../.2012-02-04T09:57:00Z2012-02-04T09:57:00ZGordon Smith.././earworms.html

<p><a href="http://www.theworld.org/2012/02/music-earworms/">Earworms: Tunes That Stick in Our Heads</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Several weeks ago, I was home on a Sunday morning when, for no apparent reason, these words popped into my head: “Funky Cold Medina.”</p> <p>That’s a line from a song by rapper Tone Loc. I’m told it was a hit in the 1990s, but I’d never heard it until the night before. I was at a karaoke bar. My friend Jay Beezley sang it.</p> <p>When the song reappeared in my head the next day, I could hear Jay singing the chorus again and again and again.</p> <p>I was stuck with the song for nearly a day and a half before it finally went away, but it left behind a nagging question: Why do we get songs stuck in our heads in the first place? I figured someone must be trying to find an answer.</p> </blockquote> <p>So it's not just me.</p> <p>I, and others, apparently suffer from earworms. That sometime annoying phenomenon whereby a song or piece of music sneaks into our head, or we sing along, all without our consciously dragging it from memory.</p> <p>In my case I can also have a word or a name do the same thing. The word, usually one that's not used every day, will repeat itself in my head as I start the day. And words will usually be rhythmic like phil-an-throp-ic-ally, peri-pa-tet-ic-ism, asto-pho-tog-raph-y. Or maybe just a name: e.g. "Angélique, Marquise des Anges" rolls around my head in my best French accent.</p> <p>I've no idea where these curiosities pop up from.</p> <p>Weird!</p>

2012-02-01T21:32:00ZGordon Smith.././jonathan-franzen-on-ebooks.html

<p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/30/jonathan-franzen-ebooks-values">Jonathan Franzen</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Jonathan Franzen has spoken of his fear that ebooks will have a detrimental effect on the world – and his belief that serious readers will always prefer print editions.</p> <p>The acclaimed author of Freedom and The Corrections – which are published as ebooks – has said in the past that "it's doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing good fiction". </p> </blockquote> <p>So, let me interpret this. I am not a serious reader even though I've purchased and read 33 novels in the past 12 months because they're ebooks.</p> <p>And, any author who writes and sells novels isn't writing anything of quality if they happen to have access to the internet while writing.</p> <p>Hmmmm.</p>

2012-01-30T20:54:00ZGordon Smith.././subscribing-to-a-blogs-rss-feed-or-not.html

<p>My name is Gordon and I have a confession. I’m a compulsive subscriber to RSS feeds. I read too many blogs. Too many blogs that cover the same subject matter. To feed my habit I use Google Reader. Google Reader collects and collates all the content from all those blogs to which I subscribe. It’s easy to use – a bit too easy.</p> <p>I used to subscribe to 360 blogs. I’m recovering now. My subscription count is down to 202. It’s better. I almost have the time to read the material from those 202 RSS feeds.</p> <p>I have a quirk, though. It you only publish a partial-content RSS feed in the hope of making me click through to your actual blog to read the rest of the article, then – FAIL! I don’t do partial feeds. If you think you <strong>need</strong> me to click through so that I’ll see the advertising that you have on your blog to generate income, then – FAIL! You don’t need me to go to the blog – if you really must, you can insert advertisements (eg Google ads) into the RSS feed.</p> <p>The only time I visit a blog in person is if it’s a click-through from another blog (via Google Reader, of course), or from Twitter (for example). If I like what I see, I might subscribe – if it’s a full feed.</p>

2012-01-30T06:01:00ZGordon Smith.././marco-arment-on-books.html

<p><a href="http://www.marco.org/2012/01/30/paperback-or-hardcover">Marco Arment</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Many people romanticize the experience of reading a printed book, but I just don’t get it.</p> </blockquote> <p>I too don't get it. Friends describe to me the texture, the smell, the physical experience of holding a book, the act of turning pages.</p> <p>For me the pleasure of a book is in the words. The picture I create from those words. The story being told.</p>

2012-01-30T00:00:00ZGordon Smith.././federico-viticci-on-twitter.html

<p><a href="http://ticci.org/40000.html">Federico Viticci</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>I went to Twitter when I found out I have cancer, and I am keeping my followers posted about it every week. Because I don't see them just as "followers", they are people interested in what I have to say. I value those people.</p> </blockquote> <p>Yes! I agree. I "follow" somebody or some company on Twitter because I am interested in what they have to say. Come the day they becomes less interesting to me, I'll "unfollow" them.</p> <p>I don't follow somebody in the hope that they'll follow me back.</p>

2012-01-26T22:05:00ZGordon Smith.././armidale-rodeo-and-were-off.html

<p><img style="max-width:1024px; max-height:1024px; border: 1;" src="http://images.macalba.net/2012/01/20111119-armidale--rodeo--bullride-1.jpg" /></p> <p>… off to a flying start.</p>

2012-01-02T15:00:00ZGordon Smith.././rain-tally-to-the-end-of-2011-v2.html

<p>My, 2011 was a wet year. 1155 mm (45.5 inches) of rain recorded for the year, compared to a long term average of 790 mm (31 inches). The higher-than-average months of note were June, November and December. Thanks <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Ni%C3%B1a">La Niña</a>.</p> <p>Monthly rainfall tallies (in millimetres) for the past 10 years, as measured 20 km (12.5 miles) east of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armidale">Armidale, NSW</a>.</p> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Year</th> <th>Jan</th> <th>Feb</th> <th>Mar</th> <th>Apr</th> <th>May</th> <th>Jun</th> <th>Jul</th> <th>Aug</th> <th>Sep</th> <th>Oct</th> <th>Nov</th> <th>Dec</th> <th>Total</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>2002</td> <td>50.0</td> <td>80.0</td> <td>78.7</td> <td>3.5</td> <td>4.3</td> <td>21.9</td> <td>10.3</td> <td>58.2</td> <td>26.7</td> <td>25.0</td> <td>83.2</td> <td>75.6</td> <td>517.4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2003</td> <td>51.6</td> <td>144.5</td> <td>52.7</td> <td>108.7</td> <td>39.1</td> <td>31.8</td> <td>18.9</td> <td>23.0</td> <td>5.7</td> <td>91.3</td> <td>55.9</td> <td>71.1</td> <td>694.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2004</td> <td>192.1</td> <td>77.8</td> <td>65.2</td> <td>22.4</td> <td>5.4</td> <td>20.4</td> <td>43.3</td> <td>49.6</td> <td>45.9</td> <td>111.2</td> <td>69.0</td> <td>133.8</td> <td>836.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2005</td> <td>92.9</td> <td>66.3</td> <td>16.2</td> <td>13.2</td> <td>18.8</td> <td>82.6</td> <td>20.9</td> <td>13.4</td> <td>87.1</td> <td>60.2</td> <td>154.3</td> <td>98.7</td> <td>724.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2006</td> <td>109.5</td> <td>115.2</td> <td>110.2</td> <td>22.5</td> <td>3.6</td> <td>45.8</td> <td>46.4</td> <td>30.8</td> <td>44.8</td> <td>29.8</td> <td>133.6</td> <td>43.8</td> <td>735.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2007</td> <td>98.1</td> <td>137.1</td> <td>95.4</td> <td>43.6</td> <td>21.7</td> <td>39.9</td> <td>8.7</td> <td>105.4</td> <td>13.8</td> <td>95.7</td> <td>102.8</td> <td>127.7</td> <td>889.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2008</td> <td>133.6</td> <td>203.0</td> <td>3.8</td> <td>68.9</td> <td>10.9</td> <td>60.4</td> <td>25.8</td> <td>35.0</td> <td>54.5</td> <td>57.1</td> <td>119.4</td> <td>61.2</td> <td>833.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2009</td> <td>67.8</td> <td>160.4</td> <td>56.6</td> <td>67.1</td> <td>121.1</td> <td>46.1</td> <td>23.4</td> <td>18.2</td> <td>31.3</td> <td>53.7</td> <td>52.2</td> <td>138.4</td> <td>836.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2010</td> <td>134.7</td> <td>63.4</td> <td>86.0</td> <td>53.9</td> <td>47.3</td> <td>38.0</td> <td>68.2</td> <td>48.8</td> <td>59.1</td> <td>59.0</td> <td>128.6</td> <td>67.1</td> <td>854.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2011</td> <td>151.6</td> <td>58.4</td> <td>87.8</td> <td>69.3</td> <td>50.6</td> <td>156.5</td> <td>11.7</td> <td>76.4</td> <td>70.9</td> <td>64.3</td> <td>241.2</td> <td>116.4</td> <td>1155.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Avg</td> <td>104.5</td> <td>87.1</td> <td>65.0</td> <td>45.9</td> <td>44.4</td> <td>56.9</td> <td>49.2</td> <td>48.4</td> <td>51.6</td> <td>67.8</td> <td>80.4</td> <td>89.2</td> <td>790.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[Rainfall near Metz to the end of 2011][Table1]</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>The "Avg" value is the 135 year average for Armidale (in millimetres)</p>

2012-01-02T14:50:00ZGordon Smith.././rain-tally-to-the-end-of-2011.html

<p>My, 2011 was a wet year. 1155 mm (45.5 inches) of rain recorded for the year, compared to a long term average of 790 mm (31 inches). The higher-than-average months of note were June, November and December. Thanks <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Ni%C3%B1a">La Niña</a>.</p> <p>Monthly rainfall tallies (in millimetres) for the past 10 years, as measured 20 km (12.5 miles) east of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armidale">Armidale, NSW</a>.</p> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Year</th> <th>Jan</th> <th>Feb</th> <th>Mar</th> <th>Apr</th> <th>May</th> <th>Jun</th> <th>Jul</th> <th>Aug</th> <th>Sep</th> <th>Oct</th> <th>Nov</th> <th>Dec</th> <th>Total</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>2002</td> <td>50.0</td> <td>80.0</td> <td>78.7</td> <td>3.5</td> <td>4.3</td> <td>21.9</td> <td>10.3</td> <td>58.2</td> <td>26.7</td> <td>25.0</td> <td>83.2</td> <td>75.6</td> <td>517.4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2003</td> <td>51.6</td> <td>144.5</td> <td>52.7</td> <td>108.7</td> <td>39.1</td> <td>31.8</td> <td>18.9</td> <td>23.0</td> <td>5.7</td> <td>91.3</td> <td>55.9</td> <td>71.1</td> <td>694.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2004</td> <td>192.1</td> <td>77.8</td> <td>65.2</td> <td>22.4</td> <td>5.4</td> <td>20.4</td> <td>43.3</td> <td>49.6</td> <td>45.9</td> <td>111.2</td> <td>69.0</td> <td>133.8</td> <td>836.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2005</td> <td>92.9</td> <td>66.3</td> <td>16.2</td> <td>13.2</td> <td>18.8</td> <td>82.6</td> <td>20.9</td> <td>13.4</td> <td>87.1</td> <td>60.2</td> <td>154.3</td> <td>98.7</td> <td>724.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2006</td> <td>109.5</td> <td>115.2</td> <td>110.2</td> <td>22.5</td> <td>3.6</td> <td>45.8</td> <td>46.4</td> <td>30.8</td> <td>44.8</td> <td>29.8</td> <td>133.6</td> <td>43.8</td> <td>735.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2007</td> <td>98.1</td> <td>137.1</td> <td>95.4</td> <td>43.6</td> <td>21.7</td> <td>39.9</td> <td>8.7</td> <td>105.4</td> <td>13.8</td> <td>95.7</td> <td>102.8</td> <td>127.7</td> <td>889.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2008</td> <td>133.6</td> <td>203.0</td> <td>3.8</td> <td>68.9</td> <td>10.9</td> <td>60.4</td> <td>25.8</td> <td>35.0</td> <td>54.5</td> <td>57.1</td> <td>119.4</td> <td>61.2</td> <td>833.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2009</td> <td>67.8</td> <td>160.4</td> <td>56.6</td> <td>67.1</td> <td>121.1</td> <td>46.1</td> <td>23.4</td> <td>18.2</td> <td>31.3</td> <td>53.7</td> <td>52.2</td> <td>138.4</td> <td>836.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2010</td> <td>134.7</td> <td>63.4</td> <td>86.0</td> <td>53.9</td> <td>47.3</td> <td>38.0</td> <td>68.2</td> <td>48.8</td> <td>59.1</td> <td>59.0</td> <td>128.6</td> <td>67.1</td> <td>854.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2011</td> <td>151.6</td> <td>58.4</td> <td>87.8</td> <td>69.3</td> <td>50.6</td> <td>156.5</td> <td>11.7</td> <td>76.4</td> <td>70.9</td> <td>64.3</td> <td>241.2</td> <td>116.4</td> <td>1155.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[Rainfall near Metz to the end of 2011][Table1]</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Year</th> <th>Jan</th> <th>Feb</th> <th>Mar</th> <th>Apr</th> <th>May</th> <th>Jun</th> <th>Jul</th> <th>Aug</th> <th>Sep</th> <th>Oct</th> <th>Nov</th> <th>Dec</th> <th>Total</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Avg</td> <td>104.5</td> <td>87.1</td> <td>65.0</td> <td>45.9</td> <td>44.4</td> <td>56.9</td> <td>49.2</td> <td>48.4</td> <td>51.6</td> <td>67.8</td> <td>80.4</td> <td>89.2</td> <td>790.1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[The 135 year average for Armidale (in millimetres)][Table2]</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>