The Twitter Diaries: Mar 5-20, 2011

billblum @DeirdreS Seriously, I’ve wound up using it so often, it’s as if #Dtrace provides all the insight I never knew I always needed. #
nmar @deirdres ottimo, grazie! #
hdibani RT @DeirdreS Seriously, I’ve wound up using it so often, it’s as if #Dtrace provides all the insight I never knew I always needed. #
DeirdreS video itself is evolving from a passive entertainment medium to a powerful, global teaching tool http://huff.to/gucmiC #
DeirdreS Whoever coded this wiki software: if you were here now, you’d be sharing my pain – AND THEN SOME. #
fitzage @DeirdreS Isn’t that true of all wiki software? #
DeirdreS RT @fitzage: @DeirdreS Isn’t that true of all wiki software? – YES. Maybe someday there will be a truly usable wiki. Not holding my breath. #

The DTrace Book

DeirdreS Guess what we’ve got? Watch for an opportunity to win a rare, pre-print copy of the DTrace book!  #
openpoesia @DeirdreS already bought it ,thanks indeed for the opportunities #
DeirdreS Anyone at Joyent care to comment on Linux has strace… http://bit.ly/ebB8va @brendangregg @bcantrill – Unleash the hounds! #
ben @DeirdreS @brendangregg @bcantrill D comes before S, so Dtrace has got to be better… #

Video streaming by Ustream

DeirdreS 3/9 SFOSUG @brendangregg DTracing File Systems  – Join us for your chance to win a pre-print copy of the DTrace book! #
DeirdreS @creationix start grabbing some good screenshots – you’re about to want them! #
DeirdreS Running cloud analytics on no.de? Start grabbing screenshots – I’ll tell you why shortly. Or can you already guess? 😉 #
pborenstein @DeirdreS Uhm…. You’re redoing your living room wall paper? #
DeirdreS @pborenstein No, the color scheme would be all worng for that. My living room is red and black, mostly. #
creationix @DeirdreS Sadly it’s died down at the moment. The lifespan of data on that page is pretty short. I’ll check it throughout the day. #
creationix @DeirdreS Now what would be really cool is if the page beeped when there was data and the volume was proportional to the log() of traffic. #
befreax RT @DeirdreS Running cloud analytics on no.de? Start grabbing screenshots – I’ll tell you why shortly. Or can you already guess? 😉 #
DeirdreS @monaeltahawy I’ve had men tell me how I /should/ be happy. Somehow that usually involved doing what /they/ wanted. <wry smile> #
notmatt @DeirdreS oh man, they went there? #
DeirdreS @notmatt So far they’re not taking the bait. 😉 #
DeirdreS New: screencast of @brendangregg ‘s demo added, so you can get up close and personal with cloud analytics #
DeirdreS statues a metaphor for the condition of Italys archaeological heritage: An immense treasure w no one looking after it  #
DeirdreS International Women’s Day and Mardi Gras are tomorrow. The universe may implode. #
jdcasa RT @DeirdreS: International Women’s Day and Mardi Gras are tomorrow. The universe may implode. #
whygocanada Pasties and protests? 😉 RT @jdcasa: RT @DeirdreS: International Women’s Day and Mardi Gras are tomorrow. The universe may implode. #
niltiac @jdcasa @deirdres @citytravelbug And Pancake Day too. But I guess that’s just Mardi Gras for Anglos. #
DeirdreS @cairobabble @monaeltahawy AND it’s Mardi Gras. I think that explains everything. #
DeirdreS Forbes  Walker would have done well to take yes for an answer when the unions agreed to his financial proposals. #
DeirdreS Strangely appropriate : there’s a bartender in Bombay whose last name is @joyent – I’ll have to have a drink there. #
DeirdreS 4 years ago I began translating Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola An Italian Musical (and haven’t quite finished yet)  #
DeirdreS @saraford spitting, but don’t ask me why #
hiddentrack @DeirdreS finding other uses of @joyent in the wild reminds me of this ad that I think @mamash found a few years back  #
DeirdreS RT @hiddentrack: reminds me of this ad that @mamash found a few years back – Wow, we really do everything! #
DeirdreS Brendan’s blog DTrace book talk SFOSUG #
DeirdreS @monaeltahawy Since I don’t believe in any entity that listens to prayers, I suppose it’s ok that idiots waste their time praying against u #
DeirdreS Urge to Own That Clapton Guitar Is Contagious – reading this out of interest, find a familiar name (schoolmate Karen) #
DeirdreS @trine Catholcism? #lent #
trine @DeirdreS ha! If i was, i would 🙂 #
DeirdreS @paulmwatson Getting some screenshots for us? There’s a contest in the wind… #
DeirdreS Goodbye, Discovery NASA – NASA TV  #
paulmwatson @DeirdreS soon as I get more than one user on my node! 🙂 #
DeirdreS @paulmwatson Let us know where and what it is -may be able to help you get traffic #
DeirdreS .@daveweigel Funding one of the best educational TV programs ever, emulated worldwide, in a country where basic ed sucks? TOTALLY WORTH IT. #

DeirdreS get up close & personal with cloud analytics: hi-res screencast of Brendan’s preso at node.js Community Event Mar 1 –  #

Brendan Gregg, author of the DTrace book

DeirdreS At last! #
billblum RT @deirdres: Tonight’s SFOSUG meeting live on USTREAM from 6 pm PT: http://bit.ly/f6diBt – Join for a chance to win a pre-print copy of… #
brendangregg pre-print copies: RT @DeirdreS: At last! http://yfrog.com/h6e8yodj #
morphs That is one BIG book.. cannot wait to carry that round to and from work : ) (@DeirdreS)http://yfrog.com/h6e8yodj #
DeirdreS @morphs E-versions avaliable from http://bit.ly/gZPR5O and http://bit.ly/i83hqc , I imagine in other formats as well (checking w publisher) #
craigmorgan @DeirdreS hurrah, tell him to stop reading it and starting packing/shipping them 😉 gonna kill the postie tho! #
DeirdreS .@mmcallen Be nice if we could grow past thinknig that it’s an F bomb in this day and age. #transparacyworks #

DeirdreS It’s a thousand pages, give or take a few, I’ll be writing more in a week or two…  #
DeirdreS starting soon: DTracing File Systems  #
DeirdreS @webmink you could join us for pizza at SFOSUG #
DeirdreS .@NathanWurtzel The WI employees in question contribute the sum total of their own pensions. Where will your retirement come from? #
DeirdreS .@adamsbaldwin You never did answer my ? about your SAG membership. Burned your card in support of Gov Walker? #
NathanWurtzel @DeirdreS Are you ignorant or a liar? Which one? http://is.gd/cX2hoM #
DeirdreS .@NathanWurtzel WSJ vs Forbes? http://bit.ly/i46HhV #
NathanWurtzel Utterly false: http://is.gd/epKl2P RT @DeirdreS: @NathanWurtzel The WI employees in question contribute the sum total of their own pensions #
NathanWurtzel @DeirdreS I’m not debating facts with you. You’re entitled to your dishonest/uninformed opinion. #
NathanWurtzel @DeirdreS And I don’t care which it is. #
DeirdreS .@NathanWurtzel All that and polite, too. #
DeirdreS .@adamsbaldwin That affects your right to collective bargaining how? Seriously curious> I’ve never had a union – in hi tech we sink or swim #
partiallypro Dead link, delete the RT at the end RT: @NathanWurtzel: Utterly false: http://is.gd/epKl2P @DeirdreS #
DeirdreS @webmink You’re not following me 😉 #
webmink @DeirdreS Isn’t the union the open source community? /cc @adamsbaldwin #
webmink @DeirdreS Oh Yes I Am. #
DeirdreS .@webmink Not a lot of protections there, last time I looked. Would be nice… #
donnalashe @DeirdreS WI unions all over the state where trying to avoid paying for pension & HC, just this past week #
koolinus the Weekly kOoL nouvelle édition http://bit.ly/e1LLaQ Aujourd’hui à la UNE: @deirdres @christiansurchi #
DeirdreS replay of Brendan’s SFOSUG talk on DTracing file systems available on USTREAM: http://bit.ly/f6diBt #

DeirdreS RT @montemagno: Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education  – YES! #
NomdeB > @DeirdreS Agree. Khan Academy is a great example of information that works well as Audio/Visual. #
DeirdreS @bloatedlesbian We have all (Dems and R.pubs) been trained not to question the fundamental tenets of capitalism. #
DeirdreS if you’re at #sxsw, you must experience the awesomeness of Italy’s most geek-friendly comestible. And of @sararosso #
DeirdreS RT @bdha: @jasonh @brendangregg Comprehensive is what those books look like. Waiting! – Yes, even exhaustive. #
DeirdreS I wonder if they’ll migrate blogs.sun.com/video/ – I’ve got one hell of a portfolio there #
trochej @DeirdreS Time to download them, just in case. #
webmink @DeirdreS As if. #
DeirdreS I understand the urge to pray when you can’t do anything else, but… why would a loving, caring god pull this shit in the first place? #
jacques @DeirdreS can’t you host your old blog content on your smartmachine? Let me know if you need some wget love. #
DeirdreS @trochej Yes, if only I could remember whcih ones I already stashed somewhere… #
DeirdreS @tamrmint uncertain. His last tweet was shit several hours ago. Sure hope he and his are ok #
tamrmint @DeirdreS Okay, thank you. Ben said he was more inland, so he should be okay. #
myinnervoice @DeirdreS why? Because otherwise we will forget there is Gd #
miglsd @DeirdreS so you don’t belive in God, but think he is cruel anyway :)? #
shawnferry @DeirdreS I keep seeing noise to that effect but I’m guessing it will be a wreck #
DeirdreS @miglsd For those who do belive in god, I don’t see the point n praying to a manifestly cruel being in hopes of mercy. #
DeirdreS humans are adept at social learning, so a large social network is effective at spreading and accumulating knowledge.  #
DeirdreS @ibannieto so am I, and many others. No word in 10+ hours #
DeirdreS @Schlomo hugs #
DeirdreS @BrookeJarvis Maybe they’re hoping some left coast liberals will drown 😉 #
DeirdreS @Zee Ohhhkay… #sxsw has just officially jumped the shark [this was about a “Where the Girls Are” app] #
DeirdreS @mtuckerb Hatten down the batches! #
DeirdreS For those asking about @jimgris, FB message from his dad says they’re all ok. Phew! #
lowbit @DeirdreS Great to hear! #
DeirdreS Very tired. Lack of sleep will do that to me. #
jimgris @chris_mahan @Joanmarie @lskrocki @lowbit @alanc @jamesdwi @benr @DeirdreS @hcsaltiel Thanks, guys. 🙂 #
DeirdreS @comay our leaders are the finest men, and we elect ’em again and again, that’s what I learned in school today… #
DeirdreS this time 5 years ago: La Buona Educazione (Good Manners)  #
DeirdreS My middle-of-night anxieties, in the scale of world events, are so very petty – and I know it. But they keep me awake anyway. #
DeirdreS I tell the chorus, the orchestra to keep up their work, but their salaries don’t even let them pay their bills #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS how envious I am… you escaped from this shame in time #
riccardo_iommi RT @DeirdreS: I tell the orchestra to keep up their work, but salaries don’t even let them pay their bills http://apne.ws/eVOA9w << SHAME #
DeirdreS .@riccardo_iommi Living 17 years in Italy cost me a huge amount in taxes to a corrupt system, and lost wages. Should’ve left sooner. #
riccardo_iommi RT @DeirdreS: Living 17 years in Italy cost me a huge amount in taxes to a corrupt system […] Should’ve left sooner. << I have to RT this! #
DeirdreS .@monaeltahawy @Hragy Holy words written by tribal men saying women should submit to men. How surprising. #
DeirdreS @bloatedlesbian Looks that way to me #dreamhost #
DeirdreS no.de users, remember: you’ve got a chance to win just for sending us pretty pictures! Brendan Greggs Book Giveaway  #
DeirdreS Ok, that’s it for post-lunch marketing, time to put the training hat back on. #

DeirdreS Geoff gets his Italian on  #
DeirdreS @deeharvey I had hoped not, but… #
DeirdreS This is more kinds of beautiful than I can describe… colorapi #
DeirdreS http://amzn.com/k/2DJTIR8B63IJV #Kindle #
DeirdreS @hudsonette Reminds me chillingly of a Heinlein story from the Cold War era. #
DeirdreS .@onfaith Beck is utterly predictable, what’s worrying is the people who actually believe his crap. A merciful god would strike HIM down. #
DeirdreS Sun.com and its subdomains eg blogs.sun.com was one of the greatest repositories of technical knowledge on the web. I’ll mourn it. #
DeirdreS @ryancnelson weird cat behavior: if in isn’t on YouTube, it didn’t happen. #
DeirdreS @nonstick And the Oracle classic people by their envious stares at the Macs? 😉 #
stewarttownsend RT @DeirdreS: Sun.com and its subdomains eg blogs.sun.com was one of the greatest repositories of technical knowledge on the web. < sad day #
DeirdreS Happy I’m going to see my kid today. #
nonstick @DeirdreS There’s one guy here with an Apple sticker over the Dell logo on his laptop. Gave him a hard time about it. #
DeirdreS @planspark it will be worth the wait #
DeirdreS @monkchips Dr Melvyn Bert – I recommend him heartily. #
TomRaftery Hey @DeirdreS @monkchips asked me to say thanks very much – he just left to go to the doctor you recommended #
DeirdreS @TomRaftery Cool. I adore Dr Bert, great with patients, worldwide #
bubbva @DeirdreS blogs.sun.com is migrating, all content. Old urls will probably be busted 🙁 #
NomdeB @DeirdreS – Silly me. Forgot to @ you on that last tweet. #
DeirdreS I don’t know why the sound of people chewing and crunching food irritates me extremely. Unless I’m also eating, I guess. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS no no, it irritates me even while I’m eating. It’s something you cannot bear. #
mentalmosaic @DeirdreS I like watching animals eat, though. My own species – not so much. #

DeirdreS http://t.co/QKRGgjx #
pborenstein @DeirdreS Pretty. But I still don’t get cupcakes. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB Heh. I’d already sent her a link about that. #
DeirdreS @pborenstein To me, it’s a devil’s food cake without the commitment #
pborenstein @DeirdreS I think it’s because I don’t like frosting. So much of it on cupcakes. #
DeirdreS If AT&T is going to cut me off at 150 Gb / month, would be helpful to know how much I’m using now. Anyone know if there’s a way to see? #
lowbit @DeirdreS They are apparently going to be adding tools to monitor usage once the change is official. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB That’s wireless, talking about home internet #
billblum @deirdres AT&T is supposedly going to have a tool available for DSL customers— I’ve got a Netgear router with usage stats built in. #
DeirdreS @billblum good point – I may be able to find that out on my own router #
NomdeB @DeirdreS Can see data use on Cox Communications website too. Think our limit is 200GB/month, but we can bump up to bigger if needed. #
billblum @deirdres We’re being force upgraded to UVerse, so that gives me some headroom on the bandwidth cap. #
DeirdreS Baby cruising around the arrivals area on all fours. I remember when airports were exciting #
DeirdreS It is no longer possible to guess where anyone embarked based on ethnicity, language, dress… #
bubbva @DeirdreS I think our parents drilled ‘silent eating’ into us; therefor, others are annoying 🙂 #
bubbva @DeirdreS I think ther’s am app for that? #
pborenstein @DeirdreS Hitchens et al strike me not as atheists but as a(specifictheism)ists. They worry a lot about the afterlife they don’t believe in. #
DeirdreS @pborenstein Seems to me they worry about others’ belief in that afterlife, and how that affects their behavior in this world #
pborenstein @DeirdreS True. I wasn’t fond of James Watts’ idea that conservation wasn’t necessary because the rapture was just around the corner. #
DeirdreS Enter to win 1 of 2 Canon 60D camera bodies & 1 yr @SmugMug Pro membership. Please RT. Info at: http://bit.ly/hDiOdy #
pborenstein @DeirdreS Prof atheists tend to be specific about the god they don’t believe in. Like sec. Jews: The synagogue they don’t go to is orthodox. #
johnnysunshine @pborenstein @DeirdreS I don’t think that’s entirely true, I’ve met plenty that equally point out Hindu bullshit as JudeoChristian bullshit #
pborenstein @johnnysunshine Maybe I just keep hearing and reading the same Hitchens, Pullman, Dawkin clips 🙂@deirdres #
mentalmosaic @DeirdreS Good point, although on my last flight to NYC, the New Yorkers wore much more black, I noticed, than the tourists. #
DeirdreS Had to come to the AT&T store to reactivate ross’ phone. Been here 40 mins. This is absurd. #
DeirdreS The AT&T people on the phone are holding us up over process with their own store people. Hello, you work for the same company! #

DeirdreS Capturing minds [Mark Cavage and Aaron Slettehaugh of Joyent]  #
DeirdreS @edsai get a white noise appfor your iphone. Works wonders #
edsai @DeirdreS you are my hero. I had no idea there was an app for that. #
DeirdreS @edsai I used to travel with a separaet white noise machine, now no longer necessary #
edsai @DeirdreS will my alarm still go off? What app do you use? #
DeirdreS @edsai Yes, AFAIK. I use WhiteNoise by TMSoft, I think it was free #
jhk24 @edsai @DeirdreS love whitenoise! sleep tight! #
shawnferry @DeirdreS @edsai I use the same. I don’t recall any alarm issues #
scriptavolant The Fabio Masetti Daily is out! http://bit.ly/b2hwKX Top stories today via @stefanomizzella @deirdres #
edsai @shawnferry @deirdres my heroes. was able to get some sleep but running on fumes from yesterday #
DeirdreS RT @bleepster: hallelujiah! http://bit.ly/gAWeMC – wait til you see the new ones coming out with the book! #
DeirdreS @TomRaftery Realpolitik is often ugly. <sigh> #Libya #
johnkt09 @DeirdreS Funny how often realpolitik turns out to be geldpolitik, isn’t it? #
DeirdreS @johnkt09 Yup. After all, what’s realer than money? (Don’t answer that!) #
DeirdreS Argh. Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy, Sleepy… also Headachy and Runny. Damn cold everyone else has had finally caught up with me. #
DeirdreS <sigh> I would really, really prefer not to be on the phone with AT&T right now over yet another screw up. #
mentalmosaic @DeirdreS You, too? This is the 3rd month in a row for me with the same AT&T billing screw up. Love my phone, though. #
DeirdreS 12 mins on phone with rep only to be told I have to pass you to customer care, this line only deals with customers <30 days old WTF? #
dltq @DeirdreS hahaha, sounds like that service rep needs a spanking #
a_random_claire @DeirdreS Did you explain you were well over 30 days old? 😉 #
DeirdreS @a_random_claire I’m not a human being here, just an account. Gah! #
DeirdreS I would gladly pay more money to any company that doesn’t put me through billing hell, for whatever service. Does such a thing exist? #
fitzage @DeirdreS Doubtful. #
fitzage @DeirdreS Actually, when it comes to cell phone companies, T-Mobile was always top notch at customer service. #
DeirdreS Dear corporations: get customer service right. The company that accomplishes this – in any sector – will rule the world. #
NomdeB @DeirdreS Isn’t this day 2 of your AT&T saga? Ouch. 🙁 We’re Verizon. Know people have complaints, but we’ve always had great service. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS they won’t understand this simple thing #
DeirdreS ps I did front-line customer service for years, and I did it well. I KNOW it ain’t rocket science. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS you are ranting like a machine gun, sorry to hear that 😉 #
DeirdreS @riccardo_iommi I’m supposed to be resting at home with a nasty cold. Phone hell is not making me feel any better. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS u have my simpathy, I understand #
DeirdreS ok, unlimited data plan for iphone restored – I had specifically asked at the store y’day not to touch that, hence went spare when they did #
urbanturbanguy @DeirdreS that unlimited plan is useless. I have had it for 3 years now. #
urbanturbanguy @DeirdreS Wanted to get the personal Hotspot activated – They said not with the unlimited plan. They were happy to milk us till now. #
pborenstein @DeirdreS You might try @FancyHands for that kind of thing. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS glad to hear that #
DeirdreS @pborenstein I don’t think they’re allowed to take personal data such as they wd need to manage an account #
DeirdreS This was sent to me in response to my rants earlier today: Saturday Night Live: Ernestine http://bit.ly/gNS2SX #
TopTv_Shows RT @DeirdreS – This was sent to me in response to my rants earlier today: Saturday Night Live: Ernestine http://bit.ly/gNS2SX #
socialtagger RT @DeirdreS – This was sent to me in response to my rants earlier today: Saturday Night Live: Ernestine http://bit.ly/gNS2SX #
DeirdreS companies subscribing to statistical insignificance in customer care will become companies that used to exist. http://bit.ly/eSlbMk #
DeirdreS ‘hipster’ (e.g., people who call themselves ‘nerds’) – Huh? Is that the definition? Or is it just rolled-up jeans and ‘tude? #
DeirdreS WTF? there is nothing to prove that students are allegedly influenced by the presence of the crucifix in classrooms #
DeirdreS @rob_ellis Sure you’re not in marketing? 😉 #joyent #
DeirdreS Some days your colleagues are a lot better off NOT seeing you at the office. For me, this is one of those days. #
riccardo_iommi @DeirdreS a healthy #FF to you #
DeirdreS American protesters should ponder the fact that the government they propose 2nd amendment resistance to is not in fact shooting at them. #
willbldrco @DeirdreS Re hipsters: I thought his was funny: RT @petapixel Hipster traps in NYC use Holgas as bait: http://j.mp/fv6fjG #
DeirdreS @willbldrco I’m dismayed that smoking is hip again. I had to live through that the first time. #
DeirdreS @bcantrill tornado warning for areas including… Redwood City… – moving in on the Emerald City? Surrender, Dorothy! #
willbldrco @DeirdreS +1! After enjoying the heavy-handed anti-smoking laws at home in CO, I was shocked every time I bellied up to the bar in FL! Ugh! #
DeirdreS .@slashdot @pbeyssac Sun.com is worth more than 1 million, if its Google karma transfers. It has huge SEO weight. #
DeirdreS At the same time, like all parents, sometimes I just want a pause button.  #
NomdeB Don’t have children (by choice), but still found this parenting piece utterly delightful: http://bit.ly/fNRSIa HT @DeirdreS #
DeirdreS @acarvin Sigh. No one is meant to die easily. But somehow many do. Condolences. #
DeirdreS How can you make love stay? Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won’t adhere to any rules… #
DeirdreS R tried out Bikram yoga yesterday. Said it was smelly. #
DeirdreS @acarvin In which aspects of it do you think training is needed? For the A/V – tech, lots of info/tutorials out there. #
DeirdreS There’s never been truth-telling that I know of that had that kind of immediate effect #
DeirdreS most bloggers have no institutional credibility, so must build it by linking transparently #
DeirdreS @lskrocki We will not be seeing it from here – rain, rain and more rain! #
DeirdreS I rarely get the common cold/flu – had forgotten how miserable it is. #
edsai @DeirdreS argh. hope you feel better… #
DeirdreS @natashabadhwar I’m told that Nehru’s nieces ended up at Woodstock School because all of the older generation of the family were in jail. #
DeirdreS @edsai Thanks. It’s the fault of all our colleagues. That’s what I get for working in an office. 😉 #
natashabadhwar @DeirdreS I just read your bio. It is incredible, so much love, loss, moving on. Sending you love and the warmth of Delhi on the eve of Holi #
DeirdreS A Brazilian asking for info on the origins of his Italian family names – can anyone help?  #
jasonh @aaronheckmann @bigfleet yes ping me. We have @sh1mmer and @DeirdreS working on such things @joyent #
DeirdreS .@jasonh @aaronheckmann @bigfleet Yes, @sh1mmer has training ready to go, don’t know of specific plans for Portland. #
DeirdreS Another trove of material I’d sorta forgotten about, must move to new blog… India Vlog 2005 #
DeirdreS added a few updates and a new photo to my Autobiography #
DeirdreS 7 years ago today: Holiday Treats Italian Seasonal Goodies #
DeirdreS not much has changed since this post ~5 years ago: Talking Back to Politicians: A Lesson in Modern Italian #
edsai @DeirdreS uhm. why do you not have the pink hair anymore. it r0cked. #
DeirdreS 3 yrs ago: I’ve tried for 17 years to achieve this in Italy. made progress on my chosen road but it’s getting harder #
DeirdreS @edsai I liked it, but I’ve been scared off with stories of conservative Asian customers. Plus hard to get it done well. #
DeirdreS The DTrace book final version is now available for download purchase, with a different free sample chapter #
lskrocki @DeirdreS Bummer. Going to try snapping some pics — may be cloudy here too. #
DeirdreS Losing my voice. Which doesn’t matter on Twitter. #
DeirdreS Hmm, intriguing. Now just need to get all my friends to use it. Voxer #
DeirdreS Deja vu. Didn’t we bomb Tripoli a while back? Like, 1986? #
ryancnelson RT @DeirdreS: Deja vu. Didn’t we bomb Tripoli a while back? Like, 1986? //whoever lives in the Halls of Montezuma is nervous right now. #
DeirdreS Dear new followers: I am not likely ever to own real estate again in my life. What made you think otherwise? #
DeirdreS Enter to win 1 of 2 Canon 60D camera bodies & 1 yr @SmugMug Pro membership. Please RT. Info at: http://bit.ly/hDiOdy #
DeirdreS Dislike what I just did. But could really use a new camera… #
DeirdreS Either Mucinex works really fast, or I had already coughed out everything I was gonna. Still feel like the top of my head came off. #
webmink @DeirdreS That’s what one has a second account for 😉 #
bdha @ryancnelson @deirdres Nice. #
DeirdreS memoir: The (Previous) Bombing of Tripoli #
PCOWandre @DeirdreS You should check his 5D Mk. II giveaway thing too. Far more fun lurking in a 5D2! #
DeirdreS @PCOWandre Thanks, I think I signed up for both. #
PCOWandre @DeirdreS Well, hope you win! #
DeirdreS Woke up to a patch of blue sky. Will it last? #
DeirdreS A lot can be said with a little the mundane and the extraordinary. Philosophers were kings of the aphorism.  #
DeirdreS @arekdreyer I’d never seen it – I like the song better than the store! #
DeirdreS Brief bout of sunshine definitively over. #
rattay @DeirdreS Somehow I knew we would have to some payback for that 80 degree stint in January. #
DeirdreS Hmm, I lied. Blue sky is back, at least temporarily. #
DeirdreS R: Does this look stupid? Do I look like a Canadian? (multiple patterned sweaters) #
DeirdreS @rattay Yeah, I wish we had that good weather now while my daughter is visiting #
DeirdreS Rather than waiting to help financial consumers, Warren has been trying to help them now. Can you believe the nerve? #

The (Previous) Bombing of Tripoli

Reading the news today that US forces are bombing Tripoli brought on a quirky memory, almost completely unrelated to today’s events.

Last time the US bombed Tripoli, in 1986, I was on a study abroad year in Benares, India. I had chosen to live in Vijayanagaram Bhavan, the headquarters of the College Year in India program, so knew about all the students’ comings and goings. I also kept an eye on what was going in the world (a habit picked up from my dad the newshound). I owned a shortwave radio, and used it to listen to the Voice of America, BBC World Service, and Radio Moscow (whose announcers all sounded as if they had been raised in Nebraska).

I wrote up daily news summaries and posted them on the center’s bulletin board for my fellow students, a service they seemed to appreciate. So it was I who informed them about the US attack, which was not well received by the world community, nor by many Americans. There were fears of retaliatory attacks on American citizens worldwide. I heaved a sigh and got on with my life – been there, been threatened with death by the Islamic Jihad. We also imagined, I don’t know how realistically, the possibility of full-scale war, complete with Vietnam-style conscription of US youth.

A few days later, an American showed up at the Bhavan with a list of student names he wanted to check. His wife was a consular officer with the US Embassy in Delhi, so it was her duty to keep track of US citizens in the region in case there should be a need to whisk us all to safety. I was pleased that, having put my life in danger, my government was at least proposing to get me out of it again, and was happy to give the man the information he needed. Meanwhile, my classmates were at the other end of the verandah, muttering among themselves about the stranger and what his business might be.

As the man and I were finishing, one of the students – J, a painfully politically correct young man – came bustling up.

“Sir,” he said officiously, “I would like to lodge a complaint about the actions of the US government in Libya – ” He didn’t get to finish.

The man looked him straight in the eye and barked: “I am here to inform you that all US males over the age of 18 are being drafted into the army, and you have two days to report to the nearest recruiting center!”

J’s jaw dropped, he turned white as a sheet, and for once had nothing to say.

“Just kidding.”

The man smiled sweetly, and went about his business.

The Twitter Diaries: Jan 23-Mar 5, 2011

~this date in 2003: Teenagers and Cellphones Standard Equipment for Italian Adolescents #
~this date in 2003: Largo al Factotum Why People Think I Know Opera #
2007: Guys, women don’t come to tech confs [because] were tired of trying to have conversations w your bald spots  g #
.@davewiner: an old article of mine that predates (maybe forecasts) the current debate about women at tech events, in this case in Italy #
~this date in 2008: More Things to Buy in India The Growth of a Consumer Society #
.@davewiner Did you read the whole piece? That phrase was meant to be ironic, & was written under dire provocation at the time. #
http://bit.ly/gFW1OR Religion, however, tends to venerate ancient wisdom even if later knowledge raises doubts. #
@davewiner I’m sorry you found it insulting. #
.@davewiner As the owner of an ageing female body, I have probaly heard it all (& had it grabbed, groped & commented upon) most of my life. #
.@davewiner Oh, I do see it. And made a conscious choice to use it. A dumb choice for some, evidently, but a choice. #
I haven’t flown since the latest TSA escalation. How early do I need to arrive at SFO for a flight to Vancouver? #
.@davewiner Ironically, at that event the bald men were relatively young. Italian men often shave their heads completely – and look good. #
@milouness Thanks, this will be an 8:20 am flight, dunno whether that’s peak time on a Monday #
@saraford Thanks. How are Monday mornings? United at 8:20 #
@jlb13 It’s much more fun to have arguments in public #streamfullofconversations #
The Twitter Diaries, Dec 30, 2010 Jan 23, 2011 – an emotionally-charged few weeks, with photos and video #
@saraford Ugh. thanks for the warning #
@dogcow BAs as in bachelors’ degrees? #
@ben @dogcow Oh. I never did understand what that term means. #
Tomorrow will be relatively easy: up at 5:30, fly to Vancouver, go to office, film @mmayo , dinner, hotel, sleep… #
…It’s the rest of the week keeping up with @bcantrill that worries me. #
@pborenstein I recommend drugs to sleep on any flight > 4 hrs #
@jlb13 I just hide people if they get annoying. They’ll never know. #
Way too early for my flight, but this may be one of those cases where any later would be too late. #
@jlb13 Maybe they’ve hidden us as well. 😉 #err #
we can have feelings for people we’ve only seen on screens. I have embarrassed myself meeting actors…  #
This is why I hate flying United: so many long-time frequent flyers that plebs like me are treated poorly in comparison. #
‘Confidence in institutions down’ in Italy http://bit.ly/h3Iftu #
For once chose a window seat, so there had better be a view! #
@thinguy I’ll never qualify for an upgrade anyway, just get tired of seeing most of the plane board before me. #
Cantrill & Gregg Cloud Analytics: high-res, downloadable video now available so you can really see the pretty pictures  #
As long as I work for tech startups, my colleagues will mostly be smart, geeky, young(er than I am), and male. Not that this is a problem… #
RT @smaffulli: Il postribolo televisivo: ecco il video della chiamata di B a Lerner – such dignity, Signor Presidente #
Brendan’s blog Cloud Analytics: first video #
Sleepy in the gray weather, but enjoying being at the Joyent Vancouver offices, surrounded by engineers (yes, we have them in SF too) #
Webinars | JoyentCloud  You’ve Got Game: Planning for the Successful Scale and Performance of Your Game in the Cloud #
@sriramnrn Thanks, but that wasn’t my work – you can thank @jacksonwest for that one. I have a partner in video crimes these days. 😉 #
@dexterous good catch, thanks #
@jkstark @NomdeB Superstition at work – a dog that chews a shoe is naughty, a dog that chews a bible is the devil #
As you are my prime minister, I invite you to moderate your language. Mr Berlusconi, however, would have none of it  #
Miss Minetti the 25 yr old ex-dental hygienist makes as a fledgling City Councilwoman in Milan, more than Barack Obama. #
@ZackFord Yes, it’s a pity when patriotism makes everything a zero-sum game #SOTU #

^ View from Joyent Vancouver  #

^ .@pborenstein @joshwilsdon @bcantrill at Joyent Vancouver  #
I am such a geek. I get truly excited when I know I’m getting great, useful, and technically interesting video. #
.@kusor @joshwilsdon You all are awesome #


@edsai Welcome aboard! #
Not being able to have my usual goffee in bed is seriously disrupting my morning routine. Grumble grumble grumble #
@fitzage Also can’t handle Dvorak without coffee #
@fitzage just learning, in hopes of reducing RSI. So far mostly reducing typing speed. #
@fitzage After 30+ years of touch Qwerty, it’s tough. @brendangregg is Dvorak-macho: he’s been learning 1-handed as well. #
way cool to learn about new colleague @edsai on Twitter this morning, then immediately and unexpectedly meet him at Joyent’s Vancouver offc #
Getting video intros of Joyeurs in Vancouver #
Dear Keynote and PowerPoint: please resolve your differences. I do not have time for conversion to be difficult. ps I hate you both. #
@missbhavens Blood orange martini recipe? Sounds like my kinda drink (after all, I was born in NOLA). #
[Because] it is more Christian to impose oneself by refusal #

^ Beer o’clock at Joyent  #

^ School of fish  #
@bdha umm… The Apocalypse is upon us? #
[Some Italian men] respect a woman’s professional capacity, admire her intellect & suggest she should be ambitious #
@jlb13 [Parenting is] like riding horses: until you fall, you’re not really doing it seriously. Generally everyone survives. #

^ Snow at Summit and 17  #

Pigeon Point lighthouse  #

Seems my daughter has made up her mind – and I’m grinning from ear to ear: Boogie Back To Texas  #
@edsai I’m sure they do, but the people at your new work like you, too. We go to new places to keep our minds and lives fresh. #
@riccardo_iommi She’s lived in Austin before (as I have). It’s not like anyplace else on earth. #
@riccardo_iommi Austin calls itself the live music capital world, probably justifiable. All kinds of music, too. #
.@adamsbaldwin Are you a member of SAG? #
Damn. Worried about friends in Christchurch #

returning from Monterey yesterday  #
@pborenstein I wasn’t all that warm when I shot that photo, but not as cold as that either #
[The best speakers] have figured out the way to connect with other people and to make them want to care. @TEDchris #
.@adamsbaldwin …and your SAG membership? #
A leader more consumed with his virility and Arab women 1/4 his age than with governance does not serve Italy well. #
India will catch up with the US economy in 2048 – Hans Rosling on TED.com  #
@ltdanchoi You’ll have seen a dear friend of mine auditioning for a solo, I think #
Grrr when people believe that privileges they themselves enjoy, such as collective bargaining, are socialism when extended to others. #
no reason to strip away workers bargaining rights if they had agreed to benefit cuts. – NYTimes  #
A bright and interesting friend looking for people who are exploring (or have followed) alternative educational paths http://bit.ly/fL2jMn #
@bcantrill I, too, am awaiting news of friends in chch #eqnz #
RT @arekdreyer: @DEVOPS_BORAT @DeirdreS I had no idea DEVOPS_BORAT existed. Should I be afraid? – Very, very afraid #

Dilbert.com

^ @sh1mmer #
.@kbeninato Las Vegas is where everyone goes to have the illusion of misbehaving. New Orleans is where the actual sinning takes place. #
@polotek These aren’t in a logical order yet, but @brendangregg has been the subject of many videos on DTrace: http://bit.ly/hTXB28 #
@NomdeB Anna’s in Wellington, Meaghan may be in India right now. #
Happy I’ll get to see my daughter soon. I’ve missed her. #

^ Life is uncertain – eat dessert first #

A beautiful cross-cultural piece: Mukteshwar  #
A bridge builder has a strong foundation on his own side, then builds a strong foundation on the other side, then…. #
@wanderingitaly Hey, shoulda told me you’re in town! #
@wanderingitaly Yup, I live in SF now #
@divinacucina whereabouts are you? #

just found a great version of one of my favorite songs: Dil Se Re- Misfitz and Global Rhythms  (wake-up music) #
@lskrocki As long as he didn’t club you and drag you to his cave. 😉 #
First look at the DTrace book, and a big, fat chapter you can download! #
Get your Node on with Joyent: We’ve got news. – Event Tuesday evening, March 1, at Joyent HQ  #
SAGE Program – Gap Year & Volunteer Service in the Himalayas: scholarships now available!  #
The smart thing for us to do right now is to impose a 1-a-gallon gasoline tax #
.@milouness But we had also bought a modem, and that was how I found out what computers are really for. #
4 years ago: Translating italia.it #
Ross 2007: even if I had never spoken of India with my mother, the desire to go wd have started pulsing in my veins.  #
Learn Italian in Song: La Terra dei Cachi #
everyone at Sun seems to have been there for at least ten years… Sun demonstrates that it values its people <sigh> #
@vdotw Yes, I do think the Sun diaspora is ultimately good for the industry, if painful for us. #

Watching this Joyent video from before my time, I LOL’d. Guess which interviewee I actually know?  #
@davidpaulyoung is that 50 of or 50 OFF ? #Launchconf #
If behavior spreads through social networks, working in a toxic corporate environment is really really bad for you #
Damn, I work with a lot of smart people! #
@fitzage We’ll put you on both lists 😉 #

^ Rainbow over Moscone Center  #
@wanderingitaly God has decided not to punish San Francisco 😉 #
.@tweir Thanks – we know they’re awesome, but it’s always nice for them to hear that they’re appreciated! #awesome #custserv #
Pilgrimage planning? You are really following the wrong tweeter. If God wants me to go on a pilgrimage, he can make the travel arrangements. #
Having trouble finding a tweet backup option that actually works – suggestions? #

^ Pretty sure no taxidermist would have foreseen this #
one of my earliest videos, 2005 – La Bottega del Maiale: A Salumeria in Lecco #
.@billblum @willbldrco Once saw a taxidermied, poised-to-strike rattlesnake in the offices of a tort law firm. At least our goat is friendly #
@notmatt yup. I’ve seen those before – Thailand maybe #
It would be good if I could stop declining and falling about. Especially on concrete. #
Umm I guess it makes sense that Twitter thinks @davidpaulyoung @mmayo @johnnysunshine & @orlandov are like me. #
Out of every that funds WI s pension & health insurance plans for state workers, 100 cents comes from state workers.  #
@nilofer I can be all of those things, in turn. #
.@ewancube Technical difficulties for a stream that night, but we’ll see what we can do. At the least we shd be able to get video out soon #

#
.@daviddonnelly @Chuckumentary Didn’t Spinrad write a book like this decades ago…? Or was it Brunner? #weareWI #WIunion #
@rosso …and you expected otherwise? #
Ok, time to get this row on the shoad. #
@hudsonette another thing you and I share taste in – men! #
Learn Italian in Song: Voglio Volere #
Italian Seasons (a collction of articles)  #
Italian Freedom Fighters: Cultural Attitudes Towards the Law #
Still recovering from (very) early morning adventures in the bowels of Moscone Center. Next time, I wanna drive a forklift! #
I’d like to see someone on the red carpet wear something really sumptuous #
.@hudsonette Slowly transferring articles from my old htms site to WP. This just surfaced – of course thought of you! #
You don’t need an ultimate goal. A lot of people we celebrate as successful didn’t have an ultimate goal.  #
Battisti in German?!? Fucking Sony has removed the original Italian from YouTube  #
5 vials of blood – I really need breakfast now! #

Bollywood Western – who knew? – Muqqala Muqqala – Humse Hai Muqabla  #
@kbeninato He can tie his own turban, video tutorial here #nola #
I’m sure that, somewhere in the world, there is a chocolate cupcake with my name on it. #
@NomdeB clear but chilly (by our standards) – 40s-50s. in the city, likely warmer out. Tell him to call if he has time for a meal/drink #
@reiger cool, looking forward to seeing you! #solaris #joyent #
4 years ago: A School Year Abroad #
RT @StopBeck: when I encounter a Beck devotee, I just wanna break out into song. Poor unfortunate soul from Little Mermaid – LOL! #
…in other words – we will, we will ROCK YOU!  #
…and if you wanna know how that works under the hood: DTrace probes for Node v0.4.x #
Look Inside the DTrace book on Amazon – and see if you can figure out which is my favorite part 😉 #
Live stream of Node event at Joyent tonight  …as requested. We assume those signed up will still come for beer! #
RT @notmatt: I work with geniuses, and I helped make this. http://no.de #
@Fabryz ~6:30 pm Pacific time #
What Makes Node Sexy? Joyeur – Guys, you totally blew it. The sexiest thing about node is… Ryan. #
Node.js Community Event on USTREAM: March 1, 2011 – live stream NOW http://bit.ly/hYW8yX #
@Fabryz Sorry – it’s hard to get local attendees earlier #
@ustram FIX MY STREAM NOW #
RT @DeirdreS: Node.js Community Event on USTREAM: March 1, 2011 – live stream NOW http://bit.ly/hYW8yX – fixed #
@brendangregg showing cloud LIVE analytics Node.js Community Event on USTREAM http://bit.ly/hYW8yX #
@hnfirehose see it live right now http://bit.ly/hYW8yX #
Ryan Dahl up – Node.js Community Event on USTREAM http://bit.ly/hYW8yX #
@reiger fixed aspect raito? #
UStream problems were frustrating as ever, but it’s all captured – video of sexy cloud analytics will be forthcoming! #
It’s been an eventful day, now trying to wind down my brain enough to sleep. #
new comment on Italian Idiom and Sayings asks: does anyone know what scrinfio means?  scrinfio #
Learn Italian in Song: Volare #
planning a homecoming reunion at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India  #
@sogrady You’re not the only one. #
.@elliotross @PeterKretzman People have different prefs and learning styles. I’m a reader myself, but I produce video because many want it #
.@PeterKretzman @elliotross I’ve found that people like to download video to watch at the gym, on the plane, listen mhile driving… #
@elliotross ps if you’sre just getting started [in video], you might find this helpful:  #
San Francisco OpenSolaris User Group meeting Weds Mar 9: DTracing File Systems – Brendan Gregg – details #
@markovaldo @lucaconti Ma dove si trovano ‘sti ebook italiani? Vorrei aggiornarmi su Montalbano #
Not in the mood for technical irritations today, but then, who ever is? #
Apparently this is a day when nothing is going to work. I should just give up. #
.@avinash Perhaps it’s time to redefine education, knowledge, testing. I never cheated, got good grades, but never felt I was really working #
Why, yes, I am drinking a beer before 5 pm. It seems preferable to screaming and breaking things #
.@avinash Wasn’t convinced of the value of my BA even then. My work has always been about stuff that didn’t even exist when I was undergrad. #
.@NomdeB @avinash Cultural differences, both national and generational? #
@billjohnston Sounds like my kind of trip – I’ve spent a lot of time in both those places! #
Been a long week, and its only Wednesday. #
@markovaldo @pandemia Scomettiamo che non accettano CC da fuori Italia? Provero’, ma… #
node.js Community Event: Rough Cut Videos #
RT @nerdist …insane musical remix of George Carlin’s stand-up – not sure the music was necessary, but it’s fun #
.@jimpick node.js 0.4 and cloud analytics goodness! #
.@stiefkind More recent look at Cloud Analytics here – we’re moving fast! #cloud #joyent #
Dear Google: the integration between Google Apps sign-on and YouTube appears to be non-existent. You have me in verification loop hell. #

GDC  #
I hold this truth to be self-evident: Beer is good. #
the mandate for people of faith is to retain a deep commitment tofaith while remaining open to respecting others #
@davidpaulyoung Today was somewhat less frustrating than yesterday. Actually got video posted. I get very cranky when I can’t publish. #
.@jimpick @zbialecki You can see a live demo of cloud analytics here #
.@nigVSqeZbLPRuOB Yup, in fact a number of the tools in /usr/bin in OS X are from @brendangregg ‘s DTrace toolkit #

^ Seen at GDC  #
In Germany, this sort of thing sparked scandal that led to a ministers resig but in Italy it helps people to get by #
I must recant my prejudices about Italian food in the US. Have had two very good meals in two weeks. #
@badnima want! #

nighttime streets of San Francisco  #
.@nmar L’Osteria del Forno (cheap!) ~Abruzzese and Perbacco (not cheap) Piemontese #
re-reading Les Mis after many years. Hard to swallow the “sublime mystery of the convent”. A prison for surplus noblewomen, more like. #
@billblum The delay has been very painful for us most closely involved. Pre-print copies next week, look for an opp to win one! #Dtrace #
@billblum Heh. Come over to the DTrace side… #Dtrace #
gah! Windows! #

node.js Community Event: Rough Cut Videos

Joyent hosted a node.js community event at our San Francisco offices the other evening, in which Ryan Dahl announced a new version of node.js, and Brendan Gregg showed some amazing stuff you can do with Joyent Cloud Analytics on your no.de hosted site to understand what’s going on in your node.js app.

For more details on cloud analytics, see Dave’s and Robert’s blogs, and two more hours of video with Bryan and Brendan demoing.

Technical difficulties with UStream meant I didn’t have a stream recorded to their servers that night, technical difficulties with everything else meant I couldn’t get these rough cuts hosted anywhere til now. This is exactly what you would have seen on the stream (and more), including the bad camera angle which was forced by… oh never mind. A better view of cloud analytics will be forthcoming.

(NB: These videos disappeared from Joyent some time ago. Sorry.)

Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, the world, and now Australia