Web Stuff Friday: Silent People

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia: These kids are pretty good.

People of Walmart: Priceless. As usual with sites like this, the best part is the commentary. It's all about the captions.

The Redskins Are So Sad

Sally Jenkins got it right in her column Redskins need a GM bailout. The 'Skins are a terrible franchise and it starts at the top.

Update: Superfueled Freaksicle brings us The Grand Unified Theory of Daniel M. Snyder. Simply brilliant.

On an unrelated note, my favorite suggestion for dealing with their name issue is from Tony Kornheiser (and others): Let them keep the name, but change the logo to a couple redskin potatoes. Brilliant.

Here are some jokes a friend sent me a bit ago. I have no idea about the original source, so I am sorry for not attributing it properly.

HEADLINE: "D.C. Police are "cracking" down on speeders. For the first offense, they give you two Redskins tickets. (If you get stopped a second time, they give you two Nationals tickets.)"

Q. What do you call 47 millionaires sitting around a TV watching the Super Bowl?
A. The Washington Redskins.

Q. What do the Redskins and Billy Graham have in common?
A. They both can make 70,000 people stand up and yell "Jesus Christ".

Q. How do you keep the Redskins out of your yard?
A. Put up a goal post.

Q. Where do you go in D.C. in case of a tornado?
A. To FedEx Field - they never have a touchdown there!

Q. What do you call a Redskin with a Super Bowl ring?
A. Senior Citizen

Q. How many Redskins does it take to win a Super Bowl?
A. We may never find out in the 21st century.

Q. What do the Redskins and opossums have in common?
A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.

I Love Monty Hall

OK, so I don't really love Monty. What I love is the problem that is named for him, which can be stated as follows:

You are a contestant on Let's Make a Deal. Monty has given you a choice of three doors. Behind two doors are goats, but one door has a nice, shiny new red car with a radio! You choose a door. Monty (who knows what is behind each door) then reveals that behind one of the other doors is a goat. He then he asks you: Do you want to switch to the other door, or do you want to stay with your original choice?

The question for you is: Should you stay with your original choice, switch doors, or does it not matter?

If you haven't before, stop and think about the problem before reading on.

Coding Horror has an article: Monty Hall, Monty Fall, Monty Crawl that a friend from work sent to me recently. I agree with the Jeff Atwood, who says:

What's interesting about this problem, to me at least, is not the solution, but the vehemence with which people react to the solution....

Here is a nice, simple explanation of the correct answer courtesy of Antonio Cangiano at Zen and the Art of Programming:

When you make your first choice your probability of winning the car is only 1/3. If you decide to switch, you will win only if the first choice you made was wrong. And since your first choice came with a 2 out of 3 chance of picking a goat, switching will then (logically) give you 2/3 chance of winning.

But don't believe me. Check out these sites:

• The New York Times Interactive Feature: The Monty Hall Problem allows you to try it several times and also provides an explanation.
• The Straight Dope: Long thread about the problem. A fun read.
• Wikipedia has some history and some explanations including a section called Aids to understanding.
• Let's Make a Deal has links to several sites including a simulation I like.
  

Anyway, this is a great problem.

Music Monday: Ronstadt Isn't Cool, but I Like Her Anyway

When chatting with B-Sizzle (who has introduced me to some great music) recently, I mentioned that I had just picked up some Orbital, White Stripes, and Linda Ronstadt. The first two were fine, but mentioning the third artist clearly caused his esteem for my taste in music to drop precipitously. Oh well, what can I say? I gotta be me.

Blue Bayou: This is my favorite Ronstadt song. This Roy Orbison cover gets into my brain and doesn't get out.

My Funny Valentine: I've always liked her Nelson Riddle big band-y stuff.

Quiereme Mucho: Her Spanish language stuff is lovely. She projects great passion in these songs.

I know she isn't hip, but I dig Ronstadt's voice and any song that really showcases it.

Web Stuff Friday: Best-of-Craigslist Favorites, Volume 8

It's been a while since I have gone through BoCL, so this is going to take up a couple posts (and lots of time catching up with everything since the beginning of February).

• Punk rock Martha Stewart baker will tear your kitchen apart: I usually keep my links clean, but this one was too funny to be denied.
• Build a new, rational, primitive but free life w/ me in Alaskas wild: Wow.
• RnR: An Introductory User's Guide: best line: "So, when you're in a "debate", stop, and look up. Do you see a goat?"
• I HAVE SNACKS GET IN MY BED: such poetry
• Free Grass Clippings is brilliant. I need to try that.
• Winter, let's move on is the other end of the relationship.
• Calling all desperate, loser schlubs: she needs a hug.
• Re: Time Machine: I think I need a new set of time coils.
  
• To All the Women Obsessed with Me: I hope those women finally leave him alone.
• Woman in Eau Claire: I know her!
• Diary of a UVM Student Protester: Ahhh, youth.
• You Want the Table? You Can't Handle the Table! I want that table.
• How 2 Ikea trestles will fill your life with excitement: I need those trestles.
• Some Advice From Your Public Defender: Good for future reference.
  

OK. I am caught up to the end of April. More to come as I get the time.

Update: More One Space Stuff

Breaking in a new Project Manager is tough. We need to work together to figure out new ways of communication and roles need to be clarified. I work closely with PMs, so working out a solid working relationship is crucial.

All that said, the toughest thing about a new PM is getting her/him to stop putting two spaces after a period.

It has been a while since I opined on this topic, but here is more info:

Chicago Manual of Style: In response to the question One Space or Two?

One space .... There is a traditional American practice, favored by some, of leaving two spaces after colons and periods. This practice is discouraged by the University of Chicago Press, especially for formally published works and the manuscripts from which they are published.

One Space Between Sentences: Adapted from Robin Williams, The Mac Is Not a Typewriter; Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 1990

Webword: One Versus Two Spaces After a Period is a report that includes lots of references to people who think about this sort of thing. They all agree on one space.

My company publishes quite a bit of stuff, so we really need to pay attention to this sort of thing. I know it's hard to break the bad habits your high school typing teacher beat into you, but it's the right thing to do.