October 18, 2007
Hi! Just a request from my boss... :)
The Wikimedia Foundation (the non-profit organization behind Wikipedia
and many other collaboratively-edited reference projects) is about to
embark on a wave of hiring.
Over the next month or so, Wikimedia will be recruiting for the
following positions: developers, chief financial and operating officer,
head of public outreach, head of partnerships development, accountant,
personal assistant to the executive director, office manager, head of
development, head of communications and head of business development.
For the full job postings and application instructions, please go to
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings.
These jobs are intended to be based in our new San Francisco
headquarters, but as an international organization we're open to the
possibility of locating a few positions elsewhere. For the SF office
itself, we will only be able to hire people who already have the legal
ability to work in the United States.
These are fabulous opportunities for creative, motivated people who want
to work in a successful, growing and highly-collaborative mission-driven
environment :-) Please tell your friends & colleagues.
Company: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
Job Title: Multiple openings
Description: Please see http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings
Posted by Bastique at 2:11 PM | (0) cared to comment
September 24, 2007
Distributed Time Zones
Possibly the major advantage of our relocating to San Francisco is the fact that our time zones become distributed. Take a look at Distributed Time Zones by Brion Vibber). While Brion touches on the round-the-clock access of developers and the wiki servers, it also bears that this will provide greater access, as Volunteer Coordinator to a wider range of users.
It may be that I'll have to stagger my own workweek somewhat, come in excrutiatingly early some days, while staying late others, in order that I may have access to the European as well as Asian communities. However, this also allows us the opportunity to expand our contacts and allow me to better relegation functions to community members across the globe.
I regret that this will put me at somewhat of a distance from our Europeans, although, the good news will be that my morning will be their evening; and most volunteer activity takes place during the evenings.
Anyway, I'm delighted to be moving to San Francisco, otherwise. 18 years in Florida is enough.
Posted by Bastique at 8:57 AM | (0) cared to comment
September 23, 2007
Moving to San Francisco
If you're familiar with the goings ons at the Wikimedia Foundation, you already know. The office is moving to San Francisco. If not... well, let me be the first to break the news to you. I'm going to San Francisco and taking Michel with me.
While we love Saint Petersburg, it has never completely felt like home. Too backward in many aspects, too many uneducated people with conservative leanings. While I'm not knocking them, I can't understand people who like to vote against their own best interests.
San Francisco is the opposite. Affluent people with liberal leanings. Plus the weather can't be beat. No more ridiculously hot and long summers.
Posted by Bastique at 10:20 AM | (0) cared to comment
September 18, 2007
Big news coming
I'm ready to announce a major change. Stay tuned for details.
Posted by Bastique at 6:53 PM | (0) cared to comment
August 19, 2007
Taiwan
I managed to get my passport after a Friday morning drive to Miami, four-hour wait at the United States Passport Office, and a drive home during evening Miami commute. The plane out from Tampa to Los Angeles was 6:40 am Saturday morning, July 29. I stayed up and tried to sleep on the plane.
We had a 7 hour layover at LAX before we boarded China Airlines Flight no. 5 to Taipei, which itself was delayed for two hours because of a PA system failure.
Taiwan was hot, muggy, and beautiful and breathtaking. I experienced a cornucopia of sights and sounds, and made some remarkable acquaintances during Wikimania 2007. Much of my Wikimania related photographs can be found in my Commons Gallery, here: Wikimedia Commons Wikimania 2007 gallery.
The city was filled with many other amazing sights. I especially enjoyed the Buddhist Temples. The notable one was Foyou Temple in Danshui, probably because we were the only foreign tourists at the time to be visiting. My sightseeing pictures are mostly located here: Bastique's photos on Flickr.
The flight back was just as tedius. I got home Tuesday morning, August 7, and slept much of that day. It took me several days to finally get caught up in my sleep.
Posted by Bastique at 9:58 AM | (0) cared to comment
July 26, 2007
Leaving the country? No passport
I'm travelling to Taiwan for work on Saturday morning at 6:00 am, and right now, Thursday night, at 17:18pm, I'm becoming very anxious.
The United States Passport agency has still not notified me when I am going to receive my passport. I filled out my application and turned it in on April 30. Last time I called, they were in the process of working on it. Hopefully it will be overnighted to me at some point tonight (or maybe it already has been, one can cross one's fingers). If not, I'm going to have to drive all the way to Miami, pick it up (if it's ready) and then drive all the way back.
Why didn't someone plan this?
Posted by Bastique at 7:16 PM | (3) cared to comment
July 23, 2007
Good night sweet prince
Me and my ex had one "baby" left between us. And my little prince has passed on. Michael had him put to sleep this Saturday morning, July 21, 2007.
We brought Coco home from a Kitty farm in Davie in June of 1996; he was a spry little kitten with personality. Before long we realized just how special Coco was.
Throw a paper ball on the floor and he would play with it--and then he would bring it back to you to throw again. Coco fetched like a dog!
He was also peaceful around dogs. Rare was the dog that would make him run and hide...usually he'd simply find a place high enough to get out of the dog's way and remain there until the dog lost interest. It was his house, and the whatever dog it was, was just a guest there.
This passing one breaks my heart more than any that have passed before. I will dearly miss my little Coco.
Posted by Bastique at 2:53 PM | (0) cared to comment
July 5, 2007
Argggh!
I'm listing this in category ADHD because it's a good reason for why I can't seem to keep up with posting. As per the last comment on this thread here, it would seem that my blog readers are a bit upset with me for ignoring my little website.
I am sorry. Work has been hectic, but not too unwieldy to ignore the blogosphere. Therefore, expect some updates in the coming weeks as to my life, the world, and everything.
Cary
Posted by Bastique at 1:47 PM | (0) cared to comment
October 8, 2006
I'm alive
Note to Tammi: I'm alive. I'm overly preoocupied with Wikipedia. ( See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Bastique ) Probably need to be rescued. Don't send anyone yet, but if you don't hear from me in one week, send out a search party.
Thanks.
Posted by Bastique at 2:58 PM | (12) cared to comment
July 25, 2006
Rainbow flag in Meade, Kansas gives residents the jeebies
Found on Margaret's Blog, and brought to you for your viewing pleasure. I intend to send these Bed & Breakfast owners some love mail.
Read the article and see the video here: Rainbow flag creates controversy.
Here's an extract:
Local resident, Keith Klassen says the flag is a slap in the face to the conservative community of Meade. “To me it's just like running up a Nazi flag in a Jewish neighborhood. I can't walk into that establishment with that flag flying because to me that's saying that I support what the flag stands for and I don't," says Klassen.
Spread the word.
Posted by Bastique at 7:57 PM | (6) cared to comment
July 20, 2006
Putting off my tattoo
My tattoo, as it stands now.$150 per hour is a considerable amount of money to spend on permanently decorating my body in ink.
Don't get me wrong—the work is most definitely worth it, considering the talent of the artist and the scope and nature of the artwork. It's just that this tattoo is costing me considerably more than I expected when I began initial discussions with the artist. Originally conceived as a present to myself for quitting smoking, the total cost has quite offset any savings I might have incurred by not buying cigarettes.
On the other hand, I have remained a non-smoker, not willing to explain a huge tattoo for which I've publicly announced was a direct result of my quitting smoking. How embarrassing that would have been! Better to stay non-smoking.
The last time I went in, I told him I had $150 on me and we'd stop when that ran out. It worked.
Since when was the art of getting tattooed reserved for the wealthy?
Later: He left a message to let me know he can't take me when we originally planned, asking me to make an earlier appointment. I consider that a certain sign. When I call him back it's to tell him to postpone the work. There will be time and money for it later. Today, I need to spend on other things.
Posted by Bastique at 3:38 PM | (1) cared to comment
July 17, 2006
Delray Beach Shell Station
Shell Station at 1960 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach:
Attendant: "You can't bring that bike in here!"
There's a comment I'm all to ready for. After all, convenience gas stations have tons of pedestrian traffic, in and out, and my bike could have caused an accident for someone who might not see it in front of them. It might even mark up the floors of the shop. Never mind baby strollers, wheelchairs.
Me: "But you don't have anywhere to lock it up in front."
I'm not kidding about this. This place has eight convenient pumps with three grades, plus diesel; not leaving a lot of room for other encumbrances, like a bike lockup rack. Gasoline convenient stations have become highly specialized, for one single kind of consumer. All the convenience you can muster in one place…if you're buying gasoline.
But there are a lot of people who aren't in cars lounging around outside the gas station. Rough-looking sorts. And it isn't my bike.
"Listen, I just want to tell you that you have to leave it outside."
Listen to nonsense? This man has evidently no concept of the value of things, or more probably is thinking in terms of himself, what he might have to clean up off the floor—or what might happen. Or perhaps I'm just being too impatient, expecting an outcome where nothing is certain.
The female cashier is trying to say something…but I'm not really listening to her.
"If you don't want to cater to bicyclists, I'll go somewhere else!"
Walgreen's, at least, builds stores with bike racks. I shouldn't be surprised at a Shell station without one. I don't like Shell. Shell gasoline is shit. My truck always has problems when I use Shell fuel. Buying something to eat would be the only reason I'd be in here, and…well…
As I'm leaving, I hear the man saying something about the fact that people leave their $30,000 cars running outside. I wouldn't leave a car running outside, but that's irrelevant. Theft of a car is considered a felony. Theft of a bike isn't. Opportunity will easily ignore a running car, complete with GPS navigation, Lojak, and other secure devices, in favor of an unlocked bicycle…a quick $25 to $50 on the street…impossible to trace or recover. Who does this idiot think he is, comparing my bike to a $30,000 car?
I do believe the young lady in front of the register was telling me that I could leave my bike at the front of the store. Maybe I should not have been so hasty in my retribution. Ah well, the damage was done.
Cross one Shell station off of my list of friendly stores.
Posted by Bastique at 7:35 AM
July 16, 2006
Olympus Undone
My last photograph...Tri-Rail leaving Delray BeachOn my way home from work on Friday, I snapped a couple of photographs of the northbound Tri-Rail train as it was leaving Delray Beach and put my camera in my backpack. I then commenced to pose my bag and bike on an empty bench, and took my camera out again. I slid the cover open, expecting my lens to expand, and…no movement.
I had just recharged my battery, and knew the camera had juice—at least as I was taking the previous photographs—but to be certain, I looked again at the images I took. My battery indicator was full, and my images were fine. I slid the cover open again. My lens remained in place.
The Olympus Stylus 300 digital cameras (as well as the rest of the Stylus series) have a mechanism whereby the lens remains tucked into the camera unless the lens cover is completely open. My assumption is that this protects the undoubtedly delicate lens from scratches or cracks.
I have always have some small difficulty with the sensitivity of my lens cover. It only takes a tap and the lens shuts closed, disappearing into its slot more quickly than a gopher escaping from a lawn mower. I remember more than once preparing for the perfect shot only to have my hopes dashed by the sudden disappearance of the lens because my finger slipped.
Carefully bringing my camera home, I unscrewed the lens cover to reveal the mechanisms, barely a quarter inch by quarter inch of little plastic and metal pieces, carefully aligned, and one tiny sliver of plastic—perhaps a half of millimeter wide and five millimeters long—broken loose.
With no practical way to fix it, I grunted in disdain. This camera, which cost me over $300 two years ago, is long outmoded by cameras with eight times the power at the same price. I have sent an email to Olympus complaining that an otherwise perfectly good camera has been brought low by a tiny sliver of plastic.
I will optimistically wait for their response. Perhaps this sort of thing has happened with this model before, and all I have to do is send in for a complete retrofit of the mechanism.
I don't care that the camera is already two years old and can only store 180 images at 2048 by 1572. I've taken a lot of good pictures with it and hope to take many more. Furthermore, It's not like I have another three hundred dollars to drop on a new camera—I still have to buy a new bicycle as well as finish my tattoo, not to mention my endless dental expenses.
So I have faith that Olympus will respond to me and do the right thing. You will all know if they don't.
Posted by Bastique at 10:42 PM | (0) cared to comment
July 15, 2006
Tooth out!
The page I was handed after my oral surgery(7/13/06) This morning I was unfortunate enough to have had removed my left mandibular second premolar (Tooth number 20 to those in the dental know). The unpleasantness of this experience was compounded by the fact that I have already spent nearly $1,300 on this tooth as of late in a root canal and a crown. One wonders why I hate dental visits so much, and then one realizes as I check out that I've been hit with another $185 bill for the extraction, and then one is satisfied that my apprehension is justified.
I only have myself and the misdeeds of my past to blame. In the first place, adequate dental hygiene habits never appended properly despite the best efforts of my parents. Furthermore, during the worst of my drug addiction I used a substantial amount of crystal meth, traditionally a large contributor to tooth decay.
A card I received on Folsom Street in San FranciscoCrystal methamphetamine, or "Tina", as it is known affectionately by its users, is an enemy that combats the well-being of teeth on numerous fronts: dry mouth from reduction of saliva potentially caused by meth overuse, cracked teeth due to clenching or grinding, general immune suppression associated, and finally poor nutrition and basic hygiene neglect. It's a wonder I have kept the teeth I have.
I have had all four of my wisdom teeth out, but the feelings surrounding the loss of those cannot compare with the removal of this tooth, great price tag notwithstanding. It's a loss for which I have little resolution.
Right now there's nothing but a sad little hole in my underbite. My tongue wants to explore the gap.
Having a tooth missing is certainly a mood depresser.
Posted by Bastique at 10:13 PM | (0) cared to comment
