2015 - The Year of Less Secure Passwords?

I'm kind of confused here - I tried to log in to my Ally account to pay my car payment and was informed that their passwords don't accept symbols and that I need to reset my password. 

This was a surprise; I can't find any sort of email or other notification about this change. And it was sort of a hassle because I don't keep my VIN or account number handy. 

But more importantly, doesn't removing symbols and non-alphanumeric characters from passwords make them easier to guess and therefore less secure? Why would a financial institution change their password policy in this way?

Calling a video game sexist for page views.

Ran across some obvious click-bait on Slate.com today

The Most Sexist Video Game of All Time?

Sexism in video games (and tech culture) is a sad reality and I really appreciate folks like Anita Sarkeesian who are presenting thoughtful, nuanced opinions born out of a deep appreciation for video games and social justice. (I really can't speak highly enough of the work that Ms Sarkeesian is doing!) 

Oversharing on Stage

I love live music but don't make it out to shows as often as I used to. Lately I've been trying to do some networking for Evrywhr so I'm trying to get out more often.

I recently attended a show and I was really struck by the amount of on-stage banter happening. The bands were mostly local and they sounded great; the music was right up my alley. But I noticed that several of them had the habit of stopping after every song to introduce the next song and then explain what it was about. I'm not exaggerating they did this after every song. At some point it was so bad I couldn't help but laugh. 

This next song is about Donnie McDonald, my best friend from 5th grade. It's called 'Donnie'

Back in the early 2000s I saw Pedro the Lion play several times when they were on tour. It was pretty common for David Bazan to ask the audience if they had any questions between songs. He was an interesting guy and it was cool to hear the informal Q+A but after a while you kind of just wanted him to get back to the music. 

I also love listening to John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats talk but even he knows that we're there for the songs.

Explaining the meaning of every song is a good indication that you're not finished writing the song. I'm sure there are folks out there would argue that no song is ever truly finished but let's table that for now. Let's also assume that we're discussing traditional pop songs that aren't experimental, improvisational or avant-garde in nature.

If you're going to write, rehearse and perform these pop songs for an audience it is safe to assume they are finished. Of course, songs can and do change as they are performed live over time but most of these changes are related to the performance and not the actual song.

Don't get me wrong, it can be good to preface a song or two during the show. It's part of the performance to engage with your audience (this is something I've always had a hard time with).

Nevertheless, if you're confident in your ability to finish your songs you need to trust they can stand on their own without explanation. Your lyrics should be interesting enough so that they don't require you to explain them.