22. October 2008 by Ben.
From the Boston Globe, 22 October 2008:
It is a simple test, but has surprising power to predict a child’s future. A 4-year-old is left sitting at a table with a marshmallow or other treat on it and given a challenge: Wait to eat it until a grown-up comes back into the room, and you’ll get two. If you can’t wait that long, you’ll get just one.
Some children can wait less than a minute, others last the full 20 minutes. The longer the child can hold back, the better the outlook in later life for everything from SAT scores to social skills to academic achievement, according to classic work by Columbia University psychologist Walter Mischel, who has followed his test subjects from preschool in the late 1960s into their 40s now.
I remember failing that test like it was yesterday – sitting there with a marshmallow staring back at me was just too tempting to resist. In fact, come to think of it… it was yesterday. I never even took that test as a child!
Blërg!
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21. October 2008 by Ben.
From The Atlantic, July 1982:
When I sit down to write a letter or start the first draft of an article, I simply type on the keyboard and the words appear on the screen. For six months, I found it awkward to compose first drafts on the computer. Now I can hardly do it any other way. It is faster to type this way than with a normal typewriter, because you don’t need to stop at the end of the line for a carriage return (the computer automatically “wraps” the words onto the next line when you reach the right-hand margin), and you never come to the end of the page, because the material on the screen keeps sliding up to make room for each new line. It is also more satisfying to the soul, because each maimed and misconceived passage can be made to vanish instantly, by the word or by the paragraph, leaving a pristine green field on which to make the next attempt.
Even in an era when we all use computers on a daily basis – and I do even more than most people – it’s absolutely enthralling to read a description of how an ordinary person can really use such a thing as a personal computer.
I particularly like Mr. Fallows’ description of using BASIC to write some tax accounting software.
At the end of the year, I load the income-tax program into the computer, push the button marked “Run,” and watch as my tax return is prepared. Since it took me only about six months to learn BASIC (and the tax laws) well enough to write the program, I figure this approach will save me time by 1993.
That doesn’t sound remotely like anything I’ve ever developed. (He says, unconvincingly.)
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20. October 2008 by Ben.
Self Checkout and I have always gotten along – I scan things and it beeps at me – until our little tiff today. I scanned a bag of shredded carrots, and it told me it had no Earthly idea what it was, and that help was on its way. I called over the supervisor.
Her: Do you remember how much this costs?
Me: Sorry, I have no idea.
Her: That’s the only way I could enter it.
Me: Oh, that’s not a problem; I’ll just get them next time. Thank you.
Her: Well, how much do you want to pay for them?
Sweet! Uhh… $5! No, no, wait… $2! No, hang on, I’ve got it… 50¢!
Somehow this reminds me of the famous Seinfeld episode where Kramer starts taking Moviefone calls.
Kramer: Using your touch-tone keypad, please enter the first three letters of the movie title now.
*beep beep beep*You’ve selected Agent Zero. If that’s correct, press one. (silent pause) You’ve selected Brown Eyed Girl. If this is correct, press one. (silent pause) Why don’t you just tell me the name of the movie you selected?
(Looking online after the fact, Peapod lists store-brand carrots for less than I actually paid, but I bought a name brand, so I probably got it about right.)
Posted in Anecdotes | 1 Comment »
19. October 2008 by Ben.
After clicking “Buy it Now” on an eBay item, I got this message:
Congrats, you just bought this item.
Are we using the word “congrats” now?
Posted in Anecdotes, Quips | 1 Comment »
19. October 2008 by Ben.
I ordered Chinese food for dinner, and this was my fortune:
Warning: Do not eat your fortune
Best… fortune… ever!
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18. October 2008 by Ben.
I’m sure I’ve spoken before about the departures board at South Station. I love it because it’s a glorious holdover from the 1980s (and earlier). Unlike modern LED or television displays, it’s a mechanical model, where changing the information requires physically rolling over from one flap to another.
You can easily find plenty of examples of signs like this on YouTube.
Of course, the fun only really happens when it’s time for a dramatic change (e.g., moving each departure over a column to make room for more). In truth, the sign is the one aspect of South Station I really love. Railroad travel should carry a certain antiquity, even if you’re just catching a commuter rail train to Waltham.
Well, there’s good news and bad news.
The bad news? The MBTA installed a new, all-singing, all-dancing light-up sign in June, which will replace the mechanical model. There goes my favorite part of a South Station visit.
The good news? The Globe reports they’re selling it on eBay. The auction is still online (here), though it looks like some form of silent auction, where potential buyers contact the seller directly, rather than placing bids on the site. In any case, there’s no public information besides that the MBTA wants at least $500.
If only I had somewhere to put it!
Posted in News, Anecdotes | 1 Comment »
17. October 2008 by Ben.
I recently prepared a box of Pasta Roni, which involved stirring together the pasta, 1½ cups water, ¾ cups milk, and 2 tablespoons “margarine, butter, or spread with no trans fat” in its preparation. This is routine and uninteresting.
Then I noticed smaller lettering beneath the directions (verbatim and unabridged, but with my emphasis):
To Prepare Two Boxes: Follow Range Top Directions, except prepare 2 boxes of PASTA RONI® Four Cheese Flavor with Corkscrew Pasta in a 3-quart saucepan with 3 cups water, 1½ cups milk and 4 tablespoons margarine, butter or spread with no trans fat.
Go ahead – go back and do the math. Take your time. You’ll discover, as I did, that the sole purpose of that sentence is to tell you to double the ingredients you use when making double the amount. No. Strike that. The sole purpose of that sentence is to tell you that 2 × ¾ = 1½, that 2 × 2 = 4, and that 2 × 1½ = 3.
It has apparently fallen to the Quaker Oats Company (which makes Pasta Roni) to teach adults in the United States how to double fractions. Even if you’re incapable of doing the math, couldn’t you just measure out 1½ cups, pour it into the pot, and then measure out another 1½ cups?
Posted in Quips | 1 Comment »
16. October 2008 by Ben.
This sentence comes from a Philosophy student’s term paper, which a coworker shared with me:
It is undeniable that much time has passed between 340 B.C. and 1740 A.D.
I deny it.
Posted in Quotes | 1 Comment »
16. October 2008 by Ben.
From the Associated Press:
Monkeys taught to play a computer game were able to overcome wrist paralysis with an experimental device that could lead to new treatments for patients with stroke and spinal cord injury.
The monkeys regained use of paralyzed muscles by learning to control the activity of a single brain cell.
…
[Study co-author Chet Moritz] stressed the approach is years, if not decades, away from use in people.
We can all agree that any progress on a new treatment for paralysis is excellent news, both for paralyzed people and for the scientific and medical communities.
Now, let’s focus for a moment on the fact that we can teach monkeys to play video games. How long has this been going on?
Please, somebody confirm that we’ve also taught them to post YouTube comments. It would explain so much…
Posted in News | 1 Comment »
14. October 2008 by Ben.
Dear Amazon.com,
For years you’ve had a button on the “Your Account” page labeled “Where’s my stuff?”
I miss this button.
I understand that I get all the same functionality through the “View Recent and Open Orders” button, but it’s much less fun to click.
I just thought you should know.
Sincerely,
Someone who doesn’t know where his stuff is
Posted in Letters | No Comments »