Likely opponents are Texas A&M or Texas Tech.
# 2007 Nov 30
The Penn State coach will earn $512,664 in salary this year, the Harrisburg (Pa.) Patriot-News reported Thursday. The State Employees’ Retirement System released Paterno’s salary but didn’t include other compensation, such as money from television and apparel contracts, that Paterno could earn.
I can’t wait to find out whether he makes too much or too little.
# 2007 Nov 29
Nintendo game developer Yoshiaki Koizumi talks about the design of the camera work in several Nintendo titles (including Super Mario Galaxy):
“During Mario 64, we had to ask, ‘what kind of camera is best suited for this gameplay?’” He explained the different types of camera angles considered for Mario 64: A parallel camera, which with its resemblance to 2D is easiest for the player to use without getting lost, or a tower camera, which allows the maintenance of a straight-on side view as in a true sidescroller. Lastly, the follow camera is exactly that — it follows just behind the player. There are other camera types as well, for when Mario is flying and swimming. He added, “Thinking about the camera is game design, too.”
I’m just getting into Galaxy, but my opinions of the camera work are strong and frustrated.
# 2007 Nov 28
NCAA football + Aqua Teen Hunger Force = awesome.
Via EDSBS.
# 2007 Nov 27
Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy’s daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit “Sweet Caroline.”
“I’ve never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally,” the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording. “I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday.”
# 2007 Nov 20
Time:
Student-on-student public displays of affection (PDAs) have long been problematic for school administrators and parents. Experts say anti-PDA policies have existed for nearly two decades, although it’s not known how many schools and school districts have imposed such rules. In 1999, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling held schools responsible for creating environments free of harassment among students; that decision then led many lawsuit-averse administrators to ban most forms of student contact — except, of course, for high-contact sports like football and wrestling. Among the most extreme policies is in Vienna, Va., where the Kilmer Middle School has a blanket “No Contact” rule that bans even high-fives.
Give me five or give me death.
# 2007 Nov 15
The Onion:
“There is no doubt that Navy’s recent 46-44 defeat of a motivated, entrenched Notre Dame team after a long drawn-out battle was a masterpiece of leadership, strategy, tactics, and bravery in the finest tradition of the service,” said Grant Hughson, an editor at Jane’s Sporting News. “And the total Air Force 41-24 domination of the Irish, accomplished by bringing to bear the sort of overwhelming force against which no opponent can retaliate, was a textbook execution of the doctrines of that particular branch of the American armed forces. Meanwhile, however, they seem to be making little or no headway in Iraq.”
# 2007 Nov 15
I hope I don’t forget about this by the time spring rolls around.
# 2007 Nov 14
Michael Lewis in the New York Times on the financial benefits colleges gain by keeping their athletes free from the scourge of pay:
A star quarterback, he thought, might command as much as 8 percent of his college team’s revenues. For instance, in 2005 the Texas Longhorns would have paid Vince Young roughly $5 million for the season. In quarterbacking the Longhorns free of charge, Young, in effect, was making a donation to the university of $5 million a year — and also, by putting his health on the line, taking a huge career risk.
# 2007 Nov 14
BBC Health:
Women with curvy figures are likely to be brighter than waif-like counterparts and may well produce more intelligent offspring, a US study suggests.
Researchers studied 16,000 women and girls and found the more voluptuous performed better on cognitive tests - as did their children.
Eat up, ladies.
# 2007 Nov 12
History’s Greatest Monster:
Lamentably, I killed your cat while trying just to sting it. It was crouched, as usual, under one of our bird feeders & I fired from some distance with bird shot. It may ease your grief somewhat to know that the cat was buried properly with a prayer & that I’ll be glad to get you another of your choice.
# 2007 Nov 07
The Onion:
Though it came as a surprise to many, the cancellation was not without its share of warning signs. In recent years, fall had been reduced from three months to a meager two-week stint, and its scheduled start time had been pushed back later and later each year. Still, many Americans continued to hold out hope that it would make a last-minute comeback.
It be funny if it was less true.
# 2007 Nov 07
John August (The Nines, Big Fish, some other movies, Go) writes about the WGA strike:
I’ve largely avoided talking about contract negotiations and the strike,1 because I have no particular insight. I’m not on the WGA Board, nor the negotiating committee. But because I’m one of the higher-profile screenwriters, people give whatever I say unwarranted authority. And you know, I’m all about authority.
Now that we’re at the 23rd hour, I can clarify a little bit more about what’s going on, and where I stand.
If you’re looking for a clear and succinct list of the issues involved, there’s no post finer.
I follow a few writers who’ve touched on the strike: The aforementioned Mr. August, Ken Levine, Jane Espenson, and Lisa Klink.
Also, a list of showrunners pledging to keep their pencils down.
# 2007 Nov 05
Philadelphia ranked the least attractive city.
Philip B. Corbett, who handles the style manual for The New York Times, tackles all the grammar questions fit to answer.
Gracenote’s Music Maps shows you who’s listening to what where.
Nick Saban’s current team vs. Nick Saban’s former team face-off: LSU at Alamaba tomorrow. As Every Day Should Be Saturday puts it:
There are wilder environments than Bryant-Denny, but with an infusion of revenge and bourbon-filled Louisianans, under the circumstances, it should be transformed into the unpadded batshit madhouse of the season.
Also, Don’t You Want Me Saban.
Philadelphia ranked the least attractive city.
Philip B. Corbett, who handles the style manual for The New York Times, tackles all the grammar questions fit to answer.
Gracenote’s Music Maps shows you who’s listening to what where.
Nick Saban’s current team vs. Nick Saban’s former team face-off: LSU at Alamaba tomorrow. As Every Day Should Be Saturday puts it:
There are wilder environments than Bryant-Denny, but with an infusion of revenge and bourbon-filled Louisianans, under the circumstances, it should be transformed into the unpadded batshit madhouse of the season.
Also, Don’t You Want Me Saban.
# 2007 Nov 02
You see, the Mac OS icons, buttons, menus, palettes, windows, and keyboard commands we use every day , are not the only way to control the actions of your computer. There is another interface to the Mac, a language interface. Every Macintosh, right out of the box, can be automated and controlled using AppleScript, which is an integral part of the Macintosh operating system. AppleScript is the language of automation for Mac OS X.
Unfortunately, such automation doesn’t include editing copy:
Since its introduction in 1992, AppleScript has proven to be the best tool for making like with a computer a productive experience. That’s why companies like Microsoft and Adobe Systems incorporate AppleScript support in their products.
# 2007 Nov 02
To follow up on the beer throwing incident, find the common denominator:
A widely circulated video that shows two men in Ohio State jerseys being physically and verbally harassed at a Penn State fraternity party has prompted widespread criticism of Penn State fans. But the main person in the video was a visiting student from the University of Pittsburgh, said Bill Mahon, vice president for university relations. Mahon also said the two Ohio State fans in the video were visiting members of the same fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, and had stayed at the fraternity the night before without incident.
The fraternity is facing sanctions and citations:
Penn State’s chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity has been suspended by both its international office and the university and may receive a disorderly conduct citation for its alleged role in actions captured in a YouTube video filmed on Saturday.
Looks like the celebrated combination of alcohol, frat-house, and jackass strikes again!
PENN STATE BONUS: Because it’s a day that ends in “y” during the football season: A Lion in winter: Time running out for Paterno.
To follow up on the beer throwing incident, find the common denominator:
A widely circulated video that shows two men in Ohio State jerseys being physically and verbally harassed at a Penn State fraternity party has prompted widespread criticism of Penn State fans. But the main person in the video was a visiting student from the University of Pittsburgh, said Bill Mahon, vice president for university relations. Mahon also said the two Ohio State fans in the video were visiting members of the same fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, and had stayed at the fraternity the night before without incident.
The fraternity is facing sanctions and citations:
Penn State’s chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity has been suspended by both its international office and the university and may receive a disorderly conduct citation for its alleged role in actions captured in a YouTube video filmed on Saturday.
Looks like the celebrated combination of alcohol, frat-house, and jackass strikes again!
PENN STATE BONUS: Because it’s a day that ends in “y” during the football season: A Lion in winter: Time running out for Paterno.
# 2007 Nov 01
The Atlanta Water Shortage blog tracks, wait for it, the Atlanta water shortage.
The question of “how many days worth of water do we have left?” never seems to have the same answer twice.
The most fascinating aspect of all this is that the answer to “What happens if the water runs out?” is “We don’t know.”.
# 2007 Nov 01
Ezra Klein:
Blah blah blah, driving a stick is totally awesome and manly, blah blah blah. I’m done with the stick shift. If I’m tired, no one else can drive. If I’m in traffic, I can’t zone out. If I’m on a hill, I have to not roll into the car behind me.
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Klein, even though yes, sometimes I pretend I do have a stick shift and gesture with my gear selector as I would a manual shifter.
They may also be motor noises made by my mouth.
# 2007 Nov 01
These are all the posts on scotttroyan.com during November 2007. Recent posts are listed here.
All contents copyright 1995-2008 by Scott Troyan unless differently noted.