Babchin for President 2008

I may be getting really busy here....

Babchin for President

Lovin' Chrome

Google Chrome came out last week and I'm lovin' it!  I like how you can pull tabs in and out of the window.  Its very comfortable for presenting.  I no longer have to copy/paste my presentation in another window, it just flies right out.  It has your 9 most visited sites right on the homepage with a link to favorites on the side. 

When you type it a webpage, it enables an automatic google search option which is very convenient and saves our lazy selves from having to first go to google.com and then search for something.  It still has a few bugs to work out, but nothing major.

I'd also like to point out that its not available on MAC yet...awwww poor Finder...keep looking!!!

Olympic Chinese Contraversy

Everyday I come home from work and in flat screen HD happiness (I love you baby!!), I watch the Olympics. From the spectacular and controversial opening ceremonies, everyone knew these games would be iconic and memorable.

The first issue was with the age of the Chinese gymnasts. They are supposed to be at least 16 years of age. These girls looked like they couldn't have been more than 10 years old. The Chinese government proved their age with passports that could have been easily foraged, and it is clear to see some of the girls have barely reached puberty.

Second came the discovery of the lip-syncing song. China decided the adorable 7 year old who was sang during the open ceremonies wasn't cute enough to appear on stage, so they subbed her for a 10 year old girl, who was also duped until the last minute led to believe that she would sing live. They insulted one girl by saying she wasn't pretty enough, and the other by saying her voice wasn't good enough. For the record, both little girls are completely adorable!!!

Finally there has been some distinct concern over the judging of the Chinese athletes. In every sport, it doesn't matter how much the Chinese athlete screwed up, they would get phenomenal scores. A gymnast falls and the judges turn their backs, the synchronized divers make a mistake, no one looks. There is something very very shady going on, and it isn't the smog in the air!

In the end, the Americans are triumphant! Michael Phelps broke just about every world record possible. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson made Olympic history taking the Gold and Silver US metals in all around gymnastics. And even though its not over yet, the US currently holds 5 more Olympic metals than China. HA!!! In your cheating, shady faces!! USA!! USA!!! USA!!!!

G-d and Global Warming

As you're well aware from my last GSBN post, I think this whole Bay Area hippie going green initiative has gone completely over board. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so. I work for an internet company where everyone and their mother drives a hybrid or a Prius. Two weeks ago, I was at work minding my own business when G-d and mother nature gave us their true opinion of Going Green. In perfect sunny weather, with no wind factor, a large tree branch fell on top of a Prius. Mother Nature likes her carbon emissions early in the morning, and no pretentious Prius is going to take that away! This was truly environmentalism at its best. The funniest thing was when the receptionist sent an email to the whole building saying, "anyone with a Prius-come outside!" That's like calling a fire drill!

GSBN: Blue in the Face from Going Green

Because its true if no one else will say it....go to GSBN

Workplace Translations Post from the GSBN

Click here to read my latest post on the Garage Sale Blog Network about translation workplace emails:
The Russian Stamp Post 3

Software should be pretty

When you download new software onto your computer, does anyone really read the manual? No! We expect to be able to log in, and to instantly become experts. We're all busy people and the last thing we want to do is fuss around in some software trying to complete simple tasks.

My latest qualm about this is particularly geared towards project management software. If I can't log in, create a project, add a task, and assign my resources without obtaining a PhD, I don't want it.

All the PM software competitors try to be unique and complex, but it all boils down to an old phrase: KISS. Keep it simple stupid! It's one thing for the project manager to have to go in and learn the advanced settings and reporting tools, but everyone else should be able to go in and very simply update their tasks. They also like to compare and be compatible with MS Project, who died and made MS Project the end all/be all in PM software? Newsflash: MS Project isn't perfect either!!!

Finally, reports should be pretty. Who wants to present ugly looking data to their bosses? Not that it should be flashy and totally glossed up, but a little frosting never killed anyone.

The Garage Sale Blogging Network

Taking blogging to a whole other level, I joined a blogging network by suggestion of another female blogger friend of mine at work. The Garage Sale Blogging Network is a group of 13 bloggers, totally different who write together. Each of us write under a symbol, an item you would find at a garage sale. I'm the Russian Stamp. Check out my latest post about Backblaze back up: GSBN!!

Krav Maga is the most awesomest thing in the world!!!

If you are about to tell me that "awesomest" isn't a word, I learned how to gouge someone's eyes out. Are you sure you want to talk back to me????

Yesterday I started taking Krav Maga, the Israeli self-defense form that translates from Hebrew into contact combat!!! Used by the IDF, police departments and the US Armed Forces, Krav Maga teaches that your ultimate goal is survival, no rules exist! ( I love this class!!!!)

We started out with some running and punching exercises. I was shy to with the punching mat at first, we had just met, but the instructor kept yelling at me, "punch harder...punch harder!!!'' OK!!!!!! I couldn't hide my ear to ear smile as I started whacking the heck out of the punching mat.

Yesterday's combat instructions were geared to teach you to get out of a situation where someone has you in a bear hug. The instructor gave us techniques like slapping your hand on the back of the attacker's neck where their nerve ending are, or grabbing their nose and twisting their face until they have to drop. My favorite is gouging our fingers into the attacker's eyes and pushing them onto the floor! At one point we were practicing (on each other's foreheads, not our eyes...I just got laser surgery thank you very much!!!)...anyway..we were practicing and the instructor praised my eye gouging technique! They have officially created a monster! I can't wait to go back!!!

Attackers...watch out!!! I may be little, but I am fierce!!!!!

WEP key what?????????

Yesterday morning I was minding my own business at my computer, catching up on emails and drinking coffee when I get a text message from my office roomie, "can you message me the WEP key for the shuttle please. I know the SSID." What the heck kinda secret service tech code is that? I'm glad you know the SSID, the "special-service-identification" or the "secret-society I dominate" whatever that means.

So I text message back what I always say when I don't know what to say..."K! Hold please!" WEP key, WEP key...(as I'm googling the term)...OHH!! Of course!!! The wired equivalent privacy code for the SSID, the service set identifier..absolutely!! I didn't realize you where talking about THAT WEP key. Apparently its the code to access the wireless internet on the shuttle. I ask my co-worker who takes the shuttle too for it, and message my office roomie back. Crisis solved, but I would like to comment some more about this situation...

This whole WEP key for the SSID stuff is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too much trouble for just access to the internet. Seriously!!! I understand secret WEP codes for bank accounts, medical information, credit cards, small children etc, but all this secret code just to get to the internet? I think some security engineers have a LITTLE too much time on their hands....just a thought....

More Computer Words that are WEIRD!!!!

I used to be totally "Not Found 404" about tech jargon, but I'm starting to catch on and get in the groove. Even though I'm more aware of this new foreign language, there are some terms that are...well...weird!

1. BREADCRUMBS: I get it, its a reference to Hansel and Gretel about leaving crumbs or notes to remember where you came from. But why did the creator pick Hansel and Gretel when there are other perfectly good Fairytale references that could've been made here? For example, "the magic wand" wave and it you get where you want, or "the Rapunzel" hold on to the hair and you know where you're going. When I think of breadcrumbs, it reminds me of another computer term...

2. BLOG ROLL: Linking your blog with someone else's. Why don't they just call it "blog buddies" or "BBFF" Best-blog-friends-forever! Do blog rolls leave breadcrumbs?? No, but that would make sense wouldn't it! What's up with all the bread terms? I think there's some wonderbread conspiracy going on here.

3. CLEARING YOUR CACHE: I would have no problem with this term if "cache" wasn't pronounced "cash". Why do I need my computer's help to clear my cache? I can do it by myself in a much more exciting way than by clicking on the computer. I can clear my cash at the mall, on vacation, or by enjoying a shoe sale. Seriously, there's nothing about clearing my cache my computer can teach me about. I'm sure I can give it a lesson or two about cache clearing!!!

I've signed up for Netlingo's word-of-the-day so I can learn more tech lingo! Stay tuned for more WTF word rants!

The Last PC Standing...

We had our team meeting last Thursday and I looked around the room at my teammates typing away on their laptops and realized the day I dreaded has finally come. I have the only PC on the team, the rest of the my teammates are MAC lovers.

I hate MACs. Granted you can do some advanced graphic photoshop dorka nerda stuff on them, but if you're not a graphic designer, who cares? Where is the "right click" I so love in a PC? Why do MACs have to confuse us with their window options on the left side of the internet browser, and what's up with the color code without labels for max/min the page, and closing the window? Is this some secret MAC code that I have to learn now to browse the internet? What's wrong with the perfectly good PC big ole' red X to close the window, or those cute multi-sized boxes to depict maximizing and minimizing the screen?

And Finder? What does he even do?? It's not like he actually finds anything useful like those chocolate chip cookies in my easybake drive no one has been able to locate for me. He's such a show off...they should rename him "Finder of all things useless!!!"

G-d has gone wireless

Yesterday I completely freaked out. I opened up a word doc with my homework assignment and my computer was typing into my document without me. It was the scariest thing ever. It was typing all sorts of non-sense, completely off topic. It was like someone was inside my computer, and that someone was NOT doing a good job of doing my homework for me. Attention hacker...ya you...next time write on the subject, some of us have homework to turn in. I don't think my professor would believe a hacker got into my word doc and "ate my homework" but it was true! Why did this hacker enter my computer? I don't know... but I knew I shouldn't have left those cookies in the cache without deleting them! It must have been a hungry hacker.

As it was staring at the words appearing on my page, and calling over a witness to look over my shoulder to confer that I wasn't completely crazy, I wondered it if was G-d trying send me a message. Yes G-d, I'm right here...what is it you want to tell me?? Burning bushes are sooooo 5000 years ago, and maybe G-d's trying to get with the program. Alas, it was not as glamorous...turns out a I accidentally enabled voice recognition on my word doc and it was running a demo. ...sad....

There's something about section 209...

Yesterday I went to Jewish Heritage Day at the Golden State Warrior's Game, (that's basketball for the sports impaired). We beat the Mavericks 114-104, woot woot!!! All cuz the Rally Rabbi blew the shofar at half time, Moses style, creating an open road to the basket! Anyway...we were sitting in section 209!!

For those of you who don't know, section 209 is notorious at the San Jose Sharks games as the LOUD section. The same season ticket holders have been sitting there for years and always yell "YOU SUCK!" to the opposing team (nice guys, really!) Turns out section 209 at the Warrior's game was the loudest too.

It was interesting in the beginning seeing as how we were the Jewish Heritage Day group and had a large Church of Jesus Gospel/Dance Crew group right behind us. It was like an interfaith melting pot. One of the guys from the dance crew got the whole section chanting and starting to do the wave. We were all high 5-ing and dancing together!

The section became really loud when the Warriors scored 100 points and everyone got FREE KFC fried chicken wrap coupons. I have to mention that melting pot section was split here some excited about "free" others excited about fried chicken.

I <3 Google Reader and RSS Feeds

I know, I know, I'm late to the party, but I just discovered Google Reader and RSS feeds. I used to spend hours surfing the web, going to the Wall Street Journal just to read world news and the opinion pages. Then I'd check Google News for the election updates, and poke around on my friend's blogs. (Hold please while I blogroll my delightful gal's blog: http://girlprowess.tumblr.com).

Anyway, I set up my Google Reader and RSS feeds, and now I have my own personalized newspaper with only the stuff I want in it. The best part is my personalized newspaper doesn't have to be unbiased and show all sides of the story! It's like my own little dictatorship paper with the stuff I want to see, and none of the stuff I don't!!!! As it was said in Mel Brook's "History of the World"..."It's good to be the king!!!"

It gets better, then I found out my Google Reader syncs with my blackberry and I can get all the latest news right on my phone. I was sooooooooo excited when my office roomie had to say, "just so you know Leya, RSS feeds have been around for like 5 years now!" WHATEVER..I totally caught him setting up Google Reader just a few moments after I told him about my account.

Who's late to the party now???

Eyeballs version 2.0!

Yay! My eyes have been lasered and upgraded! Surgery went well, and now I just kick back with my 'men in black' shades (the world is a really bright place) and wait for for the vision to get better. Technology is amazing. I've been wearing glasses/contacts since 2nd grade, and in 10 minutes of PRK laser surgery, my vision was fabulous!!

My surgeon is great (Dr. Manche, Stanford Laser Center). My optometrist says his work was perfect! I was really nervous about the PRK since the recovery is longer, and more painful than lasik. He went out of his way to make me comfortable and got some of his previous patients to tell me about their experience.

Anyway, I go into the doctor's office and they give me Valium before I go in. I start to giggle like a little school girl, and my sister leads me into the surgery room. The doc. tells me to keep staring at the orange blinky light, which under the influence of the Valium is the most entertaining, spectacular theatrical lights production I had ever seen.

My doctor's fabulous, but he was really bad at small talk this time. He was trying to keep me awake so he started asking about my boyfriend who came with me when I did my right eye in December. I told him the boyfriend's finishing up law school in LA. Doc says, "wow! LA huh? That's a pretty dangerous place for a guy to be without his girlfriend." COME ON DOC!!!!!!

So now the doctor's shooting giant laser beams and scraping my eye while implying that my boyfriend is being distracted by all the boobular women in LA. My sister's staring at me like I'm her next science experiment (she can't wait to try this at home)....and you know what?? I'm still on the Valium and thought everything was absolutely hilarious.

The procedure was over before I knew it, and my sister leads me, still giggling, out of the facility. I really want to thank everyone at Stanford Eye Laser Center. They are amazing, and if I had a third eye, I would totally do it again! Also thank you to everyone who's been driving me around and visiting while I'm recovering.

On another note, I think doctors have a tough job and need to lighten the mood by having a quirky senses of humor. My regular physician once examined me and said, "well..it looks like you're only a little pregnant...JUST KIDDING!!"

I AM THE CHAMPION MY FRIENDS!!!!!

The quiet bet was on!!! 6:59pm I hung up the phone with my sister and started out my two hours of quiet battle. I created a voice recording on my phone ahead of time screaming, "SHARKS!! GOAL!!!" so I could play it in the right moment and enjoy the game. My boyfriend put me to the test and called during the two hours of silent hell. I answered the phone and pressed buttons in his ear so he would know I was there, but was NOT talking!! Some friends sent supportive text messages and NOW...I am the champion of quiet time!!! Well...maybe not the champion, but I am $20 richer!!! IN YOUR FACE!!!!!!

Tomorrow I'm off to have my PRK eye surgery. Giant freakin' laser beams here I come!

The "Quiet Bet" is on like Donkey Kong!!

This weekend I was telling my step-bro about the time my ex-boyfriend made me go to this meditation, vegetarian, silent dinner...where everyone had to be..GULP..silent throughout the meal. This was after an hour of silent hungry mediation. It was terrible, I was miserable, and I barely made it out of there alive! I am certainly no vegetarian...and by no means silent about anything!!

So bro challenged me to a bet: Tuesday night, 7-9pm PDT, no talking!! $20 and a lifetime of bragging rights are at stake here! This is an interesting challenge, as I have a few errands to run tonight and am going to watch the San Jose Sharks game on TV (Go Sharks!! Beat LA!!!) I've never watched a hockey game in silence! In fact, the reason I always participate in discussions in school is because I can't shut up long enough to listen! But tonight: it's ON!!!

Brother from another mother, you are going down!!!! And just remember, I didn't say it, the New York Post did!!!

If Geek.com says its ok....

Today I was looking for a free voice recording software for a work project. I googled and found Freecorder, a toolbar recorder that's built into your browser. I wondered, hmmm...is this a trick? If I click download, will I automatically send out millions of emails to all my friends and family asking if they would like to enlarge their penises? Then I see, "recommended by geek.com" and let out a sigh of relief.

Oh my g-d!! Am I really here? I seriously used geek.com to assess whether something is cool and legit. Welcome to Geekville population has just been increased by one, and yes, we mean you!

Maybe I should start going to geek.com on Friday nights and search, "go out to a bar with friends." I can just imagine a message would pop out saying: "this activity is not geek.com approved. You have finance homework Leya! Equations, not cocktails are geek.com approved!"

I'm slightly intimidated to find out if other gadgets and software I use are approved by this world wide network of geeks. I don't know if I could handle having geek.com tell me I'm not cool enough. If I search my Dell laptop from 2004, will it tell me: "LOSER! Time to upgrade! 2004 Dells were so 12 versions ago!"

Why would anyone want to delete their cookies???

My browser has been crashing a lot lately, probably from the information overload of all these new tools I've been poking through. So, my friend tells me, I need to clear my private data. Then this message pops ups: "Do you want to delete your cookies?" Cookies??? I didn't know my computer had a built in easy bake oven and NO...who the heck would delete their cookies?

My laptop must have a bug in it, because it didn't even tell me what kind of cookies were in the easy bake drive. Do they have chocolate in them??? Chocolate chips??? If so, there is NO way in the world I would delete them by any method other than by consumption.

I struggled with my conscience and deleted the cookies. This was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. Then it asks me, "are you sure?" NO! I'm not sure! You still didn't tell me if they were chocolate!!! I was very upset over the cookie confrontation and so was my laptop because my browser was crashing again. My office roomie told me to try deleting my firefox profile. What?? I have a profile? I don't remember filling anything out when I downloaded firefox. Turns out there's this totally invasive profile that remembers where you've been, your bookmarks and your passwords!

I feel naked! My computer knows my profile, and I don't even know its name! I promptly deleted my profile without any hesitation and now Winston (the name I've given my computer) and I can get properly acquainted.

HELP!!! I understand my co-workers jokes now!!!

When I started working for an internet company, I could email, chat, and check the news online. Pretty basic. I immediately got bombarded with this high tech mumbo jumbo language that sounds like a mixture between Chinese and Arabic. I had NOOOOO idea what anyone was talking about. I got invited to LAN parties and thought you had to dress up and bring something for the hostess.

I believe that tech lingo designed to mess with those of us who didn't pay attention in computer lab and made fun of the AV guys in school. Like what the heck makes a hyperlink hyper?? Does it need anti-virus medication? Or, why do they call it an IDF room when it has nothing to do with the Israeli Defense Force?

Do IT guys really fix your computer, or do they just go into the control panel, click the "RESET STUPID" button and make you look like an idiot? "Oh..hehe...I knew that, sorry!!"

But here's the kicker...I digg it! I've discovered my inner geek! She doesn't have a name yet, we're working on that. I get just as excited as the rest of them when a new feature comes out on my gmail or gcal, or when they create a new cute lil' smiley emotion for the gtalk.

I'd like to make it clear that I still have my roots. I really have no interest in video games. I have never played the Wii, and I would rather sell my soul to the devil then create a MySpace or Facebook profile. Yet I look at people who still use a paper calendar (no names, but you know who are) and my eyes begin to roll. "Hello!!! It's the year 44.810713 squared!! Get with the program!"

OK....FINE!!!!

Today I created my very first website using Google Sites. This is a BIG step up from the girl who thought that Al Gore created the internet! No, I don't really think that, but last year I learned wiki code, and it took me three hours to make something BOLD, centered and red in the middle of the page.

I'm marvelling at my creation, watching the links magically navigate from one page to another with a childish smile on my face when my friend says, "Leya, dude...you created a website? You should totally blog!!!"

Which brings me here, my blog....Hmmmm...blog...sounds like Log!!!!!!!!