Stop and Say Hello @ ruiaf.org

I'm still not convinced with the answers at stackoverflow.com. I also don't have a good one and, the last time I explained what I do, both her and my sister told me a pity lie. I'm guessing the real problem is the transition from the algorithm to the computing machine but I'm not really sure.

Does anyone knows if torrents use any kind of heuristics to decide which chunk they transfer? It would make sense to transfer the least available chunk first (although this might not be straight forward to calculate). This comes up because I'm downloading a (perfectly-legal-recently-released-remindful-of-my-youth, ahem) piece of data where there are 10 seeders and almost 20000! leachers. I would say that about 90% of the people have roughly 81% of the file and it was extremely fast to get to this point. The rest of the file is taking ages and everyone is still synchronized on the same amount. I'm suspecting that the seeders are sending the file in order to other peers... this sucks!

Portugal is known in the music scene for its traditions of fado, but there's a bit more to it than only that. To the request of many people here it goes.

Amália Rodrigues is the most important figure of traditional fado (that roughly translates to nostalgia) and sings some of the most iconic songs such as Tudo Isto é Fado, Uma Casa Portuguesa and Nem as Paredes Confesso. In the last few years there's been a new wave of fado singers that modernized the sound, introducing new instruments like Cello or Piano. The most known examples are Mariza, Camané and Mísia with songs like Transparente, Há uma Música do Povo, Sei de um Rio or Duas luas. One of the original things about fado is the use of the Portuguese guitar notably mastered by Carlos Paredes (Verdes Anos, Melodia nº2)

Keeping the topic on traditional music, there are other groups and artists like Dulce Pontes, Tereza Salgueiro, Vitorino or more recently Deolinda that are inspired by fado but that differ significantly from the genre. Examples of cool songs are: Cancão do Mar, O Pastor, Queda do Império and Fado Toninho.

During the reign of the fascist regime music was widely used by the left-wing resistance as a way to say what could not be said, singing about freedom, equality and democracy, mainly through metaphors and symbols. My personal favorites are Zeca Afonso and Sérgio Godinho with songs like Indíos da Meia-Praia, Canção de Embalar, Vampiros, Com um Brilhozinho nos Olhos, A Noite Passada, Liberdade.

In the last two decades of the last century rock artists and bands like Rui Veloso, Jorge Palma, Xutos & Pontapés started and changed the musical panorama with songs that left a mark on the portuguese youth (as in, me): Não Há Estrelas no Céu, Chico Fininho, Estrela do Mar, Cara de Anjo Mau, À Minha Maneira, Casinha.

Currently most groups have a big influence from international musicians and all the artists stated above, including traditional music. Interesting bands and artists are The Girt (Something Simple), Mesa (Luz Vaga), Clã (Problema de Expressão), Belle Chase Hotel (Sunset Boulevard, Fossanova).

Different kinds of sound also exist, from the Primitive Reason's Ska (Seven Fingered Friend) to Da Weasel's Hip-Hop (Re-Tratamento) and Moonspell's Heavy Metal (Scorpion Flower) or the Jazz of Maria João (Há Gente Aqui).

I added Google Friend Connect to the side bar. It always nice to know who on the other side and maybe this way I'll feel some pressure to write. To join, click on the button on the top of that funny box with all the faces.

Acrescentei o Google Friend Connect na barra de lado do blog. É sempre bom saber quem é que lê o que eu escrevo e pode ser que assim me sinta obrigado a escrever mais vezes. Para aderir, clicar na caixinha com a caras todas.

I've calculated my carbon footprint (here) and got an astonishing amount of 6.52 tonnes per year. This is really much more than I had expected! The average footprint for people in Italy is 7.70 tonnes and a bit less than 6 in Portugal. I really thought that I would have a significantly bellow average impact since:

• I recycle,
• don't own a car,
• bike everyday to the university and within the city,
• mostly do medium-distance trips (by train),
• share the house with 2 other people,
• don't use heating or cooling at home.

Apparently my two biggest sins are flying too much (2 tons a year!) and buying secondary products (3 tons a year). I'm really not seeing how to get the targeted 2 tons a year since I'm not even counting with the impact at the office with the A/C always pumping and the computers always on. My only hope is that these websites are inaccurate and that they are just trying to sell people carbon offsetting.

I've just finished reading Cantor's Dilemma and liked it quite a lot. The end is slightly disappointing but the relationships between the characters are very well played. Recommended.