Postage linkage

I'm unfortunately too busy to post something oh-ridge-a-nal today, so instead I will highlight three posts from fellow Computer Scientist bloggers that I really enjoyed.

1) The Five Stages of Conference Paper Writing, by Amy Dalal over at This is What a Computer Scientist Looks Like.

I laughed my head off at this post. It's so true, every word of it.

2) Programming != Computer Science by Matt Welsh over at Volatile and Decentralized.

This is really apt as well. There's such a big difference between how you envision projects in industry vs. in academia. This is one reason why it's really nice for students (both undergrad and grad) to do summer internships in industry. It really helps bring perspective and changes how you think about software development.

3) Hello Android by John Reghr over at Embedded in Academia.

I just want to say that giving an A to any student who legitimately makes $100 on a mobile app developed for class is a brilliant idea. If I ever teach a class that involves mobile app development, I'll have to steal that one!

Download Game Gratis dan Legal di MyPlayCity

Tak lengkap rasanya bila dalam suatu komputer atau laptop tidak ada gamenya sama sekali. Rasanya pasti membosankan bukan? Nah, bagi sobat yang suka main game yang ringan-ringan, Rendra rekomendasikan salah satu alternatifnya yaitu berbagai games dari MyPlayCity.com. MyPlayCity.com merupakan tempat download game gratis dan tentunya legal untuk dimainkan. Disana kita bisa mendownload atau mengunduh berbagai macam game ringan namun tak kalah keseruannya dengan permainan berat lain. Sangat cocok untuk mengisi waktu luang di rumah apalagi pas hari libur.

[Fakta selengkapnya]

i couldn't be happier that today is friday!!  it is grandparents day at taylor's school so it was nice to have a quick visit from my parents.  and tonight, taylor plays soccer for the first time ever- should be interesting (she's quite prissy...let's hope she can kick the ball)....i'm nervous, my hubbie couldn't be more excited!  i hope y'all have fun plans for the weekend!!  see you next week!

*images courtesy of traditional home, my sweet savannah, little moth design

Inspirational words from Paralympian turned coach

A former Paralympian himself, Boccia Wales Head Coach Peter Pearse, from Hertfordshire, has been heading up the Welsh academy since 2007.

In 2010, his squad has won countless titles across the UK and Europe, with his players on the GB fasttrack programme aiming for a place at London 2012.

His coaching success led to him being crowned the 2010 Sport Wales Coach of the Year.

Here, Peter gives his thoughts on being a coach and the need to recognise and celebrate the work and achievements of coaches at all levels.

I had no idea I was nominated for the overall coach of the Year award!  I am someone, probably like a majority of coaches, who coach out of a passion for the sport and, more importantly, a connection with the athletes.  Therefore, public recognition is never a necessity; if it were then the likelihood is that you are coaching for the wrong reasons. 

Having said that, winning Coach of the Year was a magnificent experience that will stay with me forever.  It says something about yourself, and more importantly about the people around you.  It confirms that the madness that rattles inside your head might have a semblance of rationality, assures you that the frustrations you share with athletes and those supporting you are worth the emotional drain, and confirms that continuing to strive for the best opportunities for athletes is the only way forward as a coach.

I concur entirely with Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sport Wales, and the Heritage Minister, quoted as saying that Wales is “………a proud sporting nation, and <our purpose> is to increase physical activity and improve standards of performance and we aspire to see every child hooked on sport for life and for Wales to be a nation of champions.  Coaching has a crucial role in achieving this, from supporting elite athletes to excel on the world stage to encouraging local communities to get fitter and enjoy sport; coaches provide the inspiration and practical support to get Wales moving” LM; and "Coaches and volunteers are vital across all sports. They really make a difference and there's no doubt we need more in Wales. We need to increase numbers and to support them properly if we are to become a healthier and more successful sporting nation” HM.

For this reason, it is critical to champion the volunteers that make this possible as they are the driving engine to this vision.  Equally, the indulgence of recognising sport coaches, who declare no such requirement for their work, is more than just a ‘Cherry on the Cake’.  The award allows us, in the privacy of our own solitude, to smile to ourselves and think ‘I did a good job’!

A Proud Sporting Nation such as Wales needs to continue to encourage and support grass-root work, value its role in our society, and ensure that Coaches KNOW in an explicit way that they are valued.

I am extremely excited to see who will be crowned Coach of the Year this year; hopefully I will be invited back to attend the ceremony.  It was a bit of a blur last year!

Nominate someone for the 2011 Sport Wales Coach of the Year Awards, click here.

 

9/11's (and Google's) effect on technology

Marketplace had a great piece today on Alessandro Acquisti's work on his Face Matching Algorithms of Dooooom. As in, he takes a photo of the NPR interviewer with his iPhone, and it immediately pulls up everything about the guy.

From a technological perspective it's all fascinating, but from a privacy perspective it's downright terrifying. This is all reflects a lack of citizen and governmental understanding of data. You share some information with your grocery store, get a frequent shopper card, you don't realize how this data is being brokered, merged, sold, to countless numbers of people. Furthermore, a photo you post with some friends at a party, even if you don't tag it-- all you need is one identifiable photo (Driver's license registry?), and BOOM, there it is.

Add this to fraudulent SSL certificates running amok, and I really feel like we're up a creek.

This is a great time to become a security researcher. Grad students, forget all those other CS topics - do security. Or systems. Or both! There are plenty of important problems that need solving ASAP.