Danny: I think autonomous cars are just a matter of time. Possibly the majority of new cars in 20 years, hopefully a lot sooner. The safety issue will become “why would you want a car controlled by fault-prone humans?”
Response:I expect there will be piles of social and political resistance.
Danny: Well the biggest resistance might be taxi drivers. That’s an effing industry in India. But I could picture the military going for it. “The road is mined and full of ambushes, yet the the supplies must go through. We can pay mad money for insane truck drivers or we can send robots.”
Danny: What interests me will be the impact on public transit. I think if cars can pick you up at your house, car ownership will drop, and people will use inexpensive autonomous car hires as the “last mile” connection to high-density transit services.
Danny: . . . the autonomous cars will happen. I swear that industry is like the Internet circa 1989. I would love to get a foot in the door! If Google nixed that program they are effing dunces–Like HP telling Steve Jobs that the PC is just a little too “out there.” I would buy the effing Apple I Autonomous Car Kit and install it myself.
Q: “What would help make communications more clear, simple, and transparent for you?”
A: I come from a startup culture, where the Fearless Leader will once a week stand up an a table and enthusiastically explain what new deals and products are in the pipeline, in terms his Grandma would understand. Then we drink cool-aid.
Compared to that, most corporate communication is Kremlinology.
“Even though bicycle commuting is on the rise all over the country, as cyclists we remain vulnerable. We’re like mammals in the waning days of the dinosaurs: far more adaptable and with much better long-term prospects, yet in the meantime still in imminent danger of being squashed.”
You’d imagine that at some point Americans would wake up to the fact that they’re being sold a very expensive illusion of safety that is in fact killing them and opt for practicality and efficiency over sheer size, but until that day there’s nothing illusory about city streets filled with light-running SUVs driven by a gentry who are more or less free to maim with impunity. And when it comes to cycling for transportation, the fact that your safety–indeed your very life–is not a consideration is what you might call a “barrier to entry.”
We all approach this barrier differently depending on our dispositions. Some of us hop it as adroitly as a cyclocross racer and ride undaunted. Others step over it with considerable trepidation, riding only occasionally or strictly for recreation. Still others simply go around it by opting for other modes of transport. And of course millions of people buy gigantic “safe” automobiles and just drive through the fucking thing while jockeying their smartphones, with two or three cyclists pinned to their bumpers.
As far as the larger-cars-are-safer myth: more massive vehicles need greater stopping distance to break or perform emergency maneuvers. Having more tons of metal surrounding you helps only if you assume you will get into an accident, possibly because your vehicle is bulky and awkward and you have a false sense of security which lowers your vigilance. Then you end up killing the other guy, in the smaller, more fuel-efficient car or bicycle. If you drive an SUV you get bonus points for driving a top-heavy vehicle vulnerable to flipping, which, as a light truck, is unencumbered by the Socialist mandate of rollover protection. Live free and die an avoidable fatality!
If you have a self-hosted WordPress blog, you really ought to keep it up to date. Popular software is a popular security target, and as new exploits are discovered, new patches are deployed. Fortunately, WordPress makes this super-easy. Just go to Dashboard > Updates and you can update with one click. I basically get a free update any time I get it in my head to write something.
Except this morning, when I was told that an update was available, but:
On my CentOS VM, this was addressed by:
sudo yum update
sudo service httpd restart
Actually, it was a little difficult, because we’re replacing php with php53:
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 5.6 (Final)
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ rpm -q php
php-5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ yum list installed | grep ^php
php.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-cli.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-common.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-gd.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-mysql.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-pdo.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
1-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ sudo service httpd stop
Stopping httpd: [ OK ]
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ yum list installed | grep ^php | awk '{print $1}'
php.x86_64
php-cli.x86_64
php-common.x86_64
php-gd.x86_64
php-mysql.x86_64
php-pdo.x86_64
0-13:12 djh@www0 ~$ sudo yum remove `!!`sudo yum remove `yum list installed | grep ^php | awk '{print $1}'`
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Setting up Remove Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-cli.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-common.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-gd.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-mysql.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-pdo.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Removing:
php x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 6.2 M
php-cli x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 5.3 M
php-common x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 397 k
php-gd x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 333 k
php-mysql x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 196 k
php-pdo x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 114 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Remove 6 Package(s)
Reinstall 0 Package(s)
Downgrade 0 Package(s)
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Erasing : php-gd 1/6
Erasing : php 2/6
Erasing : php-mysql 3/6
Erasing : php-cli 4/6
Erasing : php-common 5/6
warning: /etc/php.ini saved as /etc/php.ini.rpmsave
Erasing : php-pdo 6/6
Removed:
php.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-cli.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
php-common.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-gd.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
php-mysql.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-pdo.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
Complete!
0-13:13 djh@www0 ~$ sudo yum install php53 php53-mysql php53-gd
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: yum.singlehop.com
* epel: mirror.steadfast.net
* extras: mirror.fdcservers.net
* updates: mirror.sanctuaryhost.com
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php53.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: php53-cli = 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 for package: php53
--> Processing Dependency: php53-common = 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 for package: php53
---> Package php53-gd.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libXpm.so.4()(64bit) for package: php53-gd
---> Package php53-mysql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: php53-pdo for package: php53-mysql
--> Running transaction check
---> Package libXpm.x86_64 0:3.5.5-3 set to be updated
---> Package php53-cli.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
---> Package php53-common.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
---> Package php53-pdo.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Installing:
php53 x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 1.3 M
php53-gd x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 109 k
php53-mysql x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 92 k
Installing for dependencies:
libXpm x86_64 3.5.5-3 base 44 k
php53-cli x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 2.4 M
php53-common x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 605 k
php53-pdo x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 67 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install 7 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)
Total download size: 4.6 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/7): libXpm-3.5.5-3.x86_64.rpm | 44 kB 00:00
(2/7): php53-pdo-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 67 kB 00:00
(3/7): php53-mysql-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 92 kB 00:00
(4/7): php53-gd-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 109 kB 00:00
(5/7): php53-common-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 605 kB 00:00
(6/7): php53-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 1.3 MB 00:00
(7/7): php53-cli-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 2.4 MB 00:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 12 MB/s | 4.6 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : php53-common 1/7
Installing : php53-pdo 2/7
Installing : php53-cli 3/7
Installing : libXpm 4/7
Installing : php53 5/7
Installing : php53-mysql 6/7
Installing : php53-gd 7/7
Installed:
php53.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 php53-gd.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
php53-mysql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
Dependency Installed:
libXpm.x86_64 0:3.5.5-3 php53-cli.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
php53-common.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 php53-pdo.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
Complete!
0-13:14 djh@www0 ~$ sudo service httpd start
Starting httpd: [ OK ]
And now I have successfully upgraded via the web UI.
Most days, I am not a CentOS admin, so if there is a better way to have done this, I am keen to hear.
[Notes from my move from Brooklyn to Mountain View, CA in July 2010. We rented a truck and towed a car. We drove via I-80/I-70. We stayed at Motel 6 when we could, and I asked my Android GPS to avoid tolls, especially East of the Mississippi.]
When I moved from California to New York I went with Budget Truck rental, based on price. It went well enough. This time I’m going with Penske, based on my sweetheart’s AAA discount. Penske’s web site is more polished, especially the “enter make and model of car to be towed” interaction. Today I received a 20% discount coupon for Budget. I made my reservation and was pleased that the price came out lower, until I reviewed my Penske reservation and saw they had included tax in their total. Budget did not. It also looks like Penske applies the AAA discount per-item, where Budget’s discount was only on the truck itself.
Item
Budget
Penske
Discount
20% coupon
12% AAA + web discount
10-day one-way 16′ truck rental
$1,291.20
$1,250.06
Tow Dolly
$185.00
$264.00
Hand Truck
$35.00
$17.60
2-dozen furniture pads
$54.00
$26.40
“Cost recovery fee”
$33.00
Total
$1,598.20
$1,558.06
Notes:
Penske applies “web reservation” and AAA discounts to the truck rental.
Budget coupon code ON113 for 20% off Sun-Thu pickups registers as “AARP discount.”
Budget applies a “web reservation” discount of around 10% if you don’t enter a coupon code.
Penske applies the AAA discount to tow dolly, hand truck, furniture pads.
Budget’s tow dolly is cheaper.
Penske hand truck and furniture pads are cheaper even before discount.
Penske hand truck and furniture pads seem perfectly reasonable, where Budget looks like they’re padding the price.
Budget tacks on their “cost recovery fee” after you enter your credit card to make the reservation, with a vague explanation that it is standard practice in the industry.
Budget adds a refundable deposit of $150.
Penske includes taxes in their total, making their total appear higher than Budget.
“We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy — sun, wind and tide . . . I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”
Lots of good humor to deliver a simple and important message. We face an important problem in that we designed our primary education systems to build conformist factory workers. As we rocket ever faster in to our collective future, what we’ll need more than ever is the capacity to formulate creative solutions to our new problems. Kids start out creative, then we educate the creativity out of them. We need to do what we can to help our kids grow with access to the various disciplines which move them, so that they can realize their potential as 21st century human beings.
Last week I enjoyed a great story by Rands, who, as a team lead, had a total communication disconnect with one of his team members. While he enjoyed an easy rapport with Harold and Stan, he just wasn’t clicking with Wallace. At first he accepted things as they were, but soon learned that the disconnect with Wallace was a genuine problem in need of improvement. Rands concluded that the only thing to do with Wallace was to completely unwind his normal assumptions about rapport and “clicking” with a colleague and just get down to making basic communication work. This can be pain-stakingly frustrating, but this is what you need to do when you’re not getting the easy, intuitive connection you want with someone you rely on.
One of the comments (Harry) chided Rands: “Here’s the deal: if your boss asks you to lead, he either gives you the power to sack people, or you don’t accept his job offer. In your case, Wallace is obviously not compatible with you. So you sack him.”
I thought “No–Good engineers are expensive, and it is preferable to learn to steer an existing engineer in the right direction rather than finding and training a replacement.” Other comments pointed out that Wallace wasn’t incompetent or incapable, just that he needed clear expectations with management. Someone named Dave chimed in:
“I’ve been a Wallace, and I’ve also been a Harold, and from my standpoint it has less to do with personality than with context. You can have a poor team dynamic, with no clear leadership and constantly-shifting goals, where everybody ends up isolated in their corner and becoming Wallace, at least in part. Or you can have a good team, where even the most Wallace-y engineer becomes Harold for at least a few hours each day.”
Amen. We each have in us both a Wallace and a Harold. They are Yin and Yang. The Wallace side of my personality wants to get heads down in to the work, but needs to know what to work on. The Harold side takes some time to chat up his manager and coworkers to find work and set priorities, then steps aside and lets Wallace get back to work. Tech workers tend to be more innately introverted, they tend to want a good manager to play the part of Harold, and come back and set clear work objectives and priorities. When things are not going well, unhappy people will tend to revert to their base personalities. For engineers this often means getting stuck in Wallace mode.
Sometimes employees are happy and eager, and sometimes they are curmudgeons. It depends on the context of work and life morale, mediated by an employee’s emotional intelligence. These are variables that can be influenced, allowing for change over time. Management needs to provide a positive work environment with clear goals. Employees need to do our part in building a positive home environment, with positive life aspirations, while also cultivating a greater degree of self awareness. An employee who learns to steer their own craft and deliver what management wants will create a more positive work environment for their colleagues.
Some folks are irritated with American reactions to the death of Osama bin Laden. Julie indicated that she had mixed feelings upon seeing our “own countrymen basically holding a frat party outside of the White House, hanging off of trees and singing ‘Nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, goodbye!'” I have heard others moan that this doesn’t change anything, why are we celebrating?
So, I expressed my own feelings in a comment on Julie’s blog:
I was happy about the news yesterday, and I still am. We killed a bad guy who has devoted his life to killing us. That is a victory, and I am proud and glad.
When the crowd outside the White House gathered and sang the Star Spangled Banner, it brought a tear to my eye. Then, America the Beautiful. People gathered at Ground Zero for a candle light vigil. In both places, the crowd chanted “USA! USA! USA!” They spoke for me.
I think it is debatable who kills the most Muslims. Our military adheres to Rules of Engagement that put them at greater risk in order to protect Muslim civilians. On the other hand, extremists recruit the young and naive to walk into crowds of Muslims wearing explosive vests.
We are not perfect and we shouldn’t pretend to be. We make mistakes, we kill innocents, and we have failed to hold ourselves to our own standards of humane treatment of prisoners and jurisprudence.
We are drawing down forces in Iraq, which has changed from a brutal dictatorship built on terror to a messy, unstable, imperfect democracy vulnerable to sectarian violence. We now have one less reason to linger in Afghanistan, which may help motivate the government there to get its act together.
Last night was progress. America done good and a bit of pride is perfectly reasonable.
-danny
I mean, its no Moon Landing. No sincere attempt to curb global warming or end world poverty, hunger, disease . . . but it is progress and I’ll celebrate it just the same.
“The universe is probably littered with the one-planet graves of cultures which made the sensible economic decision that there’s no good reason to go into space–each discovered, studied, and remembered by the ones who made the irrational decision.”
Within ten minutes, Maggie has defeated the automatic feeder.
Maggie likes to try and wake me up early for breakfast. Spraying her with the water bottle hasn’t dissuaded her, so now I put her out on the porch. I have read that an automatic feeder could distract her attention: instead of bugging me she’ll watch vigilantly over the feeder. And since we’ll be out of town for two weeks in May it would be a worthwhile investment.
Alas, this PetSafe Electronic Pet Feeder didn’t last ten minutes before she was able to break in and get the kibble. I’m proud of her. But I’m looking forward to finding a feeder that will keep her entertained without bothering me in the morning.
You never forget your first computer.
For Christmas of 1984, Grandpa gave us a
Commodore 64. A couple years later we
got a disk drive, and eventually we even
had a printer. Before the disk drive we
had to buy programs on cartridge, or
type them in to the basic interpreter
line by line. Mostly I just played
cartridge games.
Eventually we got a modem, and I could
talk to BBSes at 300 baud in 40 glorious
columns. (Most BBSes assumed
80-columns.) I was happier when I got a
1200 baud modem for my Amiga, which
could display 80 columns of text.
In my second year of college I
discovered the joy of C programming on
Unix workstations, which led to my
present career as a Unix SysAdmin. I
spend my days juggling multiple windows
of text, generally at least 80x24. /djh
Fans in Mountain View Celebrate India's World Cup Victory
As I was walking home from the cafe I encountered a growing crowd of shouting, chanting, singing folks waving Indian flags. I googled “Indian Holidays” on my smart phone, then thought to google “India cricket” and it turns out India has just beaten Sri Lanka to win the World Cup.
In my Sophomore year of college I was paired with a roommate from India. Tarun was a very serious EE major who left the room for only three things: 1) classes, 2) meals and 3) the India-Pakistan cricket match. He was a nice guy but since he was always studying in the room he wasn’t an ideal roommate.
Indian ex-pats I meet tend to be really serious, smart, hard-working people, so it is nice to see a crowd of folks reveling in a collective emotional experience. This is a great moment for anyone who has moved so far from home to make their life.
