Brett Rants

The Kill List

Ideas are worthless.
It's execution that matters.
Still doesn't mean I won't © the lot...

This is just a random listing of ideas I don't intend to pursue any further at this time. Good enough for a brief entry in a random blog. Not good enough (or personally compelling) to do anything more than that.

Brett Bucks

I have four spurs on this website ( Brett Food , Brett Code , Brett Stuff , Brett Rants , and that's probably the order they were added to the site). In addition, there are two other sites in my portfolio (one for Brett Words, which used to be a separate website, but is now just a spur for my writing; and one for my friend's, Eddie Takosori's, writing), which at this time, I'm planning on folding into this site (BrettWords and TakoSori, being the likely names for the spurs: and that's exactly what I did call them; so, just the one website, as of this edit).

For a while, I've been interested in economics (BrettBucks) and have thought about a web based resource for self-learners (CampCrud), but neither of these latter have taken off: i.e. they've been sitting on my desktop for nigh on three months and it's time to consign them to the garbage bin of history.

This then is my farewell ode to BrettBucks. Perhaps, the idea will be reincarnated at a later date. But in truth, I never really got past the name. But whatever, the general idea was to post rants on economics; and since, I've already got a spur for rants...

CampCrud

Since so many folks in the computer programming community are self taught (and pretty much all of them have to continually re-educate themselves to stay abreast), there is plenty of discussion on how best to learn to program. And I was thinking of making some sort of generic self-learning resource. But, given that I'm a self-learner (i.e. not an educator - teacher of others), it's probably best to let that idea go.

Still...

CampCrud

Named after the knife that was popular at the summer camps I went to as a lad. The actual name of said tool was CampKing or something like that, but it was a piece of crap. Not any fault of it's own. We were kids. The main reason anyone really wanted a CampCrud was so they could play Mumbly Peg, which involves throwing a jack knife into the dirt... hardly a wise thing to do with a blade one cared about.

Multi-Modal

The idea was to put together learning tools (ways, means) that would be equally useful in learning how to cook, code, camp, or whatever.

Motivation

Like a camp fire and/or camp site...

So self learning would feel less like a solitary (and often aimless feeling) walk through the desert, because at least you'd have the oasis of CampCrud.

So, example projects, things a person might be encouraged to try:

Small scripts and code challenges

5-15min exercies

Stare at screen or sort files.

Helps me get started when I've hit a blank space.

'Hello World' in fifty languages.

What don't you know how to do?

Open and modify a new file type, connection, etc.

Modalities

Different ways to learn, perhaps the best part of the entire CampCrud idea.

Video Lectures

Mentorship

Pair Programming / Pair Learning

Read Code

Writing stories is fundamentally different from reading stories. And reading code is fundamentally different from writing it. In coding, as opposed literature, the act of reading is actually harder than writing.

Read a book.

Like, duh!

Or read a blog.

Explore languages

Expand your breadth.

Explore libraries

Expand your depth.

Explore ideas

In programming, this would be Design Patterns, Programming Paradigns, Algorithms, Maths, and things like that.

In cooking, it might be akin to looking into Sauces, Sous Vide, and/or Baking... but probably not. So, how about equipment-less cooking versus high-tech, open-flame versus water-bath, and so on.

Tools

IDE, version control, and so on.

Really, just a list of ideas. And the most basic idea that underscores all the rest (and therefore makes creating a website to service this need sort of ridiculous) is that the more numerous ways one approaches a craft (is able to approach, regularly approaches, knows how to approach, or at least knows that others approach it this way) the better at the craft one will be.

I consider myself a Python Guy. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't have some inkling of the difference between C, D, and System D.

Oh, and one last thought (a mention of System D bringing it to mind), every week, I like to listen to a few videos. Let's me know how other folks pronounce certain words (is is S-Q-L or 'sequel', only the speaker knows). And I've found it's a rather pain free way to get that breadth of knowledge... and insight into what some consider the cutting edge.

Vodka Phrase Book

So, like, an English to Russian (and vice versa phrase book):

'Where is the buying of the vodka?'
'I have drunk too much vodka. Can you assist me in finding the nearest vomitorium?'
'Thank you for the vodka? Where might one find a cracker or other morsel of food as accompaniment.'

Eh, these don't seem so funny. So, you'll just have to rework them in your head.

'Restroom! Please! Now! For I have drunken too much vodka in the hurry?'

Once again, it's just an idea and I'm getting the feeling that this could be the poster-child for why execution is everything and the mere idea worth nothing.

'Please for can you read my phrase book. The letter dance. Alas, I have drunken the too much vodka.'
'I will trade you the vodka for the kiss?'
'You vodka me now?'
'Yes, I would like to the declare twenty-four cases of vodka on the importation. I assure you, it is for the personal consumption, comrade.'

And finally,
'It seemed the funnier when I was drinking the vodka...'

Bye Bye Birdie

When Wikipedia is finally finished, the aliens will fly off with all our info.

Beat the Poet

The best poetry (in my ever so freakin humble opinion) is the best not because of it's poetic construction, but because the format of poetry simply gives the author the freedom to explore an idea without much concern for the structure. That is to say, having spent a good deal of time in and around San Francisco, the best poetry I've read has to do with San Francisco city life, the drugs, the streets, the nitty gritty, the stuff I have no desire to experience first hand. And if the author of this kind of stuff needs a little leeway (I'm looking at you, Naked Lunch), well, it's worth it. But if the content can't carry it, for the most, poetry sucks. Hey, maybe like my stuff right here. If the ideas aren't good enough, it's probably not worth the effort of slogging through...

Oh, right, I had a point. For a while there, I was thinking it might be fun to put together a tome of poetry In the Voice of Another. But then, the voices in my head got together and threatened to go on strike if I didn't use one of them; and, well, let's just say it's hard enough getting to sleep when all is well, much less when your inner demons decide it's time to put on the hurt.

'Please, sir. Have the mercy. I am the low on the vodka and I must quell my inner demons... or, hey, I know, I could just read you some of my poetry, instead...'

Hell, yeah! Works every time!

ASCII values 0-255
Sobel to ASCII via Ghost

Yes, this is what my notes look like, word for word...

But since in three years I might actually not remember what this means, one takes an image, uses a Sobel filter to detect the edges, which are then to be replaced with standard ASCII text (oddly enough, which are numbered 0-128, but who's counting) with Ghost being a filter (of my own devising) that does the Sobel part already.

  R
 U H     E A V
O   O     L  E
S   U      E       FA CE
I   S      E
H   E      R       S   E
T   !      T        MIL

You know, stuff like that, only better. Actually, the plan was to feed in a short story, poem, caption, or related words, and replace the image with the grouping of related words. So, like a Word Map that actually looked like something.

But today, I am working on mazes, so this must wait, perhaps forever.

The Knowledge Loop

695pg, hardback, available wherever non-existent (best not to call them fictional) books are sold

At some point, the knowledge infrastructure will get so large (or at least, in this parallel world it will) that maintenance of knowledge takes all the time and resources available to the Cognizant-i. Therefore (and quite obvious in retrospect), the same discoveries are made over and over again (i.e. discoveries become periodic, duplicated over time, perhaps over centuries). So, the future falls into a sort of mind rut.

A similar example might be a simple poem that is modified over time, slowly from one rewording to another, until the original is repeated once more.

Or if you like things more Zen:
The calm in battle
The calm before the storm
Until the battle storms
Wherein one will once again find,
The calm in battle...

Or, wait:
'The vodka, I am out of...'
'Ah, thank you for the vodka, comrade.'
'So, sad. For the vodka, once more, I am out of...'

Pop Up Blocker Resume

For some reason, I've made a hobby of writing resumes that are almost certain to never land me a job. My latest idea for which (obviously not implemented or you would not be reading about it here and instead would be posted on my resume page, yes, I have an entire page devoted to resumes) describes why I am the perfect candidate to craft websites that will defeat the ad-block technologies currently in use.

I write the apps that block the apps that block the pop up ads. Yes, dear friends. I...


<pop up>
Vodka?  Vodka?
For do you need?
For do you want?
For to have the glass refilled with the cool-refreshing vodka, now:
<script>Run Ad:{VODKA.html}(on_click=&void:none;)</script>
</pop up>

See! See! It ran! In your face Pop-Up Blockers!!!

Tragedy of the Laundry Room Commons

So, there are these collections of books here and there: down in the laundry room, at the local library. And because I avail myself of these free stacks, I have found that I am best served by organizing and culling these repositories. That is, if I don't throw the junk away, someone else will. And that someone will likely have no idea what constitutes trash (throwing out the latest... whatever, while leaving phone books and catalogues behind). So, whenever I go through these stacks, I take liberties. I could take it all, you know. But I just take what I want... and then, take what experience has shown that no one else in their right minds will ever want (junk mail circulars and/or pamphlets for opposing political ideologies).

After all, someone has to keep the world safe and clean...

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Vodka!
Vodka!
Last call for the vodka!

Seriously, do you have any of the vodka?

Did you know?
That for the price of one small vodka,
I could be drinking the vodka!

Vodka will save the world!

Vodka!
Vodka for everyone!

[V©d-KA!]
-- an open call for vodka --
Kevin Stillwater would be proud!

© copyright 2016 Brett Paufler
paufler.net@gmail.com

Please for the vodka'ing responsibly.