If you think the technical magazine that you subscribe to is hard-core, think again.

This is a full-page back cover ad from a magazine whose title is simply "Science." I don't even understand the product this company advertises, much less who would buy it or why. "Enhance my cloning efficiency?" Wow, do I feel stupid.

I finished reading the last book of the Harry Potter series this week. I did not number amongst those who finished within the first 12 hours of the book's midnight release date (you know who you are), so I guess I lose Enthusiasm Points for that.

But to save you the trouble I'll give away the ending for you: There's no Harry-Ron-Hermione threesome scene at the end. I know you were hoping, but sorry.

If you've never heard of geocaching, I'm not going to explain it. Suffice it to say that I found, quite by accident, a box under a rock in the middle of nowhere in the coastal mountains. The box contained a journal, a pen, some stickers, a toy car, and a disposable camera with zero exposures remaining.

I took it and had it developed.

You might sometimes wonder how I find the time to write these ranting blog entries about bad software. You might even wonder how I could justify blogging instead of getting some real work done.

The answer is that I actually have plenty of time to blog while I'm waiting for the random lockups caused by the really terrible software that I use.

Thou shalt not create software that blocks the GUI thread. Yes I know it's much easier to crap out code that doesn't handle concurrency. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to let you live if you do it.

Okay I know I post about Barefoot all the time and its getting ridiculous. But I had to share one last anecdote:

So I walk up to the counter to get coffee. The girl looks at me brightly and says, "How can I help you?"
"I'd like a large Guatemalan drip coffee please," I say.
"Yeah," she says, ignoring what I asked for, "it's just that we have this International Taster's Award Columbian roast espresso that we're almost out of. Its really good!"
"Oh!" I say. "I guess I like drip coffee in the mornings, though..."
"Uh huh." She looks at me. "Its just that we're almost out of it, and there's not going to be anymore after this."
"It's really good," she adds. "How about if we make you some?"
"Okay then." I say.

And this is how it goes. You can find lots of coffee shops to serve you some good coffee. But its only at Barefoot that they force you to drink good coffee. How can you not love that?