some wednesday night links

• Maybe this will help me quit smoking… James Hurman, a 30-year-old man from Auckland, N.Z., is selling his smoking habit to the highest bidder…

• This is interesting…. A Call Girl’s View of the Spitzer Affair…

Q. How do you think your life would change if prostitution were made legal?

A. I’m sure it would cause me to lower my rates. I’m sure more people would take up prostitution as a profession, and I am sure more men would partake in the activity.

• A boy named Sue, and a theory of names - ever since reading Freakonomics, I have found the connection between baby names and baby’s futures absolutely fascinating…

• “Stronger Woman” Compared To…? … regarding Jewel’s Stronger Woman video… This is supposed to be some kind of pro-woman / feminist message about loving yourself (by removing jewelry and other items meant to impress men?)…  While I don’t like the song itself (too country-chick for me), maybe I don’t get the message either.  Perhaps I’m already a stronger woman so I don’t get the appeal.  The whole time I was watching it, I was thinking stuff like nice dress and cool earrings and yay - a geisha!  Perhaps I am just shallow, but I liked the accessories these chicks kept removing.  And, based on the history of biology, I think it’s rather natural for a female to pretty herself up to attract male attention (although the reverse is usually true), so why fight it?
  

• Interesting trivia:  what John Doe (an identified person) is called throughout the world

wednesday afternoon, continued

So, it was definitely too early to go to the hot tub. Way too crowded (like 6 people in there!) and the sun was still out (too warm!). The pool was also crowded so I avoided that. There are actually three pools but the other two were reserved for parties of some kind (not for my conference!).

Now I suppose I will do some studying, perhaps some TV watching, and then later some dinner. I would like to go try some authentic cubanos, but 1.) I am too lazy to get a cab just to have some cubanos by myself and 2.) I’d kinda like to share the experience with my beloved (whom I miss terribly). Unless of course there is delivery…. nah….

Wednesday afternoon

Phew!  Finished the last session.  Now I’ve got lots of stuff to study up on and report back to the powers-that-be at work.

I’m considering getting some information security related certifications under my belt, and after the last session (on E-discovery) I have a strong urge to finish up my bachelors so I can get a J.D. (something I’ve always thought about and had a strong urge to do back when I took a business law class a few years ago).  I also would like to focus more on computer forensics and investigation.

And yeah, I also want to learn more web programming (PHP, Java, JavaScript, Perl, etc.) and web design (CSS, XML, Photoshop, etc.).  Not too sure where all of this intersects.   Add to that that I’d like to be a writer or an artist, and I’m not sure where that leaves me, except for in my 30’s and still not knowing what I want to be when I grow up.  Oh, yeah, and I’m perpetually lazy.

Now, what to do with the rest of my “vacation,” which ends tomorrow morning when I fly back home….  it feels too early for the hot tub / swimming option - probably still crowded with it being a nice, sunny day… too early for dinner - lunch was a hearty salad and some kind of lemony creamy dessert thingy (plus an indulgent chocolate chip cookie during break)…..  (one of the greatest things about being here is having fresh iced tea available all the time) ….

Anyway, those are my thoughts for now.

Wednesday morning

Slept in again til 8, purposely missing the keynote.  First sessions begin at 9:45 (25 minutes from now).  Again, I walked down in a smoke-less haze, got some breakfast and coffee, and sat down at an outside table.

Does everyone wake up so groggy or is it just a symptom of cigarette addiction?

I need to quit.

On the plus side, I have been getting more exercise than usual, what with the constant walking about and the daily laps in the pool.

Tuesday night

Sessions were not bad today.  Keynotes included one by Oliver North and one by John Ashcroft.  Another blissful dip in the hot tub and pool, followed by room service (french onion soup and some eggplant dip… way more than I can actually eat.

Tomorrow is my last day, but I am staying the night and flying out tomorrow.

Right now, just eating my dinner and doing a little surfing… here’s a couple of things of interest…

• Top 12 Things You Need To Be A Mad Scientist
• How to defend your coffee habit
• Brain Enhancement Drugs