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Me
This is me. Martial artist, zen student, programmer, writer and author, technologist, father of two, gamer and a resident of Los Angeles (well, the outskirts of it).
I'm also CEO of System Technology Institute, an avid Mac, Rational Unified Process and Python fan, and am working on a few book projects. You can learn more here.
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Jul
12
Every wish you could use the command line find utility but have it exclude directories? Yea, me too, all the find. No seriously. And it turns out it’s pretty easy to do, too… it only took me a decade or two to stumble on the solution:
$ find . ‘!’ ‘(’ -name ‘.cvs*’ -prune ‘)’
There you go, a simple solution to a common problem.
Jul
8
Oh, this is cool.
Precipitate lets you search for and launch the information you have stored in the cloud from within Spotlight or Google Desktop for Mac. It currently supports Google Bookmarks and Google Docs. Precipitate works by creating files on your machine that are imported by Spotlight, then periodically checking in with the server and updating the local files to reflect any changes.
Very nice. Google docs is a great way to work collaboratively; the only problem I’ve had in the past is remember what I’ve got stored out there.
Jun
20
Save the Constitution
Filed Under Entropy, Politics, Things that Matter | del.icio.us | Leave a Comment
I wish there was more I could do to support Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s recent motion to impeach our so-called President. I understand why Speaker Nancy Pelosi would rather not support any action to impeach. She’s dead wrong. Mr. Bush has violated so many laws (35 by Kucinich’s account) and broken our Constitution. Do we really want Congress to send the message that the President is above the law?
Please, write to your representatives, and write to Nancy Pelosi. Take a few minutes, and maybe it will make a difference:
I urge you to support Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s motion to impeach President Bush. I wholeheartedly agree with the claims raised by Kucinich, and believe that it is imperative that we uphold the law. Failing to act will ultimately affect us for generations to come by sending the message that the President is above the law and that the Constitution is little more than a piece of paper that our Administration can change to suit its will.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Zacharias J. Beckman
You can contact the Speaker here, find your representative here, and read about Kucinich’s motion on CNN.
Jun
4
Modern data visualization
Filed Under Fun, Life Hacking, Technology, Things that Matter | del.icio.us | Leave a Comment
Smashing Magazine has catalogued some of the most amazing visualization technique available today. I’m particularly fascinated by the spacial navigation and visualization models. As technology catches up with the processing capabilities of humans, we’ll be seeing more and more technology like this. We don’t think in folders and files–we think in relationships, proximity and “likeness.” When computers can anticipate and respond in these terms we’ll spend less time working with computers, and more time working with information. (And while you’re here, check out Musicovery–hands down one of the best ways to explore music).
Jun
3
If you’re still a bit fuzzy on this “social media thing,” here’s a great little move by Common Craft that makes it all clear. And tasty, too.
Jun
1
Microsoft, having let Apple pave the way, has announced that they’ll be releasing touch screen computer technology in the near future. I wonder if what this report implies is correct though–a mouse-less computer would indeed be a bad thing. Sure, I love being able to touch my screen to control things. There are even times when it’s more convenient to do so. But I absolutely don’t want to do away with my mouse or my touch pad. I can’t imagine a laptop without a touch pad being much of a success.
Jun
1
Even though Mac OS/X has been demonstrating more problems of late (40 Mac OS X security patches this month, preceded by 90 security patches last month according to Mitchell Ashley), there have still been no significant breaches of OS/X security. Mitchell’s point is that Apple has remained too obscure a target to garner much attention from the hacker world, but I don’t agree. OS/X is a BSD derivative, just like Linux. In fact, most security vulnerabilities that would worry a Linux administrator also worry an OS/X administrator. While OS/X is a less prominent target, it’s also a less vulnerable one.
Linux (and OS/X) was developed based on the more robust security model of UNIX. Both have been hosting some juicy targets for decades. Just imagine the glee of the first hacker to successfully break into Google.
Mitchell is at least partially correct, though. Obviously, with a market share in the 6% range, Apple is a much smaller target. I’m sure if the tables where reversed, OS/X would have been the target of much more aggressive attention. Even so, I’m confident that OS/X is inherently more secure. As Mac’s start to garner more and more attention, I think we’ll see they’re tougher to crack — but not impossible. At least not as long as human error is involved.
May
31
This is an interesting peek at something that might be coming our way. Based on the patent description, it looks like Apple may be planning to embed photovoltaics (solar cells) into portable devices. Specifically, the patent indicates that the solar energy collectors could be placed behind the display, which is an intriguing idea. Whether it’s part of the display or part of the casing, I’m sure Apple will do it with style. I’m imaging a laptop where every exposed surface quietly collects energy, keeping itself charged almost all the time…
May
31
Posted today on Defiant Majority:
And I ask myself today, what does the United States gain if it inherits the whole world but loses its soul? The soul that made this country a unique experiment — a beacon for the whole world to envy. Today, the United States my ancestors and I knew as a child no longer exists. In many ways, it has become similar to the aristocracies and totalitarian countries they fled.
For example, today, the United States is in a perpetual state of war. In fact, I cannot remember a time in my life when our country wasn’t at war. When I was born, the Korean War was raging. When I became a teenager, there was the Vietnam War. After that, the Cold War with the Soviet Union began to heat up, and soon after its collapse, our outgoing president, George W. Bush declared a so-called “War on Terror.” (read more)
Has the U.S. lost it’s soul? Perhaps not completely, but we may well be well down a one-way road. It reminds me of something I heard a few years ago: The United States is now the longest lived democracy that has ever existed. Statistically, that’s not good. We’re an anomaly… and most anomalies, eventually, vanish from the board.
May
31
Omnifocus inbox aka getting things done
Filed Under Life Hacking, Tao of Mac, Technology, Things that Matter | del.icio.us | Leave a Comment
After reading Charles’ inbox hero post, I thought I’d take a whack at describing my own process. Charles’ technique works; I can attest to it, because it’s essentially how I managed to stay on top of my own email (which, at times, pours in at the rate of a few hundred messages a day). The problem is, there’s little in the way of prioritization or management.
Keeping the principles of Getting Things Done at heart, I set out to find a solution that works unobtrusively, but that actually helps me manage the deluge of mail. Whatever the solution, it needs to support a simple workflow: For each incoming task, I’m going to delete it, delegate it, do it or file it. The first three are pretty easy, but that last one is always tricky. File it where? And what about prioritizing or context management? I don’t want to have to sort through a huge list of emails when I’m talking to someone on the phone.
Enter OmniGroup’s OmniFocus, the hands-down best GTD application I’ve ever laid hands on. The key to success here, at least for me, is its integration with Mail. The fact that it is not limited to just managing my mail-related tasks makes it the ultimate winner (and, according to OmniGroup, an iPhone compatible version will be out soon).
For starters, OmniFocus lets me tap a key and instantly move a copy of my email message into OmniFocus (see inset slides, below). I can quickly set a context project and a context and, if necessary, a due date. The context helps keep me on-target when it comes time to execute my tasks, and OmniFocus is great at prioritizing tasks. It can handle concurrent tasks, sequential tasks and tasks with due dates. My most frequently used perspective in OmniFocus is simply the “Due Soon” perspective. It gives me a clear list of what I need to be working on, and organizes it by context (so, for example, if I’m in my daily scrum I know what I should be talking about right now, in the scrum).
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With OmniFocus, staying on top of my mail has become a breeze, and my inbox stays empty:
- Every now and then during periods of inactivity, I’ll alt-tab over to Mail and process everything in my inbox.
- At most, I skim-read the message, often just looking at the subject line.
- If it’s junk or something I’m not interested in, delete it. I don’t bother distinguishing between junk and other uninteresting stuff.
- If it’s something I can delegate to someone else, do so now. Forward it along with an appropriate note (cmd-shift-F) and then delete it. If it’s something I want a record of, drop it in the appropriate archive folder instead of deleting.
- If I can do it right now, then do it and delete. This typically means it’s something that takes less than a couple minutes.
- Otherwise, copy it into OmniFocus (ctrl-alt-c) and set the appropriate project, context and due date. Then, delete the original message.
That’s it. My inbox stays empty, and my work becomes managed using an excellent GTD-based system.
In fact, OmniFocus makes it even simpler. I can define rules in Mail that automatically move things from Mail into OmniFocus. For example, I have several clients and each client uses a different project management tool. Some use Basecamp; some use JIRA; others, something else. But each tool sends me an email telling me when I have a new task, or need to get something done. OmniFocus’ rules are great at intercepting those emails and turning them into OmniFocus tasks automatically.
Why this works for me
I’ve got way too much email to rely on a single, massive to-do list. Important things that should get attention soon would be buried. Also, I need a single place that manages everything I need to do; I’ve always had a problem using several different tools to manage tasks, and leaving “things to do” in mail just adds another tool I have to check to find out what I should be working on.
OmniFocus uses GTD principles. It lets me organize my work using a “project-based” mentality. That is, I can switch to a project view and create a series of tasks (either linear or concurrent), thinking in “project planning” mode. Each task is assigned a context, such as “email” or “meeting” or “mac,” as well as due dates when a due date matters.
But we don’t usually work in a project mindset. For example, when if I’m at the store I want to buy everything that I need, regardless of which project needs the item. This is a context; in my case, I have an “errands” context. I can open up the “errands” context at any time, and get a complete list of every errand I need to run across all my projects. Another example is our daily scrum; I can open the “Daily Scrum” context and have a list of everything that needs to be discussed across all projects.
May
31
For those who travel internationally, it looks like the U.S. is finally taking a few steps to improve the presently onerous experience of customs. According to the Customs and Border Patrol web, a new service is being launched that will ease U.S. entry for frequent travelers. The Global Entry Program allows registered users to pass through customs using automated kiosks, cutting time in line down dramatically (and allowing the CBP to focus its efforts where there is greater need).
The service requires registration (and a visit to a Global Entry Enrollment center). Once you’re in the system, you can bypass the often long lines at the border:
The process will require participants to present their machine-readable U.S. passport or permanent residency card, submit their fingerprints for biometric verification, and make a customs declaration at the kiosk’s touch-screen. Upon successful completion of the Global Entry process at the kiosk, the traveler will be issued a transaction receipt and directed to baggage claim and the exit, unless chosen for a selective or random secondary referral.
The bad news is: The program is in pilot, and only available at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Washington-Dulles International Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The program will be expanding to other airports and will be integrating with other programs in time. I hope they use the technology to streamline the regular check in process, but it seems unlikely. This is about getting off the plane, not on.
May
28
Researchers have been studying sleep patterns for decades. In fact, much of what we know today has been studied since the 1920’s and even earlier, but until quite recently there hasn’t been a solid understanding of why we behave the way we do.
According to Dr. Clifford Saper, MD, MS, PhD, who is Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, recent research has given us a much better understanding of how eating can effect our biology. On last week’s Science Friday on NPR, Dr. Saper discussed these effects in depth.
What caught my attention is the idea that we have a secondary “clock” that we can, apparently, intentionally reset. By fasting for a period of 12-16 hours and then having “breakfast,” this internal clock will immediately override our natural rhythms. The effect is to reset our wake-sleep cycle, adjusting to a new, food source-oriented schedule. Apparently our bodies have developed this ability so that we can adjust to the demands of our environment. In other words, if our environment provides food at a particular time, our bodies need to adjust… or starve.
So, for example, if you are traveling to Japan you could start your day by not eating from about noon the day before and fast until breakfast time in Japan. Once you arrive, have a hearty breakfast. Of course, this assumes you are arriving in the morning; adjust accordingly to your travel arrangements. By changing how and when we find food in our environment, our body reacts by adjusting… and no more jet lag.
One important detail Dr. Saper points out: You need to eat nutritive food that provides calories to your body. You can’t trick it by consuming zero-calorie diet foods. And, don’t forget to do the same thing in reverse, too, when you come home.
