Mahmoud

Tim Heidecker on the world of film criticism, real and satirical:

Tim Heidecker has almost exclusively played characters named “Tim Heidecker,” and each finds him embodying some ugly being or overwrought idea in service of merciless satire.

happy friday the 13th

Yes Magazine - In the United States, there is one state, and only one state, where every single resident and business receives electricity from a community-owned institution rather than a for-profit corporation. It is not a famously liberal state like Vermont or Massachusetts. Rather, it is conservative Nebraska, with its two Republican Senators and two (out of three) Republican members of Congress, that has embraced the complete socialization of energy distribution.

In Nebraska, 121 publicly owned utilities, ten cooperatives, and 30 public power districts provide electricity to a population of around 1.8 million people. Public and cooperative ownership keeps costs low for the state’s consumers. Nebraskans pay one of the lowest rates for electricity in the nation and revenues are reinvested in infrastructure to ensure reliable and cheap service for years to come.

“There are no stockholders, and thus no profit motive,” the Nebraska Power Association proudly proclaims. “Our electric prices do not include a profit. That means Nebraska’s utilities can focus exclusively on keeping electric rates low and customer service high. Our customers, not big investors in New York and Chicago, own Nebraska’s utilities.”

Payments (in lieu of taxes) from the state’s publicly owned utilities exceed $30 million a year and support a variety of social services throughout the state—including the public education system.

How the state went public

Tokyo,23 Wards,Japan

• The Core team is responsible for building the next generation, cross-asset technology platform.
• The team has an agile approach to software development, preferring rapid, immediate results to heavy process. We also encourage an ‘open source’ mentality – code and information is shared rather than obscured. Anyone is welcome to contribute.
• This platform provides a risk & pricing framework, sales & trading tools, and a middle and back office platform.
• It is based around a replicated object-store (implemented in C++), and a shared Python-based domain model. By having all the data in a consolidated schema, many previously complex tasks become elementary.
• Much of the existing application landscape will be migrated to this platform, along with the tactical desk-based tools whichhave built up over the years.

• Excellent development skills in scripted and compiled languages
• Excellent skills in Python
• Experience in complex C++ projects a big advantage
• Domain knowledge of financial markets across multiple asset classes an advantage but not essential - technical skills in Python are the most important

Seattle,WA,United States

Python Dev Lead for REST API's and Internal Services Job Description-Internal Disney Technology Solutions & Services (DTSS) is responsible for technology strategy and management, central engineering, architecture, IT and technical operations for The Walt Disney Company including virtual worlds, flagship Web sites Disney.com, Disney Family.com, ABC.com and ESPN.com. DTSS provides services in both platform engineering and web operations. Platform engineering includes Content Management Systems, UGC Enforcement Platform, E-commerce, Video Distribution Technology, Registration, Advertising Systems and Data Warehouse & Reporting. The DTSS web operations teams focus on Servers & Hosting and Network Connectivity. DTSS teams are located in Seattle, Bristol, Glendale, New York, Burbank, and Orlando.

The Tools & Automation Engineering (TAE) organization plays a central, critical business role within DTSS by connecting, automating and instrumenting technology to enable rapid, accurate and efficient management of data, systems and services. TAE focuses on the product management, architecture, design and engineering. TAE partners closely with DTSS Operations Engineering for hosting and operational support of the products managed by TAE Responsibilities You will lead the development of REST APIs, and other web based internal tools that facilitate or automate operations. . This will often involve integrating with and/or extending enterprise systems. You will also lead the team by collaborating on reviews of process and procedures in order to improve efficiency and eliminate waste. You will communicate and collaborate heavily in and outside the team to meet the needs of our internal customers. Our internal customers are a mixture of highly technical and non-technical people.

• Research, propose and advise on multiple software designs and solutions
• Analyze, design, coordinate and supervise the development of all software solutions
• Develop, collaborate and drive programming standards
• Develop APIs and applications to facilitate or automate operational tasks
• Function as an informational conduit between management and development
• Collaborate, mentor and grow other software developers
• Collaborate with internal customer to create software solutions for their problems

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience
• Experience developing server software in Python
• Experience leading and managing projects from conception to deployment
• Ability to act as a technical consultant and architect
• Strong collaboration and communication both in and outside the team
• Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and complexity
• Experience with Test Driven Development, ideally ATDD
• Experience with Enterprise Integration
• Experience working with Linux (RHEL4/5) and Windows (Windows Server 2008).
• Know the basics of Unix System Administration
• Driven to get work done in a timely fashion
• Experience developing REST APIs or other SOA solutions
• Experience with SQL, ideally with MS SQL and MySQL
• Strong programming skills in Python and at least one other language
• Experience with meta programming
• Comfortable in a command line environment

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of software development experience
• Solid understanding of Operations and Systems Engineering
• Use of VIM/Emacs or another editor/setup that allows you to develop remotely over SSH
• Familiarity with Agile, Lean or Kanban
• Expert in a command line environment
• Expertise with meta programming
• Expertise developing REST APIs or other SOA solutions

Required Education

• Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent experience

Preferred Education

• Master of Science degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience

Chandler,AZ,United States

Title: Sr. Python Developer

Location: Chandler, AZ or Charlotte, NC Preferred - Open to Telecommute from any location. (US BASED ONLY)

Duration: up to 18 months

Industry: Financial Services (Banking)

Contact: Carmel Sequin - send resumes to csequin@acsentsg.com

I want a pinpoint specialist who lives/breathes for Python. They should be able to provide advice and guide other engineers on the minutiae of Python.

This is a great opportunity to join the Distributed Systems Engineering team whose charter is to build and operate an enterprise-grade private cloud. We are redefining how technology is delivered across all lines of business with a meaningful impact on the delivery of services to our customers. We are a group of thought leaders who leverage best-of-breed technology and proven open source solutions to deliver on our mission.

Python - SME

From Sina Weibo:

@央视新闻: The General Administration of Sport of China releases #Official Plaza Dance# With “Little Apple” Dance Moves — “Little Apple”, “The Most Dazzling Folk Style”, and other plaza-dancing tunes will henceforth be standardized! Yesterday, the country’s General Administration of Sport released 12 sets of plaza-dancing calisthenics. These plaza-dancing numbers have a cheerful rhythm, simple movements, and are suitable for all types of people. Check out the animated gifs below of the official version of “Little Apple”. What do you think? (CCTV reporter Zhao Jizhe)

Here is the full video that is currently featured on the homepage of Chinese video sharing website Youku:

Comments from Sina Weibo:

Unique1501：

Professionals know better how to exercise the various muscle groups in one’s body, and it’s not like they’re forcing you to dance [this way], so what is there to sneer at?

我依旧是一块砖：

Everyone think, if it were America or the UK’s national sports administrations releasing such a thing, I bet there would be many people saying how close other people’s governments are with their people.

浮生半日闲HI：

Yeah…this is quite good… First, no one is forcing people to dance the official way and, second, the official moves are definitely going to be better than the arbitrary dance moves some old uncles and aunties come up with on their own, and help people avoid injury~

流年飞语-三月的小雨2010：

It’s not forced standardization, just a recommended standard, so what’s wrong?

飞在地上的小歪：

I think this is quite good, and better than those zombie-like moves propagated everywhere. Calisthenic designed by those with professional physical exercise backgrounds will be better for exercise and protecting one’s body [from injury], so what is there to make fun of? How is this different from publicizing [standardized] calisthenics for schoolchildren? The accompanying music is just different.

马儿虫儿：

I think it’s quite good, to specifically design a standardized plaza dancing calisthenics, making it easier for old uncles and aunties to learn, with a uniform aesthetic. As for whether one learns it or not, that’s up to them. If it were forced, then it’d be different.

空心水晶玫瑰：

How did something inherently good be so unsupported in the comments?

宓氏MIS黑马团队_小黑：

Does the General Administration of Sport have nothing better to do? They want to standardize everything. Anyway, you can make as much fuss as you want, but the old uncles and aunties will dance however they want to dance!

胡峥芳Jennifer：

The first time I listened to “Little Apple”, I thought what the heck is this? The second time, I fell in love with it, and even watched the music video, and the part where North Korean brother returned the apple upon entering the army had me almost crying. Now that I’ve listened to “Little Apple” so many times, my mental illness has gotten much better.

放牧时光的牧童：

I can never guess what they’ll do next to be even bigger stupid cunts.

From NetEase:

Sports Administration: 12 Plaza Dances Including “Little Apple” To Be Promoted Nationwide

Xinhua News Beijing March 23 Sports report — Widely popular plaza dancing [or square dancing] songs that have appeared on the Spring Festival Gala including “Little Apple” and “The Most Dazzling Folk Style” henceforth will no longer have a different dance for each community, but will have a completely new nationwide standard set of moves that are scientifically choreographed and will bring the people positivity.

On the 23rd, at the 2015 National Plaza Dancing Calisthenics Event press conference organized by the General Administration of Sport, the organizer announced the release, promotion, and training of 12 plaza dancing calisthenic exercises scientifically choreographed by experts, suitable for all types of people, and easy for the masses to learn. Widely popular songs such as “Little Apple” and “The Most Dazzling Folk Style” were all included.

“From the parks to the plazas, from the plazas to the Spring Festival Gala, from domestic to abroad, from children to the elderly, plaza dancing calisthenics has already become one of the most popular calisthenic exercises among the people,” said General Administration of Sports Vice Director Zhang Wenwen at the news conference.

Other than these 12 outstanding calisthenics exercises, the organizer also explained that it will collect [additional] original grassroots calisthenic exercises throughout the country this year [to be added to the current 12 official standardized exercises], and will additionally organize a national plaza dancing calisthenics exhibition event.

At the press conference, professional dancers performed “The Most Dazzling Little Apple” medley that appeared during the Spring Festival Gala, drawing applause from the audience.

The experts that choreographed the plaza dancing calisthenics exercises explained that people of different age groups can choose the plaza dance they like. A lead dance instructor present said: “Our choreography is based on five major principles: the movements must be simple, every age group has to get an amount of exercise appropriate to them, all the songs must be widely popular and down-to-earth, what’s spread is positivity, and the moves can be easily learned after three to four tries.

Relevant government officials from the General Administration of Sports and Ministry of Culture indicated that the next step will be the General Administration of Sports and Ministry of Culture promoting the healthy and orderly development of plaza dancing calisthenic with supportive and standardized guidelines [referring to controlling the impact of plaza dancing on its surrounding environment].

Comments from NetEase:

YuppieJ [网易湖北省武汉市手机网友]：

Talk about having nothing better to do! The old uncles and aunties will dance as they please and don’t need you regulating shit!

realy000 [网易浙江省宁波市网友]：

There are so many old ladies these days. The plaza-dancing old ladies downstairs disperse on their own at 8pm each night.

网易江西省手机网友 ip：113.194.*.*

Trying to control too much.

网易北京市手机网友 ip：222.129.*.*

Motherfuckers, so annoying.

网易上海市手机网友 ip：114.86.*.*

Support the country, have the national football team take the lead in practicing this.

刘孟姗 [网易山东省烟台市莱阳市手机网友]：

Crude, crass, uncouth.

GaiWinging [网易广东省揭阳市手机网友]：

Now even plaza dancing is standardized.

卍乱世狂人6l5w [网易辽宁省沈阳市手机网友]：

If you regulate and standardize like this, I bet the aunties will no longer want to plaza dance.

Rax89 [网易山东省手机网友]：

Plaza dancing now has a policy foundation.

紧嫩夹抽x [网易陕西省西安市网友]：

The Red Guards can once again flex their muscles.

Q:What do you call a dog that can walk?

A:A HUMAN.

Knock knock
whos there
BOB HUMBUG
Bob Humbug who
naughty bob humbug

Not a billboard from movie Blade Runner, but a photo of Beijing’s smog & one of the buildings with a video running. Via

Abstract

Senate Republicans are trying to convince Iran that it is useless to make a nuclear deal with the US.

Legally, their point is valid, but politically it is not. Any future US administration that considers ending a deal by which Iran proves it isn't building nuclear weapons will realize that the deal is better than no deal.

Unless that administration is seeking an excuse for war, as Netanyahu would want it to do.

datjewfro:

John Oliver, Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell in their Cambridge days

(photo via pianojuggler4)

Hovertext:

New comic!
Today's News:

 OH MY GOD IT'S HAPPENING

So there’s this thing going around about how supposedly no one could see the color blue until modern times. I’m not sure I buy that; it’s interesting, but sounds like all the other pseudo-science and “history” sloshing around my social media feeds. And I don’t have the time to investigate it well enough to form an opinion. The Chinese have a colour that we don’t. Does that mean we can’t see it? Are we missing out?

The relationship between language and culture (or language and perception) is fascinating. I suspect that if I could somehow perceive the world from a born-and-bred Mainland Chinese perspective, my mind would short-circuit within the first few minutes.

Anyway, that article reminded me of the Chinese colour 青 (qīng), aka blue, green, black, blackish-green, and the color of nature. The coworker I just asked says qīng is “a little bit greener than green” （“比绿色绿一点”）。

One of the fun things about Anthropology 101 is discovering that there are different ways cultures categorize the world, including the color spectrum. Look at these less-than-helpful dictionary entries for the Chinese colour qīng:

In Chinese other words are usually used for blue 蓝，green 绿， and black 黑。 If I ask my Chinese kindergarten students the colour of the sky or grass or coal, they’ll probably use one of those three, not qīng 青。 But qīng isn’t rare; our city is Qīngdǎo (青岛： “Qīng Island”), our street is Qīngshān Rd. (青山路: “Qīng Mountain Rd.”), and there’s a province called Qīnghǎi (青海： “Qīng Sea”). In these place names, islands, mountains, and oceans can all be qīng, but aside from that I’ve never heard someone refer to an object as qīng. Apparently the 1800-year-old dictionary 释名 defines qīng as “birth, like the color of things born” （生也，象物生时色也）。

Interestingly enough, a Google image search for “青” (“qīng“) turned up entries for the colour, and shows mostly blue, while a Baidu image search (the Chinese Google equivalent) turned up entries for words that contain the 青 character, and shows mostly green.

But searching for “青色” (“the colour qīng“) yields more similar results:

It’s almost like Chinese qīng belongs in Dr. Seuss:

He has something called qīng.
qīng is so hard to get,
You never saw anything
Like it, I bet.
[…]
Then the qīng…
It went qīng!
And, oh boy! What a qīng!
Now, don’t ask me what qīng is.
I never will know.
But, boy! Let me tell you
It DOES clean up snow!

IMO, our differences between cultures are much more profound than we tend to realize, and they don’t get the respect they deserve. But even deeper than that runs what we have in common, and that transcends biological and cultural differences.

P.S. — All these images, aside from the dictionary and Baidu screenshots, came from a Google image search for 青。 Click the images for their source page. The giant qīng eyeball is here.

For more about qīng:

• Color in Chinese culture
• What color is ‘qing’?

For more language and perception:

• Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages
• The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language

long story short i got sick

but don’t worry, the best parts of google+ are going to stay: hangouts and — wait, no, wait what? “photos” and “streams” are staying? no word on hangouts?? oh well. thank you googoid

PAX East is this weekend! Check out what’s going on in America’s Big B, Boston, including:

Chainsawsuit Live

SATURDAY 3/7 2:30PM – 3:30PM – DRAGONFLY THEATRE
Kris Straub (Chainsawsuit, Broodhollow, D&D Intro Animations), Mikey Neumann (Borderlands, the voice of Scooter, The Returners), and friends deliver an hour of comedy, stories, and general rabblerousery.

 

Recently I was able to try bungee jumping. It’s terrifying! Back when I was a teen I went skydiving, and while it’s QUITE A RUSH, bungee jumping was infinitely scarier.

If you’re some amateur showing up for a skydive, you do a “tandem dive” which means you get lashed onto some other dude who does this a thousand times a day. And if you’re doing the skydive in backwoods Oregon like I did, then you’re also paying like 60 bucks which is dirt cheap and honestly just adds to the thrill. You know you’re in good hands when the plane is held together with actual duct tape and the pilot is also wearing a parachute.

But regardless of everything that could go WRONG, at the end of the day you’re just along for the ride. You can pretty much go limp and close your eyes and you’ll still have skydived, and they’ll print out a little certificate using a Microsoft Word default template saying “Hey, you did it, good job. Way to be strapped to someone who actually did the thing.”

But with bungee jumping it’s your choice to jump. All the survival instincts are going nuts in your brain to NOT DO IT but you paid like 50 bucks and everyone is watching and OH GOD OH GOD.

Basically it’s the privilege to give in to that little suicidal spark in all of us without all the hassle that comes with dying.

wes

by SnIPer