SAS-sponsored symposium at the SAA - I

At the Society for American Archaeology meeting in Atlanta, April 22-26

Friday afternoon, April 24

Session 110
SYMPOSIUM BEYOND PROVENANCE: CERAMIC PETROGRAPHY AND CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY

Room: M103
Time: 1:00 PM–4:45 PM
Organizer: Maria Masucci

Image at right from ceramic petrography web site of Robert Mason, University of Toronto

Participants:

1:00 Maria Masucci—Fabric and Culture: Technological Change in Ecuadorian “Finger-Painted” Pottery
1:15 George Pevarnik—Not Everything that Glitters is Gold and not Every Whitish Aplastic is Quartz: Theoretical and Methodological Implications for Pottery Analyses and Interpretations
1:30 Patrick Quinn and Margie Burton—Ceramic Petrography, Craft Technology and Cultural Identity in Pre-Contact Southern California
1:45 Yukiko Tonoike—Beyond Style: Petrographic analysis of Dalma ceramics in two regions of Iran
2:00 David Hill—Regional Mobility and the Sources of Ceramics Recovered in Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas
2:15 Thomas Charlton and María Eugenia Guevara Mendoza—Petrographic and INAA Studies of Teotihuacan Period Ceramics from Rural Sites
2:30 Sophia Kelly, Gordon Moore, David Abbott and Christopher Watkins—Technological Choices Related to Sand Temper Selection in Perry Mesa Plainware Pottery
2:45 Jerolyn Morrison and Mara T. Horowitz—Studies in Replicating Bronze Age Cooking Fabrics from Two Mediterranean Sites
3:00 Miriam Cantor—Petrographic and Microprobe Analysis of Plain Ware from Chogha Sefid to Determine Cultural Origin
3:15 Sandra Lopez—New routes for characterization studies: analyzing the process of modernity
3:30 Anabel Ford, Frank Spera and Brianne Catlin—Nothing Is Simple: Identifying The Source of Late Classic Maya Volcanic Ash
3:45 Evangelia Kiriatzi—Beyond Provenance: Ceramic petrology as Tool in the Reconstruction of Technological Landscapes
4:00 Marie-Claude Boileau—Integrating macro-feature analysis to ceramic petrography for the identification of technological traditions
4:15 John Hoopes—Discussant
4:30 Charles Kolb—Discussant

Alone.

There are two things I’ve learned in life since graduating college and entering the real world...

1. As cliché as it sounds, slowly but surely, success will come with hard work and determination.
2. When that success does come, if you don’t have someone to share it with, it means almost nothing.

Maybe that sounds a little melodramatic and I should rephrase, but I don’t know any other way to say it. I do know that late Tuesday night just before midnight, one of the biggest moments in my career happened. At 11:55pm I was jumping up and down on my couch with my arms raised in the air like I just defeated Michael Phelps for the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly. Then at 11:58pm, an unsettling calm came over me. In just 3 short minutes, I suddenly went from feeling deliriously happy to facing the harsh realization that I have no one to share this with. Sure, I have family and friends, but it’s not the same. It’s not that I need someone to cheer me on and support me, I can do those things for myself. And although the pats on the back, the kind words, and all those other accolades are nice...it’s just not the same as being able to share it, to celebrate it with someone who means the world to you.

I knew the very first day when I started my company that my life, as I once knew it, would forever change. Ask any entrepreneur and they will tell you that it’s not a 9-5, 40 hours a week gig. Your workdays often turn into worknights, then workweekends, and your social life soon becomes non-existent. You are a slave to your company and the vision you have for it. You obsess over it. You eat, drink, and sleep it. Or rather you don’t sleep because your mind is constantly running in high gear thinking of new ways you can innovate yourself and your company. Although I feel this may be my calling in life, it didn’t choose me. I choose this life so I can’t complain.

I hate to be one of those guys who says he doesn’t have the time or the energy to invest himself into any type of serious relationship. I always thought that guys who fed girls that line were simply copping out. Because if you want something bad enough, you’ll make it happen. And if anyone should understand that concept it’s an entrepreneur! We’re "make it happen" kind of people. It should be branded on our chest like a Superman S. So whenever I need to save the day, I can go from being a mild-mannered Clark Kent to ripping my shirt off in superhero fashion and be reminded of my calling - to make it happen.

Selfishness is the one human quality that I despise more than anything else. It is by far my biggest turnoff in the opposite sex. And I can only assume that a selfish man would be equally unattractive to a woman. So I refuse to be that "I’m too busy" kind of guy. He's the kind of guy that puts everything in his life above you in every way imaginable. A man that does this is either afraid of commitment or he’s simply saying you’re not important enough for him to put you even in a close second to his career. Now I ask you, are you ok settling for second place? I should hope not!

I'm not saying your world needs to revolve around a significant other, because that's rather unhealthy and just plain crazy! All this "joining two lives to become one person" is bullshit. It's mushy soap opera talk and if you buy into it, I think you will find yourself being greatly disappointed down the road. You need to have your own identity.

Life is all about finding balance. We all face the challenge of having to juggle a career and a relationship. It’s not easy, but I think it’s worth it. It’s work I’m willing to do. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. So I’ll find the time, no matter how limited my free time is. I’m a busy boy, but I’m not too busy to find happiness. There’s always plenty of time to be happy. And if not, you make the time, because life is too short not to be happy. And moments like the one late Tuesday night are too few not to be shared with someone I love, other than my Bulldog. No offense Diesel, but popping a bottle of the bubbly while you are snoring fast asleep just doesn't seem like a proper celebration.

SAS veterans Doug Price and Jim Burton in the news

One of the stalwart archaeometric labs in the U.S. is the Laboratory for Archaeological Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin (lab logo at right). Doug Price is Director and Jim Burton is Associate Director. Both have been active in SAS over the years, Doug as President in 1989-1990, and Jim as Vice-President, President (1991-93), webmeister, and now SAS associate editor for the journal Archaeometry. You can read how they fit into our history in a piece I wrote when SAS reached its 25th birthday.

Doug and Jim made the news recently with research they did on the teeth of Columbus crew. As reported in a EurekaAlert from the AAAS, they used carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopes on human remains from La Isabela, the first European town in America, which was thought to have had a population made up only of men from the fleet of 17 vessels that comprised Columbus's second visit to the New World. But the first analysis of the remains of 20 individuals excavated two decades ago suggests that native Taínos, women and children, and possibly individuals of African origin were living with the Spaniards at La Isabela. If confirmed, that would put Africans in the New World as contemporaries of Columbus decades before they were believed to have first arrived as slaves.

Strontium is found in bedrock and enters the body through the food chain as nutrients pass from bedrock to soil and water and, ultimately, to plants and animals. The strontium isotopes found in tooth enamel, the most stable and durable material in the human body, provides a signature of where someone lived as a child. Carbon isotope ratios provide evidence of diet at the time an individual's adult teeth emerge in childhood. Oxygen isotopes provide information about water consumption and also can say something about geography as the isotopic composition of water changes in relation to latitude and proximity to the ocean.

Three of the individuals whose teeth were subjected to isotopic analysis by the Wisconsin group were males under the age of 40 and who had carbon isotope profiles far different from the rest, suggesting an Old World origin. "I would bet money this person was an African," Price says of one of the three individuals whose teeth were subjected to analysis.

Jim Burton and Doug Price, Lab for Archaeological Chemistry

Nice work, Doug and Jim!

Aspiring Back-To-Back "Top 10 Gen Y Blog" Champion

Ryan Stephens from RyanStephensMarketing.com is once again putting together a list of the Top 10 blogs from Gen Y bloggers. You may recall a similar list I was included on earlier this year. At that time, a total of 35 blogs were nominated for the "Top 10 Gen Y Blogs" list and I was thrilled that my blog was chosen to make the final Top 10 list! Read more here.

Now once again we have a new ballot of blogs up for the "Top 10 Gen Y Blogs" list, but this time around the competition is stiffer because a total of 50 blogs have been included! Only 10 will make the final cut and I'm hoping you will help my blog, The Rest Is Still Unwritten, be one of those 10 lucky blogs. And this would also make me a Back-To-Back "Top 10 Gen Y Blog" Champion! Cue the Rocky music.

This is similar to a People's Choice Award where you, the people, do the voting. There is some criteria you will be judging the blogs on, as well as a short list of rules you need to follow when casting your vote.

Judging Criteria:
1. CONTENT
2. Frequency of updates
3. Valuable and interesting links (embedded or in the blogroll)
4. Aesthetic (i.e navigation, functionality, and to some extent looks)
5. Ability to incite conversation, thought-provoking comments/discussion

The Rules:
1. The blogs must directly relate to Gen Y/Millennials*.
2. One ballot per person.
3. Your ballot must have at least 5 blogs listed to be included.
4. You -can- vote for your own blog.
5. If you feel compelled to include a great post that showcases why you chose a particular blog I won’t hate you.

Unlike some of the previous blog awards I’ve been up for, ANYONE can vote on this one. All you need to do is pick 5 blogs from the below nomination list that you think are the best "Top 10 Gen Y Blogs". Then e-mail that list to Ryan no later than March 27th, 2009. His e-mail is ryanstephensmarketing@gmail.com

Top 10 Gen Y Blogs Ballot
--------------------------------------
Personal Branding Blog
Employee Evolution
Millennial Leaders Y Blog
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Hard Knox Life
College Mogul
PR Interactive
Hoehn’s Musings
Ben Casnocha
The Creative Career
The Rest is Still Unwritten
People Sales
Newly Corporate
Guru Gilbert
Young and Frugal
Driven Leaders
Young Go Getter
The Office Newb
Politicoholic
Modite
Work Love Life
Tiffany Monhollon
The Marketing Student
Keep Up With Me
Results Junkies
Fake Plastic Noodles
Honey and Lance
Be Deviant
Water Cooler
The Mad Grad
Pipe Dreams and Professions
The Schiff Report
Watercooler
Gen Pink
M-Cause
Life Before Noon
El Gaffney
Feverbee
Quarter Life Lady
Girl Meets Business
The Millennium Marketer
I Hate HR
Working Girl
Two Notes Ahead
Andy Drish
Quiet the Thunder
Twenty Set
Echodemic
Prevential
Millennial Marketing

Everyone got all that information? Pick the 5 blogs you would like to be included on the "Top 10 Gen Y Blogs" list and e-mail your vote to Ryan ryanstephensmarketing@gmail.com no later than March 27th, 2009.

Thanks and if you are voting for me, wish me luck!

Archaeological science in Israel

Over the years, I've measured archaeomagnetic samples from Israel, starting with samples I collected at Tel Yin'am in 1984 thanks to the invitation of Harold Liebowitz, and continuing with samples collected for me by colleague Egon Lass at Ashkelon and other archaeological sites. So, I found this interesting:

Inter-University/Weizmann Institute Program in Archaeological Science

The Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science was established at the Weizmann Institute in 1996, toward the purpose of educating a new generation of archaeologists who would be familiar with both the natural sciences and archaeology, in the belief that this is an important future trend in the field of archaeology. The Kimmel Center has an active program, with 6 PhD students currently enrolled. The Center's activities have impacted the field of archaeology in Israel and abroad, in that there are collaborations and interactions with archaeologists, some inter-university/Weizmann Institute courses, several major research programs, and continued interest from potential students to enter the program. While we intend to continue the PhD educational program, we have now broadened the scope of the Center’s activities, in the hope that we will be able to more effectively contribute to the archaeological establishment in Israel and world-wide.

Director of Program:
Prof Steve Weiner, Department of Structural Biology
Weizmann Institute
Rehovot 76100 Israel
Telephone: 972-8-9342552
E-mail: steve.weiner@weizmann.ac.il

Dream On

Ever have the same fantasy as me? Then you wake up and snap back to reality.

Notice the "I am" is missing. How appropriate.

And clicking "Publish Post" in Blogger just isn't quite the same as actually being published in the literary sense.

Man Turns His Prosthetic Finger Into A USB Stick

I’m torn between finding this really f-ing cool or just down right disturbing. I’ll let you be the judge. Read on...

A 29-year-old computer programmer who lost a finger in a motorbike accident had doctors insert a USB stick into the prosthetic finger they created for him. Finland native, Jerry Jalava, now carries Linux and a range of software in his artificial finger. The detachable device works like a regular PC memory stick and can store 2GB of photos, movies and other useful files. The connection is under his fingernail.

"I simply put my finger into the USB port of a computer and pull out the hand if I need it. Afterwards the finger goes back on," said Javala. He plans to build a new finger with wireless technology.

This reminds me of the guy who performed crude surgery on himself to insert an RFID chip into his arm. 5/16/06 - A Real Life Bionic Man

Also, we can’t forget the freak that had his thumbs surgically whittled so he could txt easier/faster on his BlackBerry. 8/10/07 - Thumb Surgically "Whittled" To Improve Txting

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

You’ll want to view Jerry Jalava’s Flickr set of 13 glorious (or rather grotesque depending on how you see it) photos.

***UPDATE***
If you aren't grossed out yet, let me push you over the edge by linking you to a post from my Archive about a man who ran a website by hosting it via USB stick INSIDE HIS ASS! No joke. 4/6/05 - Run A Website Out Of Your Ass, Literally

Archaeometry of beer

What to write about on St. Patrick's Day? The archaeology of beer? How about an entry from Beer Radar, Joe Sixpack's blog? He had an amazing entry on Patrick McGovern, the "Indiana Jones of Beer." Unfortunately, McGovern was one of the University of Pennsylvania 18, recently laid off from the University of Pennsylvania Museum.

From the good old days at Penn:
EARLIEST KNOWN CHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF BEER
circa 3500-3100 B.C.

Researchers in the Museum Applied Science Center for Archaeology (MASCA) at The University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, analyzed an organic residue from inside a pottery vessel dated circa 3500-3100 B.C. from the site of Godin Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. Their findings provide the earliest known chemical evidence of beer in the world. Archaeological chemist Dr. Patrick E. McGovern and organic chemist Dr. Rudolph H. Michel carried out a chemical Feigl spot test on a pale yellowish residue that filled grooves within an ancient jug; the tests were positive for oxalate ion. The Feigl spot test is a standard chemical technique, though previously unemployed for this purpose. Calcium oxalate (the calcium salt from the oxalate ion) is a major component of "beerstone" and settles out on the surfaces of fermentation and storage tanks of barley beer, as the researchers believe occurred with the ancient residue.

Virginia R. Badler, a graduate student at the University of Toronto, noted the residue in the jug incisions while carrying out research on sherds from Godin Tepe in the collections of Canada's Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto. Recalling that the ancient Sumerian sign for beer is in the form of a pottery vessel with interior markings, she hypothesized that ROM's jug with the unusual interior incisions had been used for beer. With ROM's permission, tests were done on the pottery sherds in the laboratories of MASCA, proving her theory correct.

In 1991, Virginia Badler collaborated with Drs. McGovern and Michel for the first time, when the MASCA researchers tested and obtained chemical evidence of the earliest known wine from jars from the same site and even the same room at Godin Tepe, a site excavated in 1973 by Dr. T. Cuyler Young, Jr., curator of ROM's West Asian Department. The researchers continue to analyze other vessels from sites throughout the ancient Near East, in the hopes of discovering even earlier instances of fermented beverages.

This one's for you, Patrick!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone.

Waiting Game

Waiting Game

When I heard a strange sound and the lift on my van began operating erratically this weekend -- with me on it -- I knew what that meant: a trip to the repair shop. Fortunately, I was able to get an appointment today. That was a good thing, as the lift completely stopped working after I got inside the van. But that was okay because I figured that as long as I got in the van, it would be the repair shop's problem to get me out!

In these days of instant gratification, I hate to wait for things as much as the next person, but I have to say that I always meet someone interesting in the waiting room whenever I go to get the lift repaired. The truth of the matter is that no one wants to be there, sitting around waiting as time wastes away, for what figures to be an expensive bill. But aside from looking around the showroom at the equipment and vehicles you only wish you could afford, watching whatever the person who got there before you put on TV, or staring aimlessly at the wall, there's only so much you can do you. So you end up talking to other people, asking the inevitable "So, why are you here?" or "How long have you been waiting?"

But you never know where a conversation will lead or what you might learn. On one occasion, I met an engineer who taught me about some of the specifications of my wheelchair. We have actually become friends since our initial meeting. On another occasion, I met a retired law enforcement agent, and together we watched a news broadcast of the funeral of a fallen police officer.

Today, I met two Vietnam veterans. The two men did not know each other, but it was interesting to listen to their conversation. I'm not sure that I would have supported the Vietnam War had I been alive at that time, but you can't help but be amazed by the strength and encourage of the men who serve in the military during times of war. People often tell me that they couldn't imagine living my life, but let me tell you, I cannot begin to imagine the horrors that face soldiers on a daily basis, even today.

After meeting the two veterans today, even my $300 bill didn't seem like such a horror!

Ode To Diesel

I’m sorry. I promised I would never write really bad poetry, but...

I think I love you more and more each and every day.
No, really, it’s true!
I just can’t get enough of you.

(Like his 80's style Glamour Shots pose? He's bringing sexy back.)

Blogging And Masturbating Go Hand-In-Hand

The way I see it...

Blogging is like masturbating. I only do it when I’m in the mood.

I’ll post something relatively interesting to read soon enough.

'Pompeii' by Michelle Shocked

While I'm on this museum exhibit kick, there is also an engaging exhibit on Pompeii at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. It's not really archaeometric, but this moment sealed in time was due to a volcanic eruption, so that's inherently geoarchaeological, isn't it?

You can see a video clip of the exhibit.

Anyway, a singer-songwriter whom I really admire is Michelle Shocked. I almost posted her video-song Anchorage (I love skateboard punk rockers) on my earthquake blog a couple of weeks ago when that city was somewhat threatened by Redoubt Volcano. And I love her song Come a Long Way. She has a new album coming out in May, and a song called Pompeii. Here's the video (by the way, any political views explicitly or implicitly expressed in this blog do not represent the opinions of anyone other than me):

Dell Unveils New Rugged Laptop - Latitude E6400 XFR

(image found on cnet news)
Today, Dell has unveiled a new rugged laptop that is built to 13 different military specs. This machine is designed to withstand drops of 4 feet, Sea Fog, Temperature Extremes, Thermal Shock & Explosive Environments. The outside is designed with a Rugged Balistic Armor Material made from PR481 material. It also comes with a Primoseal that enhances protection from dust and liquids via a compression Gasket.

This new laptop is a Latitude E6400 XFR. That comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 120GB Solid State Drive, NVidia Quadro NVS 160M GPU video card with 256MB DDR2 Ram with a starting price of $4,299.00, available March 10, 2009.

From the spec's it sounds like a great Machine for those who need a latop in extreme conditions.

Dell Unveils Latitude E6400 XFR Rugged Notebook (DailyTech)
Dell Launches Its First Rugged Touch-screen Laptop (PCworld)
Dell hopes tough guys still buy laptops (cnet news)

Barbie Idealism

With her 39-21-33-inch curves, Barbie no doubt sets an impossible ideal for young girls to role model their body after. There’s just no reasonable comparison. Not even Victoria’s Secret supermodel Gisele Bundchen and her slinky 36-24-35-inch stats could compete. If Barbie was real with those types of measurements, the laws of gravity would actually make her topple over. But if Barbie is No Woman she's also Every Woman - cheerleader, rock star, teacher, President, Olympic skier, bikini beach babe, fearless astronaut, the list goes on and on. She’s a mover-and-shaker who's cycled through more incarnations than Madonna, Lindsay and Britney combined. The one constant, Barbie has remained the ultimate poster child for idealism. From childhood thru to adulthood, Barbie has evilly set the standard for the ideal woman. Girls want to be a Barbie and guys want to date a Barbie.

This month, Barbie turns the big Five-O! But unlike many other Baby Boomers, she shows no signs of losing her bod or her face. Ahh, hello, she’s made of plastic! Over the years Barbie has evolved from plaything to Miss Thang...and a hot thang too I might add. I know she’s 50 years old, plastic and stands less than 12 inches tall, but I would still tap that Mattel ass. Wouldn’t you? Ok, maybe that is physically impossible. But if she were real, she would be a GILF (G is for Grandma and you know the rest). If Samantha Jones can be "50 and fabulous", why can’t Barbie? Sure Samantha may be a fictional character, but she’s still a real human being. Barbie is a doll! And because Barbie is a doll, she has never gained weight, never sagged, never wrinkled and never aged. Jealous? No? Well give it time, one day you will be.

While Barbie was busy capturing the hearts of a whole generation of little girls, she was revving up the hormones of a bunch of pre-pubescent adolescent boys! Growing up with two older sisters, I saw my fair share of naked Barbies. Our living room was a sea of Barbie boobs! I literally stepped on multiple sets of plastic boobies as I made my way to the kitchen for my double stuff Oreo cookie (and no I wasn’t a fatty as a kid). Perhaps today that is why I’m not a breast man and girls with giant implants scare me a little. It brings up horrific childhood memories. It also brings up fond memories of how I would torment my sisters by taking Pink 'N Pretty Barbie and placing her in a gangbang with Malibu Ken and Rock & Roll Ken. Once in awhile He-Man and Skeletor would jump into the action with Skipper by getting a little doggy-style action over the hood of Barbie's pink Corvette. Needless to say, my Mom didn't find this as humorous as I did. With hopes of not encouraging me, it did get my sister's to clean up their naked Barbie mess in the living room.

Silliness aside, Barbie is a good metaphor for the idealism of how we live and see ourselves today. It is that Barbie idealism that often keeps us from enjoying the simple pleasures of life. The ordinary, the average, and the everyday is viewed with contempt. We miss an awful lot of life when our senses are primarily attuned to the biggest, or the brightest, or the best. The real irony, missing life is exactly what we fear most! As you can now see, Barbie idealism can leave one awful unhappy! So ask yourself, are you Barbie-like in your expectations? The following are some questions to consider...

• When you entertain, does your home or apartment have to be immaculate? Or can you close off some areas by tossing all your junk in a spare room or closet and enjoy your guests anyway?
• If you are single and dating, do you have an idealized picture of Mr. or Ms. Right? Do unrealistic expectations keep you from imperfect, but true love?
• Are you always waiting for just the right time and place to begin new projects, a new job, a big move, or other life altering decision? Do you spend inordinate amounts of time waiting?
• Have you ever skipped a class reunion, going to a party, or bailed on any other prior engagement because you didn't lose the 10 pounds you hoped to? When you look in the mirror, are you rarely satisfied with what you see?
• Are you consistently frustrated and let down by people? Does your family, friends and significant other complain that they rarely can please you?
• Have you completely given up on the ideal? Because you were unable to achieve the very best, have you settled for less that you deserve?

If you answered yes to many or most of these questions, you are reflecting a Barbie-like idealism and you are missing an awful lot of life! The good news is that it’s not entirely your fault. You were raised on Barbie idealism. It was crammed down your throat on your 5th birthday when you were given your very first Barbie doll. Then later the media fed it to you in heaping spoonfuls with beauty magazines, movies, TV commercials, etc. You ate every little bit of it up, despite the fact as you were swallowing it, you were seething thru your teeth. So what do you do now?

Do what I do. Relax and live a little. Learn to treat the ordinary and average as good gifts sent from above. Embrace the everyday. Drink deeply from life's little pleasures. Always do your best, but know that even the best is not perfect. Basically, cut yourself some slack. Idealism is good, but too much can be suffocating. Remember, Barbie at 50 has never aged, but she also has never lived.

***NOTE***
You can also see this post featured on the frontpage of BrazenCareerist.com

20th International Radiocarbon Conference

When I entered graduate school far too long ago, I had a research assistantship with Paul Damon at the University of Arizona on geomagnetic modulation of atmospheric radiocarbon concentration. This is what first got me interested in changes in the magnetic field strength over the past few millennia, which led to my master's thesis on archaeomagnetism. The rest, is history.

My first professional presentation was at the 9th International Radiocarbon Conference in Los Angeles and La Jolla, 1976. Nobel Prize winner Willard Libby was there. Now the 20th Conference is coming to Hawaii, and the abstract deadline is March 15.
From http://www.radiocarbon2009.org/ :

Hosted by the Arizona AMS Laboratory, the 2009 Radiocarbon conference will be held on the Big Island, Hawaii, from May 31–June 5, 2009.

Abstract submission and Registration are now available online. The deadline for abstract submissions is March 15, 2009. Information on the Pre-Conference field trip to the lava flows is here.

Bigger than the other Hawaiian islands combined, Hawaii's "Big Island" provides a fascinating backdrop for the Radiocarbon 2009 meeting. For some quick facts on the island and the many activities available, visit Hawaii's official tourism site.

As with previous Radiocarbon Conference proceedings, the journal Radiocarbon (which now keeps back issues online) will publish the 2009 proceedings.

John Dvorak Likes Linux

(image found on roughlydrafted.com)
PC magazine critic and writer John Dvorak checks out Ubuntu Linux OS 8.10 and loves what he sees. Take a look at what he has to say and see some of the great advantages that running Ubuntu gives an end user without all the costs associate with the Windows OS and its appz.

Also, after you get done reading the article below, don't forget to check out Ubuntu for yourself.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

I have been using Ubuntu for a few releases now and i love the OS. Definitely, one of my favorite flavors of Linux Distributions.

Every so often I take a stab at Linux, to see exactly what I like and do not like about the OS. Many of its problems, for me, stem from its inability to run on my overloaded hardware, or the occasional driver that makes the OS impossible to use without hand-tweaking something or other. That said, I seriously like the Ubuntu 8.10 implementation and will now install it permanently on my latest machines. It's a winner.

This OS has a lot of nice features, and it's quick. It's freely downloadable all over the net as a ISO disk image, too. Go to the official Web site for a download link. Ubuntu is particularly cool because the install version is also a "live" version, meaning that you can boot it and run it from a CD without installing the OS at all. More important, it's a fully functional live CD, meaning that it can save and load files from drive C: or a NAS.

When I encountered a glitch, I changed to a safe graphics mode that limited my screen to 1,280-by-1,024 rather than 1,600-by-1,200—but this was no big deal.

While your PC is running Ubuntu as a live install, the CD is doing all the work for the OS, and even so, it's at least as snappy as Windows. Install it onto the hard disk as the OS for the system and the thing really flies. I'm not sure how many legacy old clunkers can run this operating system. but it's the perfect reinstall for older machines that bog down under Windows. The live feature is what it makes it so cool; no need to install the OS before thoroughly testing it.

For lightweight work, the install disk comes with Firefox for Linux and AbiWord, a credible open-source substitute for MS Word. In fact, there is probably a Linux program that will substitute for just about any Windows programs with as much or more functionality—with the exception of Adobe Photoshop. That said, there are plenty of photo editors for Linux. The popular GIMP app comes to mind.

While the various Linux desktops generally aren't as polished as Vista, they are functional and easily as slick as Windows 2000, the OS most observers think was the best Microsoft ever did. In many instances the complexity of Linux turns out to be smoothed over by the Ubuntu architecture. It's so good that I'm a little annoyed with myself for not getting to it sooner. And I sure don't want to hear "I told you so!" from all the Linux mavens.

I'm in the process of putting together a new Atom-based mini-ITX machine (with an Intel D945GCLF2 motherboard) for use as a Web browser in the kitchen. This OS would be ideal if for no other reason than the fact that I won't have to worry about anyone in the family fooling around online and getting the little machine clogged with viruses and Trojan horses.

I seriously appreciate the fact that Linux is mostly immune from malware, in much the same way as the Macintosh. I had a small machine in the kitchen running Windows, and every time I ran a scan on the thing I kept discovering too many problems. I know that if Linux becomes too popular, the malware will come. But for now it's rare—a good thing as far as I am concerned.

I'm tired of dealing with Windows malware, patch Tuesday, and the never-ending deterioration of the OS as it clogs up like a drain in a greasy-spoon restaurant. I can't take it anymore.

And there's something else that always bugs me about Windows. I have an iMac that I use at the office, and a few times every month Apple has some patch that it sends out. With few exceptions, each time a patch is installed with the Mac OS, the performance of the machine improves. With Windows, the performance always declines.

I don't think Microsoft has ever sent out a patch that improved the performance of the machine. Ever.

And of course, the biggest differences between Ubuntu and Windows are the cost and the subsequent headaches, because Microsoft is constantly fretting over bootleg copies. The company monitors machines to make sure they are running legal copies of software. There have already been instances of computers shut down by Microsoft HQ because of some glitch in the cloud. This is simply unacceptable. I don't want to rely on a system like that.

I cannot wean myself off Windows altogether because, well, I write about Windows. But for ancillary machines that I put together where I need reliability and low price, I'm always going to see whether Ubuntu works. And if it does, that's what gets installed.

If I had a small or mid-size company, I'd probably use only Linux and open-source software, just to stay out of the way of the software police and their onerous "audits"—another abhorrent situation that, to me, is intolerable.

You should also note that almost all of the newest hardware coming out has Linux support. The critical mass has been reached. Go download Ubuntu 8.10 and see for yourself what the fuss is about. You won't regret it.

Its nice to see such a great review from John on this awesome OS.

Dvorak Likes Linux (PC mag)

Rumors of Apple creating a Netbook are surfacing

(image found on slashgear)
The rumors are now starting about apple coming up with a netbook soon. A Taiwanese financial paper called the commercial times reported today (March 9, 2009) that two Taiwanese based computer companies are in talks now with Apple for some new hardware (possibly netbooks).

Quanta Computer (Taiwan based company) that currently is a contributor to the iPhone is reported to be the maker for the Apple Netbook. Followed by another Taiwanese base company, Wintek that would be making the touch panels.

Wintek is also reporting that currently there is no shipment date set but that it would be likely to begin shipping Netbooks in Mid-Year 2009. This information is also being reported in Digitimes too.

When Apple executives were recently questioned about this issue they said they don't believe people would be please with a netbook type device from apple, sighting performance would be a big issue. Various analysts already are starting to comment on this issue and just calling it all hype.

I don't know if its all talk since its being reported in a financial paper and it sounds more like something in the mix then not. What ever it is im sure we will be pleasantly surprised by the unveiling when Apple is ready.

Apple Netbook Rumors Stirred by Taiwan Newspaper (eweek)
Apple ordering netbook-sized multitouch panels for 2H09? (Slashgear)

"Wolfram Alpha" Search Engine unveild

(image found on cnet news)
They say if you can build a better mouse trap you can have the world at your doorstep. The same is true with a better search engine. In today's time where time is so precious and correct information is key in so many decisions, the world is always on the look out for a new and more productive search engine. Well there is something on the horizon now, Stephen Wolfram, the genius mathematician, physicist and software entrepreneur is at it again.

He has created a new kind of search engine, something we are all accustomed to seeing in the science fictions shows like star trek. A search engine which searches for information based on factual data. This new kind of search dubbed, "Wolfram Alpha" uses a "Computational Knowledge Engine", will do just that. The way it works is it breaks down a question into english then parses them into a query which its answers by searching a series of libraries it has within. This is a great idea that has long been held in sci-fi movies but lacking the correct algorithm to properly do it.

In a recent blog entry this is what Wolfram had to say:
"All one needs to be able to do is to take questions people ask in natural language, and represent them in a precise form that fits into the computations one can do," Wolfram said in a recent blog post. "I'm happy to say that with a mixture of many clever algorithms and heuristics, lots of linguistic discovery and linguistic curation, and what probably amount to some serious theoretical breakthroughs, we're actually managing to make it work...It's going to be a website: www.wolframalpha.com. With one simple input field that gives access to a huge system, with trillions of pieces of curated data and millions of lines of algorithms," he added.

Well the creator of Mathematica has done just that by using Mathematica and NKS (a new kind of science) he has created a search engine that will answer your factual query by searching libraries in such a manor. The only bad thing is that it can only answer factual queries. If a person asked it how good of a job someone was doing it could not answer that since that is based off opinion.

The search engine is scheduled to be released to the public in May 2009. Some people do wonder if Google will try to incorporate some of this technologies idea into its search for query too. I guess it could be an interesting option if they can get the algorithm right for the search.

Wolfram Alpha Search Engine: www.wolframalpha.com

A bit of interested info on Mr Wolfram:
Stephen Wolfram has a track record of scientific breakthroughs and some controversy. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Caltech in 1979 when he was 20 and has focused most of his career on probing complex systems. In 1988 he launched Mathematica, powerful computational software that has become the gold standard in its field. In 2002, Wolfram produced a 1,280-page tome, A New Kind of Science, based on a decade of exploration in cellular automata and complex systems. The book stirred up a lot of debate in scientific circles. Legendary physicist Freeman Dyson described the tome as "a case of style over substance."

Wolfram Alpha Search Engine Will Directly Answer Your Questions (Daily Tech)
Stephen Wolfram and the techno-dianetics of Google-ology (arstechnica)
Wolfram Alpha: Next major search breakthrough? (cnet news)

Bulldog Stolen! We Need Your Help In Finding Him

Take a deep breath, Diesel isn’t lost or stolen – thank God. However, a fellow English Bulldog buddy is! His name is Mugsey and he has been missing since 2/13/09. Needless to say, the family’s devastating story is breaking my heart and I’ve offered to help spread the word in hopes that Mugsey will be found and returned safely home to the people who love and miss him very much. And with your help, we may be able to do just that! So I’m asking that everyone please take a moment to look at the photo and read the description of Mugsey below.

click to enlarge

Name: Mugsey
Breed: English Bulldog
Sex: male, neutered
Age: 4 1/2
Markings: mostly brown with some white on his face
Missing Since: February 13, 2009 around 10:30am

Last Seen: Was taken from family’s fenced in backyard in Gaithersburg, MD (the area of Shady Spring Drive and Mid County Highway)

Other Important Facts: Mugsey was not wearing a collar/ID tag as he was (what was thought to be) in the safety of his own backyard. Also, Mugsey is ill and needs his meds.

Possible Leads: A woman who was driving down Mid County Highway on 2/13/09 around 10:30am saw a truck parked across the street from the middle school at the bus stop. It was a red or burgundy pickup truck with a cap on it. She reported seeing 2 light-skinned males pick up Mugsey and put him in the truck. In another lead, a different woman stated seeing Mugsey picked up on Mid County Highway by people in a black Suburban or Tahoe type vehicle. So the stories are similar, but the pickup or SUV seems to be dark red or black in color.

Reward: $1,000

Contact:
Phone: 240-997-1291
E-Mail: shanhay1@yahoo.com
Website: http://findmugsey.blogspot.com

If you have ANY information. You can call any time of day or night and you can remain anonymous if you wish. Or if you like, you can e-mail the family. Also, please visit the official Mugsey website for more photos and additional information as the search continues. Together, we can spread the word and help bring Mugsey home. So blog about this, link to my post, link to Mugsey’s website, Twitter it, Facebook it, Digg it, just tell as many people as you can about this. I would really, REALLY like for this story to have a happy ending.

I wish Mugsey's family the best of luck and I'm so very sorry you have to go thru this. If there is anything else I can do, don't hesitate to ask.

Ceramics for the Archaeologist online

When I was a grad student in geophysics, working on the paleointensity of Hohokam ceramics, one of my great finds was Anna Shephard's Ceramics for the Archaeologist. That monograph explained so much to me about pottery, with a scientific/engineering bent about materials and processes that I could relate to. Along with the work of Harold Colton, it gave me some of the information I needed about temperatures, redox conditions, etc., for traditional ceramic technology.

Later, I bought Prudence Rice's Pottery Analysis: A Sourcebook, but it was stolen from my office by a book re-seller.

I'm doing ceramics now in my Archaeometry class, and while browsing online a couple of days ago, I found that you can download the entire text of Shephard's book. It is on the website of the Carnegie Institution of Science. That would surprise you from the home page of that organization and its present-day emphases, but it was her publisher.

Download, read, learn, enjoy! You can download Shepard's Notes from a Ceramics Laboratory as well. I'm actually not familiar with that one.

Mission statement of the Carnegie:

Andrew Carnegie established a unique organization dedicated to scientific discovery “in the broadest and most liberal manner.” The philosophy was and is to devote the institution’s resources to “exceptional” individuals so that they can explore the most intriguing scientific questions in an atmosphere of complete freedom. Carnegie and his trustees realized that flexibility and freedom were essential to the institution’s success and that tradition is the foundation of the institution today as it supports research in the Earth, space, and life sciences.

I'm not a fan of great wealth (see where our economy is today, and why), but at least Andrew Carnegie gave some of it back.

How's Your Date Going? Just Ask The Table

Computers have already relieved their human creators of plenty of mental chores, such as doing their taxes and keeping track of their appointments. But what about reading a date’s signals at dinner? We all know body language says far more than words ever can. However, sometimes we miss the little signs or completely misread the message being conveyed all together! Does he like me, like me? Or is he just not that into me? He’s leaning in. He’s nodding his head. That means he’s interested in me and what I have to say, right? Or is he just trying to get closer to his dinner plate to stuff his face, while politely nodding his head as if he were listening, but instead just trying to block out every word I say so he can enjoy his 12oz steak in peace? Girls overanalyze. They obsess! Well to be fair, we guys sometimes do it too. So wouldn’t it be nice to get an outsider’s opinion on the situation, without having to excuse yourself to the bathroom so you can call your roommate up? If you ever wanted to know how your date was going without having to leave the dinner table, then you’re in luck! Introducing the EyeTable.

Three undergraduates at Carnegie Mellon University have applied computer technology to the science of romance with their EyeTable, an artificially intelligent dinner table that reads physical gestures and speech patterns that lets the participants know how the date is going - in real time! Here’s how it works...

EyeTable’s centerpiece is a pair of motion sensors that communicate with sensors attached to a headset worn by each participant. (I know, not sexy and a total mood killer, but just overlook that part for now.) The table analyzes the movements and orientation of the participants’ heads. It senses whether they are making eye contact or glancing restlessly around the room, whether they’re drifting into more intimate proximity with one another or leaning apart. The headsets are also equipped with microphones that register levels of enthusiasm in the couple’s dialogue, as well as the frequency and length of awkward silences. I’m not sure if it measures comfortable silences, but it should! A comfortable silence is the BEST sign you can get on a date! Well, other than her just jumping your bones. That kind of says a lot too.

The EyeTable isn’t just an armchair analysis, it’s also a wingman. If it senses a date is going well, it might suggest an index of post-dinner activities, or tip off the waiter that the table might enjoy another bottle of wine. If it senses the date is doomed, it conveniently lists the numbers for local cab companies.

Amusing as it is in concept, the practical applications of the EyeTable prototype are limited. After all, live feedback could easily have the effect of making a bad date worse. Or if could derail a potentially good one, especially since subjects behave differently when they know they are being studied. Also, headsets with motion sensors and microphones? As I stated earlier, unless you are James Bond or a pilot flying a Boeing 787, not sexy and a total mood killer. Although I suppose an exception could be made if the two of you have some type of role playing geek fetish you want to act out. Personally, that scares me, but to each their own.

Regardless, revolutionizing the dating scene wasn’t the three CMU students’ goal. It’s just a proof-of-concept that they hope will inspire others to think about how computers can understand human emotions. Now if we can only get the table to do the dirty breakup work for you. If it could deliver that dreaded speech, I would buy two and keep one as a backup...in case the girl gets really pissed, goes all psycho on you and smashes the first table to bits.

The Walters Art Museum mummy

I am definitely looking forward to Spring break, which starts in a week. I'm anticipating a trip down to Washington, D.C., to see the bones exhibit mentioned in my last entry. Maybe on the way I will stop at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore to see the Mummified exhibit. It's there until November of this year.

In the spring of 2008, the University of Maryland and the Walters Art Museum performed a CT scan on the Walters' mummy to learn more about the age, possible illness, and cause of death of the person held within the beautifully painted outer wrappings. This special kind of "virtual autopsy" also allowed the investigative team to learn more about the technique of mummification, the construction of the cartonnage, the kind of wrappings used, and the possible presence of amulets within.

This focus show will feature approximately 20 ancient Egyptian objects depicting images of mummified people, animals, and deities. A section of the installation will focus on the "Mummimania" of the 17th-20th centuries. Visitors can experience the scientific examination of the Walters' mummy at computer stations.

This should get me ready to see King Tut in Atlanta during the SAAs!

Unauthorized Apple iPhone App stores hit the marketplace

(image found on cnet news)
For the longest time if you wanted to get an app for your iPhone or iPod touch device you had to go through the apple iTunes store. But, now things have changed and there are three new options on the horizon.

The first one is called Cydia. Created by Computer Science genius Jay "Saurik" Freeman, age 27. Cydia was created as an open source distribution center offering independent developers and option to create software and offer it to end users without the approval of apple. There are hundreds of appz currently available with over 350,000 users and growing for this site.

But, be forewarned if you desire to use appz from this site you will need to "Jailbreak" your phone to make it able to install this appz. Here is an article here from Lifehacker on how to do it(click me). You should be forewarned that if something does goes wrong your iPhone will become a brick. The good thing is, it does seems possible to fix this problem, but it will cost you a few bucks too.

The second site is called "Rock your Phone". This site does not require you to "Jailbreak" your phone to install the appz they will be offering.

Then there is a third one but i didn't get wind of the name yet. But, I did find out it is scheduled to offer a series of adult oriented games on it for your iPhone or iPod touch device.

I am sure Apple is a bit pissed but they should have seen this coming because there are so many thousands of appz that Apple turns away and they were bound to come to the public market eventually.

Unauthorized iPhone app stores emerging (cnet news)
New online 'app' stores offer new shopping experience (CTV.ca)
Other App Stores Look for Slice of Apple (street.com)

A Pair of Black Holes discovered Orbiting Each Other

(image found on the register uk)
Yesterday, Astronomers at the NOAO (National Optical Astronomy Observatory) discovered two enormous Black Holes orbiting each other. This is a very rare occurrence. The discovery was made by Todd Boroson and Todd Lauer while examining data from 17,000 Quasars using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a major mapping project which has already imaged a quarter of the cosmos.

Quasars are thought to represent a super masive black hole in the center of a distant galaxy. Scientist want to figure out whiy they have never seen this kind of anomoly before.

There is a theory that predicts compact, massive bodies black holes orbiting should produce possible ripples in space-time moving at the speed of light.

Newfound Black Hole Duo Could Make Space-Time "Ripples" (National Geographic)
Shall we dance? Two big black holes found together (Reuters UK)
Stargazers spy elusive binary black hole system (The Register)

31 Flavors

31 Flavors

Yes, it's birthday time again! I don't how I got to be 31 years old, but even though I feel old today, I'm glad to have beaten the odds for yet another year. It will be hard to top Year Number 30, in which my book was published, I returned to school, spoke at conferences near and far, and spent time with special friends. However, I'm hoping this will be a pretty special year, so stay tuned...

After last year's birthday celebration, it was going to be a tall order to even come close this year. Fortunately, the Philadelphia 76ers are pretty tall guys themselves. As it turned out, the team was hosting a meet-and-greet for season ticketholders tonight. Below are some photos from the event.

Zillion TV offers cable alternative

(image found on dvice.com)
Updated:
Turns out users will need a bit more bandwidth then i previously wrote:
Consumers need at least a 3 megabits per second Internet connection to view standard definition content and at least a 7 megabits per second Internet connection for high-definition programming. Wow that is a big difference from 1.5 Mb, esp. when looking at HD content.
===============================================================
Zillion TV is currently in beta with the Z-bar service which offers you an alternative to paying cable prices for TV video. By paying an initial $50 installation fee you can cut your ties to the cable company forever. You will then have an option to see great titles and shows for free with advertisements inserted (hmm sounds like cable now) or buy the show and see it without advertisements (also sounds like cable too, without the monthly basic cost).

The set-top box gets the video via your broadband internet connection(1.5 Mb or higher (esp. for HD)). Zillion TV is currently working with broadband providers to provide people with the best service possible. "The company says it won’t be sluggish, either, but instant streaming. Think Amazon’s Video On Demand service in terms of how your purchases and rentals will live, too, as in on the company’s own servers (we’ll soon be accessing all our entertainment in the data cloud, no?) and not taking up space on your hard drives."

Another partner is Visa, which will enhance your commercial-watching experience by giving you instant access to buy stuff right from your TV. There will even be a “loyalty program” that rewards viewers “for simply watching programming they love and interacting with advertising from categories they’ve personally selected.”

There are several big-named companies who have signed up to work with them like: NBC universal, Disney, 20th Century Fox Television, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. With the current host of content providers they have over 15,000 titles to offer with a lot more expected by launch time.

This is not to bad of a cost since especially the base rate is like the regular cable but FREE.
It looks like something definitely looking into when it gets released out of beta. But, until then we still have online options like Hulu to use too without all the costs or legalities of the cable companies.

ZillionTV lets you dump cable for good (dvice.com)
ZillionTV Streams On-Demand Content to Your TV (Electric House)
paidContent.org - ZillionTV Launches; Can It Avoid Boxee's Problems? (Washington Post)
ZillionTV Streams TV Content, Lets Viewers Choose Ads (ecommerce times)

Resident Evil 5 Blood Drive

(images found on PCworld.com)
Capcom together with the Red Cross is hosting a blood drive on Friday the 13th coming up at the World of Wonder Gallery, 6650 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California from 11am to 5pm.

(images found on PCworld.com)
Come see the new Resident Evil 5 game at the assorted Kiosks on display and donate some blood for a very good cause. Each blood donor will get a limited edition hand numbered stylized poster, bumpers stickers, buttons and a chance to win a copy of the game plus a chance to win some of the Limited Edition Red Consoles too.

What a great way to welcome in such an awesome new game. If i am in LA on that day i will definitely stop by to donate some blood and pick up some blood drive collectibles.

Again the event is :
World of Wonder Gallery, 6650 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
on Friday, March 13, 2009, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

Resident Evil: Blood Drive (blast magazine)
Spill Real Blood for Resident Evil 5 (PCworld)
Spill Some Blood for Resident Evil 5 (dread central)

Microsoft Rolls up the Sleeves with Windows 7

(image found on cnet news)
With the public beta release of Windows 7 Microsoft is showing consumers that they are now rolling up their sleeves like never before to make sure this Vista replacement works like it should. They are on a mission to make sure they don't make the same mistakes they did in the past.

Enthusiasts are worried Microsoft isn't listening to their comments but actions do seem to speak louder then words. Due to feedback to Microsoft they went back and made several revisions to dvd handling. When customers wanted to have that option they added it but then when corporate customers were worried about people watching DVDs on company time they fixed that issue too.

The same goes with BitLocker-To-Go. This encryption feature was initially available for use under Vista and Microsoft went and later added an option for Widows XP users to use it too. The encryption feature helps secure USB devices.

With the design of Windows 7, Microsoft is looking at how customers work when using a product and also where they get tripped up too. So they can step in an fix issues before they get worse. One of the interesting things they learned was that some programs wouldn't install themselves under Vista because the application designers that created them had hard coded the programs to work with a certain OS only. This offers a rational explanation of why many of the older programs seemed to have issues installing or even working under Vista.

Microsoft is looking at calling Windows 7 officially version 6.1 in the series of Windows OS's.

Microsoft in the Enterprise Edition:
With the progression of Vista into Windows 7 Microsoft is showing corporate customers that making the upgrade from Vista or Windows XP is actually a great idea. They are touting the advantages that empower users seamless access from anywhere, esp. the mobile users community.

Windows 7 makes streamlining management a piece of cake by offering an easier way to manage and deploy laptops, desktops and virtual environments. IT Pro's can also use the same tools as they do now in Vista. In Windows 7 there is a feature called Powershell 2.0 which helps to reduce costs while managing and troubleshooting PC's by using a new scripting options for automation capabilities.

When it comes to accessing data applications anywhere at anytime there are features such as Branch Cache, Direct Access, Federated Search and Enterprise Search Scopes to make it easier for the end user.

Microsoft has also spent time with improving security and control by focusing on protecting data, enabling compliance and giving IT better control. One of the ways is by using the BitLocker-to-go program to protect data and give access to authorized users on a read level only if necessary on a usb device. Then we have App Locker which is a mechanism that gives administrators the ability to grant group policy to run on a system where needed.

From recent survey's 61% of customers were worried about having unauthorized applications installed on their systems (that is why AppLocker had priority development) and 49% wanted to have direct access capabilities.

So Microsoft is listening and responding to peoples questions and requests. So far so good guys.

Windows 7 gets down to business (cnet news)
Microsoft Touts Windows 7 for the Enterprise (eweek)

Want To Meet, IRL?

Have a favorite blog you read? Have a favorite blogger you feel like you can relate to? Ever want to get to know the blogger behind the blog, not just virtually thru e-mails or blog comments, but in real life? If so, then you may be interested in the 20SB Ultimate Meetup! It’s coming to Chicago this summer and if you’re a member of the 20SB network, you’re welcome to come out for a drink.

20SB is a place for all twenty something bloggers to get discovered or find other bloggers they relate to. We're all approaching, in the middle, or just past our quarter life crisis and we've got a lot to say about it! The point of this group is not so much to get discovered as it is to discover other bloggers. It's a community, not a blog listing service. And just shy of 5,000 members, the group has grown tremendously since I signed up some time ago.

Here are all the links to everything 20Something Bloggerish:

• 20SB Network
• 20SB Blog
• 20SB Meetup
• 20SB Twitter
• My 20SB Profile Page

As you're probably aware, I put the "awe" into awesome. So I know you are just dying to meet and hangout with me! Right? Rrright? Nod your head yes, make a boy feel good...even if it's a lie. Now before you get all excited and sign up, let me answer some of your most FAQ.

Q. Will you fix my computer?
A. No! I am a Writer Wannabe and Tech Geek Extraordinaire, but on that weekend I will not be Mr. Fix-It. I am almost always willing to lend a hand to someone in need, but this is a social gathering and I am not being your free geek boy right now. Sorry.

Q. Can I stalk you before, during, or after the meetup?
A. No, no and NO! I attract enough crazy chicks as it is. I'm like a crazy chick magnet for some reason. So the fact that I'm even considering going to this event is a big step for me because to be honest, there are so many crazy chicks out there that it's come to the point that I'm almost scared of the female species all together! FYI, I will have my "cradar" (crazy radar) up and on full alert.

Q. I’m a 25-year-old smoking hot nympho chick. Will you have a threesome with me and my hot bi-sexual girlfriend back at our hotel?
A. YES! You had me at "25-year-old smoking hot nympho chick".

Now if you have any other questions or if you're going, drop me a line and let me know. We're hoping for a turnout of at least 100 people, of course the more the better. And Olga, if you're out there reading this, you are cordially invited to join in as well. I know you hate me and want to kick me repeatedly in the balls with your pointed witch shoes, but perhaps you'll get over that one day. Hell, I may even buy you a drink and let bygones be bygones. If you come, it will be your proof that I'm not a conglomeration of fifteen girls ghostwriting their fantasies, but rather a writer/blogger of one. So come see for yourself. Like Pinocchio, I too am a real live boy. I’ll save you of the wood jokes.