SHAMAZING

Now Defunct

2009-04-12T23:31:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted to this blog long enough for me to officially call it defunct. Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoy the old posts.

Take care, and best of luck in your travels, Internet Wanderer.

In Response to an HN thread: Credentials

2009-02-14T10:27:00.033-06:00

Given that the folks at Hacker News do not like seeing comments referring to how negatively a community responds to certain points of view, I've decided instead to hack out a short draft here.

For those who wants some background, the conversation in question dealt with a response to a mathematics related article submitted on Hacker News. One of the comments voted up by Hacker News users made broad generalizations of the state of advanced mathematics.

As one who knew nothing of academic mathematics or the commenter, I asked for some kind of credentials (see this post). The response was interesting. All posts have an initial score of 1. At first the score dropped to -1 (meaning two down votes), then was voted up back to 1, and finally dropped back down to -4.

Now the question I am left asking is why this negative response? What about the users of Hacker News either makes them distrust the validity of credentials or dislike my post? For the sake of argument, I am going to ignore the second and focus on the first.

Credentials, for what it's worth, directly refers to the notion that the originator of a piece of communication can be trusted, and that his argument carries more weight than an unverified source. The purpose of credentials then is to inspire confidence in the recipient and heavily reduce the cost of communication.

Imagine, for a minute, a world without credentials of any kind. In other words, a world without trust. Any information I receive would have to be independently verified -- and not through reference against a standard but directly via experimentation. We could take another step toward ludicrous by asking if we did not even trust our sense, but our friend Descartes has already asked that question and sparked that controversy.

Now there is already a cost associated with communication. I must use irrecoverable time and expend mental effort in order to ingest the material. Further, if I wish to respond, I have to use the same two scarce resources. But without credentials, without trust, the costs grow exponentially. I cannot just read text and accept most of correct. In essence, in order to approach the relative ease of communication where credentials exist, I have to be an expert in every subject that I care to receive communications about.

That does not merely sound paradoxical -- in order to be able to learn anything in a given field, I would have to be an expert in it!

Returning to normality, credentials exist for a definite reason. They allow for a quick, cheap way for an individual to determine how much credibility to place in a piece of communication. Of course, violations of trust, false credentials, and others of that ilk exist, but more often than not the system works. And until a better system is created by someone much smarter than myself, I don't see what else we can do about removing the violations except for making standards more stringent and punishment more severe.

I have not answered the original question I posed. Why that community responded negatively, I cannot answer. Perhaps the individuals who read the post have been burned more for trusting an individual. Perhaps it's something else. I just can't say.

Posted to Hacker News at http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=481272

Note 1.
Economists study trust as well! Tim Harford had a piece in Forbes that deals with similar issues. I recommend the article.

Note 2.
Of course, Wikipedia also has an article about trust in terms of this topic as well.

The Fresh Air Fund

2009-02-11T11:29:00.003-06:00

I got an email from a wonderful lady, Ms. Sara Wilson, who works for the Fresh Air Fund. She asked me to mention that the fund is looking for summer counselors and other staff members for the 2009 Camp.

Looking through their informational website, it seems they have a variety of positions available. The camp lasts from mid-June through August, with different positions starting and ending at various times.

Looks like something fun for us college types to do for a summer, or at least part of it.

Again, here's the link to the informational website:
http://freshairfundcounselors.smnr.us/

Hacker News Foibles

2009-02-05T14:02:00.003-06:00

I think it's fairly humorous that Hacker News either massively slows down or goes offline at 2PM CST. Just so happens to be "lunch time" on the West Coast.

Damn hackers need to spread out when they eat lunch so that the site isn't bombarded all at one time.

-Shamiq

EDIT:
Correlation is not causation -- seems pg's newest feature was killing the server

Bike

2009-01-21T01:00:00.001-06:00

i miss my bike during the winter.

I train everyday at the gym, but it's not the same thing.

The feeling of wind in my face.

The rush of speeding along down a path.

The glee of flying through traffic.

i miss my bike during the winter.

Finals

2008-12-06T18:15:00.001-06:00

I'm laying low on the blog -- as I'm sure you can tell.

Check out the tumblr in a couple days for some pics. I'll be uploading some cool stuff :)

-Shamiq

Who says the economy is in a slump?

2008-11-28T12:43:00.003-06:00

Shoppers are as crazy as usual. From The New York Times:

A Wal-Mart employee in suburban New York died after being trampled by a crush of shoppers who tore down the front doors and thronged into the store early Friday morning, turning the annual rite of post-Thanksgiving bargain hunting into a frenzy.

Continue reading the article here.

Just goes to show, no matter how bad the times, people cannot be trusted to be rational.

Coffee

2008-11-10T22:02:00.001-06:00

how to enjoy coffee.

brew it strong. drink it black. take a bit and let it sit under your tongue until it tingles. swallow. repeat while sitting in a comfortable chair. take the half-hour off.

Fundamentals of Computer Programming

2008-11-08T17:58:00.003-06:00

This is the coolest thing I've made in the class.
How do you like them boxes?

Pre-studying ritual

2008-11-02T13:26:00.002-06:00

1. Shower
2. Brew a cup of tea
3. Close my door
4. Turn on the light
5. Start the music
6. Get flowing.

Late Night Working Binge

2008-11-02T01:33:00.002-05:00

The title sums it up nicely. Hit the caffeine around 10 pm, been doing something since. Also, much respect to SomaFM. The music keeps me going beyond my mortal limits.

Also, go to my Tumblr and make comments on the pictures. Tell me if you want to see anything photographed, or if you want to do some photo editing magic with the full-sized originals, or if you just think I suck so bad I should give it up.

In any case, I'll see you guys on the other side of this work-a-thon.

You can vote however you like

2008-10-29T21:43:00.004-05:00

Is this beautiful?

I think so.

Taken from: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/just-a-friendly.html

Video

2008-10-28T21:24:00.002-05:00

I'm in a video:
http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2008/10/12982/video-students-react-to-allegations-of-kellogg-misbehavior-at-field/

Thanks for letting me know, Google Alert!

IPv6

2008-10-28T17:56:00.002-05:00

Quote of the day?

[IPv6] offers so many unique addresses that it would be possible to give an address to every individual grain of sand on earth and still have enough numbers left to give a unique one to every individual on the planet, any pets they have and all the devices they own.

Or how about this one:

I'd build a zip line in my office, but there's not enough of a slope between my bedroom and kitchen.

First: http://www.physorg.com/news144420242.html

Second: http://gizmodo.com/5069913/googles-new-zip-line-yet-another-reason-to-hate-your-office

Tumblr

2008-10-18T15:08:00.003-05:00

I recently acquired a Nikon D80. So far, I love the thing, but I am still learning how to take full advantage of it -- the sheer amount of settings is intimidating.

Since I don't like how Blogger handles pictures, I have set up a Tumblr account. The URL is straight forward: http://shamiq.tumblr.com/.

The pictures are unedited, other than some cropping. I don't know how to use any photo editing tool, so I'd rather leave the pictures untouched while I learn.

Mutual Benefit

2008-10-18T14:50:00.003-05:00

There exists a spider that resides behind my desk. This spider does not move often. It has built a web between the desk and the wall. For the spider, the location is ideal. Any insect which travels will most likely choose to move through this area.

For me, it is beneficial. I prefer one spider over a multitude of other inhabitants. But if the spider moves to a more visible location, I will undoubtedly kill it. The spider may realize this, and thus chooses to stay in its location.

The game we played ended with mutual benefit, spurred by the spider's survival instincts.

Branching out

2008-10-05T14:15:00.002-05:00

Some people like to do many things. And some are good at a lot of things. And some are good enough at a lot of things to know when they are out of their league.

These generalists can really help jump start an organization. But they are double-sided (like a sword). If you aren't careful about keeping them directed, they can undercut your mission and goals as they branch out.

Use the tool, but be careful about getting hurt.

No Title

2008-10-04T21:42:00.002-05:00

I registered a domain name for a year. It's StatADay.com. I think I can do something interesting with it, but I'm not sure what my approach vector will be.

If you're interested in getting involved, contact me (email can be found at http://shamiq.mp.

Going to read some Labor Economics (taking it with Steffen Habermalz) then play DotA.

Talk to you later.

To my random chatter

2008-10-02T11:38:00.003-05:00

It's always interesting to chat with someone I don't know. But even if you don't want to reveal any information about yourself, just give me one little fact about you. It could be anything, from the mundane (I like cheese) to the extraordinary (I have read this blog from the foothills of the Himalayas).

Anyway, it was fun to chat. I hope you swing by again.

-Shamiq

16 August 2008

2008-08-16T03:19:00.002-05:00

It is 3:19 AM.

I'm doing laundry and writing an essay on the FCC's decision in the AOL-Time Warner case. I have another 20 minutes until the sheets are out of the dryer. Then six hours until I leave for Corpus Christi, Texas. And no time to sleep in between.

For the random people who have been contacting me via Skype: Please stop. I don't have time to chat with you right now, no matter how interesting you seem.

For everyone else: I hope to see you soon. Also, I'm thinking about declining the position at the bank in favor of doing my own thing. Five weeks should give me enough time to create a decent sketch of what's currently in my mind.

15 August 2008

2008-08-15T10:46:00.004-05:00

I have discovered that 4 classes during the summer quarter, a job and an internship mean that I have very little time to do anything else.

At first, I was able to juggle a semblance of socializing, but that quickly died. The next casualty was working out regularly. I'm happy if I can find time to bike for 20 minutes.

These last few days of the quarter, as classes are coming to an end, have been completely hellish. Barely enough time to sleep for a few hours at night before I need to get up and get going.

I do have some good news, but I don't feel like sharing it with you. Maybe tomorrow?

Perceived Value vs. Actual Value

2008-07-23T22:54:00.003-05:00

So, I wrote a post on the discussion board of my Facebook group, but I thought I would repost it here. It's a pretty interesting article about how consumers react to incentives. Here it is, in it's fully copy & pasted grandeur.

Over at MarketingSherpa, they conducted a case study about how different types of coupons have different effects on conversion rates, revenue generation, etc.

Since the article is only available for a few days for non-subscribers, I'll summarize the results here.

Basically, they ran a test between a $50 off coupon and a 15% off coupon. Both had approximately the same value, and only a limited effective period (about a week).

The results were pretty startling: the $50 off coupon had a 72% higher conversion rate, and generated 170% more revenue!

So, how can we use this to our advantage?

If you are planning on running a promotional offer, try starting two simultaneously. The first offer will be the one that you want people to use. Make it a "dollars off" coupon that prices whatever good at an attractive price.

Then make the second coupon a "% off" coupon for a relatively inferior product. Also, make it so that the % off is a worse deal. This has a very important psychological effect. It actually induces more customers to use the first coupon a lot more! What may have been a 5% conversion rate can spike to 15% or 20%!

The theory behind it can get hairy, but if you want to send me a message, I would be more than willing to explain it to you.

Oh, and here's the link to the case study: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?ident=30724#
Unfortunately, the case study is only freely available until July 30, 2008.

Have a nice day!

2008-07-21T13:05:00.002-05:00

I'm testing out a new button I plan on adding to this blog. It'll start showing up from this post onward, if I can get it to work well.

Thanks for bearing with me!

Tonight was a night for the Pancakes

2008-07-20T22:11:00.004-05:00

So, I'm a student. And as is typically the case, I do not have much in terms of financial support. My parents are footing the bill for college, but I try to be as thrifty as possible in other aspects of life.

Well, there's a problem: I have friends coming over tonight for dinner! But being the genius I am, I did not flinch once and headed over to our local grocery store.

The plan: Breakfast for dinner!

I found a pancake mix which was about $2.00 and could easily feed 8-9 people.
The chocolate chips I added were $3.35 for a 12 ounce package (they should last for a while).
Syrup was another $1.50.
Confectionery sugar cost $1 for a box.
Turkey bacon was already in the fridge, and I had some butter for the pan too.

It comes out to $7.85 out of pocket expense. Pancakes are fun and delicious, especially with the sugar and syrup. Turkey bacon satisfies the appetites of the more meat inclined. And best of all, everyone is happy!

A couple notes about preparation. First, be sure to let the batter sit for around 10-15 minutes before putting it on the pan. Second, the chocolate chips sink to the bottom of the mixing bowl, so try to scoop deeply into the batter to get them out. Third, remember to flip them when the bubbles rise in the pancake and some start to pop.

I would write more, but I'm going to be working out at SPAC at 6:30 in the morning. But in any case, have a great night!

Existential Thought of the Day

2008-07-18T18:51:00.005-05:00

I have come to a realization. Allow me to explain.

Bliss.

Image Credits: Epsilon289 for Reddiwip, Phineas H for the mouth

I'm an Intern

2008-07-18T08:28:00.003-05:00

It's official now. I am an intern for After The Launch, a web-based company which aims to provide marketing services and consultations to businesses. To quote their website:

We serve our clients through 3 main functions.

1. Mentoring and Training

2. Serving as an Outsourced Marketing Department / Consulting

3. Implementation

I am so very excited about this internship. It's a job where I can begin applying a lot of the principles I've been learning about in my classes and through all of the articles I've been reading in the news.

Speaking of news, did you hear about Merrill Lynch? They posted around $4.9 BILLION in losses. This dip in the business cycle has hit the major investment firms hard. Here is a Reuters article about Merrill Lynch.

In other financial news, Google posts an earning of $14.23 per share (ignoring their nearly monopolistic situation in terms of search engines) and as of now, is down nearly by nearly $50, sitting at $483. On the other hand, Citigroup posts a loss of $1.13 per share, and is up by $1.37, sitting at $19.40. This emphasizes a key point: What the news media says matters!

Google did not meet Wall Street's expectations, and the value of the share fell dramatically.
Citigroup posted a loss less than the estimated figures, and price rose by nearly the same percentage that Google fell.

Draw your own conclusions.

RadioShack Love

2008-07-16T14:01:00.007-05:00

For the last couple years, I have been lamenting the decline of RadioShack. They used to be the store for all the cool tech toys. But somewhere in the process, they lost the appeal they had. Perhaps having to compete against the omnipresence of Newegg and Amazon puts a damper on your business ambitions.

But still, there is some hope, as isolated as it may be. Here's a personal story.

Last night, when searching for a suitable microphone, I discovered to much dismay that my original headset was missing. In a move I had not done for quite some time, I looked up RadioShack's store hours and made plans to visit them in the morning.

This morning, after finishing an economics problem set, I set my course for the downtown Evanston RadioShack. It's directly on a street corner, well maintained and ready to take advantage of the constant flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Well, it typically is. I arrived 30 minutes after open to find the store closed for another few hours, well beyond my window of opportunity. So, I did what any iPhone user would have done. I looked up their number, and gave the store a call.

Me: Hi, I know you guys are closed until 11, but it's really important that I get a headset. I don't mind sitting at the door and just handing you cash for the device, but I need it soon.
Manager: Is that you across the street?
Me: Uh...yea.
Manager: Come on in.

RadioShack just made my day.

It's a singular example, and may even by called out of the ordinary, but with that kind of service, and the satisfaction it yields, the future can be brighter.

Anyone else with RadioShack stories? I'll briefly activate comments for this post.

Cinemizers Arrived

2008-07-12T10:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday at noon, my Cinemizer test unit arrived. Given how tired I was from the rest of the week, I did not give it much use until the night. Here are my preliminary opinions:

Works well with YouTube videos and mp4 videos.
Darkness is almost necessary -- light coming in from below and above the lenses are incredibly annoying.
Theoretically, it can replace a home cinema.
While watching a movie, I forgot I had them on.

Currently, I would have to say I am pleased with them for use in a limited environment. I cannot imagine attempting to take these outside of the house. More detailed review to follow (read: I have midterms next week).

Have a nice day!

Hot Products

2008-07-07T22:38:00.004-05:00

My cinemizer test unit is officially on it's away according to an email I received earlier today. As always, I am inordinately excited to get a toy to play with.

And may I point out, more hardware manufacturers should distribute test units around the community. It truly helps you, the manufacturer, achieve a better view of the situation from the consumer's standpoint and it generates plenty of buzz.

According to the email, the unit is scheduled for delivery this Friday. The testing period is about two weeks, so look for my insights on it sometime in that time frame.

Have a nice day!

And go look at these things..so neat: http://www.zeiss.com/cinemizer

Food is Good

2008-07-04T16:22:00.006-05:00

Hooray for barbecue, though I admit I am not the best of grillers. And thanks to Andrew for the recipe in yesterday's comments. That's one tasty burger. I'm reprinting his comment here in it's complete glory.

Hey Shamiq.

I spoke with a friend of mine who is a vegetarian and she gave me two options.

One would be any good salad, as long as it lacks meat of any kind.

The other is a recipe she gave me which she says is excellent. It's the "Immaculate Mash-Bean Burger," and there is also a recipe for fries included with it.

Recipe: Mashed Bean Burgers
1 package of tofu
1/2 eggplant
2 cans of Black Beans
1 onion
1 cup of Cornmeal
Sat, Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Cayenne
1 cup mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic
Lettuce, Avocado, an condiments for dressing.

Fries
5 Sweet Potatoes
1 tsp Oil

Cut Sweet Potatoes into longer skinny pieces and cover with oil and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes flipping halfway. For the Burgers, start a sauté with garlic, onion, and eggplant. Mash black beans, tofu, and spices together in a bowl. When the Sauté is finished mix it in with the bean mash and cornmeal until the mash has reached a moldable consistency. Mold into burgers and lightly dust with flour. Bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes flipping them halfway.

I don't know if that's too extensive for what you want, but you can probably find similar recipes if you look online.

Hope that helps,
Andrew

Hope you had a great holiday!

Fourth of July Barbeque

2008-07-03T10:55:00.005-05:00

A question for the readership. I'm hosting a barbeque for the Fourth of July, and will have a couple vegetarians attending. Any tips on what to cook for them and/or how to cook it? I've turned on comments for this post and hopefully would like to see responses.

And while we're on the topic, any ideas for dinners involving vegetarians? I know how to cook some ethnic Indian dishes, but that doesn't sit well on everyone's tongues. If I'm not posting tomorrow, I wish you a great Fourth of July!

Euro 2008

2008-06-29T16:48:00.003-05:00

Germany lost. They were completely outclassed by the Spaniards. They deserved the defeat handed to them, even if the refereeing was spotty at times. But dammit, I wanted them to win. They picked up so much steam during the tournament.

And now I'm sitting here, congratulating Spain for an amazingly well-played match and tournament. Not a single loss, and if I remember correctly, not even a single goal allowed in the elimination phase of the tournament.

Germany, sober up.

Louisiana's Big Blunder

2008-06-28T16:21:00.005-05:00

Louisiana has, by the signature of Governor Bobby Jindal, enacted the Louisiana Science Education Act. This bill allows for individual school boards to supplement material taught in class with outside sources in topics of scientific interest such as cloning, evolution and even global warming.

To use a common phrase, this has opened a legal flood gate. Quoting Ars Technica writer John Timmer:

The bill has been opposed by every scientific society that has voiced a position on it, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS CEO Alan Leshner warned that the bill would "unleash an assault against scientific integrity, leaving students confused about science and unprepared to excel in a modern workforce."

I recommend you read the rest of the article here.

I truly hope this does not set a standard for other state legislatures. America is already being left behind in sciences by other countries, and such a law could have crippling effects spanning generations. For the sake of all that's just, such anti-scientific balderdash needs to end.

When the government fails to act in the best interest of it's people, then the contract between the two is severed. Our best response is either to seek a resolution which benefits society, or to act independent from the government. Home schooling exists, and truly scientific texts also exist. I petition for a series of privately run schools and institutions completely independent of the governmental system. If a school board decides to act contrary to the benefit of those it serves, then we no longer seek it's guidance. Allow the board to choose whatever material it pleases, we will study without regard of it's ruling.

Truth be told, I feel that most school boards do not have true grasps of the very theories in question, so perhaps a more enlightened body should make the decisions in regard to what should and should not be taught.

I apologize for spelling/grammar mistakes. I am too indignant to edit right now.

Birthday

2008-06-28T13:32:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday. After 20 years of waiting, I finally turned 20. It was a bit disappointing. I had no eureka moment. Nothing suddenly became crystal clear. My birthday just made apparent that I haven't done anything worth writing a book about for the last 20 years. And I better start maximizing every day if I want to do anything of note.

But even so, yesterday was an important date. It's the beginning of my first year following a totally new field. I haven't, as of yet, publicly announced this, but I am striking off onto a different path beginning this summer. Previously, I had been a confused, struggling, and often times angry man. But, somethings have changed. I am still a struggling and often times angry man, but I am no longer as confused as I had been.

You see, I made a decision that will quite literally affect the rest of my life. I have decided to no longer pursue HPME at Northwestern University. For those who don't know, HPME is a program at Northwestern which guarantees entry to the medical school so long as I maintain a certain GPA and take a few required classes (the rest are my choice or determined by my major).

The problem here was two-fold. First, I could get the grades I needed in the required classes, compounded by the fact my other classes were suffering because of these science courses. Secondly, I learned that my interest in the science and the medical field isn't as "deep" as it needs to be. I am more interested in breadth of knowledge, and not so much the depth of knowledge.

I still find medicine fascinating and most all science extremely interesting, but only at the level in which you read about it in a magazine or journal. My deep interests lie in the Social Sciences. I love human interactions. I love human thought processes. And I love how the two of them combine to make societal constructs.

So, here is my plan: First, I will inform the HPME office of my intentions. Second, I will declare my second major and my minor. Third, I will work my tail off and my hands to the bone. Because of that, I ask for my readers to be patient. I am still here, but I need time for myself.

As it stands, I am an economics major, but I will be done with those classes by the end of the next quarter. The second major I am declaring is Spanish. And my minor is Business Institutions.

Wish me luck and have a nice day!

Just a few more days...

2008-06-10T08:42:00.003-05:00

and I'll be back to posting regularly.

Wish me luck!

Finals Break

2008-05-28T11:22:00.002-05:00

Be back to blogging soon!

Organic Chemistry Midterm

2008-05-21T10:37:00.006-05:00

I have a midterm today. And I'm in hyperdrive. It's fun to watch the world slow down around me as I'm cramming in carbohydrate structures, nucleic acid reactions, and random amino acid stuff (protecting groups). Hopefully, the midterm will go by smoothly. See you guys on the other side!

*EDIT*
I wonder if the orgo prof has a sense of humor. I honestly think one of my answers is quite humorous.

LiveScribe Customer Service

2008-05-19T13:47:00.005-05:00

Livechat with LiveScribe

Jeff : How May I help You?
Shamiq : Howdy jeff, I was wondering about the turn around time.
Jeff : Hi Shaniq, can you give me your order number and I will check your order?
Shamiq : sure, the invoice number is: ######
Shamiq : and confirmation code is: #######
Jeff : thank you, brb.
Jeff : I see that you have placed your order on the 12
Shamiq : Indeed.
Jeff : there is a 4-6 week ship date from the date of order. In that 4-6 week period you will be sent an email stating that your order has been shipped.
Shamiq : Alright, thanks.
Jeff : youre welcome

So it seems that I'll be waiting at least 3 more weeks before I receive any shipping notification. I knew a backlog existed, but that's still a downer.

Have a nice day.

Laundry

2008-05-18T15:48:00.008-05:00

Laundry day usually entails having to do three loads of laundry (all of my undergarments and pants, most of my shirts). It means spending $1.00 on each washer and $1.00 on each dryer. It means carting dirty clothes to the laundry machines and hauling back clean ones. It means sorting, folding, and hanging up the clothes.

It also means waiting as time-inept people leave clothes in the washers and dryers for ages. I can understand that Sunday is a very popular day for most individuals to wash clothes, but I fail to see the reason behind leaving the clothes in the machines after time expires. How difficult is it to set an alarm and return when the cycles complete?

Especially at peak usage hours, a user should be courteous enough to evacuate machines with due haste. Leaving clothes in the washer does not accrue any benefit -- ignoring the dead weight loss as I waste my time checking for empty machines. And even worse, leaving clothes in the dryer has an adverse effect on the appearance of the clothing.

So move your clothes out of that damn machine. It's good for everyone.

Am I a poor blogger?

2008-05-16T10:37:00.003-05:00

I don't update everyday day.

I don't stick to a niche.

I write whatever I please.

I don't allow comments (if you want to reply, put it on your own site).

I am greedy with my information.

I tell myself I'm too busy to write (then I post anyway).

LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen

2008-05-13T12:54:00.003-05:00

The last couple of days have been exceedingly busy, caught between visiting friends, three birthdays and a midterm tonight. Even so, I found some time to research a new contender for the "Smartest Pen" title.

This gadget, entitled the LiveScribe Pulse, promises to integrate written words with the corresponding audio. Theoretically, it should excel in the Classroom/Lecture Hall setting in addition to professional uses (think journalists).

The base model costs $150, with consumables that seem to be competitively priced to their "dumb" counterparts. I ordered the pen for my own use yesterday, along with some extra notebooks and ink refills. I will inform you whenever the pen arrives, then later post my own opinions on the technology.

Here are a couple useful links:
Gizmodo Review
YouTube Propaganda 1
YouTube Propaganda 2
and finally, the main website: LiveScribe

Have a nice day!

Fold.it

2008-05-08T18:43:00.005-05:00

We all like playing games, so it's nice when one of these games can actually serve a useful purpose. Enter Fold.it.

Fold.it is a simple game, which is quite easy to pick up. It involves turning, twisting, and folding (surprise) protein structures in an attempt to obtain a high score. I'm assuming the scoring mechanics is based on how likely a certain structure is to exist in reality. It's available for Windows and Mac, but hopefully some enterprising Linux can find a workaround.

So how does Fold.it actually further the scientific effort?

With all the things proteins do to keep our bodies functioning and healthy, they can be involved in disease in many different ways. The more we know about how certain proteins fold, the better new proteins we can design to combat the disease-related proteins and cure the diseases.

So who wants to aid humanity in it's quest for immortality?

Link: http://fold.it/

Exporting Google Reader

2008-05-06T15:58:00.003-05:00

Every couple of days, Google finds new ways to tangle me up in their web. The latest is this shared item widget I've added.

As you may know, I use Google Reader to aggregate all of my various news feeds. Recently, I added an application which takes the items I share in the reader and updates my twitter. This web service is called twitterfeed, and can be set up to use any kind of RSS input.

But, I decided I wanted to make the news stories easily accessible from this page. So, that "Shamiq's Shared Items" thingy in the sidebar is my attempt to make an unobtrusive feature available. Every article/post first passes through a filter (my brain) and if deemed worthy for further syndication, finds itself on the sidebar. The topics of the articles widely vary, but all of them are interesting.

Have a nice day.

May Cleaning?

2008-05-04T19:23:00.009-05:00

This previous week has been terrible to me, in terms of class and life in general. My room mirrored the disarray of my mind. I had hundreds of papers scattered around, trash and important documents mingling together, breeding god-forsaken spawn. Food wrappings and a dirty plate were on my desk. Some of the mounds were coated in dust, from weeks of neglect. I had maybe 8 square inches of free space.

The weather was wonderful today. The air smelled clean, fresh. Blossoms bloomed, and the temperature was perfect. I couldn't stand the difference stark difference between my room and the park outside my window. So I cleaned everything up. Only my essentials are on my desk now -- everything else filed or thrown away. With a clean desk, my mind feels at ease.

My thinking is not distracted by the clutter surrounding me. My productivity has increased. I am less stressed.

Maybe you should clean your room as well.

Iron Man

2008-05-03T13:40:00.004-05:00

Went to the movie last night, at the local cinema. About two hours long. There were no "boring" points. The flow of action and story was kept constant. Characters were not multidimensional, but that did not seem the detract much from the movie. Action was solid. The gadgets were salivatingly sweet.

The story seems typical for Good vs Evil type movies. Lots of quips, highly contextual one-liners. If you haven't seen the trailers yet, the suit is awesome. And so is the naively idealistic Stark (surname of main character). I liked the film, laughing a lot.

At the time of this writing, the IMDb rating for Iron Man is 8.4.
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 94% fresh rating.

Have a nice day.

Jesse Jackson - Quote

2008-05-01T10:33:00.003-05:00

I've been busy for the last couple days, so here is a quote for ya.

"There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life,” Jesse Jackson once told an audience, “than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery--then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”

Have a nice day!

GTA IV

2008-04-28T16:13:00.005-05:00

Violence, cohesive and well polished, sells. And obviously, critics love it as well. GTA IV (Grand Theft Auto IV) received near-perfect ratings across the board from reviewers, while users were a bit more...critical.

Metacritic's review roundup can be found here.

More information about GTA from Wikipedia here.

Have a nice day!

Deadlift

2008-04-28T10:38:00.005-05:00

I really like deadlifts.

They leave me dizzy and light-headed. I stopped using gloves, so the bar chafes and leaves my hands calloused. It's a pain getting the weights onto the bar without everything rolling around.

I look like an idiot, heaving and huffing to lift up some weights. I scream and curse at the 255 lbs on the bar lying in front of me. My face flushes red with blood, my body shakes with effort. The girls giggle as they walk past me. The guys just stare. My friends make fun of me. But damn it all, I don't see them lifting as much as I can!

I listen to the thud, feel the ground shake as I drop the weights after my last repetition of the set. It's satisfying to hear the weights rack groan under the mass of what I was just lifting. I walk away from this part of the gym, content.

I'm sore now. But it feels good.

The Perry Bible Fellowship

2008-04-27T16:12:00.007-05:00

I couldn't help but post this.

Click on the picture to go to his main page. Nicholas, you twisted genius.

Have a nice day!

Workout Plan

2008-04-26T19:34:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago, I changed the manner in which I workout. A three day split (front upper body, back upper body, legs) was not giving me any further results. Day in, day out, I was struggling to lift the same amount of weight -- no improvement in my recovery, my appearance, my workout. In other words, I had hit a plateau.

Anyone who lifts for an extended period of time can testify the frustration caused by a plateau. It feels as though all the effort put into your workout is wasted. You have a hard time just trying to maintain the weight you lifted the previous exercise session, much less attempt to improve. After a couple weeks in this rut, you should realize that the plateau is not going to resolve itself.

The human body adapts as best it can to external stressors, exercise included. A plateau can be seen as your body becoming accustomed to a certain routine, or a certain set of exercise. But whatever the cause, the ideal manner in which to approach this obstacle is quite simple.

Rest for a week. Take a break from any heavy weight lifting and just do cardio 2 or 3 times that week. Then shock your system. Change up your exercise plan. Do different exercises, different splits, or no splits at all.

So, from the three day split, I converted to a 4 day, total body workout. It's not 4 days of the same workout, but four different total body workouts, catered to a certain major exercise (deadlift, bench press, squat). Depending on how well it works, I may post a more detailed schedule.

Have a nice day!

TIP: 101 Health and Wellness Tips

2008-04-24T19:29:00.008-05:00

Look, Shamiq is actually posting a tip!

Fiona King, from RNCentral, linked me to a post on (I'm assuming) her website with some tips about keeping healthy, managing stress, etc. Ideally, each one of these tips warrants it's own article, but nonetheless, the information is valuable to someone completely new to the whole do-well-for-yourself idea.

The text can be found here: http://www.rncentral.com/nursing-library/ca.../

NOTE:It seems that I was not the only blogger receiving her email. A google search makes this fact pretty evident: Google. Eh, take it as you will.

Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley

2008-04-23T00:23:00.004-05:00

First published in 1818, this poem is known for it's striking images and powerful diction. The message of this poem clings to the reader -- the meaning obvious.

OZYMANDIAS

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Have a nice day!

WinRAR's far reaching claims

2008-04-22T12:58:00.005-05:00

I was on the WinRAR website today, reading a bit of their advertising. For those who do not know, WinRAR is a popular archiving software used to pack and maintain multiple files and directories as one file. It can provide some basic security, but all of this is beside the point.

What interested me the most from their advertising is this statement:

WinRAR supports files and archives up to 8,589 billion gigabytes in size. The number of archived files is, for all practical purposes, unlimited.

Though I am not on the bleeding edge in terms of technical knowledge, I do have some degree of competency.

So how the hell do you test a statement like that for accuracy?

WinRAR's benefits page:
http://www.rarlab.com/rar_archiver.htm

April 22 is Earth Day

2008-04-22T07:44:00.005-05:00

But honestly, having just one day dedicated to environmental awareness is just about completely useless. It takes more than 24 hours for someone to try and change consumption habits. If someone truly wishes to have any significant impact, he ought to work ceaselessly at this one goal. A thorough education is much preferred to a day of hippies jumping around.

I maintain my mode of life, regardless of what the calendar says. I don't need an Earth Day to be conservative with a limited set of resources. Seriously guys, grow up.

Weekends are for movies

2008-04-20T21:33:00.013-05:00

Sunday nights, I like to pull away from my homework and watch a movie. Around 7 or 8 pm, I look through my DVD library, searching for a film I haven't seen recently. I turn down the lights, put on my headphones, and recline my desk chair. Nothing should interfere.

I forget about what presses me and I immerse myself in the film. The headphones block out external noises. The darkness hides my work. After the opening credits have faded away and the movie starts, the illusion nears completion. Within twenty minutes, the escape is complete.

I remove from my mind the protective blocks I need. I no longer must deal with the constant barrage of modern life. No direct advertisements, no attacks on my mind. Disbelief is completely suspended. Anything shown can happen, nothing is too extreme. For the next 80 minutes, I am completely at the whims of the director. I become his willing, self-designated slave. He controls my emotions -- I am merely a marionette on strings.

As much as I loathe those who refuse to employ their mental capacities, for these few minutes I join their company. I am no longer Shamiq, just another dude watchin' a movie.

Refreshing, yet also distinctly disturbing. My mode of thought for 80 minutes is what some individuals maintain for the entirety of their lives. The blind, dumb belief in whatever is presented by an "authority," any authority. How can they willing swill in their ignorance, like pigs in a sty? Please, for the good of mankind, doubt. Learn to disbelieve. Question, take the airs of a skeptic. Enlighten us, bring about a modern Renaissance.

We require growth as much as we require change. To what avail is singularity, uniqueness, if it merely alters our current state of existence without leading to something better than it? If you want to be different, do it in a manner superior to our normal existence -- transcend!

And think about it more.

Friends who aren't friends

2008-04-19T08:18:00.004-05:00

Some people are friends in name, but not in action:

Unhelpful
Uninterested in well-being of others
Make empty promises
Spread false information
Restrict communication
Use others as "friends of last resort"

The list goes on, but the message is fairly clear. If I have done this, I apologize. But if you are the perpetrator, you ought to apologize to your "friend" -- he or she deserves better.

Have a nice day!

Thoughts that arise while working

2008-04-17T19:36:00.006-05:00

It's quite surprising how stifling freedom can be. When I am most free, I do the least. I while away time, doing nothing worth a damn. I'll sit in front of a book, staring at pages. I'll pen the first line of an essay, then just wait for the rest of it to write itself. But...

When I'm interred by the sheer magnitude of life, then I am moving at relativistic speeds, doing things I had never imagined possible, well beyond my preconceived capabilities. I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere. The pieces fit together, the rusty machine jump-starts, flying into action. I become a fiend, feeding off of the frenzied flurry, a veritable flood of activity.

The human body can create growth hormone in response to physical stressors. Perhaps the mind responds in a similar manner.

The Moon is for Sale

2008-04-17T13:08:00.005-05:00

As an experienced internet surfer, I have a tendency of finding some completely outrageous websites, from strange fetishes to unreal products.

Typically, I can count on a website being a machine-generated spam site, attempting to hawk some miracle cure for removing abdominal fat and turning me into a super model. But sometimes, I find offers which can only be classified as completely ludicrous.

Ludicrous thing of the day is: http://www.lunarregistry.com/.

Self-dubbed "Earth's Leading Lunar Real Estate Agent", they are selling properties on the moon starting at $18.95 an acre, and going up based on...location? I have no idea how they are using this as a retail model, but for the terrestrially-bound among us, the idea is ridiculous.

Perhaps I am not a visionary, but this is just absurd.

Find anything otherworldly? Send it in!

Ahh! Amazon!

2008-04-16T23:02:00.005-05:00

Seems like Amazon is getting very aggressive with what it is labeling on the blog. I'm going to try and fix that now. Sorry for all the links to Amazon and it's products!

I'm addicted...

2008-04-16T22:14:00.005-05:00

to Google Reader.

I've accumulated a ton of feeds which I find particularly interesting and thought provoking. But perhaps an even more intriguing aspect of having multiple, relatively similar sources of news is the ability to watch a topic or trend unfold into the limelight. Over the course of a day or two, you can see ramifications of particularly hot pieces of news disseminate across the internet, different views filtering in from different sources.

To keep things interesting, I've decided to create a public shared list for articles that are just too cool to be left alone.

You can find it here.
Or if you want, there is also an atom feed for it here.

Have a nice day!

Everyone is blogging...

2008-04-15T19:47:00.004-05:00

Remember that class reading I spoke of yesterday? Well, I've come to find out that my professor has her own website/blog. It's called Knowledge Problem, and from the looks of it, she's had it up since June 2002.

As you can guess, she (and her fellow blogger Michael Giberson) focus on relevant economic issues of our time. Who knows...maybe if I can drive enough traffic to her blog, she'll give me an A.

Have a nice day!

Mokyr on Technology

2008-04-14T21:03:00.012-05:00

From time to time, as I do reading for a class, I find short, witty quotes which truly represent the essence of the topic at hand. Today, perusing The Economic History of Britain Since 1700, I ran across a section written by one of Northwestern's own: Joel Mokyr.

The main focus of this section is the effect of technological change in an economy. The point that Mokyr is trying to argue is fairly simple to follow. Though the industrial revolution gained most of it's impetus via constant, small improvements in already existing technologies, you cannot discount the worth of much larger, more dramatic inventions. A revolution by parts, bits and pieces, some smaller than others, forming a grand sum-total.

Talk about it with a friend:

No matter how you improve the horse-and-buggy, it will never become a bicycle.

Flowers Losing Smell

2008-04-13T10:01:00.005-05:00

That was the title of an article posted by LiveScience:

Spring's bloom may not smell so sweet anymore, as pollutants from power plants and automobiles destroy flowers' aromas, a new study suggests.

The finding could help explain why some pollinators, particularly bees, are declining in certain parts of the world.

Researchers at the University of Virginia created a mathematical model of how the scents of flowers travel with the wind. The scent molecules produced by the flowers readily bond with pollutants such as ozone, which destroys the aromas they produce.

So instead of wafting for long distances with the wind, the flowery scents are chemically altered. Essentially, the flowers no longer smell like flowers.

"The scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment, such as in the 1800s, could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 meters [3,300 to 4,000 feet]; but in today's polluted environment downwind of major cities, they may travel only 200 to 300 meters [650 to 980 feet]," said study team member Jose D. Fuentes.

With flowers no longer advertising their presence over as large an area, pollinators are forced to search farther and longer to pick up the hint of their scent. They may also have to rely more on their sight than what they smell.

Bees depend on flower nectar for food, and if they have a hard time finding the flowers, they can't sustain their populations. Other studies, along with the experiences of farmers, have indicated that bee populations are dropping in places such as California and the Netherlands. Fuentes and his team think air pollution may be the reason.

The research, funded by the National Science Foundation, is detailed online in the journal Atmospheric Environment.

Sad news for all the flower sniffers (myself included). But think on the bright side, if you can smell flowers, at least you know they are relatively close.

Have a nice day!

Shamiq can read!

2008-04-12T10:32:00.009-05:00

Two days ago, I finished reading Nietzsche's Antichrist. I won't be so preposterous to say that I was able to completely follow his reasoning in my cursory examination. But nonetheless, he brings up some very cogent arguments against religions. And he is quite unequivocal regarding his views of Christianity. If you didn't know, he's the opposite of a believer.

And by the way, be careful of bringing up his ideas in a room full of adamantly religious people. I was forced to take the role of his supporter in a very heated, intellectual discussion regarding religion. I am typically wary about arguing about beliefs and faith, but I honestly couldn't help myself. The exploratory opportunities were too vast to be ignored!

I have begun reading an English translation of Les Miserables. Hopefully, the discussions about this epic won't be as vitriolic. But who knows?

Have a nice day!

Apologies

2008-04-09T19:36:00.006-05:00

I'm sorry for not posting everyday. It seems that a fifth class eats up a significant portion of the free time I had, and between keeping up with all of my homework, hitting the gym, and going to said classes, I barely have time to breathe. And to tell the truth, I'm liking it.

I'm finding that the more free time I have, the less work I actually do. So I decided to push it this quarter and take that fifth class. As you can guess, having so much work forces me to get it done in a timely fashion. I know I cannot procrastinate, and that knowledge is the impetus driving me to finish more of my work.

I've also all but abandoned video games. Instead of wasting my time there, I have begun to read more, keeping myself up-to-date on the happenings of our world. It's pretty easy to do with Google Reader -- they even have some starter news feeds for different topics of interest. And if I am bored by the rising and falling of gold prices because of changes in the dollar's strength, I've got Nietzsche, Kant, and a lot of other philosophers I can turn to, gaining erudition.

For the sounds of it, you would think I am turning into a new person...

Have a nice day!

Long days, short nights.

2008-04-07T18:30:00.005-05:00

I'm glad that the days are getting longer. Otherwise, I would go insane. Today was an example of life at it's finest.

I left the apartment at 8:30 AM. I've been at the University all day. And I will be unable to return until 9:30 PM. It makes me wonder where filmmakers concocted the idea of college being so relaxed. I also haven't called my parents in a couple days -- Sorry!

In other news, I bumped into a very interesting comic strip today entitled "garfield minus garfield." The premise:

Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.

The first comic starts on: http://garfieldminusgarfield.tumblr.com/post/26270938
.

Hope your day has been better than mine!

Good Luck!

2008-04-06T15:46:00.006-05:00

My two roommates are off at the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest. The actual competition begins on Wednesday, but their flight left today. Quite a few of the readers of this blog know them, so send them an email wishing them the best of luck. They'll be crushing the competition for the glory of Northwestern University!

Out of 6700 teams competing around the world, our team is 1 of 100 to advance to the World Finals. Also, this is the last time that either one of them can participate in the competition. As Nikola said before leaving, "I have been preparing eight years for this."

So once again, good luck!

Spring Saturday

2008-04-05T11:33:00.006-05:00

The first Saturday of the spring quarter. And it really does feel like spring. The high for today and tomorrow hovers around 60F. The skies are bright blue, perfectly clear. I can hear the birds merrily chirping, see the squirrels scampering around. The weather is amazing, the people are even more so.

This quarter is starting off well.

In addition to the courses I had listed earlier, I have decided to attend a computer programming class as well. It's a very basic, low-key introduction to C programming. Officially, I am not in the class, but the professor is allowing me access to the materials. It is a bit more work for me to do this quarter, but I think I can handle it. And speaking of work, I have laundry to do. So pardon me as I jauntily skip off.

Hope your day is as beautiful as mine!

Busy

2008-04-03T10:16:00.009-05:00

The Spring Quarter at Northwestern started on Monday, and by Thursday I already feel behind! For those who care to know, my class schedule is as follows:

Organic Chemistry: 09:00 AM - 09:50 AM MTWThF
Organic Chemistry Lab: 01:00 PM - 05:50 PM F
Spanish: 12:00 PM - 12:50 PM MWF
Microeconomics: 02:00 PM - 03:20 PM TTh and 02:00 PM - 02:50 PM M
Western European Economic History: 11:00 AM - 12:20 PM TTh

And I've decided to sit-in on a computer science course: Introduction to C Programming. Even so early in this quarter, I'm excited by the breadth of information presented by these classes. The economic history course seems to be the most interesting. The professor is extremely energetic and determined to have students involved with her lectures. She is, as they say, enlightened.

For the Northwestern folk: I'm thinking about having a get-together at our apartment, pending the approval of the Bulgarians (and Julia). I'll personally inform you of any plans we make.

Have a nice day!

LibriVox: Free Audio Books

2008-04-01T21:43:00.004-05:00

Ever since I started writing this blog, I have developed a near pathological urge to inform whichever poor soul that reads this about useful, free resources I find on the web. And LibriVox really helps to feed this impulse.

LibriVox is an initiative to make all public domain books available in audio form, and thus to open up a world of literature to those who cannot access it in more traditional formats. Also, it's a great way for someone like myself to indulge in the joys of storytelling by a raconteur.

Listening to some of the more skilled readers is completely captivating.

And if you have become tired of merely taking from the public domain without returning anything of your own, feel free to volunteer and help bring LibriVox's goal to fruition.

Link: LibriVox

Have a nice day!

Studying Tools: OpenCourseWare from MIT

2008-03-31T18:37:00.007-05:00

This one is for the more self-motivated readers. MIT offers what amounts to virtually the sum-total of it's classes to everyone, free of charge. No sign up or registration required. Even better, the courses are compressed into easy to download .zip files.

MIT is committed to advancing education and discovery through knowledge open to everyone.

OCW shares free lecture notes, exams, and other resources from more than 1800 courses spanning MIT's entire curriculum.

In our modern era, information is becoming evermore freely available. The main task is how we assimilate, and then employ this information.

Link: OpenCourseWare

Have a nice day!

Free eBooks: WOWIO

2008-03-30T22:05:00.004-05:00

Hooray free!

I bumped into a website that allows you to download many commercial books for free. The service is called WOWIO. A few caveats:

3 books per day, no more than 30 in a month
Books can't be redistributed
USA only

And a slightly more important restriction...

WOWIO requires a non-anonymous email address to authenticate your identity
(e.g., email accounts from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc., are not allowed). If your only
email account is anonymous, click 'Back' to choose another authentication method.

Registration required, and seems to be ad supported.

Link: WOWIO: Free Books + Free Minds

Have a nice day!

Back from the Break

2008-03-29T21:20:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm back from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I should start up with the posts again tomorrow. Look for a review of Hilton Head Island as a spring break location, and perhaps a couple pictures.

Have a nice day!

Spring Break

2008-03-21T23:44:00.003-05:00

I'm gone for a week. Going to basically sever myself from the uberconnectivity of the internet. If you want to reach me, shoot an email at:

i.shamiq@googlemail.com

Take care and stay safe, I'll be looking for you when I get back.

Tips for Traveling Light

2008-03-21T11:52:00.007-05:00

Leo Babauta, blogger extraordinaire of Zen Habits, has posted a laundry list of tips for traveling light. With spring breaks about to start for many people, this would an ideal read to help streamline traveling.

He suggests keeping everything simple, from the what kinds and quantities of clothing packed to planned itineraries (which brings up an interesting article about planning).

He recounts the typical bad experience, and then proceeds to give us the tips;

Many of us have had the nightmare experience of lugging around too much luggage, waiting in the baggage claims area, trying to cram too many activities into each day, and generally being so stressed that we need a vacation when we get home.

Instead, simplify your travel.

Full Article Link: Zen Habits.

Safe Travels!

First Day of Spring: Goals

2008-03-20T09:57:00.009-05:00

According to my wall calendar (which I recommend everyone ought to use), the first day of spring is upon us! Just like New Years, I use this day to set new goals and check the progresses of my old ones. Nothing like a bit of spring cleaning for the mind to keep your momentum going, or a swift kick in the ass to move out of a rut.

So how to reevaluate goals?

Take the original goal and write it down on a blank sheet of paper. Now underneath this goal, write out the sub-parts, the real meat behind it. Say your goal was to learn how to play guitar. Underneath this heading, you would list things like "learn the E chord" or "Practice 1 hour, three times a week". As you list out these pieces, keep in mind what you have been able to do, and what remains needing to be done, and what seems impossible to do.

With the list generated, it's time to work through the list from the top and discuss the importance of each section. Sometimes, you'll find that each fragment could easily be considered a whole new goal. Often times, we'll notice what we originally considered to be a goal was actually a conglomeration of multiple smaller, but relatively independent goal.

Back to the guitar example, it may be more practical to take this goal and chop it up into multiple, more palatable pieces. Make the smaller goals doable, and give yourself just enough time to accomplish them. Now, your goal of learning how to play the guitar is 5 or 6 smaller goals, which add up to the same whole.

This method intrinsically provides a planning mechanism. It forces you to approach the issue practically and methodically, providing a mechanism to accomplish those huge, insane dreams of ours.

Hope this helps!

Last Final

2008-03-19T21:11:00.003-05:00

I have one final left.
This is not a poem.
It just happens
To look like one.

Blank

2008-03-18T11:18:00.004-05:00

I stared at the exam.
It stared right back.
I lost.
But I'll be back.

A Poem: CH4

2008-03-18T07:56:00.007-05:00

I looked at you.
You looked at me.
But all I saw
Was Organic Chemistry

Studying Tip: Cram Time!

2008-03-16T10:57:00.008-05:00

Since Northwestern operates on a wacky quarter schedule, it is time for me to take another round of finals. Yes, a Northwestern Undergraduate takes 50% more finals than someone on the traditional semester system, but think of all the extra wonderful knowledge you can obtain if you come to school here!

In an attempt to help with cramming tips, Degreedirectory.org has compiled a short how-to on cramming for exams. Though it may not be the most recommended form of studying, cramming can help you pull off that photo finish, if you know how to do so.

Their first piece of advice is the most important:

Panicking isn't going to help at this point, so don't bother. Instead, take a few deep breaths and calmly assess the situation.

Hope this helps with midterms for normal student, and finals for crazed Northwestern students.

Link: How To Cram for a College Exam

Have a nice day!

I like pi

2008-03-14T20:35:00.004-05:00

A message from my friend at Mhm Yum. Go check it out.

Have a nice day!

Pandora Alternative for Europeans

2008-03-13T12:45:00.008-05:00

Since Pandora doesn't officially work for out of US customers, I've looked around a bit to see what else the net offers. One website that continually comes up is Musicovery. This is a French based company which offers a similar service as Pandora. The website is pretty interesting and easy enough to learn.

I've heard reports that they do not offer as much of a choice as Pandora does, but something is always greater than nothing (1>0). If any of the international readers have any suggestions, I would love to hear it.

And did I mention it looks really cool?

Link found on: David Report Blog

Link: Musicovery

More Free Software

2008-03-12T19:36:00.007-05:00

I found another website which has compiled a lot of useful computer programs for college students. The page is entitled SoftwareFor.org: Home of Software for Starving Students. What they have done is taken a lot of freely available software and compiled it to one CD. So Mac and Windows users can download the CD, and follow the guides they have set up to install the software.

I love the first question in the Q&A section:

Q: Why do you do this?
A: The cost of a college education is always increasing -- usually faster than students can earn money. We hope our efforts will help lower students' software costs.

Don't forget, all of this software is free for private users!

Link: SoftwareFor.org

Have a nice day!

Studying Tool: Pandora

2008-03-11T08:58:00.008-05:00

Often times, when the material we are reading isn't interesting enough to completely capture our attention, a bit of background music can really prolong the duration of our studying. I admit, my rock collection does not serve me well in these scenarios, but I do have the option of creating an internet radio account and listening to some more "useful" music.

Our spotlight today is on Pandora Radio. Pandora dubs itself "a new kind of radio - stations that play only music you like," and the technique they use to pick only music we like can be twisted to our own benefit. For example, we know that jazz music creates a great environment for studying. You can either type in a song name or the name of an artist. Based off of this, it will play music which it thinks best suits your specifications. If you don't know any artists or song names, you can type in the genre, and Pandora will load a list of stations other users have created with that type of music.

If, for some reason, Pandora loads a song you do not like, simply mark it with the thumbs down. It will move on to another song, and try to avoid songs which are similar to the one you dislike. On some of my stations, I've gotten to the point where no songs receive the thumbs down, but on others I may skip 2 or 3 in a row.

If you create an account with Pandora, it will remember the stations you have created. From then on, a simple login and you have all the music at your disposal.

NOTE: Pandora is U.S. only.

Thanks to the way our music licensing works, you have to live in the United States to use Pandora. You also have to be at least 13 years old. Pandora can only be used if you are in the United States.

Link: http://pandora.com

Have a nice day!

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts

2008-03-09T14:33:00.012-05:00

I purchased Ghosts I-IV last night. It's the first time I've paid to listen to music since high school. It's the new 36 track collection by Nine Inch Nails. And it is shamazing. Purely instrumental, Ghosts relies on various synthesizers and all kinds of strange items to create the distinct NIN sound, a surreal medley of noises which meld perfectly into a cohesive whole. Ghost I is available to freely download and if you please, you can download the rest of the tracks for a paltry $5.

And I am sorry for lying to you. I wanted to get my hair cut yesterday, but alas time did not permit. Hopefully, I will be able to rid myself of this extra baggage before Spring Break starts, but who knows.

Hasta luego!

Haircut

2008-03-08T10:02:00.007-06:00

Every couple of months, when I decide I don't want to mess with my hair anymore, I get it cut short. Mornings are greatly simplified by short hair. Easier and faster to shower, usually doesn't need combing, and I can concentrate on getting in that last bit of studying in the morning before class. Of course, it may not be the most stylish of haircuts, but it gets the job done. I will post a couple pictures after the cut.

The dance marathoners are still going strong. Just thinking about 30 hours of virtually non-stop dancing makes me woozy, but the best of luck to them! Anyway, I need to get back to finals preparations.

Have a nice day!

Finals approach

2008-03-07T16:23:00.008-06:00

Classes are winding down, and reading week is about to begin. This has been a pretty tough quarter thus far, but I actually cannot wait for finals. Quite simply, the faster they get here, the faster I will be on spring break. And dammit all if this spring break isn't perfect.

My roommates and a friend are planning on going to Hilton's Head Island from March 23 until March 28. We've rented a condo, and I don't plan on doing anything other than relaxing, trying to recover before the next quarter starts. I'll try to post some pictures when we get back, but no guarantees (this depends on the condition of my camera).

But anyway, I have to go support my friends dancing for Dance Marathon. For those who don't know, it's a huge fund raiser that Northwestern does. You ought to donate--it's for a good cause.

Stop Wasting Time Online - Wired How-To Wiki

2008-03-06T19:24:00.013-06:00

Any time I find an interesting article that could potentially be useful, I like to share it. This one is a bit funnier than usual. I was wasting time until I bumped into an article about how to stop wasting time, and a couple (free) tools to aid in this quest.

The Web is replacing the TV as the #1 time-thief in our lives. And, unlike the TV, the Web does not respect the boundaries of work. Thus the time you spend on the web "working" is inherently intertwined with the time you spend "playing."

I will undoubtedly use Temptation Blocker during my "productive times" and see if it actually helps. I have a feeling I will eventually "forget" to turn it on. But even a couple more productive days is a boost.

Link: Stop Wasting Time Online - Wired How-To Wiki

Hope it helps!

Wednesday Morning

2008-03-05T12:16:00.006-06:00

Eyes open.
What time is it? Where's my phone?
Oh, it's only 8:26. I can sleep a bit longer.
8:59. I'm up before the alarm again...that's strange.
What day is it today? Um...Wednesday.
Do I have any work? Work work work, I always have work. What's that noise outside?
It's the street cleaner. Did it snow? A siren now. What happened? Who cares.
Did I have any work? What time is it?

Mornings are disorienting.

Cool Tool: Marker Board Walls

2008-03-04T10:15:00.001-06:00

I always wanted a huge whiteboard for my room, but given the prohibitively expensive price, I never bothered to get one. Instead, I've been bound to using pen and paper for all of my work and brainstorming. I can't think of a more fun way to do that kind of work. To my good fortune, I bumped into this piece which details how to make one of your own cheaply: Cool Tool: Marker Board Walls.

Do I smell a project?

Microsoft Professional and Designer Tools, Free

2008-03-03T09:16:00.009-06:00

If you live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium and attend an accredited university, or are a member of a participating organization in one of those countries, Microsoft is offering you free developer tools via a program called DreamSpark.

These tools include:

Expression Studio
Sql Server 2005 Express
Sql Server Developer Edition
Virtual PC 2007
Visual Basic 2005
Visual C++ 2005
Visual C# 2005
Visual J# 2005
Visual Studio 2008
Visual Web Developer 2005
Visual Studio 2005 Professional
Windows Server 2003
XNA Game Studio

This tool set would run a normal customer a couple hundred dollars, but Microsoft just loves students. And probably wants to make the next generation of computer programmers hooked on MS products. Whatever the case, go get your free stuff!

Here's the link again: DreamSpark.

And you can read a bit more about it on the DreamSpark FAQ.

Studying Tools: Wikibooks

2008-03-02T22:38:00.007-06:00

One of my newest finds is wikibooks. Think of it as an open to edit textbook for almost any subject. Say you want to learn German -- they have a textbook for it.

Or maybe you are interested in Hindi? They have that too.

Basic advice for using this resource:

Read your text book. If you can't understand it...
Search for it on wikibooks and see if you can find the course material there.
If you need more help, check out wikiversity (here is their organic chemistry page).
Now if none of this works, go to office hours and seek "professional" assistance. I mean, college costs money, so take advantage of what they give you.

Hope this helps with the studying! Remember: Study long, study hard, then take a break.

Sunday Morning Bliss

2008-03-02T12:40:00.003-06:00

Awake at 8:30.

In my gym clothes by 9:15.

At the gym by 9:30.

Back home at 11:15.

Out of the shower at 11:45.

Lunch at 12.

Blogging at 12:40.

51 Fahrenheit later today.

Sunday, March 2, 2008 has been a great day.

Our online lives

2008-03-01T16:52:00.004-06:00

From time to time, I'll stumble across something online that really makes me stop and think. Today, I ran across a site called Gmail dot Net. In itself, it is completely harmless. An anonymous medium through which the masses of the internet can post messages. Theoretically, there is a topic, such as today's "Is Barack Obama qualified to be president?" However, a user is free to post just about anything he or she wishes.

This is the series of posts which bothered me, made me think:

An anonymous plea for human interaction, or just another dumb kid on his computer trying to mess with people? We will never know who it was, or why they begged for human contact. We just know that someone out there asked for help, and didn't get it.

Studying Tip: Frinday Afternoon Planning

2008-02-29T19:06:00.005-06:00

Friday night is typically the ideal time to recover from a hard week, but I find I keep on worrying about the week as I try to enjoy myself. So I've designed a little tactic that not only helps me relax better, but also keeps me focused when I need to work.

The approach:

Take a sheet of paper, and title it something like "Work" or my usual "Homework for Tonight".
Write down the major areas where you have work to complete, be they classes or types of chores.
Write down all the work you have to do, from now till some specified future time (perhaps until next Friday)
Take this list, and prioritize the items within each area.
Then, prioritize the areas themselves.
Now just forget about it all for tonight!

The results:

You have a plan for the whole week.
You can relax better Friday night because you have a plan for the rest of the week.
You won't forget to do something -- you have it all written down already!

Enjoy Friday night!

New York Times: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors

2008-02-27T17:28:00.010-06:00

Interesting article over at the New York Times. It discusses a bit about human psychology, mainly talking about our inclination to have as many open choices as possible, even if it hurts us in the long run. Definitely a recommended read for those who are having a hard time juggling everything.

Link to article.

New Feature!

2008-02-27T10:00:00.002-06:00

Underneath the about me section, I added a small widget called Google ChatBack. Anytime I am signed into my Google Account, you can click on the Chat with Shamiq button and it will open up a window for you to chat with me. I get a notification from google talk saying that you've messaged me, and I can join the chat. Talk about instant communication...now I can't hide from you!

Google Talk's official blog has more information on ChatBack, and information on how to add it to your own website or blog.

Google Talkabout: Google Talk chatback

Still Alive

2008-02-26T19:24:00.011-06:00

Organic Chemistry was in the morning. It was terrible. I felt like I squandered a year and a half of my life for no purpose. And I am quite definitely in the worst mood I have ever been. I was yelling at the dishes in the sink for not being clean. How can I possibly be more irrational? It would probably be a good idea to take the rest of the night off, but I do not have time to waste.

Like I've said before, the work starts, but never ends. I'm starting to agree with Bertrand A. Russell: Education is one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought.

Let me go free!

Break Time

2008-02-23T00:59:00.006-06:00

With an Organic Chemistry exam looming on the horizon, I am inclined to hold off posting until Tuesday afternoon. Hope you have a good weekend!

-Shamiq

Mhm Yum's Guide to Napping

2008-02-22T09:34:00.007-06:00

Feisty G, over at Mhm Yum!, has posted a nice guide to daytime napping. Though the specifics are tailored toward Northwestern students, her general guidelines are applicable to everyone.

Oh, the nap! What a delightful gift to the college student! It is the opportunity to rest one's eyes in any number of locales and for many ranges of times. Today I will discuss some good places on campus for a decent nap, and some other sleepy strategies.

Read the rest of her piece at Mhm Yum!: The Nap.