9 Mile Run: Birmingham: Shades Creek Greenway

Well, I'm back home and this run was with Lito. One glance at that pace will tell you that he is a positive influence. And, no walking. Good strong run on a humid morning. It felt great to be running back home. The Rio Carbon did spontaneously reboot during the run. Technology just can't consistently perform well while running it seems. :(

Data:
Distance: 9

Time: 1:17:57
Average heart rate: 159
Pace: 8:39

3 Mile Run: Columbia, SC

The Garwin/Timex was dead (predicatable). I failed to run in the morning and I had to fly in the evening, so I went out at 3:00 pm. Man it was hot. Then, at 1.25 miles, a downpour started. But, it was great it cooled the air and me. Ran to Rage Against the Machine. They jam! Good run, and I can't wait till I get home.

Data:
Distance: 3

Time: 28.00
Average heart rate: Not measured
Pace: 9:20

5 Mile Run: Columbia, SC

I am on a business trip in Columbia, SC. So, I used the Garwin/Timex thing again. The screen was still blanking out, but was usable enough to actually record data. I think the problem is moisture. I will be trying to figure out how to remove it. My current thought is air pressure and evaporation. The run was good just went along an interstate frontage road.

Data:
Distance: 5.155
Time: 47.39
Average heart rate: Not measured
Pace: 9:14

PodCast Update #6

More ITConversations...

• Annalee Newitz talked about Sex Laws and Technological Change. Now, this one is not o-safe as may be obvious. But, it is very interesting. Annalee builds a great case for how porn has created a climate for a variety of technologies to flourish although not always sponsoring their initial development. She is clearly motivated to protect personal freedoms and judging by some of her comments is on the activist side of this stuff. I don't lean that far, but someone should look out for us and I trust her after listening to this podcast.
• Nicholas Negroponte of the Media Lab at MIT, Ian Morris of AMD and Teresa Peters of Bridges.org discussed Globalization of Technology. Given my recent and continued readings of Jared Diamond's work, interest in Thomas Friedman's writings, and such, this was made for a very interesting presentation. Good points were made by one and all, but I must say Teresa Peters seemed to be the most in tune with the real situation in the world. But, I was swayed (forgive me for forgetting which speaker), but one of the men did speak very specifically to hands on experience in Cambodia. So, none of these speakers were a slouch in terms of being informed and dedicated to helping alleviate the vast gap between the haves and have nots. There were some comments about colonization via technology that were terse and sarcastic. But, I thought they may betray a sentiment worth thinking about.
  

PodCast Update #5

More ITConversations…

Catching up as you can tell

• Ernest Miller, Denise Howell, and C.E. Petit bandy various ideas and insights about the Supreme Courts ruling in the MGM vs Grokster case. Very interesting! Hollywood and the various media giants want to control your digital publishing/copying/sampling rights. They are worried about getting poorer. And, while they are rich they will be lobbying.
• Ken Berryman, McKinsey and Company, reviews various factors affecting those selling and buying software. Very interesting, but more at a business level then I normally deal. I lean a little to the technical side. But, he does deliver a good presentation.
• Ana Marie Cox talks about blogging and her life. She is WAY interesting. I have been checking out her blog. If you have checked out my liberal leaning rants, you know I am right at home there.
• Alva Noe talks about perception and various cognitive science topics. Given my psychology training, I had to check him out. It was a great presentation. I especially liked the part where he responded to a question about something Dr. Phil said. His first statement was “Who is Dr. Phil?”
• Harry Dent talks to Dr. Moira Gunn about his work within which he analyzes the association between demographic trends. He discovered that there it is not just coincidental that that the shape birth rate curves and some economic curves are similar if not the same. His goes on to discuss the nature of these curves and what the associations mean. Very interesting, indeed.
• Todd Cochrane talks about podcasting. He wrote the first book on podcasting. Interesting presentation and I am interested in his book now.
• Wendy Seltzer and Jason Schultz talk about endangered devices. Refer to the MGM vs Grokster cast reference above. DRMI is coming and you will not be able to rip, share, alter, sample, and other gloomy things are coming. OK. Seriously, we should be attending to the issues these folks are raising. Unfortunately, it seems that we get to hear the extremes and it is hard to find the middle/truth. However, the comments in the presentation about the law in these later cases may, in fact, negatively impact technical innovation seem to ring true to me.
• Shane Robison,CSO and CTO of HP, talks about current and emerging technology trends and how HP has been and is responding accordingly. He makes builds a very good case for GRID and open source use. I recommend this one highly.
• Tim O’Reilly talks about the new Make magazine. This is an interview podcast and is peppered with some of Tim’s history. A good listen.
• John Hagel talks with Dr. Moira Gunn about his new book about the “sustainable edge”. Very interesting presentation that builds the case for why some should continue to push the envelope on technology to help drive innovation.
• William Vollmann talks with Dr. Moira Gunn about his many years of studying violence. A very interesting presentation. He definitely drives home the importance of context in the evaluation of behavior. I highly recommend this one too.

3 Mile Run: Dallas, Texas

I am on a business trip and hanging out near the Dallas-FortWorth airport. So, I used the Garwin/Timex thing again. Well, it measured and worked fine during the run. But, screen is sometimes blank and sometimes faint since the end of the run. Argh!

The run was good just went along an airport frontage road. The scenery was lack luster (hey Dallas ain't exactly scenic), but I did have a plane fly just a few hundred feet above my head. That was cool. Jammed to the Stokes and they jam.

Data:
Distance: 3:
Time: 27:56
Average heart rate: Not measured
Pace: 9:18

10.5 Mile Run: Brownell Circle

Well, the Garwin/Timex worked today and I finally got an accurate measure of the loop. It is not 11 miles (darn, that means all those runs are even slower then I thought). But, it is good to have the watch and GPS working again. I listened to the rest of the 2 Black Eyed Pea CDs I purchased. I sure don't regret buying them. Good stuff.

As to the run, well I fell asleep before eating supper and the wife said I wouldn't get up. It is all due to my 2 1/2 year old son wanting to cuddle. He fell asleep and I couldn't help but follow. So, when I woke up and it was time to run, I went for it. Before running, I thought I should probably shoot for 9 miles and not 11 miles (ok, 10.5 miles). But, my ego and the desire to measure the distance got in the way and I went for the longer run. Unfortunately, I started dying at about 8 miles. So, I walked-ran the last 1.5 miles as can be seen by my pace and time below. I feel confident that I will my fitness back to the level where this is run is not so challenging and my pace returns to where it was 6 months ago.

Data:

Distance: 10.54 (according to the GPS)
Time: 1:53:26
Average heart rate: Not measured
Pace: 10:45

3 Mile Run: Neighborhood

I put the latest CD from the Black Eyed Peas, Monkey Business, on my mp3 player and jammed to this while running. Good CD, but I haven't heard it all yet. I also had a successful run with the Garwin/Timex device. It was the battery in the watch. And, I have to tell you fixing that was very interesting. First getting the back of the watch off is tricky as there are rubber flaps that overlap the back on each side of the watch that has a band connected. These may have a purpose I am not sure. Second,the screw that holds the piece of metal on top of the battery is so tiny and goes into such a tiny hole, that I found it nearly impossible not to lose the screw. But, I was able to pull it off. Oh! I spoke too soon.

Here I am using the various features of the watch to scroll through the display to collect the statistics and some displays have gradient displays (varying crispness). In other words, some parts of the display are faint. This mirrors my experience with my first heart monitor. God forbid the battery goes dead. Opening the watch to change the battery, kills the watch. This is simply not forgivable. Users MUST be able to change their own batteries. I am getting pissed off now.

I am not sure why I am running so slow these days. I am guessing that the time off for my recent injury decreased my fitness and that the heat is having impact. I hope some speed comes back! But, maybe age is just catching up. :(

Data:

Distance: 3 (2.972 according to the GPS)
Time: 29:22
Average heart rate: Not measured
Pace: 9:52

Podcast Update #4

More ITConversations...

I listened to another Podcast within which Lawrence Lessig talks about remixing and its fit within culture and law. He makes the case what we can do with paper based content, we can not do with digital content. For paper, we established practices and rules that permit quoting, read as copying, content of other authors. For digital content, we are still exploring what the rules should be and we have big business stress their muscle to protect their revenue streams. Lawrence builds a great case for accelerating the pace of change. Lawrence is a great speaker and this is another content rich presentation.

Kim Polese delivers a convincing and informative presentation about modern IT shops. She builds the case that the IT person in a company is a super hero (and she is right). More importantly, she talks about the impact of open source and other innovations on the way IT and companies view putting together their infrastructure. Her observations are insightful and she delivers a great presentation.

Tod Maffin, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, talked about podcasting and its use within public radio. He delivers a informative and interesting presentation.

Joel Spolsky, Joel on Software, delivers a very interesting and insightful presentation talking about modern software development trends. He has some interesting viewpoints and criticisms on Extreme Programming. Further, the talks about why customers don't know what they want. This one is a must listen to! I looked up The Joel Test which lists 12 questions you should ask at the end of a job interview. He also builds a great case for daily builds. Very interesting and provides good fodder for shaping ones development processes.

5 Mile Run: Neighborhood

Limp Bizkit cranks. Well, I guess you figured out what I listened to while I ran. Cindy, the tropical storm, was still around. So, I ran in a down pour. But, it felt good to get the run in. I had to rush as we had dinner plans with Kaye's twin. I was a bad boy and got a slightly heated, but friendly discussion about George Bush. I am essentially the only liberal in the group.

Data:

Distance: 5
Time: 49:06
Average heart rate: 151
Pace: 9:49

3 Mile Run: Neighborhood

Well, we're back home. I took off in the rain and ran fine. Nothing spectacular and it took several days to get to the log book here. So, I forgot all the great stuff I would have likley entered if I had logged right after the run.

Data:

Distance: 3
Time: 28:52
Average heart rate: 157
Pace: 9:37

9+ Mile Run: Demopolis, AL

We visited my in-laws for the July 4th weekend. So, I ran around the north south side of town. The Garwin/Timex GPS system screwed up again. This time before I even started. I went out way early to buy new batteries for the GPS unit thinking this was the problem last time. When I returned from the store, I put on the watch and noticed a totally blank screen. Hum. Maybe, it's the watch.

Anyway, it was very humid. So, humid I dropped the singlet at about half-way. I walked a little towards the end of the run. I probably walked 1/4 to 1/2 a mile. I didn't time the walk so the time reported below was all running. If I had run the entire way, I think it would have been a 10 mile run.

I caught up on the Dawn and Drew Show and Adam Curry's Daily Source Code podcasts. CastBlaster is apparently available for public beta, so I am excited about giving it a try.

Data:

Distance: 9+
Time: 1:27:00

3 Mile Run: Neighborhood

I had to just crank this one out and get ready to meet friends for dinner. I didn't get to enter this until July 5th, so I don't remember the particulars (how I felt, what I listened to, etc.) for the run.

Data:

Distance: 3
Time: 28:52
Average heart rate: 157
Pace: 9:37

Podcast Update #3

More ITConversations...

I listened to Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine in an interview. He talked about some of the latest and greatest technology and why it was selected for showcasing at NextFest 2005 (more at Wired.com). Since I subscribe and had read the article, the podcast didn't really add much for me. But, if you haven't read the article, this podcast is very interesting. And, in fairness, it was an interesting interview.

I listened to a 2-part podcast within which Steve Wozniak, co-founder, Apple Computer essentially talked about his life history (part 1 and part 2). It was very interesting. He details how he acquired an interest in electronics and some of the details behind his innovations as he and Steve Jobs created Apple Computers. Thanks Steve.

5 Mile Run: Neighborhood - June 29, 2005

It was very hot (90 degrees) and I ran out of steam, but pushed on. I was disappointed to see how slow I went, but felt good when I was done. I did come back hard after laying for 2 weeks for the bum ankle. So, I should just relax and know the pace will return.

Data:

Distance: 5
Time: 50:26
Average heart rate: 161
Pace: 10:05

3 Mile Run: Neighborhood - June 28, 2006

It was a hot 85 degrees with clear skies at 4:30 in the afternoon. I took off from the house feeling great. I played the Cars on the mp3 player. Man, this CD brought back some great memories. I love to jam to this old stuff sometimes. It was a pleasant run.

Data:

Distance: 3
Time: 28:43
Average heart rate: 158
Pace: 9:34

Bob's Rant #4 - Mission Accomplished?

So, members of Congress want George Bush to set a timetable for leaving Iraq. He says no timetable until mission accomplished. Huh. Wait a minute, don't I remember a large banner claiming mission accomplished on the deck of ship behind Mr. Bush? So, why aren't the troops home. OK, I'm sure that for Mr. Bush that the major combat and post major combat missions are 2 different missions and he can explain them away. But, Mr. Bush is also quite guilty of arrogance and myopic thinking. His way or the highway.

I am sure that he means well and that he really believes everything he says (or least I hope so). However, we would all do well to keep reminding ourselves that this war is about more then Mr. Bush would have us believe. His WMD and Al Queda link postulates from the pre-war build up were crap then and now. But, I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he believed these 2 premises. I think the bigger picture goes back to positions he had established for himself before 9/11. Thus, 9/11 provided the vehicle to act on already existing biases for Mr. Bush as it applies to Iraq.

The Afghanistan mission was well justified and would appear to have been above board and honest. Good job here George.

So, the biggest problem with our Iraq policy is simply the continued failure to just be honest with ourselves. The mission isn't and wasn't accomplished. The mission hasn't even been clearly spelled out most of the time. Not to mention the degree of failure for us to predict outcomes. The dancing in the street sure didn't last long or occur in many places. So, perhaps the "real" reasons we are there are a little more complex and covert. Maybe, George wanted to give those with a Will and a Way to kill Americans a place to go where we could kill them? That may not be such a bad idea. Why fight them here, if we can fight them there? I might even support this policy. It is not based on hate or discrimination based on religion, creed, gender or anything else. If you have the Will and a Way to kill Americans, then we should mercifully and ruthlessly eliminate you. Our survival may depend on it.

But, to build a case for killing and dying on false premises, is an unforgivable act, so we better be sure first. We went too soon and for the wrong reasons, in my humble opinion. I do support our troops. But, I think their efforts could have been better invested.

The whole mess reminds me of previous thoughts I have had after reading Thomas Merton, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and other pacifists. The more we divide and classify humans, the more easily we can excuse, explain the reasonableness for one group killing members of other groups. Shame on us. All of us. The extremists are wrong. We are wrong. Killing is wrong. One planet, one people, please. That said, I can tell you this is obviously more easily said then done. And, until we can find a way to justly deal with all people and wars do not take place, I hope I stay on the "most right" side. America is probably as close as one can get to most right. And, I do not support setting around waiting for the extremists.

So, Mr. Bush let's take the fight to the extremists. But, let's be extremely careful to avoid the innocent, choose our targets well, and by all means, tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

9 Mile Run: Shades Creek Greenway - June 26, 2006

This run starts at the Brownell building like my big 11 mile circle. And, it is starts at 6:30 am too. Although, I was about 15 minutes late today. From Brownell, I run down lakeshore towards the Brookwood Village mall. Once past the mall, the entrance to the Shades Creek Greenway. At the end of the Greenway, I run left through the parking lot, then left again. At the end of the street, I turn around and run the same route back.

Since I was late, I saw all the other runners returning on my way out. I listened Third Eye Blind, Blue and Toad the Wet Sprocket, I don't remember the CD title. Both were perfect for the run today. It was humid and I sweat a mighty amount. But, all-in-all a good feeling run.


Data:

Distance: 9
Time: 1:21:32
Average heart rate: 162
Pace: 9:32

Podcast Update #2

This and all future podcast updates will simply be new posts; no more moving content to comments and updating the same post each time. I am not sure why I started out thinking that was better. Silly me.

I listened to the following podcasts from ITConversations:

Tom Hoffman and Tim Lauer talked about Remixing Wikis with Rendezvous, Web Services and SchoolTool. This was an interesting podcast about how they used Wiki and the other technologies listed in the title to help teachers assign work to students who subsequently used the same technologies to complete their work. Very innovative and interesting. They also mentioned a term called Instiki (corrected spelling thanks to Tom Hoffman, tks) that I will have to learn more about before I can say much.

James Goodnight, CEO SAS, talked about growing and sustaining a business perpetually. If you don't know much about the culture at SAS, this is a very interesting podcast. I am already familiar, not from first hand experience. Still, it was interesting to hear straight from the horse, if you will. Two take-aways: 1) Take care of your people, 2) charge for your license to your software. Interesting comments in these days when open source is so popular.

Bob Cox, Media Bloggers Association , talked about setting up and managing the Media Bloggers. I found the political implications and his discussions about the interaction between some of the mainstream media giants and his bloggers very interesting. He talks about the interaction between bloggers and mainstream media from a variety of aspects. Mainstream media is not always warm to the criticism from these bloggers. And, given the financial assets of existing media giants, they can apply legal pressure directly to individuals and in the shape of legislation. Let's hope it doesn't ultimately mean less free speech. Excellent podcast.

Finally, I am taking Tracks Up a Tree off of my subscription list. I subscribed to check out Indie music. This podcast doesn't pick music that matches my taste in general. I don't think that is a negative criticism, just not a match. I also think there is too little music and too much talk. That can be OK if I find the talk interesting. In this case, I don't. Sorry, Funtime Ben. I am sure many disagree with me. That's cool.

3 Mile Run: Neighborhood - June 24, 2006

I picked up the pace today. I did have to consciously attend to the pace while running to do so. I guess I was just getting to relaxed and stuck into a rhythm. Time will tell, eh? Anyway, it felt good despite the hear (90's).

I listened to the latest Tracks up a Tree podcast. I am gradually discovering that this particular podcast just isn't my cup of tea. I just have a different taste for music. More significantly for me, this podcast was my only subscription dedicated to music. And,well, music is what I want. They talk too much. Sorry guys (funtime Ben and crew). No slight, cast-on, just not for me.

Data:

Distance: 3
Time: 28:36
Average heart rate: 163
Pace: 9:32