New Macbook Pro: Computer Nirvana
I just got a new Macbook Pro. Wow.
The packaging is unbelievable. Seriously. I wanted to cry when I was opening the box. The computer is just sitting there waiting for you, even staring at you with its puppy dog face. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
And I thought the packaging was good ... The computer is awesome. Insanely beautiful. Sleek. Mysterious. Exotic. Take every good adjective, add them up, and that sum can only partially describe my first impression of the new Macbook Pro. Apple, the world would not be as beautiful, in reach, or fun without you.
I want to run around the streets of Berlingame (where the Cloudera office is), skipping with glee and joy and excitement, while bumping "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! on my shoulder mounted boom box.
Apple: Computer Nirvana
San Francisco Prop 8 Protest: The Fight for Love
I would estimate between 5,000 and 10,000 people were grouped around the steps of City Hall, listening to stories, hoping for change, and believing that Gays will have equal rights soon. I was utterly touched by my experience today. I laughed at a few signs like the following:
I was sapping towards signs like the following:
And I was moved by the turnout, speakers, and general essence of such a wonderful movement. With the passing of Prop 8, a proposition that creates an amendment to the California constitution outlawing same-sex marriage, Gays are no longer recognizes as equals by our governing doctrine. This is despicable. Every man and woman enters this world as an equal, some loving the opposite sex, and some loving the same sex. Certain religious organizations made large contributions to the Yes on 8 campaign, the most notable being the Mormon Church, who donated over $20,000,000 (that's 7 zeros).
Reverend Amos Brown, one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s six students, gave the best, most motivational, moving speech I have ever witnessed. His booming, powerful voice echoed off the concrete and steal buildings which house our governing body, preaching love and equality and peace and happiness. His words touched our hearts, and his presence gave us that tingly feeling in our spine that makes us understand that this is something, that there is something here, something worth fighting for. Here is the speech, though the video isn't all that good:
After the speeches had finished, the whole crowd proceeded to march to Market Street, the most famous street in San Francisco, towards the Castro, which is perhaps the largest Gay neighborhood in the world. Thousands marched as millions watched. They marched for their rights to love whom they have wanted to love since they were born. They marched for their friends and family, loved ones and childrens, in hopes of one day having equal rights.
America has fought for equality before, and now it fights again. It fights now, not for gender or race, but for love. It fights for love, and what a wonderful thing to fight for. Love.
Prop 8 Protest
There's a nation-wide Prop 8 protest this Saturday. Find the protest nearest you by reading this. I'll probably post photos from the SF protest, which is at 10:30am in front of city hall.
Peace and love.
Keith Olbermann on Prop 8
I love Keith Olbermann. As a friend has said, "He is fearlessly confident to speak his opinion." Not to mention he and I have similar political views. Please watch this six-minute video of Keith Olbermann on Prop 8. He talks not of politics and religion but of love.
Lessons in Hosting
Today is a sad day. Today marks the end of an era for me, an era of rack-mount computers, data centers, nerdom, and fantisticism. Nearly 18 months ago, some friends and I installed a 1U rack-mount in a Seattle data center. I had purchased the machine thinking my social network startup, Cellarspot, would create enough traffic to require a monster machine.
After 18 month of spending $97 each month, not to mention an up-front cost of $2,800, my machine has been unracked and is now waiting to be picked up and sold off, never to be in my life ever again. The pinnacle of my nerdom was installing that baby, and today I feel slightly empty. However, I'm quite excited to be chipping away at my credit card bill. And to be totally honest, purchasing a server, power, and a fire hose was insane overkill and an entirely uneconomic hosting decision.
I tried to sell services such as game server hosting, web hosting, etc, but I didn't get any bites. I will step foot in more data centers as time goes on, and I will have another rack mount at some point. Goodbye, Dell PowerEdge 1950. I will see you, or at least your sisters, brothers, and cousins, again.
With love,
Alex
This is Something
I just got finished with my semi-weekly Facebook friend-list pass. I am utterly inspired by how many of my friends are talking about voting today. I have at least 50 status updates from friends encouraging others to go and vote. Some mention who they are voting for, and others don't.
The point I'm trying to make is that this is something. My friends, who are generally apathetic about politics, are getting involved in this election; they have an emotional connection and a deep, strong hope that this nation's politics will change. Generation Y wants change; we're hoping for change.
And we need change. Too long have we been plagued with neoconservative bullshit. Too long have we spent money and time on issues that are both irrelevant to common good and are not our own. Too long have we, American citizens and residents, been represented by an administration that does not represent anything that we believe in, that we agree with, that we need. Enough.