k0n2ad

what's up with the date of that article?

Well, yes and no - I think that becoming a millionaire at 20 is much more common now than it was 100 or even 50 years ago - especially since the advent of the www.

I completely agree - think about many instances where kindergartners, many of whom barely know how to do arithmetic or spell, draw or paint something that is absolutely creative and amazing. Likewise, people with mental disorders exhibit many creative traits - if you listen to this guy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Johnston) talk, he doesn't sound extremely intelligent. His music and art, however, are incredibly creative.

I agree for the most part, but a lot of interesting degree programs contain lots and lots of boring and tedious work, no? :)

"Stimulants" refers to what a drug does to your heart and respiratory system - not necessarily what it does to your brain. I think that's a common misconception. Pilots in the US Airforce, for example, have at one point (if not still) taken stimulants such as Adderall to remain awake, alert, calm and focused for long and taxing flights. I'm pretty sure that most of them didn't have "ADHD"

I've used Adderall, Concerta (Methylphenidate, like Ritalin) and Modafinal when I was in college. Adderall, which I would bum off my friend's prescription, pretty much gave me a rush of focus power and euphoria, which I usually squandered on things that weren't my schoolwork (guitar playing, wikipedia surfing and video games). I then got "diagnosed" with ADHD so I got a prescription to Concerta. Concerta was similar to Adderall, but given that it was sustained release, it lasted longer and worked differently depending on how I ate. I actually crashed really hard on it. I stopped using that after a while and just relied heavily on caffeine, along with learning methods to focus naturally.

Modafinal is an interesting drug. It just makes you feel awake and alert, without feeling like you are tweaked. It saved me when I pulled all nighters. Stayed awake for 3 nights once during finals and it was one of the strangest and most uncomfortable trips I've ever been on - but that's a digression I should save for Erowid.org.

That being said, if you rely on "cognitive enhancers" (I hate the euphemism, more like "speed") now, you may have to rely on them for everything in the future. They don't cure your symptoms, they just mask them. The thing is, focus should come about naturally because you have a passion for something. I believe that you would feel the most success from developing the ability to focus on your own. Did you try exercise? Meditation? Are you simply overloading yourself with too many courses? Are you in the right degree program? Such activities and considerations, though a greater time investment with more room for failure, are healthy ways to get your brain "in the zone" and prepare yourself for future cognitive demands in life.

Or, you can depend on drugs. It's really your choice.

People with "ADHD" have a broad range of symptoms that are conveniently lumped together and treated with various drugs on a trial and error basis. The science of psychology is still greatly in it's infancy. We still have a lot to learn about symptoms such as the inability to focus, hyperactivity, impulsivity and the like. It is highly probable that there is an underlying cause to any or all of these symptoms, one that has been fostered as we were growing up. The whole "chemical imbalance" theory really irks me - there is probably an environmental reason to most of the "chemical imbalances" that we read about, hear about or experience.

Another thing to try is getting a really good therapist (hard to come by) and talking these things out - figuring out on your own. In either case, good luck to you.

I would love to see these links and correlations. If it's true, I'm screwed because I freaking love ice cream!

I think a lot of programmers mistakenly use this as an excuse when in reality, they should just get out more :)

This site is both ridiculous and awesome

Zen is wonderful. In my opinion, a mindfulness or meditation program shouldn't just have a profound impact on your life - it should make your life start to have a profound impact on you!

I highly recommend the following books, which really help you chew through the layers of expectations, belief and doubt when it comes to Buddhism (and in particular, Zen):

http://www.amazon.com/Ending-Pursuit-Happiness-Zen-Guide/dp/...

http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-without-Beliefs-Stephen-Batch...

Hilarious!

Ubuntu is a fantastic distribution of a magnificent OS. I just wish I could run design apps like Flash and Photoshop on it (and no, GIMP just doesn't do it for me).

I guess that would depend on where (or from who) your morals come from.

"...the notorious online bulletin board where hackers like to hang out." lol

But seriously - here's the fun part: http://musicmachinery.com/2009/04/15/inside-the-precision-ha...

40+ years and still going!!

I actually thought that was kind of funny. He's pretty dope too.

This is awesome advice and "Zen And the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is one of my favorite books of all time.

I see a possibility of companies marketing drugs such as Ritalin and Provigil as "cognitive enhancers." I mean, caffeine is powerful CNS stimulant as it is and it's completely unregulated. So what's to stop a drug company from making an analogue to Ritalin, or a lighter dose of Ritalin and marketing it as a brain booster? Selling it OTC? Given that the FDA is already having enough trouble regulating areas such as the energy drink/supplement market - all the different concoctions of caffeine, ginseng, ginkgo (and tons of other herbal supplements) are readily available to 12 year olds. I'm curious and a bit concerned at the prospects.

Don't let it get to you man :)

What a great man. He survived 40+ years with a supposedly terminal condition... here's hoping that he can pull through again.

don't forget PBF: http://www.amazon.com/Perry-Bible-Fellowship-Almanack/dp/159...

That's pretty clever. I agree that sometimes though, the simple approach yields a better solution :)

True, but how do you find out about it in time to take advantage of the opportunity before it becomes too popular?

indeed, profit is the bottom line

On one hand I'm happy that people are more enthusiastic about programming. On the other, I'm angry that I never jumped on this bandwagon - what a great way to make some income. Then again, I would probably have to own an iPhone first :)

They should make the "title text" obscured by a flap of paper that automatically lifts when your finger hovers over it.

oh noes!

Totally nothing to do with the hemispheres - nonetheless, really frustrating that I can't seem to control which way I see her 'spinning' - that all happens behind the scenes in my head. ah!

Cool idea - I would change both movies each time, though, if you haven't seen at least one of them (instead of flipping one at a time and keeping the other one up). Also, as people have already mentioned, keep them in similar genres or at least offer an option of "Can't make the comparison," or something similar.

Computer science was never cool. I personally think that's cool.