2006 January : Slarty's World

Archive for January, 2006

Golden Leaf Limited

January 31st 2006 Posted at Smokes
15 Comments

I finally stopped into the new location for the best cigar shop in Minneapolis, Golden Leaf Limited. They used to be in Calhoun Square, but they moved across Hennepin to 3032 Hennepin Ave. Their story is strangely intermingled with the recent law changes to make it illegal to smoke in public eating establishments. Before the oppressive smoke ban, I used to go to Café Havana every other week or so for a cigar and drinks with buddies. Now, it is illegal to do this, unless you sit outside (and it is pretty damn cold on a January Minnesota night). In its old location, the Golden Leaf was not allowed to have people smoking in their store, so they moved. I am very excited to meet a friend at the new location and to enjoy a cigar in a shop with a few other cigar aficionados. They have a huge new humidor and have a bunch of very comfortable leather chairs. I will go soon and report back. If you go, let me know what you think.

I Fear Girls

January 26th 2006 Posted at General
Comments Off

Very funny video that a friend of mine posted. A group of friends of his is mentioned in the credits as “Geekfest Guys.” Anyhow, he very astutely called this “Broke Back Mountain meets Dungeons Dragons.” It seems to have a sort of Amateur Napoleon Dynamite (Like Amateur Porn, but different) If you have 12 minutes, check it out:

Google Video Link

Homeless Beggars

January 25th 2006 Posted at General
0 Comments

I see homeless people. On my new commute to work, I have much more contact with homeless beggar folk. Usually, these people are standing near on or off ramps of the highway. I never give them money or food, having seen one beggar through an unappreciated bag of food that someone gave them over the fence onto the highway.

I do have a relationship with these poor souls, and worry about what is the right thing to do. Everyday, the same set of people are at the same set of corners. I make eye contact with them everyday. Do I give them money? Would they appreciate it if I brought them a lunch? What to do?!?

Last night I came up with a plan. Someone should form a non-profit organization that researches these beggar folk. Since I see the same person everyday, I would like to know that they are legitimate. Maybe know their background, how they got to where they are. Certify that they are worthy of me giving them a handout. Perhaps identify the sheisters along the way.

Stress and Accountability

January 20th 2006 Posted at Management Angst
0 Comments

One struggle in growing a business is creating a sense of urgency to get things done. Stakeholders naturally have this, but as the distance between the stakeholder and the programmer gets increases, it is tough to get that urgency instilled on people. People are motivated by deadlines. In our business, big deadlines tend to be fairly far apart, so we go through cycles of low stress/normal hour/low productivity and then high stress/long hour/medium productivity times just before a big deadline.

I am trying to transform the way we work so that we actually adhere to shorter deadlines and work normal hours, yet have high productivity. I suppose everyone strives for this. We recently switched to shorter iterations and put some scheduling rules in place with our clients. It is a work in progress, but one thing I have already noticed, is that it increases the accountability of the development staff. From my perspective, it gives me a very clear benchmark about who is working in a focused and efficient way and who is struggling. So now, every 2 weeks (and somewhat mid iteration), I have an opportunity to gauge progress.

That is all fine and dandy, however, it now adds to my stress level, but kind of in a good way. At the end of these two week iterations, I can make a quick evaluation of each member of the team. If one member has fallen behind for two weeks, I can address the performance issue well before one of the big deadlines. The stress that I would probably see tenfold at the end of the project is spread out and probably reduced. At the same time, when I get a project sheet from someone at the end of an iteration that is basically empty it immediately gets me hot. Either the person really did no work on the items assigned, or they have decided to not spend the time to do their sheets. Both are signs of a lack of commitment.

If you live in a town whose people wear coats…

January 17th 2006 Posted at Food and Drink, Slarty Wisdom
0 Comments

Your pub should have coat hooks under the bar.

Why San Francisco is a Food Loving Town

January 11th 2006 Posted at Food and Drink
0 Comments

Just listened to a Splendid Table on my iPod from a few weeks ago. They had the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle Food Section on, Michael Bauer. Lynn was saying that in an age when most food sections are getting axed for budget reasons, this section is thriving. Pretty interesting talk, for a foodie.

Bauer mentioned that his theory about why San Francisco is such a food-savvy town is that in the old days it was founded by gold-rush men. There were brothels on every corner and the way that the brothels distinguished themselves was by the quality of their lunches. What a Slarty concept, carnal delights, food and prostitutes.

Pair Programming AND Test Driven Design

January 8th 2006 Posted at Management Angst, Science and Technology
0 Comments

I manage a small, growing, software development company. Last year we experienced some huge growth that has really challenged how we do business and how we operate.

Before last year, we were a smaller team, 4 people. Now we have 8 people and are struggling with communication issues and production issues and motivation issues. So the challenge is how to evolve our 4-person culture to a new 8-15 person culture, that maintains/enhances our way of life.

Anyway, we have been debating team programming and the benefits and disadvantages of coding in pairs. In my reading this weekend, I stumbled across a web cast that a group from Microsoft put on that talks about pair programming in a Test Driven Design environment (another concept I am mulling over). Check it out:

Microsoft Web Event #1032287654

Being a Drinker versus Being a Drunk

January 7th 2006 Posted at Food and Drink, Slarty Wisdom
0 Comments

Drinkers will get this post; non-drinkers will not.

I am not an alcoholic or a drunk, yet I probably have a drink or two a day. I enjoy drinking and feel that it is part of my culture. People that are not privy to the culture do not “get it.” Those that are in the culture understand that most of us don’t drink to get drunk, we enjoy the act of drinking itself. In fact, when people are obviously drinking to get drunk, I usually hate it. It is irritating to hear non-drinkers judge drinkers that have done nothing wrong, other than have a drink. Usually it is talked about behind their backs. To them drinking is a vice, worthy of scorn and pity. This judgmental activity is far worse than the simple act of drinking.