Adventures in Engineering

So I learned something interesting¹ at work today. I had a query that was using "WHERE trunc(t1.create_date) = to_date(etc)". It turns out if you trunc() a date column, that ruins Oracle's ability to pick the proper partition(s) in a date-partitioned table. It ends up having to do a full table scan of all the partitions. Which of course is majorly slow and inefficient.

The solution for us was to use "WHERE t1.create_date BETWEEN to_date(blah) AND to_date(blah) + 1". This gives pretty much the same effect - matches dates after 11:59pm last night and midnight tonite. The explain plan still shows a full table scan, but also shows that it's only applied to 1 partition in the table, instead of all 40.

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¹ And by "interesting" I of course mean "obscure, useless and trivial unless you're a super-nerd."

A service called World Tracker lets you use data from cell phone towers and GPS systems to pinpoint anyone’s exact whereabouts, any time — as long as they’ve got their phone on them.

All you have to do is log on to the web site and enter the target phone number. The site sends a single text message to the phone that requires one response for confirmation. Once the response is sent, you are locked in to their location and can track them step-by-step. The response is only required the first time the phone is contacted, so you can imagine how easily it could be handled without the phone’s owner even knowing.

Once connected, the service shows you the exact location of the phone by the minute, conveniently pinpointed on a Google Map. So far, the service is only available in the UK, but the company has indicated plans to expand its service to other countries soon.

http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/05/05/cell-phone-spying-is-your-life-being-monitored/

From bruce_schneier.

General Tips

Remember that pissing in the holy water basin at St Jesuswasafuck’s Cathedral will replenish 50% of your health bar.

When swearing at the elderly, always remember to use a megaphone, otherwise they won’t hear you.

Sometimes, the best way to get rid of a whole box of puppies at once is a wood-chipper.

Don’t worry about condoms when using prostitutes – that’ll only make it harder to spread AIDS later in the game.

http://www.eegra.com/pages/show/title/04_05_2008_Feature__Excerpts_from_The_Alarmist_s_Guide_to_GTAIV


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How's the game? So far, not living up to the hype. It's a great game of course, but so far I don't think it's any more fun than the original GTA3. Though the graphics are certainly a billion times better. The constant telephone calls are annoying as hell. I only ever answer when Michelle calls. (She likes to play pool, BTW.) Oh, I managed to find a Turismo on the streets and now have it saved in my parking spot - looking forward to some racing missions. The Coquette (Corvette) seems to do pretty well too. Though neither of them seem to accell or brake nearly as well as the PCJ-600 motorcycle.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/alb/621862265.html

"With this house on the threshold of granting the president 183 billion dollars to continue the war in Iraq long past his term, it's an appropriate time to ask, "Why are we still in Iraq?" Especially since the Democratic leadership promised the American people, two years ago, that if they voted Democrat, we'd move to end the war."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYgI7NhDQ5A

Gee, Dennis, I don't know... maybe YOU had something to do with it? (Ooooohhh, didn't think anyone in America would remember that, didja?)

Fucking stinking, fucking dickless, fucking cowards.