My work email, which I didn’t check!, 1730 unread messages when I got in this morning.  Granted, all but ~150 of those were from an automated process that errored out and spit the message back to me, so those were easily cleaned up.  But still, I had 150 messages to go through when I got in, trying to piece together what’s going on, where things are with projects and whatnot.  It’s a pain.

Then there’s the RSS feeds.  I can’t seem to find a specifc number on Google Reader (it only says 1000+), but my breakdown has 1000+ for the regular news sites, 1000+ in tech-related sites, and ~600 for misc blogs and websites.  These are all feeds that I usually read or at least skim in the reader each item.  All in all I’m left with literally thousands of stories that are unread, and no idea what has been going on in the world over roughly the past week and a half.  Am I really that much of a slave to the Internet?

I need something that summarizes the summaries for me!  I’m thinking now I’m just going to “mark all as read”, and figure that if it’s important I’ll find out about it eventually!

On a somewhat related note, I’ve been reading the first book of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time now for over a year.  I’ve have multiple coworkers recommend it, and friends rave about it, so I took the opportunity to waste a gift card on set of the first three books.  Lately, I’ve found myself on quite a few cross-country airplane trips, and spend much of the airtime reading.  But I just can’t get into it.  I have no idea why – I enjoy fantasy fiction, and have read many of that genre.  I’ve flown through the last few fiction books I’ve read.   But the Eye of the World just isn’t drawing me in.  Blasphemy, I know, but what the heck?  I’m going to finish it one way or another (maybe in the next year?), but I’m doubting I’ll check out the rest.  [shrug]

The Lansing State Journal is reporting that the Lansing Board of Water and Light is projecting a possible 21 percent increase in rates to pay for a new $1 billion power plant.  Never mind the local economy is in shambles, with skyrocketing gas prices and manufacturing layoffs left and right.  Or the local and state government’s can’t get their heads out of their asses long enough to attempt to even balance a budget, let alone create an environment where people and businesses actually want to come here.

No, let’s make customers pay at least a fifth more than they already are, for a new freakin’ coal plant.  What the f- is going on here?!

1. Read about a drunken gathering of idiots on popular public social networking sites, as well as the local media hyping up such an event.

2. Attend event, on the sidelines, and record video of it.  Be sure to zoom in on lots of faces.

3. Sell video to the authorities and news media. (So that’s what takes the place of “???”)

4. Profit!

The basics are that you have until May 31 to enter a lottery for the chance for tickets.  You can opt for one or two “books”, each containing tickets to the games in Detroit.  The books are $150 or $170 each.  You can enter up to 10 times for the random drawing.  You have to front the money first, and if you don’t get selected you get a refund (minus $6 per entry for fees).  Soooooo…..for two ticket books, entered once, I’d have to put up $346 for the chance to get seats somewhere in Ford Field.  I could put in more entries, but that’s another $346 for each entry!  Buuuut, how much is the chance to see the Spartans (if they make it) almost at home in the Final Four!

Luckily, one reporter tells his experience of watching this year’s Sweet Sixteen at Ford Field, and how it essentially was crap.  Which makes sense, if I think about it.  I remember watching the Basketbowl at Ford Field, and really I think I watched most of it on the jumbotron.  So maybe I should just save my money and watch things in the comfort of my own home?  The beer’s cheapers, no line for the bathrooms, and the couch is comfortable.  Heck, we could always go to a bar in E.L., too.

It also makes me wonder…is there any way to petition the NCAA to bring tournament games back to actual basketball arenas?  You know, for the better experience for the fans and all?

Cringely points out how in today’s classroom schools are actively trying to block out cell phones, text messages, instant messengers, and Internet access during exams.  But as a generation that has grown up with these things as second nature, like writing with a pencil, are we holding students back by not embracing new technologies?  It got me thinking….just this past weekend we were at an event where we witnessed two young girls, they couldn’t have been more than 10 years old.  They had a cell phone, and were busy passing it back and forth talking on it.  I remember thinking to myself that when I had kids, they wouldn’t be getting any sort of cell phone until they were much older, if they needed it, and only then it would be limited for emergency use.  Why not, I made it through life without one for quite awhile and everything turned out fine.

But this got me thinking.  Even if I was relatively late to the game, I’ve used my personal cell phone as my primary “contact” number for quite awhile now.  Jen and I each have our own phones, and have no intention really of getting a traditional landline phone.  Why pay for that extra line if we’re already paying for a mobile line that is infinitely more convenient?  I admit that I’ve started to take for granted that most contact numbers I have for people are their personal numbers – if I call that line I expect to get that person.

So our children will probably grow up in an environment where each person has their own personal phone number.  Instant message (via computer or text message) will be even more universal.  Internet access will be everywhere and tied to everything.   Rather than warily look to whatever advances happen, should we instead try and learn about and embrace everything new as much as we can?  Are we only holding ourselves back by the “damn kids, get off my lawn!” attitude?  Definitely check out the main article.

They Took Our Jbbs
I wanted to pass along another editorial I recently read in InformationWeek.  The subject of foreign outsourcing has been a hot topic lately in the tech magazines I follow.  Job loss and outsourcing has also been a close to home point in the local Michigan economy, as well.  Everyone seems to be asking the powers-that-be, be it presidential candidates or the governor, “how will you bring jobs back to Michigan?”.  This quote struck me, though:

In the end, job creation is a byproduct of smart investments, technology and otherwise. It can’t be the goal in itself.

You can’t just magically create new jobs in the state.  There’s got to be something here for industries, whether it’s tech or manufacturing.  It seems like we hear the politicos preach that they’ll fix things (I promise!), but we never hear how.

T-shirts and St. Patrick’s Day
Another site I’ve seen floating around viral-style is StuffWhitePeopleLike.  Ha!  Just off the front page, check out St. Patrick’s Day and T-Shirts.

Chesney said it also remains unclear what — if any — mechanism might be included to prevent those who voted in the GOP primary on Jan. 15 from voting in the second Democratic primary.

I assume that there were a number of people who, in the original primary, wanted to vote for Obama but didn’t because he wasn’t on the ballot and didn’t want to take the time to throw a worthless “undecided” vote.  Or, there probably were people who were uncomitted to either party, and since the Democratic primary didn’t look like it mattered voted in the Republican primary.  If the Dem roster was full, might they have voted in that one instead?  How do you make this fair to everyone?  Do you allow anyone to vote in the new and improved Democratic primary, regardless of what they might have done before?  That’s hardly fair to both parties.  But I have a feeling that no matter what they come up with, there’s no good way to have everyone in the state truely voice their opinion anymore.  Heh, maybe both parties could just do it over.  Good job, Michigan.  Why can’t there be a national primary day again??

On a better note, check out another great comic from xkcd:

If you got a big keyspace, let me search it.