musings of a neurotic
The infinite queue
For better or worse, queues are how I’ve come to view nearly every aspect of my life, and I know I’m not alone.For better or worse, queues are how I’ve come to view nearly every aspect of my life, and I know I’m not alone. Apart from some work-related responsibilities, nearly every other dimension of my life flows into “one” sinuous, malleable, and ever-growing list of things to digest and process. This includes queues for Netflix, DVR, RSS, Twitter, Facebook, Pocket, Kindle books, personal/work email, skeletons of blog posts, etc.
Justin BlantonApr 5
Shitty internet is everything
Let’s pretend we’re all living in 1st-world countries, hunger and cancer have been solved, world peace is a given, and everyone on the…Let’s pretend we’re all living in 1st-world countries, hunger and cancer have been solved, world peace is a given, and everyone on the planet has fiber. Are you still with me? Cool. ¶ Is there anything worse than shitty internet? Let’s be honest, no internet is preferable to shitty internet most of the time. Nothing blocks, gates, or frustrates like shitty internet. Road rage is nothing in the face of shitty internet.Justin BlantonMar 20
Your kids will hate you for birthing them as only human
We’re not the end all be all and you aren’t specialThe time is coming, not too many generations from now, when your kids will want to be born with “magical” powers, and without them they will struggle in society. Being a muggle will no longer cut it. ¶ Obviously I don’t mean “magical” literally, and I also don’t mean to say that we will start birthing robots or half-machines any time soon, but if you don’t have the means to augment your progeny’s cognitive capabilities they will be at a disadvantage.Justin BlantonMar 10
I’ve never cooked
I have ZERO desire or compulsion to cook and don’t think I ever will ¶ I’m 36 years old and have never cooked a meal.I have ZERO desire or compulsion to cook and don’t think I ever will ¶ I’m 36 years old and have never cooked a meal. Do I say that sheepishly? Sort of, but not really. I mean, here I am volunteering it to the world. Do you know anyone like me? You probably didn’t a decade ago, but I suspect you do now, and will know plenty more in the next decade. ¶ Is it strange that I’ve never cooked? Of course.Justin BlantonFeb 22
Do you even logic?
As the inexorable melding of humans and machines progresses and becomes more advanced, it would seem that those of us well-versed in…As the inexorable melding of humans and machines progresses and becomes more advanced, it would seem that those of us well-versed in programming and hacking — in the most general, white-hat sense — will lead easier, more efficient lives. ¶ This idea is something I’ve given much thought to the last few years and really do think that as the singularity nears, those of us capable of changing our lives through networked computers (e.g.,Justin BlantonFeb 16
In the future humans aren’t special
And that may not be a bad thing, well, except for humans ¶ If I’m being honest, I never thought humans were too special to begin with.And that may not be a bad thing, well, except for humans ¶ If I’m being honest, I never thought humans were too special to begin with. Yes, we are unusually successful as far as existence goes — we’re at the top of the food chain, and far and away the smartest species on the planet (save some very close relatives) — but given enough time we were inevitable. The reason for this, of course, is evolution by random mutation (plus natural selection), which is happening at nearly every level of…Justin BlantonFeb 8
The best
Why not?My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best. —Winston Churchill ¶ Much has been written in the last couple of years about the merits of, essentially, buying the best stuff you can afford. I’m a huge proponent of this approach, and in fact, have practiced it my entire life, even before I realized it or had any disposable income to speak of. I’ve always had this uneasy, incomplete feeling if I knew — even if it was just a hunch — that there was something better out there for task x…Justin BlantonFeb 1