Don't get me wrong (or get me as wrong as you'd like), I am very happy that the US won their latest World Cup game, and will advance to second stage. And I am very happy for Landon Donovan, who scored the winning goal. I like the game of football (soccer) very much, used to play and then referee kids' games.
But I found Donovan's statement about the victory and its meaning a bit hard to take. He said (according to the Chicago Tribune): "It makes me believe in good in the world and if you try to do things the right way, it' good to see it get rewarded."
This idea that something was "meant to be" or a "reward" for previous good behavior is of course very widespread. And I can see how this belief can help people get through hard times. I don't believe the same thing; at least, I suppose I am "theoretically" open to the possibility that in fact there is some grand design that invests meaning and intent in things that happen.These days, though, I mostly hold to the viewpoint that "stuff just happens" and the only meaning events and outcomes have is the meaning we inject into it.
Having said that, OK, you believe what you believe, I believe what I believe. But, c'mon, Landon - you seem to be implying that all those other soccer players who are losing have not done things "the right way" and whose loss is a "good in the world."
And that, dear reader, is really hard to believe.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Can BP "speed it up"?
I just caught this headline at Yahoo:
Coast Guard to BP: Speed it up, stop the spill (AP)
"Crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill washes ashore in Orange Beach, Ala., Saturday, June 12, 2010. Large amounts of the oil battered the Alabama coast, leaving deposits of the slick mess some 4-6 inches thick on the beach in some parts. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)AP - The Coast Guard has demanded that BP step up its efforts to contain the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the weekend, telling the British oil giant that its slow pace in stopping the spill is becoming increasingly alarming as the disaster fouled the coastline in ugly new ways Saturday."
And I find myself wondering: could it really be possible that BP is not expending all possible effort and expense, that they are not working as hard and as smart as they can to fix the problem?
They've certainly been trying some massive, difficult things - and failing.
I tend to see things this way: we've reached a dangerous and awkward point in our evolution and development as a species. We have at our disposal incredible technical skills, allowing us to do all sorts of amazing things. But we haven't yet developed a sufficiently sophisticated moral framework in which to apply our awesome skills.
As a result, we now find ourselves doing things to ourselves and our world that are beyond our capabilities to fix.
Well, in that case, I hope that BP has in fact been slacking all this time and now they will work harder and fix the problem. Yeah, right.
Coast Guard to BP: Speed it up, stop the spill (AP)
"Crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill washes ashore in Orange Beach, Ala., Saturday, June 12, 2010. Large amounts of the oil battered the Alabama coast, leaving deposits of the slick mess some 4-6 inches thick on the beach in some parts. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)AP - The Coast Guard has demanded that BP step up its efforts to contain the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the weekend, telling the British oil giant that its slow pace in stopping the spill is becoming increasingly alarming as the disaster fouled the coastline in ugly new ways Saturday."
And I find myself wondering: could it really be possible that BP is not expending all possible effort and expense, that they are not working as hard and as smart as they can to fix the problem?
They've certainly been trying some massive, difficult things - and failing.
I tend to see things this way: we've reached a dangerous and awkward point in our evolution and development as a species. We have at our disposal incredible technical skills, allowing us to do all sorts of amazing things. But we haven't yet developed a sufficiently sophisticated moral framework in which to apply our awesome skills.
As a result, we now find ourselves doing things to ourselves and our world that are beyond our capabilities to fix.
Well, in that case, I hope that BP has in fact been slacking all this time and now they will work harder and fix the problem. Yeah, right.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
New presentation available for download: Golden Rules for Developers
I presented for the first time ever "Golden Rules for Developers" at the NYOUG general meeting on June 9, 2010.
Click here to download the presentation in PDF form.
And here's the description of the presentation:
We all want to write better code: fewer bugs, faster algorithms, readable blocks. Yet again and again our best intentions are thwarted by...all sorts of people and things: ourselves, our managers, our users, crazy deadlines, lack of tools, and more. We have, unfortunately, control over only so much of our professional lives. We generally can't do much about our managers or our users. We usually can't change the deadlines. So we have to look at what each of us can do individually to move to the next level of software developer. This session offers a set of "golden rules" that we all can agree on and will definitely improve our code - and then offers some practical advice to help you follow them.
Click here to download the presentation in PDF form.
And here's the description of the presentation:
We all want to write better code: fewer bugs, faster algorithms, readable blocks. Yet again and again our best intentions are thwarted by...all sorts of people and things: ourselves, our managers, our users, crazy deadlines, lack of tools, and more. We have, unfortunately, control over only so much of our professional lives. We generally can't do much about our managers or our users. We usually can't change the deadlines. So we have to look at what each of us can do individually to move to the next level of software developer. This session offers a set of "golden rules" that we all can agree on and will definitely improve our code - and then offers some practical advice to help you follow them.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
What other nation besides Israel....
- Could drop a bunch of highly trained, elite commandos onto a boat carrying humanitarian supplies and hundreds of people who they know are very angry at the Government of Israel, and then complain when those commandos are actually attacked?
- Could claim that it was "self defense" when these commandos kill and injure dozens - on a boat they boarded in international waters?
- Would so carelessly toss away their relationship with the only majority-Muslim nation in the world willing to be some kind of friend to Israel?
- Would embroil its key (perhaps all too soon, only) ally, the United States, in yet another crisis, at a time when the U.S. is flailing about with a massive, uncontrolled oil spill, a war in Afghanistan, a devastated economy? [hey, maybe that's precisely why they did it now!]
- Could insist that they can carry out their own "impartial" investigation into this debacle and, yes, massacre?
Imagine a boatload of Jews heading to the Promised Land, with nothing but food, cement, medical supplies and some metal bars on board the ship. Then the ship is boarded by heavily armed and well trained commandos. Do the Jews on board simply give up? No! They have learned their lesson. They will fight back valiantly, with few weapons, but a strong sense of righteousness. Miraculously, the commandos are forced on the defensive, and then they unleash deadly weapons fire on the ship passengers, killing and wounding dozens. And the Jews or more specifically in later versions of these stories, "Israelis" (meaning: Israeli Jews) are heroes.
This is precisely the kind of story told over and over again (at least in Jewish families like mine and to members of synagogues), from the founding of the State of Israel: courageous, outgunned Jews performing miraculous, virtuous acts as they stand up for their ideals and those among them who are unable to defend themselves.
The parallels and contradictions between those "Jews as victims-no-longer" stories and the events of the last few days are striking and disturbing. And of course Israel cannot be seen as the persecutor in such tales - Israel is always on the side of good and right, it never does anything wrong. It only defends itself. Yeah, right. Save it for...American Jews.
The Government of Israel complains about how they are singled out for criticism, how they face "existential" challenges from states like Iran. It seems more and more clear, quite sadly, though, that the worst enemy faced by Israel today is its own militarized, ultra-right government, its fundamentalist, extremist political organizations (currently in control of the government) - and the American Jews who believe Israel can do no wrong, and will provide political and financial cover for every red line the GofI crosses.
Soon, Israel will be widely regarded as a true rogue state - precisely because the Government of Israel insists on taking rogue actions.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
A blog for the PL/SQL Challenge
We have created a new blog (just what the world needed?) specifically for the PL/SQL Challenge.
The developers playing the daily quiz are very engaged, to say the least, and they often have lots to say about the questions and answers. When a player has an objection to a quiz, we will now publish an entry about it, so that everyone can comment and read the threads.
In fact, Finn published some very interesting results from his research into UTL_FILE and its handling of newline characters. I encourage you take a look.
I also wanted a soapbox from which I could talk about why I created the PL/SQL Challenge and where I plan to take it into the future.
The developers playing the daily quiz are very engaged, to say the least, and they often have lots to say about the questions and answers. When a player has an objection to a quiz, we will now publish an entry about it, so that everyone can comment and read the threads.
In fact, Finn published some very interesting results from his research into UTL_FILE and its handling of newline characters. I encourage you take a look.
I also wanted a soapbox from which I could talk about why I created the PL/SQL Challenge and where I plan to take it into the future.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Interesting keynote speaker for ODTUG
I just received a note "pre-announcing" the ODTUG Kaleidoscope 2010 keynote. Not someone from Oracle, not someone deep into the technology itself, like me. No, instead, a person who is paying attention to how the Internet and computing in general can have a profound (and not necessarily positive) impact on our lives. Check it out - and register for the conference! Here's a chunk from the announcement:
"The Oracle Development Tools User Group (ODTUG) is pleased to announce that Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center s Internet & American Life Project, will deliver the Keynote Address at ODTUG Kaleidoscope 2010 on Monday, June 28. The Pew Internet & American Life Project is a non-profit, non-partisan "fact tank" that studies the social impact of the Internet. The Project has issued more than 200 reports based on its surveys that examine online activities and the Internet's role of the Internet in our lives.
"Lee is a co-author of Up for Grabs, Hopes and Fears, and Ubiquity, Mobility, Security, a series of books about the future of the Internet, published by Cambria Press and based on Project surveys. He is also co-authoring a book for MIT Press about the social impact of technology, with sociologist Barry Wellman, which will be published in late 2010. The working title is Networked: The New Social Network Operating System. Click here for more information on Lee Rainie and the prestigious Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.
"This very timely Keynote Address is just one more reason for attending ODTUG Kaleidoscope 2010, June 27- July 1 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Do not delay in Registering. Also, the hotel is filling up quickly, so make your overnight reservations as soon as possible. The cut-off for the conference rate is June 9. We cannot guarantee that the conference rate will be available after that date."
"The Oracle Development Tools User Group (ODTUG) is pleased to announce that Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center s Internet & American Life Project, will deliver the Keynote Address at ODTUG Kaleidoscope 2010 on Monday, June 28. The Pew Internet & American Life Project is a non-profit, non-partisan "fact tank" that studies the social impact of the Internet. The Project has issued more than 200 reports based on its surveys that examine online activities and the Internet's role of the Internet in our lives.
"Lee is a co-author of Up for Grabs, Hopes and Fears, and Ubiquity, Mobility, Security, a series of books about the future of the Internet, published by Cambria Press and based on Project surveys. He is also co-authoring a book for MIT Press about the social impact of technology, with sociologist Barry Wellman, which will be published in late 2010. The working title is Networked: The New Social Network Operating System. Click here for more information on Lee Rainie and the prestigious Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.
"This very timely Keynote Address is just one more reason for attending ODTUG Kaleidoscope 2010, June 27- July 1 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Do not delay in Registering. Also, the hotel is filling up quickly, so make your overnight reservations as soon as possible. The cut-off for the conference rate is June 9. We cannot guarantee that the conference rate will be available after that date."
PL/SQL Challenge not useful if you're not on Oracle11g?
I just received the following email from a person who tried out the PL/SQL Challenge:
"I don't have 11g installed on my home computers, and my workplace hasn't upgraded to it (not until 2011). So not having had a chance to use it or any reason to study the documentation, I'm not going to answer any 11g questions. I'd like to recommend the PL/SQL Challenge to people where I work. My principal professional focus, however, is improving the general SQL and programming (PL/SQL) skills of developers, rather than improving folks understanding of the esoterica of PL/SQL. While I personally do appreciate the PL/SQL challenge (especially in regards to the frustrating quirks of the language), I cannot at this time recommend it for a general audience in the industry I work (Financial Services)."
I found this reaction fascinating on several levels and sent the developer this reply:
I will remove your user account from the PL/SQL Challenge, but please read my response below first and then confirm that you want nothing further to do with it.
I can certainly understand your frustration at being confronted with an 11g question, which generally would seem to be completely irrelevant to what you are doing.
First, allow me to point out that the vast majority of our questions are based on a 10.2 platform; it would surely be hasty to reject the Challenge as a whole because of this question's 11g dependency.
Second, oddly enough, this question is a great example of why the PL/SQL Challenge could be so important for developers who are precisely in your position: not yet on 11g, but surely you know it is coming your way (and for your industry).
The function result cache is an incredibly powerful and important 11g feature; it is definitely not "esoterica."
In fact (1), it is so powerful and important that once you learn about it, it should change the way you write your applications right now, in order to be prepared to take smooth and rapid advantage of it when you upgrade.
In fact (2), I have been presenting for over a year now a presentation titled " Why you should care about Oracle 11g now" (available here) to drive home precisely this point.
Bottom line: I hope you will reconsider, continue playing and encourage others to do so.
And for everyone else: the Challenge is now being played regularly by over 700 developers each day. I hope that you will give it a try yourself. You could learn an awful lot about PL/SQL and you could win some excellent prizes!
"I don't have 11g installed on my home computers, and my workplace hasn't upgraded to it (not until 2011). So not having had a chance to use it or any reason to study the documentation, I'm not going to answer any 11g questions. I'd like to recommend the PL/SQL Challenge to people where I work. My principal professional focus, however, is improving the general SQL and programming (PL/SQL) skills of developers, rather than improving folks understanding of the esoterica of PL/SQL. While I personally do appreciate the PL/SQL challenge (especially in regards to the frustrating quirks of the language), I cannot at this time recommend it for a general audience in the industry I work (Financial Services)."
I found this reaction fascinating on several levels and sent the developer this reply:
I will remove your user account from the PL/SQL Challenge, but please read my response below first and then confirm that you want nothing further to do with it.
I can certainly understand your frustration at being confronted with an 11g question, which generally would seem to be completely irrelevant to what you are doing.
First, allow me to point out that the vast majority of our questions are based on a 10.2 platform; it would surely be hasty to reject the Challenge as a whole because of this question's 11g dependency.
Second, oddly enough, this question is a great example of why the PL/SQL Challenge could be so important for developers who are precisely in your position: not yet on 11g, but surely you know it is coming your way (and for your industry).
The function result cache is an incredibly powerful and important 11g feature; it is definitely not "esoterica."
In fact (1), it is so powerful and important that once you learn about it, it should change the way you write your applications right now, in order to be prepared to take smooth and rapid advantage of it when you upgrade.
In fact (2), I have been presenting for over a year now a presentation titled " Why you should care about Oracle 11g now" (available here) to drive home precisely this point.
Bottom line: I hope you will reconsider, continue playing and encourage others to do so.
And for everyone else: the Challenge is now being played regularly by over 700 developers each day. I hope that you will give it a try yourself. You could learn an awful lot about PL/SQL and you could win some excellent prizes!
Friday, May 07, 2010
PL/SQL Challenge Hits 800 Players!
On Thursday, Oracle sent out its Database Application Developer Newsletter and included this paragraph:
![[]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vPQ-sXLvRafHZ2zGqDH5BY329cJ2Tfts7EtH_z5V_fLlVLoJQd1pL9UlZV7SaHRdeVS0VAqzBpYK7ZXTDKf1iRp8cpCi9yqSpEpFeLfNRExmNdhrbWLoXB=s0-d){kind=small}
Take the PL/SQL ChallengeOracle ACE Director Steven Feuerstein has started up a new contest for PL/SQL Developers: the PL/SQL Challenge. The Challenge is free and simple: you play the quiz each weekday, exercising your knowledge of the language. Every three months, the top-ranking players compete in a quarterly championship to award first, second and third prizes. But that's not all: Every month, Steven will raffle off other prizes to anyone who played the quiz that month. So visit the PL/SQL Challenge and start playing. You've got nothing to lose and lots to gain!
Well....that worked out very nicely. Over 300 people registered at the PL/SQL Challenge and today we broke through the 800 player "barrier". Very exciting!
Thanks, Oracle!
Come Monday, players will also see many enhancements to the website, including improved rankings information and the ability to invite friends to play the PL/SQL Challenge.
If you are a PL/SQL developer and you are not yet playing the PL/SQL Challenge, pay us a visit and check it out. You will have fun and could win some excellent prizes. Here's what a few people have recently said about the PL/SQL Challenge:
"I love the PL/SQL Challenge. It is getting our team talking about PL/SQL on a daily basis."
"I wait eagerly every morning for the next question. It's become a part of my warm-up ritual at work, in addition to making tea."
Monday, May 03, 2010
Brian Daniels Graduates from Averett University
I have just come back from a wonderful weekend in Danville, Virginia, home of Averett University. My wife, Veva, organized a family reunion/graduation celebration there, because our nephew, Brian Daniels, graduated from Averett on Saturday with a Bachelors of Science. Congratulations, Brian!
Brian is the first member of his family to attend, much less, graduate, from college.
He made this possible through dedication, discipline, hard work (hard, hard work) and a quiet strength that kept him going through many obstacles. And, of course, the unswerving support of his family.
Brian attended Averett on a football scholarship and I hope to soon announce the next step in his incredible journey regarding Brian and the game (or should we say "business") of football.
After the graduation ceremony, we held a party for Brian at Mary's Diner that was very tasty, exciting and moving. Many friends and relatives spoke of their pride in his accomplishments, and the traits that have made him both so successful and so loved.
Brian is a born leader and a true friend and role model to many. We all look forward to his future accomplishments.
He made this possible through dedication, discipline, hard work (hard, hard work) and a quiet strength that kept him going through many obstacles. And, of course, the unswerving support of his family.
Brian attended Averett on a football scholarship and I hope to soon announce the next step in his incredible journey regarding Brian and the game (or should we say "business") of football.
After the graduation ceremony, we held a party for Brian at Mary's Diner that was very tasty, exciting and moving. Many friends and relatives spoke of their pride in his accomplishments, and the traits that have made him both so successful and so loved.
Brian is a born leader and a true friend and role model to many. We all look forward to his future accomplishments.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Shortcut to expertise?
I received this request today:
"I want to learn PL/SQL but doubt I can; I want to understand,write and fix other's code, but where do I begin? I do not like sticking to code for hours; my head hurts. But I would like to go from complete ignorance to be like you!"
That set back in my Swopper chair for a moment. He wants to go from complete ignorance to being "just like Steven" without sticking his head deep inside code for hours.
Hmmm....
Well, first of all, to anyone wanting to learn PL/SQL: do not doubt yourself! You can do it. PL/SQL is a relatively easy language to learn, especially compared to Java.
Second, I don't think are a whole lot of shortcuts you can take. That is, if you want to be an expert programmer, you will stick your head into code for hours. But:
1. Take lots of breaks! You don't have to get headaches.
2. Certainly learning from obsessive people like me can accelerate you along that learning curve to expertise.
In fact, you may want to consider attending one (or more) of my Fast Track PL/SQL webinars, sponsored by Quest. There is one more this month, and then we will likely plan another series soon.
Beyond that, I offer the following advice to "newbies" and others seeking assistance on PL/SQL:
http://tahiti.oracle.com - Oracle documentation available online
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/pl_sql/index.html - OTN PL/SQL information
http://www.oracle.com/technology/pub/columns/plsql/index.html - links to articles on OTN
http://oracle-developer.net - detailed explorations into various PL/SQL topics by Adrian Billington
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jsp?forum=75 - the PL/SQL forum at Oracle
http://asktom.oracle.com - the amazing Ask Tom column
In addition, there are a number of "beginner books", including:
Learning Oracle PL/SQL http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596001803 (I am a co-author on this one)
Oracle PL/SQL for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-SQL-Dummies-Michael-Rosenblum/dp/0764599577
Finally, I also encourage you to play the PL/SQL Challenge ( www.plsqlchallenge.com ) - a daily PL/SQL quiz with cash and other prizes!
"I want to learn PL/SQL but doubt I can; I want to understand,write and fix other's code, but where do I begin? I do not like sticking to code for hours; my head hurts. But I would like to go from complete ignorance to be like you!"
That set back in my Swopper chair for a moment. He wants to go from complete ignorance to being "just like Steven" without sticking his head deep inside code for hours.
Hmmm....
Well, first of all, to anyone wanting to learn PL/SQL: do not doubt yourself! You can do it. PL/SQL is a relatively easy language to learn, especially compared to Java.
Second, I don't think are a whole lot of shortcuts you can take. That is, if you want to be an expert programmer, you will stick your head into code for hours. But:
1. Take lots of breaks! You don't have to get headaches.
2. Certainly learning from obsessive people like me can accelerate you along that learning curve to expertise.
In fact, you may want to consider attending one (or more) of my Fast Track PL/SQL webinars, sponsored by Quest. There is one more this month, and then we will likely plan another series soon.
Beyond that, I offer the following advice to "newbies" and others seeking assistance on PL/SQL:
http://tahiti.oracle.com - Oracle documentation available online
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/pl_sql/index.html - OTN PL/SQL information
http://www.oracle.com/technology/pub/columns/plsql/index.html - links to articles on OTN
http://oracle-developer.net - detailed explorations into various PL/SQL topics by Adrian Billington
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jsp?forum=75 - the PL/SQL forum at Oracle
http://asktom.oracle.com - the amazing Ask Tom column
In addition, there are a number of "beginner books", including:
Learning Oracle PL/SQL http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596001803 (I am a co-author on this one)
Oracle PL/SQL for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-SQL-Dummies-Michael-Rosenblum/dp/0764599577
Finally, I also encourage you to play the PL/SQL Challenge ( www.plsqlchallenge.com ) - a daily PL/SQL quiz with cash and other prizes!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Challenging myself and others
I am a compulsive workaholic. That is the only explanation for my inability to stop coming up with new ideas and trying new things. My latest "little project" is the PL/SQL Challenge, a daily PL/SQL quiz that culminates quarterly in a championship playoff. Top prize: $1000 USD. Not a bad prize, simply for knowing PL/SQL, right?
Ah, so easy to come up with ideas, so challenging to deliver them as functional products or websites.
First, I had to design a database to hold all my content and serve it up to consumers. Then I needed to create the content for the quiz: hundreds (and hopefully eventually thousands) of questions and answers (and have an application built to allow me to do that). My friend, Joel Finkel, was instrumental in enabling this earliest phase of the PL/SQL Challenge.
Next, more or less, I needed to have the public site built in which people could take the quizzes, see their rankings, and so on. Chris Shaw of Shaw Marketing came up with the logo and overall web design. From there, my fine friends at Apex Evangelists (Sumneva), most especially John Scott and Paul Broughton, committed many, many hours of their lives to building, tweaking and then deploying the website. Gentlemen, I am forever in your debt.
Recognizing the limitations of my incredibly narrow specialization in PL/SQL (and thus not even having a solid grasp of the total Oracle technology stack), I also decided to partner on this whole initiative with Finn Ellebaek Nielsen. Finn is an outstanding Oracle generalist, who has also decided to focus on and promote automated testing solutions for PL/SQL and Oracle. We'd been working together on Quest Code Tester for awhile, and he was a natural choice to work with me on the PL/SQL Challenge.
And this is how I have managed to drag several more human beings into the endless, mad and ever-expanding churn of activity that defines my professional life. Sorry about that, Finn and Apex Evangelists! I hope there are not major regrets (yet).
And now what I need are players, lots of players. During the first two days of the Challenge, we had over 400 people visit and answer the quiz each day. That's a fine start, but just a start.
If you are a PL/SQL developer or work with PL/SQL in any way, you owe it to yourself (and me, that's right. You owe me - it's the least you can do after I sacrificed so much of my life to help PL/SQL developers. Aw, just kidding. I didn't sacrifice. I benefited!) to visit PLSQLChallenge.com and give it a try.
Win prizes, see your name "up in lights" on the website demonstrating your proficiency in PL/SQL. Show same to your manager. Get a promotion and a raise. Succeed professionally beyond your wildest dreams - all by playing the PL/SQL Challenge.
Well, maybe not. But it's certainly a possibility.
Ah, so easy to come up with ideas, so challenging to deliver them as functional products or websites.
First, I had to design a database to hold all my content and serve it up to consumers. Then I needed to create the content for the quiz: hundreds (and hopefully eventually thousands) of questions and answers (and have an application built to allow me to do that). My friend, Joel Finkel, was instrumental in enabling this earliest phase of the PL/SQL Challenge.
Next, more or less, I needed to have the public site built in which people could take the quizzes, see their rankings, and so on. Chris Shaw of Shaw Marketing came up with the logo and overall web design. From there, my fine friends at Apex Evangelists (Sumneva), most especially John Scott and Paul Broughton, committed many, many hours of their lives to building, tweaking and then deploying the website. Gentlemen, I am forever in your debt.
Recognizing the limitations of my incredibly narrow specialization in PL/SQL (and thus not even having a solid grasp of the total Oracle technology stack), I also decided to partner on this whole initiative with Finn Ellebaek Nielsen. Finn is an outstanding Oracle generalist, who has also decided to focus on and promote automated testing solutions for PL/SQL and Oracle. We'd been working together on Quest Code Tester for awhile, and he was a natural choice to work with me on the PL/SQL Challenge.
And this is how I have managed to drag several more human beings into the endless, mad and ever-expanding churn of activity that defines my professional life. Sorry about that, Finn and Apex Evangelists! I hope there are not major regrets (yet).
And now what I need are players, lots of players. During the first two days of the Challenge, we had over 400 people visit and answer the quiz each day. That's a fine start, but just a start.
If you are a PL/SQL developer or work with PL/SQL in any way, you owe it to yourself (and me, that's right. You owe me - it's the least you can do after I sacrificed so much of my life to help PL/SQL developers. Aw, just kidding. I didn't sacrifice. I benefited!) to visit PLSQLChallenge.com and give it a try.
Win prizes, see your name "up in lights" on the website demonstrating your proficiency in PL/SQL. Show same to your manager. Get a promotion and a raise. Succeed professionally beyond your wildest dreams - all by playing the PL/SQL Challenge.
Well, maybe not. But it's certainly a possibility.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
The PL/SQL Challenge is open for business
At 00:01 UTC 8 April 2010 (7 PM Chicago time, 7 April), the PL/SQL Challenge will be open for business - which means that PL/SQL developers can now register or login and then take their first ever daily PL/SQL quiz.
Why would someone do that? Because, among other things, you could win $1000 in our quarterly championship. Not bad for knowing some stuff about PL/SQL, don't you think?
You might also want to play the PL/SQL Challenge to demonstrate your expertise to the world. User accounts are ranked publicly (don't worry, you don't have to use your real name if you don't want to).
Give it a try. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes of your day. Why not have a bit of fun as you wrestle with - and solve - serious and complex application challenges?
So welcome to the PL/SQL Challenge and best of luck in the competition!
Why would someone do that? Because, among other things, you could win $1000 in our quarterly championship. Not bad for knowing some stuff about PL/SQL, don't you think?
You might also want to play the PL/SQL Challenge to demonstrate your expertise to the world. User accounts are ranked publicly (don't worry, you don't have to use your real name if you don't want to).
Give it a try. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes of your day. Why not have a bit of fun as you wrestle with - and solve - serious and complex application challenges?
So welcome to the PL/SQL Challenge and best of luck in the competition!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Oh frabjous joy, a victory!
I don't think very much of the health care reform bill. The insurance companies lie at the heart of the problem with the "health care industry." This bill means that we will fork over massive amounts of our tax dollars directly to those companies as part of "mandatory insurance."
Having said that, I am so glad that Obama won this battle and got his bill passed. If he had failed, I think that could have been a very early death knell for his presidency. What could he have gotten done after losing this confrontation with the No Party?
Now he has political momentum on his side - especially with the quick follow up of an agreement with Russia on nuclear weapons. Hopefully the fall elections will now not lead to the House or Senate falling to the Republicans (they have been purely and utterly disgusting throughout this entire period).
Go, Obama, go!
Having said that, I am so glad that Obama won this battle and got his bill passed. If he had failed, I think that could have been a very early death knell for his presidency. What could he have gotten done after losing this confrontation with the No Party?
Now he has political momentum on his side - especially with the quick follow up of an agreement with Russia on nuclear weapons. Hopefully the fall elections will now not lead to the House or Senate falling to the Republicans (they have been purely and utterly disgusting throughout this entire period).
Go, Obama, go!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
I Support Hillary Clinton
There I said it. That wasn't so hard.
But why did I say it, and what do I mean? Because I just read the following in Haaretz:
"In a telephone call to Netanyahu last week, Clinton laid out U.S. expectations from Israel including a rollback to the housing plan, a gesture of good faith to the Palestinians and an express statement that all issues dividing Israel and the Palestinians, including the fate of divided Jerusalem, remain part of the negotiations."
And it struck me: this is a really amazing moment. Our Secretary of State is telling Israel it has to explicitly accept that Jerusalem is still a negotiable issue (this is, formalistically, the case, in terms of the state of "peace negotiations", but the reality is that the Government of Israel states over and over again that Jerusalem will not be dividied - and is the capitol of Israel). This is an incredibly explosive issue among the hard-liners in Israel, a red line of their own, and could bring down the government.
I am stunned to see where this row over settlements has gone. Perhaps if Netanyahu and his truly fanatical, extremist coalition members hadn't been utterly disrespectful, disdainful really, in the way that they treated Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, there wouldn't be so much push-back. But they got careless, which is understandable. They hadn't been challenged in such a long time. The Israeli leadership has became casually arrogant.
And this is just the latest in a series of demonstrations of their arrogance since Obama was elected President.
Remember that Israel invaded Gaza in January 2009 and waged a brutal war against, officially, Hamas, but more accurately a trapped civilian population? The Israeli Defense Forces (considered one of the most competent in the world) killed hundreds of children. Think about that one for a moment. That is a fact. But my point here is actually more that they did this awful thing right on the eve of Obama's inauguration. As Obama was preparing to become the first President of color in history, Israel was killing Palestinian children and destroying the infrastructure of one of the most densely populated areas on earth.
Predictably, Israel pulled out of Gaza just days before the Inauguration, thereby avoiding a direct collision with Obama. Whew, that was a close one - but, still, a real slap in the face to Obama. Since then Obama said "No settlements, just stop it." And Netanyahu's administration just mocked him and ignored him, with words and actions.
And now here they are, their backs up against the proverbial wall, with no escape route. Suddenly, they will have to make a real sacrifice to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process. Namely, they will have to admit to the possibility that they might have to accept a divided Jerusalem. That's it. Doesn't seem like much, but I am not at all convinced Netanyahu can do this and still keep his government intact.
Maybe someday soon President Obama will even tell Israel that it must join the IAEA and allow its nuclear weapons facilities to be investigated and monitored, like all other nuclear states.
Now that would be a signal day, a day to finally say to ourselves: perhaps there can be a peaceful and reasonably just solution to this conflict.
In the meantime, Hillary Clinton will be speaking at the upcoming AIPAC conference. Again, from the Ha'aretz article:
"Clinton said she expects to see Netanyahu in Washington next week, where both are to address the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee."
Clinton may possibly be facing an extremely hostile audience at the AIPAC event, which is also startling to contemplate. And there will be enormous pressure on her and Obama to back down. She needs our help.
It seems to me that all the peace groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, Brit Tzedek, American Jews for a Just Peace, AFSC, the massive End the Occupation coalition, you name it, should be getting together to organize the biggest possible support march for Hillary Clinton outside the AIPAC event.
That should be the single focus of the gathering: Support Hillary Clinton. Assuming her position hasn't by then changed. Support what she is calling for. Keep it simple and direct. Keep it pro-our government, not anti-Israel or anti- anything else. And if it could get really big, it could give Clinton the backup she needs to speak with a righteous voice.
To face Israel down at this critical juncture.
To change history.
C'mon peace and justice activists, organizations, coalitions: this is why you are in existence. To take moments like this to activate all the people who are hungry and frustrated but have never had a focus that could make a difference.
This could really make a difference.
But why did I say it, and what do I mean? Because I just read the following in Haaretz:
"In a telephone call to Netanyahu last week, Clinton laid out U.S. expectations from Israel including a rollback to the housing plan, a gesture of good faith to the Palestinians and an express statement that all issues dividing Israel and the Palestinians, including the fate of divided Jerusalem, remain part of the negotiations."
And it struck me: this is a really amazing moment. Our Secretary of State is telling Israel it has to explicitly accept that Jerusalem is still a negotiable issue (this is, formalistically, the case, in terms of the state of "peace negotiations", but the reality is that the Government of Israel states over and over again that Jerusalem will not be dividied - and is the capitol of Israel). This is an incredibly explosive issue among the hard-liners in Israel, a red line of their own, and could bring down the government.
I am stunned to see where this row over settlements has gone. Perhaps if Netanyahu and his truly fanatical, extremist coalition members hadn't been utterly disrespectful, disdainful really, in the way that they treated Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, there wouldn't be so much push-back. But they got careless, which is understandable. They hadn't been challenged in such a long time. The Israeli leadership has became casually arrogant.
And this is just the latest in a series of demonstrations of their arrogance since Obama was elected President.
Remember that Israel invaded Gaza in January 2009 and waged a brutal war against, officially, Hamas, but more accurately a trapped civilian population? The Israeli Defense Forces (considered one of the most competent in the world) killed hundreds of children. Think about that one for a moment. That is a fact. But my point here is actually more that they did this awful thing right on the eve of Obama's inauguration. As Obama was preparing to become the first President of color in history, Israel was killing Palestinian children and destroying the infrastructure of one of the most densely populated areas on earth.
Predictably, Israel pulled out of Gaza just days before the Inauguration, thereby avoiding a direct collision with Obama. Whew, that was a close one - but, still, a real slap in the face to Obama. Since then Obama said "No settlements, just stop it." And Netanyahu's administration just mocked him and ignored him, with words and actions.
And now here they are, their backs up against the proverbial wall, with no escape route. Suddenly, they will have to make a real sacrifice to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process. Namely, they will have to admit to the possibility that they might have to accept a divided Jerusalem. That's it. Doesn't seem like much, but I am not at all convinced Netanyahu can do this and still keep his government intact.
Maybe someday soon President Obama will even tell Israel that it must join the IAEA and allow its nuclear weapons facilities to be investigated and monitored, like all other nuclear states.
Now that would be a signal day, a day to finally say to ourselves: perhaps there can be a peaceful and reasonably just solution to this conflict.
In the meantime, Hillary Clinton will be speaking at the upcoming AIPAC conference. Again, from the Ha'aretz article:
"Clinton said she expects to see Netanyahu in Washington next week, where both are to address the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee."
Clinton may possibly be facing an extremely hostile audience at the AIPAC event, which is also startling to contemplate. And there will be enormous pressure on her and Obama to back down. She needs our help.
It seems to me that all the peace groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, Brit Tzedek, American Jews for a Just Peace, AFSC, the massive End the Occupation coalition, you name it, should be getting together to organize the biggest possible support march for Hillary Clinton outside the AIPAC event.
That should be the single focus of the gathering: Support Hillary Clinton. Assuming her position hasn't by then changed. Support what she is calling for. Keep it simple and direct. Keep it pro-our government, not anti-Israel or anti- anything else. And if it could get really big, it could give Clinton the backup she needs to speak with a righteous voice.
To face Israel down at this critical juncture.
To change history.
C'mon peace and justice activists, organizations, coalitions: this is why you are in existence. To take moments like this to activate all the people who are hungry and frustrated but have never had a focus that could make a difference.
This could really make a difference.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Beta Testing Starts for the PL/SQL Challenge!
The PL/SQL Challenge is a daily quiz that culminates every three months in a championship tournament to determine the most knowledgeable PL/SQL developers in the world. You could win cash, O'Reilly Media books and other goodies - but only if you play!
From March 15 to March 26, we will be running a beta test of the PL/SQL Challenge website - and I hope you will help us. Visit beta.plsqlchallenge.com, register and start playing (use real registration information - it will be valid for the real PL/SQL Challenge as well). A link to instructions for beta testing is right on the home page. Cruise around the website and let us know if anything should be fixed.
Please note that for the beta test we will be displaying nonsense Q&As (can't afford to "waste" any real questions!), so that part won't be very interesting. Please make sure to read the beta testing instructions before you get started.
During beta testing only, you are also allowed to register yourself more than once (but you will need to use a unique and valid email address). Why might you do this? So you can test the quiz-taking more than once per day - and be enrolled in our beta test raffle (giving away free copies of the ebook version of for each quiz you take, increasing your chances of winning!
PL/SQL Challenge Discount for ODTUG Kaleidoscope
There is going to be a fun, new activity at the Kaleidoscope conference this year: "PL/SQL Developer, Quiz Thyself!" This is a live quiz on PL/SQL topics, co-sponsored by ODTUG and the PL/SQL Challenge. There will be cash and other prizes. It should be lots of fun.
ODTUG has generously agreed to offer a discount of $50 off the current registration fee for Kaleidoscope to developers who are playing the PL/SQL Challenge. Simply type "PLSQLCHALLENGE" into the Registration Code field as you go through the registration process. Early Bird Registration ends March 24, so register today for the lowest possible price.
From March 15 to March 26, we will be running a beta test of the PL/SQL Challenge website - and I hope you will help us. Visit beta.plsqlchallenge.com, register and start playing (use real registration information - it will be valid for the real PL/SQL Challenge as well). A link to instructions for beta testing is right on the home page. Cruise around the website and let us know if anything should be fixed.
Please note that for the beta test we will be displaying nonsense Q&As (can't afford to "waste" any real questions!), so that part won't be very interesting. Please make sure to read the beta testing instructions before you get started.
During beta testing only, you are also allowed to register yourself more than once (but you will need to use a unique and valid email address). Why might you do this? So you can test the quiz-taking more than once per day - and be enrolled in our beta test raffle (giving away free copies of the ebook version of for each quiz you take, increasing your chances of winning!
PL/SQL Challenge Discount for ODTUG Kaleidoscope
There is going to be a fun, new activity at the Kaleidoscope conference this year: "PL/SQL Developer, Quiz Thyself!" This is a live quiz on PL/SQL topics, co-sponsored by ODTUG and the PL/SQL Challenge. There will be cash and other prizes. It should be lots of fun.
ODTUG has generously agreed to offer a discount of $50 off the current registration fee for Kaleidoscope to developers who are playing the PL/SQL Challenge. Simply type "PLSQLCHALLENGE" into the Registration Code field as you go through the registration process. Early Bird Registration ends March 24, so register today for the lowest possible price.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
What has Toyota actually proven here?
Interesting article in the Chicago Tribune today: "Toyota rebuts claims of SIU professor: In webcast, consulting firm re-creates electronic glitch in other vehicle brands".
First, David Gilbert demonstrates to Congress a way to cause sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles.
Then Toyota countered his demonstration as follows: "Using similar methodology, engineers at Toyota's facility on Monday duplicated the results on camera in seven other vehicles, including a Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. Officials said the results, though not maligning other manufacturers, show that the methodology was essentially flawed."
Gee, I don't know. It seems like you could just as legitimately conclude that the problems experienced by Toyota owners could well be showing up in other vehicles.
I must admit that as a programmer, it scares me to think that my safety (and the safety of my family members) when driving is so dependent on software.
First, David Gilbert demonstrates to Congress a way to cause sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles.
Then Toyota countered his demonstration as follows: "Using similar methodology, engineers at Toyota's facility on Monday duplicated the results on camera in seven other vehicles, including a Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. Officials said the results, though not maligning other manufacturers, show that the methodology was essentially flawed."
Gee, I don't know. It seems like you could just as legitimately conclude that the problems experienced by Toyota owners could well be showing up in other vehicles.
I must admit that as a programmer, it scares me to think that my safety (and the safety of my family members) when driving is so dependent on software.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Any pizza, any crust, any toppings, just $10? REALLY?
Pizza Hut is advertising (hard) its new recession-proof pricing: "Any piza. Any size. Any crust. Any toppings. Just $10." See? They say so right here:
But wait! Is that fine print at the bottom? Yes, it is! And what does it say?
"ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR STUFFED CRUST PIZZA"
Now, I must admit: $10 for a pizza that is loaded up with a bunch of stuff is a good deal (unless you simply won't buy food at a place like Pizza Hut because it will also be loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and other "food products"). That's not what bothers me.
What really bothers me is the blatant manipulation and assumption that we are all rather dumb. They come up with a marketing line that is very powerful - but a lie. It's not "any pizza, any crust".
Why oh why can't everyone be as logical and straightforward and honest as a software programmer?
Friday, February 26, 2010
My idea for an iPhone app
I get kind of sad sometimes, watching people disappear into their mobile distraction devices. iPhones and their like certainly offer new opportunities for community and entertainment, but mostly it seems to me that they lead to isolation in one's physical context (aka, the real world) and lack of introspection.
So here is my idea for a truly useful iPhone app: Basta! (which means "Enough!" in Spanish)
Basta would allow you to request disabling of specific features of your iPhone (or all of it, just turn it into a black slate) for a given period of time.
Basta makes it easy for you to answer questions like: "Can I go 10 seconds without reading/writing texts?"
But the really exciting, Web 2.0 feature of Basta is that your friends (via Facebook, etc.) can challenge you to specific Basta restrictions: "I bet Steven can't go more than an hour without sending a tweet." and so on. All dares - proposed, accepted, denied and the results - are posted to your Facebook page and can be seen by others.
So you can build reputation and status around your ability, willingness, discipline to step away from devices and instead interact more with real live, breathing humans.
Or just watch more TV.
Anyway, that's my idea of a really great app!
So here is my idea for a truly useful iPhone app: Basta! (which means "Enough!" in Spanish)
Basta would allow you to request disabling of specific features of your iPhone (or all of it, just turn it into a black slate) for a given period of time.
Basta makes it easy for you to answer questions like: "Can I go 10 seconds without reading/writing texts?"
But the really exciting, Web 2.0 feature of Basta is that your friends (via Facebook, etc.) can challenge you to specific Basta restrictions: "I bet Steven can't go more than an hour without sending a tweet." and so on. All dares - proposed, accepted, denied and the results - are posted to your Facebook page and can be seen by others.
So you can build reputation and status around your ability, willingness, discipline to step away from devices and instead interact more with real live, breathing humans.
Or just watch more TV.
Anyway, that's my idea of a really great app!
Monday, February 15, 2010
An unknown Olympic athlete?
Sometimes I just have to laugh out loud at the media and the way things are reported. Consider this photo and tag line on the front page of the Chicago Tribune today:
It says "Stunning run by an unknown - American Byron Wilson comes out of nowhere to snag the bronze in moguls."
What I find so odd about this is the idea that any of the athletes who are competing in the Olympics could be "unknown." You only get to the Olympics if you are the best of the best, verified through a multitude of contests. In fact, Wilson won the U.S. Championship in 2009 to secure his spot on the "B" OIlympics team, and was a former Junior World Champion.
The only way that any of these Olympic-quality athletes could be considered "unknown" is by the Tribune deciding that they weren't worth "knowing" - until they won a medal.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
On January 13, we buried my father, Sheldon Feuerstein. On January 25, we buried my sister, Laurie Feuerstein Walsh. It has been a horrible couple of months (December and January). I can only hope that the rest of 2010 is better for all of us.
I feel very strongly that both Dad and Laurie had health problems contributing to their deaths that came from the foods they ate and the toxic environments in which they, we all, lived (any urban environment saturates us with toxins). Those same foods are likely causing problems for the rest of us, too. I have lately been struck by how ridiculous it is that food has become such a complicated and treacherous affair, that we seem to need nutritionists and scientists and politicians to decide what is good for us to eat. Isn't that strange? Humans have been finding, growing, preparing and eating food for thousands of years - and surviving quite well, thank you - without all this "assistance." And in the US, where the nutritionists reign supreme, we are getting fatter and sicker with each year. Something is so deeply wrong with this picture.
Fortunately, I think the solution to this problem is very simple: "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
That is the mantra of a man named Michael Pollan. He has just published a book called Food Rules, which I urge you to purchase and read immediately (only $5 from Amazon!). This small, very accessible book offers simple, practical advice regarding food that can help all of us regain control of our bodies and our health.
Here is what I have decided so far from reading this book: I am going to stop purchasing packed, processed food products (not the same as food) as much as possible. No more Ritz crackers (absolutely yummy with PBJ), no more ramen noodles (I love those with a generous helping of sauteed brussel sprouts).
NO MORE HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP at all. I will check every package. I am now convinced more than ever that that stuff is a poison (or at the very least a drug) that operates at a very deep level on our physiology, making us fat and sick.
If you are sick or you have a family member who is sick; if you are affected by any of the four "Western diseases" (obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer); if you simply don't feel all that great (low energy, acid reflux, etc.) - then please, please, take a serious look at a serious change to your diet. It could make all the difference.
I feel very strongly that both Dad and Laurie had health problems contributing to their deaths that came from the foods they ate and the toxic environments in which they, we all, lived (any urban environment saturates us with toxins). Those same foods are likely causing problems for the rest of us, too. I have lately been struck by how ridiculous it is that food has become such a complicated and treacherous affair, that we seem to need nutritionists and scientists and politicians to decide what is good for us to eat. Isn't that strange? Humans have been finding, growing, preparing and eating food for thousands of years - and surviving quite well, thank you - without all this "assistance." And in the US, where the nutritionists reign supreme, we are getting fatter and sicker with each year. Something is so deeply wrong with this picture.
Fortunately, I think the solution to this problem is very simple: "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
That is the mantra of a man named Michael Pollan. He has just published a book called Food Rules, which I urge you to purchase and read immediately (only $5 from Amazon!). This small, very accessible book offers simple, practical advice regarding food that can help all of us regain control of our bodies and our health.
Here is what I have decided so far from reading this book: I am going to stop purchasing packed, processed food products (not the same as food) as much as possible. No more Ritz crackers (absolutely yummy with PBJ), no more ramen noodles (I love those with a generous helping of sauteed brussel sprouts).
NO MORE HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP at all. I will check every package. I am now convinced more than ever that that stuff is a poison (or at the very least a drug) that operates at a very deep level on our physiology, making us fat and sick.
If you are sick or you have a family member who is sick; if you are affected by any of the four "Western diseases" (obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer); if you simply don't feel all that great (low energy, acid reflux, etc.) - then please, please, take a serious look at a serious change to your diet. It could make all the difference.
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