Backdrifter » berkeley

Dreaming in Code

Jared Hanson — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 16:50:53 +0000

On Sunday night, I attended a Berkeley Cybersalon titled “Dreaming in Code.” The panel gathered to discuss the challenges of developing software. It was moderated by Scott Rosenberg, who recently published a book, the title of which served as the event’s namesake.

The group of panelists consisted of:

Chad Dickerson, Director of the Yahoo! Developer Network
Lisa Dusseault, Fellow at CommerceNet and Area Director at IETF
Eric Allman, Creator of Sendmail
Jaron Lanier, Virtual reality pioneer and scholar

One funny-because-it’s-true moment came when an audience member, whose name I did not catch, commented:

“If the structure of software were visible, there would be panic in the streets.”

The entire discussion was very interesting, and a recording is available. I highly encourage any member of this industry to listen.

Earthquake and Aftershocks

Jared Hanson — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:32:43 +0000

The ground has been doing its share of shaking recently, and tonight has been no exception. A 4.2 magnitude earthquake, the biggest in my time spent living here, struck near Lafayette, CA at 8:40 PM. Its epicenter was approximately 10 miles from where I live in Berkeley.

This quake had a rolling, side-to-side motion, which was very different than any of the others I’ve felt. It was followed up by three successively smaller aftershocks on six minute intervals.

9:44 PM: A couple more aftershocks have been registered. The San Francisco Chronicle has published an article with information and reactions.

Earthquake in Berkeley

Jared Hanson — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 03:22:13 +0000

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake centered in Berkeley struck at 3:46 this afternoon. I was at the office during the quake, in a building which I suspect is not all that seismically sound. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but being on the second floor heightens the sensation a bit.

The quake was located in the same vicinity where a spate of other temblors occurred in late December.

Sleigh Bells and Shaking, Continued

Jared Hanson — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 07:39:49 +0000

Well, this has certainly been an interesting holiday. Another 3.7 magnitude earthquake struck again tonight, in about the same location as two nights ago. This one seemed to last a shorter amount of time, but it shook things around a bit more. All in all, minor, yet Mother Nature sure can make her presence known.

In times like this, the USGS’s recent earthquakes page for the San Francisco Bay area can be a handy resource. The past two days’ quakes have occurred on the Hayward Fault, which is currently considered the most dangerous fault in the region. Wikipedia has a fascinating article full of information about the fault. It is well worth the read.

In related news, I’ve scheduled a new flight back to South Dakota for the holidays, this time on Northwest Airlines with a connecting flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International. I’m looking forward to being back home for a few days, resting and relaxing with the family. Hopefully things are still standing when I get back.

Sleigh Bells and Shaking

Jared Hanson — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:18:35 +0000

Apparently there is a major snowstorm in Colorado which has caused Denver International to close. According to CNN.com, as many as 3,000 people are stranded at the airport. The latest flight delay information from the FAA states that it is not known when DIA will reopen. As luck would have it, I’m scheduled to land there tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.

Of course, my father is always on top of these things, and he had left a message on my answering machine informing me of these events, which greeted me when I arrived home from work. I immediately called my parents to discuss the change in holiday travel plans. While on the phone, a 3.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Berkeley. So, my parents got to experience their first earthquake from over 1,700 miles away. An early Christmas present.

I’ve spent the remainder of the night trying to reach a representative at United Airlines. Each call has informed me that all circuits are busy. I guess I’ll show up at Oakland International tomorrow morning and see what the situation is. Stay tuned.