noise and confusion Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion (The chorus actually comes first, but it would give away the song as it contains the title) -- Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas adobe_wedge
13. Steve walks warily down the street With his brim pulled way down low -- Another One Bites the Dust by Queen adobe_wedge
14 The clouds prepare for battle In the dark and brooding silence. -- Jacob's Ladder by Rushmartian_42
15. And did those feet in ancient time, Walk upon England's mountains green? -- Jerusalem originally a poem by William Blake then an English hymn then other adaptations. I listen to the version by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. chalavienne first remembered anything about it martian_42 knew precisely what I listen to.
16. Oh yeah I tell you somethin' I think you'll understand -- I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles martian_42
17. The lunatic is on the grass -- Brain Damage by Pink Floydsummerflame17
18. Just take a pebble and cast it to the sea, Then watch the ripples that unfold into me -- Take a Pebble by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer martian_42
19. Oh mamma I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law -- Renegade by Styx chalavienne
20. I don't want to spend the rest of my life Looking at the barrel of an armalite -- Invisible Sun by The Police for_callahorn
21. Really don't mind if you sit this one out. -- Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull martian_42
22. Out here in the fields I fight for my meals --Baba O'Reilly by The Who adobe_wedge
23. Tell me my life is about to begin Tell me that I am a hero -- The Knife by Genesis for_callahorn
24. I close my eyes Only for a moment and the moment's gone -- Dust in the Wind by Kansas summerflame17
25. Just one crazy moment while the dice are cast, he looks into the future and remembers what is past -- Scorched Earth by Van der Graaf Generator martian_42 (he only knew the group, but I don't think anyone else would even know that much. He only knows them because I listen to them)
26. Domo arigato (if I said any more it'd have the title) -- Mr. Roboto by Styx adobe_wedge
27. Over the mountains, and under the sky Riding dirty gray horses, go you and I. -- Sealion by Jethro Tull summerflame17
28. In the white room with black curtains near the station. Blackroof country, no gold pavements, tired starlings. -- White Room by Cream chalavienne
29. The red hot sun burns up the hill The winter's bride, the summer's king -- Protect and Survive by Runrig martian_42
30. Its nine oclock on a saturday The regular crowd shuffles in -- Piano Man by Billy Joel chalavienne

Hmm, I don't have much variety in my music, there are millions of repeat artists in there I'm afraid

Monogrammed towels are silly. For some reason, in recent years, my grandmother has taken to giving everyone in the family monogrammed towels. What does this mean? It means that when trying to find a towel I have to dig down through the pile until I find a towel that either doesn't have an initial or has a J.

Do I get any satisfaction out of using a mongorammed towel?
No

Does a monogrammed towel dry more effectively?
No

Is it more nutrient rich and suitable for interstellar journeys?
No

Does a monogrammed towel help do anything except waste time?
No

This utterly pointless entry brought to you by procrastination. I have much work I really need to start and other things to do.