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Pop The Stack

So how's 2009 treating you so far? If you're like me, it means you've got about two weeks of writing "2008", then crossing out the 8 and writing a 9.

What's new in my life? Not a whole lot; finished the fall semester in flying colors, and now I'm on to bigger and better things. At the moment, that means lots more studying, presently from a great book called the Algorithm Design Manual (full audio and video lectures from the author are here). Also been refreshing my C++ syntax trivia and playing with the Python Challenge (though doing both at once is a bit of a brain fry(1)). So much to learn, so little time.

Another recent obsession of mine is the web site Stack Overflow, a coding Q&A site / wiki. I just broke 1000 reputation points today (here's my page). This isn't quite as crazy as it sounds, since they give you 10 points for every up-vote you get (2).

The guys who created Stack Overflow are Joel Spolsky (whose writings I've been a big fan of for a long time) and Jeff Atwood (who I wasn't familiar with before). They host a weekly podcast that I've been really enjoying, and last week I submitted an audio question to the podcast that they included. More on that here.

The other major obsession recently is Bubble Timer. Did you know that I have slept 248 hours in the last month? Or 13 hours walking my dog? OK, so that's true, but I'm not quite so OCD that I really care about that level of detail (3). But the great thing about emergent task timing is that you start to see patterns in your time usage, and you can plan around them. Like, I know that if I spend 45 minutes a day on house cleaning, it'll stay in nice shape, and if I don't, it won't. There's no magic way around that, regardless of what I might want to believe. Over time, emergent timing lets you understand the realities of your life a little better, and then at that point, if you want to change something, you can do it consciously.

Anyway, guess I should get back to whatever it is that I do when I'm not blogging.

(1) - Which reminds me of the time I tried to learn regular expressions at the same time I was learning the Dvorak keyboard layout. I don't recommend that.

(2) - I like to call that "pinball scoring" - inflated scores to make you happier about what you're doing. Seems to work.

(3) - LIES.

Happy 2009

Happy New Year! Here's to a great 2009.

So, we did it. Now what? Obviously, some celebration. But, what's next as far as political priorities?

Obama seems to be on his game already - he's already got an impressive web site up called change.gov, soliciting opinions and input, explaining positions and giving transition news. Here's my contribution:

President-elect Obama:

First off, congratulations, and thank you for working tirelessly for this.

Here's my input as far as what I'd like to see you prioritize. Aside from the main things I know you'll obviously be working on diligently (the Iraq war, the economic crisis and expanded health care), I see three main priorities I'd love to have you tackle head-on:

1. Teacher pay. You talk about it in every rally, so make it happen. A small symbolic increase to start, with a plan to get teachers up to real world salaries within 4 years. It'll cost money, but if you pair it with more useful evaluations (to weed out poor teachers) and rewards for high performing teachers that inspire kids, it'll be easier to swallow.

2. Government transparency and citizen input via the internet. You're obviously already doing it, which rules, but please - recruit the best minds from the progressive technology community (guys like Bill Joy and Bruce Schneier) to help you figure out how to do it right, so that we can actually do things like vote and give meaningful (auditable, authenticated, secure) feedback on issues from big to small (using open software). And cast some sunlight on the congressional process (that you know so well) so citizens can help combat pork spending and have the budget better reflect our priorities. You KNOW that, given the chance, the tech community (bloggers on both sides of the partisan divide) will jump on that and vet bills way more efficiently and comprehensively than senators and congresspeople can (no offense - there's just way more folks with way more time on their hands). They just need the tools and the transparency.

3. Healing the divide. 40-something percent of the country is disappointed and maybe angry right now, and I know how they feel, because it's how I felt in 2000/2004. Ask them what is irking them and commit to compromises. Reach out right away. Go on Rush Limbaugh's show, talk to Hannity and that bunch, and ask them with an open mind: "What can I do to earn your respect?" It might be just a symbolic gesture (i.e. in some of those cases, their industry is built on stirring up hatred, and respecting you would be tantamount to giving up their livelihood). But I think it would take the wind out of a lot of haters' sails, and send a message to heart-felt conservatives that your rhetoric about bridge-building wasn't just talk. You've convinced 52 percent of us, but please, use some of the next two months to reach out to the other half. Ask how we can bridge the gap about abortion (all commit to a detailed program of reducing unwanted pregnancies), spending (commit to how you're going to cut pork and be very transparent about it all), and other hot-button issues. You'll never win 'em all over, but please listen to them. That is exactly what Bush did NOT do (and couldn't ever have done), and I know at least a few conservatives who would really look at you differently for that.

And, moreover, please continue to communicate. A lot. Write up detailed, wonky explanations of what you're doing, and why. And then have legions of smart writers and educators summarize things and make them clear enough for the rest of us to understand, too. We may still disagree or second-guess you, but we'll all be better off operating in a high-information environment. If you're doing things wrong, or for the wrong reasons, you seem like the kind of guy who will take our advice and change course.

Mr. Obama, we are psyched that you have been elected, but now we're counting on you to step up and do things that aren't just the will of corporations or powerful people, but will move us forward. You can do it.

So, my conservative friends and readers, on that note: what do YOU want now? To reduce wasteful government spending? To focus on ending abortion? To bring more fairness to the tax code? Lay 'em on me (or go tell the Obama administration yourself). When Bush entered office, he (and, to a lesser degree, the conservative half of America) basically said "F$@% you, liberals - you lost, and we're going to do whatever we want". I don't want to make that mistake this time.

Go Go Go, Obama

I woke up at 4:30 this morning. Maybe it was the Pizza Hut I ate last night in a moment of weakness. Or, maybe ... this is a long shot ... it's the election.

I'm nervous and agitated - physically - about today's election. I've never felt this way about a presidential election in my life, even the Kerry boondoggle of '04 (which made me sad and slightly nauseated, but didn't wake me up at 4:30 in the morning).

I've heard people talk about Obama fans as "drinking the cool aid". I've followed sites like FactCheck.org that chronicle misrepresentations and lies from both sides in this election. Etc, etc. He's still a politician, and I know that.

But honestly - his candidacy actually gives me true hope about this country. That there's actually something indomitable and special about America. That a smart, scrappy guy who didn't come from money could inspire people and shatter the existing political machines to become leader of the free world. And that together, we can make the world better, by making good decisions that work for the greater good, and by believing in integrity and mercy and humility and progress.

Go get 'em, O.

ACL

So, Austin City Limits festival is coming up this weekend. I'll be playing with Black Joe Lewis on Saturday at 4pm on the Austin Ventures stage. Come see us if you'll be at the festival! :)

Here's some other stuff I'm going to go see. Let's see if this works ...

BTW, we're also playing an aftershow on Friday night at the Parish, which should also be fun and might be more available to those of you not going to the festival itself.

Palin

Here's a quick note from my friend Candice, regarding McCain's VP pick:

"If you all have been watching, McCain just picked Sarah Palin, govenor of Alaska, as his VP, one heartbeat from the presidency. During her acceptance speech, she ran off her short and thin resume:

1. Soccer Mom of Five
2. Head of the PTA
3. Member of the city council
4. Mayor of Wasilia

Ok. Let me pause there for a moment. I just got back from Alaska, living about an hour away from Wasilia, so I can paint you a picture of this place. Population is about 8000 people. There is one hospital. One movie theater. One radio station. And a Wal-mart. It's a decent town and god were we happy to get out of the woods and see anything remotely resembling a city, but it's hardly a microcosm for America. Let me pull back the lens a bit and look at Alaska as a whole, or the part I saw of it, which was definitely more rural than some places can be. There are more trees than people in Alaska. There is no law in this place. My purse was stolen and it took 2 hours before I got a phone call from the Talkeetna trooper, who then did nothing. I got sick there once and the ALL volunteer EMTs came to help me 3 hours after the call. Bear and moose attacks are a daily concern.

The closest towns to Wasilia, where Sarah Palin was mayor, are Anchorage and Talkeetna. FYI--Talkeetna's mayor is a cat!! His name is Stubb's. I petted him once.

5. Gov. of Alaska (for a mere 18 months--Stubb's the Cat has held his post longer!!)

This decision shows the worst decision making I have ever seen! A 72 year old man who has had 4 bouts with skin cancer is saying that Sarah Palin is ready to be president on day one???

Put a bow on that woman. Christmas just came early for the Democrats!"

Indeed. I know that McCain is probably trying to court the Hillary Clinton supporters who have vowed never to vote for Obama, and I'm sure he'll get some of them. But I wonder if he'll simultaneously turn off an equal (or bigger) chunk of good old boys who'll stay home before they vote for a woman VP. Who knows.

OK, back to putting my head in the sand ... ;)