mikal – Page 47 – Made by Mikal

Emerald Sea

Post author:mikal
Post published:March 1, 2011
Post category:Book

This book is really a book (Emerald Sea) and a novella (In a Time of Darkness) both of which follow on from There Will Be Dragons. Emerald Sea is more self-indulgent than the previous book, and isn't as strong as the first. It is still quite readable. In a Time of Darkness has a very awkward set of subject matter (the keeping of a harem girl against her will), which will make many readers uncomfortable, and isn't as strong a story as either of the first two stories in this series. [isbn: 1416509208;9781416509202]

Being Geek

Post author:mikal
Post published:March 1, 2011
Post category:Book

This book by long time Apple engineering manager, as well as startup employee, Michael Lopp is a guide to how to manage geeks. That wasn't really what I was expecting -- which is sort of the inverse. I was hoping for a book about how to be a geek who has to deal with management. This book helps with that, by offering the inverse perspective, but I'd still like to see a book from my direction. The book is well written, in a conversational and sometimes profane manner (a comment I see others make about his other book "Managing Humans"). I think that's ok in this context, where it feels as if Michael is having a personal conversation with you the reader. An overly formal tone here would cause the content to be much more boring, and its already dry enough. I'm not sure I agree with everything said in the book, but the first half resonated especially strongly with me. [isbn: 9780596155407;0596155409]

Margarita Mix

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 12, 2011
Post category:Cooking

I've had trouble sourcing an acceptable Margarita Mix now that we're back in Australia. You can get the Jose Cuervo stuff, but it is $10 for a liter bottle. Instead, I've been making my own, which is nicer than the store stuff and cheaper to make as well. It is also ultra simple to make. Here's how: Put two cups of white sugar in a pot with four cups of water. Heat on the stove stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Turn this mix off and let it cool down slowly on the stove. It should be quite thick when cooled, and there should be no visible sugar crystals any more. When the liquid is cool, add a cup of fresh lime juice and a cup of fresh lemon juice. Stir thorough. Pour the result into a bottle and stick it in the fridge. It should store for a couple of weeks, and I am told it freezes ok as well.

Canberra officially expresses interest in hosting LCA in 2013

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 9, 2011
Post category:Conference

For those playing along at home, you will have noticed that there is a pretty keen group of people in Canberra who intend to bid for LCA 2013. Linux Australia has now called for formal expressions of interest, and I just sent ours in. I wont repost it here, but instead will suggest you checkout the thread in the mailman archive. [btags:]

There Will Be Dragons

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 7, 2011
Post category:Book

I bought this book randomly when I saw it at a charity book sale. While the title is kid of odd, its actually quite a good read. The book is sort of a science fiction fantasy novel, set in the far future with a reasonably plausible plot line. There are a few elements that I feel could be explained a bit better, but overall the book is quite good. I'll be buying the next one in the series. [isbn: 0743488598]

Rendezvous With Rama

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 7, 2011
Post category:Book

This is a classic book, so I expected a lot from it. I was a little disappointed to be honest. The book is slow, although interesting. There chapters are all very short as well (around four or five pages), which is a little odd. There is a lot of potential with this concept, and I feel this book could have gone a lot further.

Slow cooker caramelized onions

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 6, 2011
Post category:Cooking

I was keen the other day on giving caramelizing onions in the slow cooker a go. It was comparatively simple, although I had trouble finding a site which had a complete set of instructions -- lots of sites say "it works", but don't give a lot of detail. So here's what I did: put 1.2 kilograms of diced onions in the slow cooker. Chuck 75 grams of butter on top, as well as a heaped soup spoon of brown sugar. Run the slow cooker on high for two hours, stirring hourly. Then turn the slow cooker down to low and run it for 14 hours, stirring when you're in the mood. Add a cup of chicken stock, which you stir though. Run the slow cooker for another hour with the lid off to dry stuff out. The stock gives a nice sheen to the onion, but doesn't really change the flavour. The finished product is lovely, and makes a great french onion dip.

Books read in January 2011

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 2, 2011
Post category:Book

Starbound Days of Air and Darkness Bad Science Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency The Apocalypse Troll

The mechanics of bidding for LCA

Post author:mikal
Post published:February 1, 2011
Post category:Conference

As I sit here reading the notes from the Future LCAs birds of a feather at LCA2011, I've come to the realization that most of the conversation was about the mechanics of what is required for an LCA bid. It can be daunting to know what needs to be done in order to have a successful bid for an event as complicated as LCA, especially if you've never been an organizer before. Its not clear that Canberra will have a successful bid for 2013 yet, but I think its a good idea to share what we've done so far if it helps others develop high quality bids. The first thing to think about is your team. At the BoF, it was strongly suggested that you need around five to six people for a good bid. I've seen conferences run with fewer people than that, but it is risky. LCA is a large and complicated event these days, and with a planning horizon of around two years, you need to be prepared for there to be a fair bit of churn in your core organizing team. Some people will move away, or change jobs. Others might have a new child and…

The Apocalypse Troll

Post author:mikal
Post published:January 30, 2011
Post category:Book

This is an interesting combination of a first contact story, a combat science fiction story, and a love story. It is very different from the other science fiction I've read recently, and I enjoyed it a lot. The book has a good beginning and ending, but is slow in the middle. I'm glad I kept at it though. [isbn: 0671578456]