Opening up the newspaper this morning, I came across two terrible rulings recently passed down by the Supreme Court.

The first has to do with MSRP.  I'm guessing that the majority of American's who are not filthy rich often go bargain hunting for prices below MSRP in hopes of finding that killer deal.  I'm guessing that if you're like me, you're willing to sacrifice some service at the point of sale for a better price.  This is part of principle of what has driven online sales: for the retailer, they save by not needing to have sales people or point of sale service while for customers, they often get a chance to save a huge amount over retail outlets.

From USA Today (6/29/07):

The 5-4 decision overturned a 96-year-old law that prevented manufacturers from setting minmum retail prices.  The majority wrote that lifting the pricing ban could benefit consumers if retailers offered better service or selection.

Wait, what?  How about benefitting consumers by offering a better price?  Why not leave it up to the retailers to choose which model they choose to bring in customers?  If customers wanted service, they could choose the retailer that offered it.  If they wanted to find a bargain, they could choose the retailer with the best markdowns.  Instead, the court has decided that the consumer has no say in this...no freedom of choice when it comes to price shopping.

What I found was completely asinine was a statement by Richard Doherty:

Richard Doherty of technology market researcher The Envisioneering Group agrees, saying the price ruling could lead retailers to use more free products and better services as sales incentives.  "It's sure to be to consumers' benefit this summer and Christmas."

Is this guy on crack?  How about I just want to get a good deal on a HDTV...I don't want any "quote-unquote-FREE" stuff.  I don't care for point of sales services; I do my research on the products I buy and I already know what I want when I go into the store; I want to get the best deal that I can...why not leave that decision up to the individual consumer?

To make matters worse, the article offers commentary from a multi-billionaire:

Bill Gates, of golf equipment maker Ping, says, "Not every consumer is a bargain shopper.  Some consumers are looking for quality, innovation, personalization and customer service when they shop."

That's fine, Bill, if you have the money for all that jazz, but how about the rest of us who are just trying to put away some money for retirement, for our kids, for our families?  We just want to get by with a good deal.  How about this novel idea: let the consumers decide what they value - price or service.

Argh!

As if this wasn't bad enough, the Supreme Court also ruled to strike down school diversity programs on a national level:

The dramatic 5-4 decision throws into legal doubt programs that factor in race, including magnet schools that use race to draw students from different neighborhoods.

Accorind to Chief Justice Roberts,

Classifying and assigning schoolchildren according to...race is an extreme approach.

Well then, what would you suggest Mr. Roberts?  How do you overcome the economic hurdles that create defacto segregated schools?  How can you deny that integration - even if it is forced - is to the benefit of our racial diversity and our social fabric?

The fact is, if school children were simply assigned to schools based on location and district, it would in fact create further segregation and slowly reverse some of the progress that has been made.  I think it is true that we fear what we do not know or understand.  We view those who are different from us as outsiders because we do not understand their cultures, their languages, their traditions, and their ways; what better way to overcome the defacto segragation that occurs by township (and economic boundaries) they to help ensure a minimum level of integration?

Such an upsetting way to start the day...

Some days, I just can't handle the aggrevation...

I thought it was generally known that binary build output does not belong in source control, so I was quite dismayed when I grabbed an update to our source tree today and found myself downloading a 2MB .msi file (the output of one of our installer projects).

After discussing this with the other developers on my team, it became apparent that what I thought was a common, well known practice regarding source control is in fact, not so well known.

After presenting my arguments with little avail, I started to scour the web to find evidence support my stance:

Visual Studio Team System Guidance

What Files Should Not Be Source Controlled?

Build outputs that include assembly dynamic-link libraries (DLLs), Interop assembly DLLs and executable files (EXEs). Note that you are advised to add assemblies that are not built as part of your system build process (such as third-party controls and libraries) to Source Control within the projects that reference them.

Top 15 Ant Best Practices

Generally, avoid storing build output in version control. Provided that your source code is versioned properly, you should be able to recreate any previous release through the build process.

Introducing Source Control

Files that you cannot add to source control include the following:

...Build output files, for example, *.dll and *.exe files.

SandCastle Discussion

We do not include the *.xml outputs in source control for the same reason that we do not include *.htm outputs; you can't run a new build without checking out the files! In my view, whether an output is a *.dll or a *.htm or a *.xml is irrelevant; it's build output, so it shouldn't be source controlled. Just source control the inputs and you have everything you need to get the outputs.

It is very important to us to be able to run an automated build (no human intervention). To the extent that a future version does include a dialog that offers to check out files, I hope it will either not run at all if the files are not source-controlled, or it can be suppressed by project settings.

Source Control HOWTO: Repositories

Best Practice: Checkin all the Canonical Stuff, and Nothing else.

Although you can store anything you want in a repository, that doesn't mean you should. The best practice here is to store everything which is necessary to do a build, and nothing else. I call this "the canonical stuff."

To put this another way, I recommend that you do not store any file which is automatically generated. Checkin your hand-edited source code. Don't checkin EXEs and DLLs. If you use a code generation tool, checkin the input file, not the generated code file. If you generate your product documentation in several different formats, checkin the original format, the one that you manually edit.

If you have two files, one of which is automatically generated from the other, then you just don't need to checkin both of them. You would in effect be managing two expressions of the same thing. If one of them gets out of sync with the other, then you have a problem.

So not only is it a pain in the ass to have to download large binary files for a one line code changes, it also means that simply compiling the code (with no changes in the actual code) may cause a version change...argh!

I think that such a practice of disallowing build output in the repository also forces the team members to ensure that their code is buildable anywhere...a great quality when it comes to codebases as it means that onboarding new members or transitioning development machines, the code is ready to go.

One of the most confounding things about working with the SharePoint web services is that the return values are all in XML strings (wrapped in an XmlNode).

To make working with the services even more puzzling, suppose you get a result like so:

<ContentType 
    ID="0x010100347433A509750F4D88880291599D314D04" 
    Name="My Content Type" 
    Group="My Custom Content Types" 
    Version="7" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/">
    <Folder TargetName="_cts/My Content Type" />
    <Fields>
        <Field ... />
        <Field ... />
        <Field ... />
        <Field ... />
    </Fields>
    <XmlDocuments>
        <XmlDocument 
         NamespaceURI="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3/contenttype/forms">
            <FormTemplates 
                xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3/contenttype/forms">
                <Display>DocumentLibraryForm</Display>
                <Edit>DocumentLibraryForm</Edit>
                <New>DocumentLibraryForm</New>
            </FormTemplates>
        </XmlDocument>
    </XmlDocuments>
</ContentType>

You would expect to be able to retrieve all of the <Field /> elements by executing the following code:

XmlNodeList nodes = xmlResponse.SelectNodes("//Field");

But it's not quite so straight forward.  You actually have to instantiate an XmlNamespaceManager with a bogus prefix:

NameTable table = new NameTable();
XmlNamespaceManager manager = new XmlNamespaceManager(table);
manager.AddNamespace("sp", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/");

XmlNodeList nodes = xmlResponse.SelectNodes("//sp:Field", manager);

In this case, I used "sp" as my prefix. Notice that it's utilized in the XPath query as well. 

When using the lists service to query the "User Information List" (the SharePoint list where the users and groups is located), you may encounter the exception:

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException:
    Exception of type 'Microsoft.SharePoint.SoapServer.SoapServerException'
    was thrown.
  at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(
      SoapClientMessage message,
      WebResponse response,
      Stream responseStream,
      Boolean asyncCall)
  at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(
      String methodName,
      Object[] parameters)
  at ListsDataServiceSample.SharePoint.Lists.Lists.GetList(String listName) in
      F:\Projects\Sandbox\SharePointWebServicesSample\ListsDataServiceSample\
          Web References\SharePoint.Lists\Reference.cs:line 213
  at ListsDataServiceSample.Program.Run() in
      F:\Projects\Sandbox\SharePointWebServicesSample\ListsDataServiceSample\
          Program.cs:line 28

This error will occur if you are not using the "Administrator" account, which of course, is not always ideal, especially if you are writing a client side app.

The solution to fix this is to grant the account permissions on the "User Information List":

And then give the user "Read" permissions on the list:

One of the problems that I've been working on solving recently centered around correlation in workflows.  In simple terms, where a workflow may produce parallel execution paths, correlation allows the runtime to route events to the right workflow execution path.

In every example that I came across on MSDN and online, the sample cases all assumed intra-workflow correlation as opposed to inter-workflow correlation involving "parent-child" workflow instances.

I posted the initial query - and the solution I used - on this subject over at the MSDN forums:

The trick, as it turns out, is that the CorrelationToken must be initialized in the parent workflow.  To accomplish this in the sample, I made a frivolous call to an InitializeCorrelation method on my service interface using a CallExternalMethodActivity, which was marked with the CorrelationInitializer attribute.  This activity executes right before the InvokeWorkflowActivity.

[Serializable]
public class WorkflowCommunicationServiceArgs : ExternalDataEventArgs {
    private string key;

    public string Key {
        get { return key; }
        set { key = value; }
    }

    public WorkflowCommunicationServiceArgs(Guid instanceId, string key) 
        : base(instanceId) {
        this.key = key;
    }
}

[ExternalDataExchange]
[CorrelationParameter("key")]
public interface IWorkflowCommunicationService {
    [CorrelationAlias("key", "e.Key")]
    event EventHandler<WorkflowCommunicationServiceArgs> ChildCompleted;

    [CorrelationInitializer]
    void InitializeCorrelation(string key);

    [CorrelationInitializer]
    void OnChildCompleted(string key);
}

public class WorkflowCommunicationService : IWorkflowCommunicationService {
    #region IWorkflowCommunicationService Members

    public event EventHandler<WorkflowCommunicationServiceArgs> ChildCompleted;

    public void InitializeCorrelation(string key) {
        Console.Out.WriteLine("Key -> [{0}]", key);
    }

    public void OnChildCompleted(string key) {
        MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Completed child; Key = [{0}]", key));

        RaiseChildCompletedEvent(key);
    }

    public void RaiseChildCompletedEvent(string key) {
        if (ChildCompleted != null) {
            ChildCompleted(
                null, 
                new WorkflowCommunicationServiceArgs(
                    new Guid("5D1667BF-61F6-4bf3-81C0-E70CBE15D2EF"), 
                    key
                 )
            );
        }
    }

    #endregion
}

In essence, the idea is to have two correlation initializers: one utilized by the parent/outer workflow and one utilized by the child/inner workflow when signaling back to the parent.  It seems kind of counterintuitive to require two initializations...I'm still not sure how this is working under the covers, but it works

The working example can be downloaded from: http://www.charliedigital.com/junk/CorrelationTest.Working.zip

1. Cut veggies into large sizes.  This makes it easier to work with them and not have them fall through the grate.
2. Put small items onto skewers.  Items like shrimp just won't work on the grill without a skewer.
3. If you're making chicken or other meats low in fat, brush the grilling surface with some oil first.
4. Make bigger fires.  Charcoal is surprisingly difficult to light without lighter fluid.  Do it right the first time and make a big-ass fire.  Put some newspaper under the coals.
5. Enjoy yourself!

I just finished watching the documentary 49 Up.

There's something quite moving in watching people mature from 7 to 49 in a matter of minutes and to see the change in their ideals, dreams, and their lives.  It was fascinating watching these individuals age and see how their lives took shape.

It's equally fascinating as you start to reflect on where you've been and where you shall be in  more years.

If there's one thing I've taken from the movie, is the importance of being happy in your circumstances and making the best of your lot in life.  Dreams come and go, as do opportunities.  Mistakes are made and there trying times are a certainty, but in the end, it's important to realize the brevity of your existence.  It is easy to blame circumstance and others for one's misfortune and hardships, but ultimately, the life is your own and you must do with it what you will.

The Dalai Lama writes in The Meaning of Life:

Shantideva reasons that if something can be done to fix a situation, there is no need to worry.  Whereas on the other hand, if there is nothing that can be done, there is no use in worrying.

If there is one person in the series that embodied this the most, I think it would have to be Neil, who, for a good part of his adult life, seemed to wander aimlessly.

Neil turned out to be one of the most interesting of the entire group. At seven he was funny, full of life and hope. At 14 he was doing well in comprehensive school but was more serious and subdued. In one of the biggest shocks of the series however, by the time of 21 Up he was homeless in London, having dropped out of Aberdeen University after one term, and was living in a squat and finding work as he could on building sites.

At 35 amazingly, he had turned his life around to a great degree and found his calling in politics.

For some of the kids, like Andrew, life turned out exaclty as scripted (either by themselves or by their parents).  For others, it is a meandering journey where childhood dreams are often crushed by the realities of the world.  The key, I think, is to be able to accept these defeats, take a lesson from them, and to see the opportunities ahead instead of the failures in the past.

The thread that struck me the most about the lives of each of the individuals in the documentary is the common importance of family and how it is a driving force in finding that peace.  Of the subjects, only Neil did not marry or have children; at 49, this lack of a family of his own and the troubled relationship with his parents, was perhaps one of his own greatest regrets in his life.

In reflecting on my own thoughts on this subject, I find that today, I'm much less enthused about the idea of being a father then I was when I was a teenager.  Not because I don't like kids or that I don't want the experience of being a father - one day - but it just feels like I'm still a bit too selfish to my own needs to be a father.  I like living my life on my schedule.

49 Up is an excellent documentary that I think all young adults should watch and study.  I think it reveals a lot about how fleeting one's perception of the world is and how it evolves over time.  It gives insight into what it really means to find happiness and to find purpose in life.

Came across an interesting article on Yahoo today on how finger lengths/ratio can be used to predict SAT performance.

Specifically:

Kids with longer ring fingers compared to index fingers are likely to have higher math scores than literacy or verbal scores on the college entrance exam, while children with the reverse finger-length ratio are likely to have higher reading and writing, or verbal, scores versus math scores.

To me, what's interesting is that palm reading - or chiromancy - is centuries old and has been derided as being nothing more than a pseudoscience or even worse, a sham. So it's interesting to discover that perhaps there is some legitimacy to chiromancy after all.

Indeed, in my case, my ring finger is longer than my index finger - which indicates that I'd be more proficient at demonstrating spatial and mathematical skills - reflects the 100 point differential in my SAT verbal and math scores in favor of math.

The article goes on to mention that:

Exposure to testosterone in the womb is said to promote development of areas of the brain often associated with spatial and mathematical skills, he said. That hormone makes the ring finger longer. Estrogen exposure does the same for areas of the brain associated with verbal ability and tends to lengthen the index finger relative to the ring finger.

This makes me wonder what other parts of our personalities, skills, and abilities are manifested in our appearances and physical attributes.

Very interesting indeed.

:-O

3:07 - Showing gameplay footage - Looks like protoss ships - floating over asteroid/ base structure - entering protoss ase - similar looking buildings - vespene gas still in the game - character pane shows up on right side - some protoss guy - shifts to terran bases floating on rockets over same type of territory - sill collecting crystals as resources - marines load out. Dustin is actually playing the game - nothing in the game is final.

3:05 - Morheim says everyone eager to see actual game - going to show actual gameplay - bringing up SC2 lead designer. Dustin Browder.

3:00 - FMV sequence in a spaceship - looks Terran - zooming in on a metal door - door opening - reveals a guy with a cigar in chains - prisoner - door shuts behind him - there's so much bass the room is shaking - guy steps into some kind of metallic devicce - legs are strapped in - guy rising toward ceiling - Korean text on screen got people very excited - another part of the machine is dropping metal arms on him - machine whirring - applying armor to his torso - extremly detailed visuals here - now guy is strapping on gloves - armor is molding together - seems like a Terran marine - rockets turn on - zerg now onscreen - Marine delivers a line - StarCraft 2 officially announced.

2:57 - Showing another movie, presumably of game footage.

2:56 - Video over - Morhaime about to make announcement.

All I can say is: FINALLY!!

I came across an interesting white paper from Sony on recycling styrofoam.

Additionally, and this is an important point, the evaporated limonene is returned to a clean liquid state and can be reused any number of times. This system can be said to be a thoroughgoing recycling system which generates no waste.

Not only is the process use fully recyclable (and natural (linoene being extracted from the peels of oranges)) raw materials, it also does not degrade the chemical qualities of the original substance:

Since thermal processing is known to degrade the properties of some materials, one might wonder if this heating is safe. However, oxidation and breakdown of the polystyrene is suppressed since limonene oxidizes before polystyrene.

In addition, from a carbon output perspective:

Overall, the limonene method has CO2 emissions of about 0.6 kg of CO2 per 1 kg of styrofoam recovered. This is the smallest of all the methods, and about 1/3 the emissions associated with new polystyrene synthesis.

I hope we see this process becoming more widespread in the future.