Axodys

I just noticed that Python 2.2 was released today. I guess I’m going to have to see if I can actually get it to compile successfully under MacOS X when I get home tonight unless someone releases a binary distribution before then.

I first read about The Weather Underground in this Wired article a while back and discovered that they offer local local doppleras compared to weather.com’s regional doppler images. Their maps weren’t quite as nice though, so out of habit I’ve still used weather.com as my main source of weather information on the web. Well, no more.

As if the mismatch of panels weather.com has been calling an interface for the past few months wasn’t bad enough, they’ve gone from bad to worse with the addition of obnoxious full screen Flash based AT&T Wireless ads. The web is not television. Silent animated gifs are one thing, but I refuse to give you permission to take over my speakers and browser window to play Christmas tunes and the honking horn of a screen dominating orange snow plow. It’s completely unacceptable for you to drive across actual page content. I’m turning to Weather Underground for good.

SeaPIG, the Seattle Python Interest Group looks like it could be interesting. I’ll have to start exploring their Wiki a little bit soon.

Actually, during a very brief perusal of SEApig’s Wiki that I took immediately after writing the previous sentence I stumbled upon Cheetah, the Python-Powered Template Engine. That looks like a fairly interesting tool. I’m going to have to file that away for something to fiddle with later.

On top of everything else the Cheetah page also mentions that it integrates tightly with Webware for Python, a Python-powered application server and persistent servlet framework. It looks like Zope has a competitor of sorts in the Python realm. I’m definitely going to have to investigate further over my vacation.

Ambrosia Software finally released Deimos Rising a few days ago so I downloaded it tonight after work. Very cool and addictive. My Mars Rising skills are still intact, but my hands get fatigued pretty rapidly. Unfortunately it only took me about an hour’s worth of playing time to get as far as you can go without registering. Guess I’ll have to shell out twenty bucks soon. It’s a great deal for a high quality MacOS X game like this. The graphics are phenomenal, and the music really drives the pace.

Now I can’t wait to see what the third iteration of Escape Velocity looks like. If it’s graphics are as evolved as DR’s are to Mars Rising it will be stunnning.

Today felt a lot like a Friday for some reason. Perhaps it was the lack of staff and students at work now that the semester has come to an end. Tomorrow shouldn’t be too bad though. I’m definitely excited for my 11 day vacation to begin.

Of course I’ve stll got some significant shopping to take care of before Christmas and only four days left to take care of it. I’m amazed at how fast December has flown by this year.

GSL Scoring Top 5 Through Dec. 18

GSL Standings Through Dec. 19

Mead wins a thriller beats Ferris in seesaw OT game

That was by far the most exciting game I’ve watched in a while. The outcome was disappointing, but I give Mead all the credit in the world for battling back hard after a slow start. All I can say is it’s time for some more GSL teams to figure out how to defend Morrison. 21 points is a lot closer to what he should be averaging per game.

The other score of note from yesterday’s GSL games was Central Valley 63 Mt. Spokane 40. That puts CV all alone in the fourth spot in the standings with a 5-2 record. They’re going to be a dangerous team to the top tier teams in the second round. Mead and Ferris were the victors in their first meetings with the Bears, but Shadle Park finishes both rounds with games against CV. I like that match-up a lot because much like Ferris, CV has an inside game that will give the Highlanders problems.

Okay, this was too amusing not to mention, Auto Winer Generator. I especially liked the five possible moods:

• Happy Hippy
• Merry Mentor
• Paranoid
• Defiant
• Paranoid and Defiant

Of course I think someone could just as easily come up with an Auto Cam Generator.

Apparently Cam doesn’t appreciate his nomination for the Scripting News Awards.

I have no idea what specifically triggered it, but Cam really seems to have developed a passionate distaste for Dave Winer over the last couple years. While I think Dave can be fairly obnoxious at times, I read Scripting News virtually every day and I usually come away feeling entertained and informed. Dave isn’t perfect (far from it in fact) and at times it seems like he has a gift for rubbing people the wrong way, but I accept him warts and all. The important thing to me is that he’s an interesting guy that does interesting things with computers and the Internet. I just appreciate the fact that he takes the time on a daily basis to share his viewpoint with anyone who cares to tune in.