2006-05-02
the upside and downside of email

author: aaron

the following pair of articles came to my attention today:

The Good In Email

The Bad In Email

The author, a member of the Central Desktop development team, is clearly attacking the articles from the point of view of email as it relates to collaboration tools, but the points he raises are relevant even outside that context. I think it helps explain some of the reasons why we have such a love-hate relationship with email, and even a little about how work email and personal email are very different monsters.

The articles also come with comments, but I strongly advise that you avoid reading these, as they will only serve to lower your intelligence quotient.

Speaking of comments, I really need to get around to adding them to my site - I'm interested in hearing what my readers (all 3 of you) think about topics posted here.

2006-04-23
2006 NBA Playoffs Answer Key

author: aaron

Congrats to Brant to getting these done on time... and for reminding me to do the same. Because these are coming a day late, I am making the following admission: while making these picks, I learned the outcomes of the Cleveland/Washington and San Antonio/Sacramento games. However, I did not watch the other two games yesterday, and worked hard today not to see the scores online -- so I'm really only going into this with a little bit of information.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Round 1

(1) Detroit over (8) Milwaukee in 5 games
I'm sure Redd, Simmons, and the other Bucks will give Detroit a run for their money in one or two of the games, but there's no way they're hoping for an upset here. While I'm on the topic: I can't believe that the entire Eastern Central division made it into the playoffs. Seriously -- all 5 teams. Says a lot about the rest of the East, doesn't it?

(4) Cleveland over (5) Washington in 6 games
Ok, so I know that the Cavs won the first game, but I would have predicted that anyhow. I think the Wiz are good to take two in DC, but that's about it. With the exception of Arenas, I just don't see the fire here that's required to win. Jamison? Going through the motions. Butler? Meh.

(3) New Jersey over (6) Indiana in 5 games
Indiana doesn't have Artest anymore. They don't have Reggie anymore. Jermaine has a bad back/knee/hip/whatever. And the Nets are riding a hot streak... No contest.

(2) Miami over (7) Chicago in 4 games
I like the baby Bulls, but they're just not ready for the prime-time yet, and a lot of that has to do with their lack of a superstar. If they worked at it, they could be the next Pistons (they have the D), but they'd have to learn to gel as a team. But what they're lacking is someone who can take over a game when they need him to. Ben Gordon could be that guy, but so far, he's only done so sporadically.

Round 2

(1) Detroit over (4) Cleveland in 7 games
Yes, I realize that Detroit had the best record in the NBA. Yes, I realize that they're poised to finally take down San Antonio. But I just can't help hoping that LeBron takes them down. I want the kid to win so badly...

(2) Miami over (3) New Jersey in 5 games
I dislike Vince Carter. Always have. Oh, and did I mention I also dislike the Nets? But on a more objective level: Jersey may have been able to rattle off 10+ wins during the final stretch of the regular season, but in order to keep up with the Heat, they're going to have to raise the quality of their game another notch, and Richard Jefferson just simply doesn't have that extra notch.

EC Championship

(1) Detroit over (2) Miami in 6 games
Even with Dwayne Wade healthy, I don't think Miami can do it. I went to the last game of the season -- I've seen the Heat bench, and it ain't pretty. When your best options off the bench are Toine, Jason Kapono, and a big white guy who looks suspiciously like John Malkovich, how deep into the playoffs can you really go?


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Round 1

(1) San Antonio over (8) Sacramento in 4 games
Another series I have a jump start on... but I would have called it this way regardless. I can't believe the Kings are even in the playoffs.

(4) Dallas over (5) Memphis in 5 games
Memphis has no business being in the playoffs. Dirk will eat them for lunch... Dirk no like #4 seed. Dirk mad! DIRK CRUSH GRIZZLIES! (Though I predict one loss on the road due to a collective brain fart by the Mavs.)

(6) LA Clippers over (3) Denver in 5 games
How in the world did the Clippers end up with a lowly #6 seed and a sweet matchup in the first round? I've heard rumors of them throwing games toward the end to avoid a first rounder against the Mavs, but let's just forget that possibility for a second.

(2) Phoenix over (7) LA Lakers in 6 games
Ok, we all know how awesome Kobe is and how he can take over a game like none other. But when your point guard is Smush Parker and Devean George is your first option off the bench, how long do you think you'll last?

Round 2

(1) San Antonio over (4) Dallas in 6 games
Tim Duncan becomes the first man to eliminate Plantar Faciitis with pure willpower, and Mark Cuban performs ritual hari-kari.

(6) LA Clippers over (2) Phoenix in 5 games
You know, I rooted for the Suns last year and they broke my heart. And now, they don't have Amare, so I'm switching over to the Clippers bandwagon -- I hope there's room here, Bill.

WC Championship

(1) San Antonio over (6) LA Clippers in 7 games
ARGH!!! I can't... I can't do it. I can't suffer through another boring NBA Finals. I'm going to stop picking what I think will happen and start picking what I want to happen. I'm putting an end to this, even if it means throwing my bracket in the trash.
(6) LA Clippers over (1) San Antonio in 7 games
There... much better.


NBA FINALS

(1) Detroit over (6) Clippers in 5 games
The bandwagon comes to a crashing halt as Joe Dumars' guys elevate their game yet again.

2006-04-22
2006 NBA Playoffs - bracket style, baby!

author: brant

Beals and I agreed to change from last year's format to a full-on, all-or-nothing bracket style approach for this year's playoffs. We're just, you know, jazzing it up, keeping things fresh. That's what we, gentle reader, are here for. Additionally, I have decided not to look up any statistics at all. Instead, I am going to resort to hyperbole. Enjoy:

EAST:
First round:
Detroit over Milwaukee in 5 - Detroit won 20 more games than Milwaukee (at least) and is better at every position. Kind of a no brainer. But here's the thing: Detroit is so good that they can phone-in the first round. So I'm giving the Bucks a game, just like the Sixers last year.

Cleveland over Washington in 6 - I'm sorry but Washington is terrible. No one on this team is going to be able to stop LeBron, who has been unstoppable as of late anyway.

New Jersey over Indiana in 4 - Worst series ever. How can you root for Vince Carter? Indiana is so depleted by injuries and so overwhelmed by the insanity of the last two years that they are going to crumble like a house of lies (mixed metaphor alert).

Miami over Chicago in 5 - I'm disappointed by Chicago. I figured that out of Ben Gordon, Tyson Chanlder and Kirk Hinrich, one of them would take it to the next level this year. I have visions of Shaq brushing off Tyson Chandler as if he's a mosquito and D-Wade blowing by...well...whoever they have guarding him.

Second round:
Detroit over Cleveland in 6 - Rust belt madness! LeBron vs. the best starting five since Michael Jackson led the Jackson Five to series of #1 singles in the '70s. Another no brainer, since the rest of the Cavs can't shoot or play defense and Larry Hughes has been marginal is his return from injury.

Miami over New Jersey in 6 - I read that Nenad Krstic was the reason that the Nets would win the 2nd round. Okay, now re-read that last sentence. And again. Rrrrright, don't drink the kool-aid on this one, folks. It ain't happening. The Nets, much like the Bulls, will not be able to guard D-Wade or Shaq. The end.

Conference Finals:
Detroit over Miami in 7 - It's deja vu all over again, but would you really have it any other way? (What? You want LeBron? Fine. Wait a few years, I promise.) Ok, these teams are pretty different from last year, but I feel like the outcome is going to be the same. Also, it's a little hard to pick to the Heat when Gary Payton (stick a fork in him), Antoine Walker, and James Posey are prominently involved. And yes, I know Detroit has no bench. I'm not worried.

WEST
First round:
San Antonio over Sacremento in 7 - I think we all agree that this is going to to be a really good series. The Kings have more weapons offensively and they can play a little defense too. But then, the Spurs won 60+ games with Tim Duncan on one leg, which cannot be taken lightly.

Dallas over Memphis in 5 - I don't like to call too many sweeps, so I'm giving Memphis a game. Memphis' two best players are Shane Battier and Pau Gasol. They give serious minutes to guys like Eddie Jones and Chucky Atkins. I'm not sure how they even made the playoffs.

Los Angeles Clippers over Denver in 6 - I never thought I'd say this about a Clippers team, but I like their chances. I think the Clippers are better everywhere, except for their coach. And typing that last sentence just made me very nervous.

Phoenix over Los Angeles Lakers in 6 - This one is pure emotion. I hate the Lakers. I have seen Kobe turn it on, become unstoppable and take over a game. Only the great ones have that, but I think that the Suns as a whole will be able to out score Kobe on his own.

Second round:
Dallas over San Antonio in 7 - A trendy pick right now, but hey, I said it in my regular season predictions: "Dallas could be the other team in the West." Too bad they're meeting in the 2nd round. Continuing the recycling of my ideas, I wrote last year that "Tim Duncan is so clutch and probably the smartest player in the game...." but did I mention he has one leg? That changes things. All that needs to happen is for Dirk not to disappear like he did last year.

Phoenix over Clippers in 6 - I'm citing historical precedent on this one. In other words, this is the Clippers we're talking about here. Plus Steve Nash is going to run amok.

Conference Finals:
Dallas over Phoenix in 7 - If Phoenix can remember how to play a little defense, this is going to be a blood bath. Two great young coaches (with teams that adhere to their respective coaching philosophies - take that, Larry Brown!), three superstars in their prime: Nash, Marion and Nowitzki, young dynamic playmakers: Howard and Diaw, and one Arizona alum who seems to be buying into the team concept: Jason Terry. What's not to love? I just hope it happens. This could easily be something awful like Spurs/Lakers.

FINALS:
Detroit over Dallas in 6 - Would any rational person pick against the Pistons? No, they would not.

Note: This is for all the marbles, since Beals and I both picked 12 of 16 playoff teams in our regular season predicitons. But then, I didn't pick Detroit to finish third in the central division.

2006-03-15
Team USA on the Brink

author: aaron

I have by no means been a devotee of the World Baseball Classic, but I check on the standings from time to time. Today, it came to my attention that Team USA is on the brink of elimination.

Now Team USA is by no means the favorite in this competition -- teams from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico were thought to have more power and more depth than the US team. However, the US was expected to easily win its pool in Round 1 (which it didn't, losing badly to Canada) and have good success against the Pacific teams in Round 2 (also untrue, as they lost to Korea). So what's the deal? Is Team USA inept? Is the World Baseball Classic flawed? Does most of MLB's talent come from out of the country?

In a word: no. I believe that Team USA losing is good for worldwide baseball, and here's why:

Baseball is largely considered an American sport (and not necessarily the United States: both North and South America are included). The WBC includes teams from other nations -- China, Japan, Korea and even countries you wouldn't expect at a baseball competition, like Italy and the Netherlands. A win by the USA would make the WBC appear to be another "invite other countries so we can beat them up" type of event. A tough-fought battle resulting in a loss for Team USA shows that the US isn't the sole baseball power in the world and that others can compete (and win).

I argue that MLB (the driving force behind the WBC) had reason to intentionally water down Team USA, using tactics like encouraging Italian-American players like Piazza, DiNardo, and Catalanotto to play for Team Italy.** The goal of MLB was to set up other nations to win and to get excited about baseball, increasing the chances for a future world-wide professional baseball league. Sure, they're driven mainly by money, but I think the other professional sports (especially the NBA) would do well to encourage inter-country play of a World-Cup nature in order to spread support for their sport across the world.

** This being said, I don't think the addition of these players to Team USA would result in a USA win -- the other teams (D.R. and P.R.) are too dominant -- but it would give us more of a fighting chance.

2006-03-13
Norway: Where the Water Flows Like Beer...

author: aaron

Ah, those wacky Norwegians:
Beer on Tap

2006-03-06
ESB Revised

author: aaron

So it turned out that some changes were required to the ESB recipe, due to new information that came to light at our local homebrew shop. They had a sale on bulk Fuggles and E.K. Goldings hops, and we needed the former but were planning to use Styrian Goldings rather than E.K. -- but made the switch due to cost... and the fact that these hops came from none other than the brewers of Sam Adams! Ok, so that's a stupid reason to buy hops, but it sounded so cool at the time.

They were also out of Munton's Pale LME, so we had to "settle" for Coopers... and what a difference it made! It smelled and tasted fresher than Munton's ever did, and it mixed quickly and easily into the wort.

Anyhow, here's the new recipe:
ESB (02-25-2006) Revised

2006-02-24
ESB

author: aaron

On Matt's birthday (tomorrow), he and I are getting together to brew an ESB (Extra-Special Bitter), from a recipe of our own devising, based on researching ESB recipes from other brewers. We'll post results (hopefully positive ones) here.

ESB (02-25-2006)

2006-02-15
Warehouse Curiosity

author: aaron

I buy most (if not all) of my tech gadgets from Newegg, a site that finally does right what so many others (Best Buy, Buy.com, etc.) have tried and failed in many ways to do: deliver DIY computer parts and electronics quickly, at a low cost, with great customer service and an easy-to navigate website (thanks to my employer). In recent orders, I have been amazed at the speed of shipping -- for example, I ordered something on a weekend, it shipped 1am Tuesday, and arrived Tuesday afternoon. And I had ordered the El Cheapo Deluxo shipping (7-10 weeks by mule).

Anyhow, I have been wondering how they pulled it off, and now I have my answer, thanks to AnandTech:

http://www.anandtech.com/IT/showdoc.aspx?i=2694

2006-02-09
JDiskReport

author: aaron

Ever run low on hard drive space? It's especially frustrating when you have a hard-to-expand device, like a laptop hard drive. You either end up using a command-line utility like "du" or right-clicking on folders and looking at "properties" to figure out where the space has gone. It's a time-consuming and usually fruitless process. I have been looking around for a while for an easy-to-use graphical program to help out with this disk cleanup, but without luck... until today. Download (requires Java) and enjoy:

JDiskReport

2006-02-07
1000 words

author: aaron

So true, so true...

http://celticsblog.net/blog/?p=1411

copyright © 1999-2005 aaron c. beals