Year: 2007
-
When is a pattern not a pattern?
Going back to Christopher Alexander, the “pattern language” concept started off with a fairly strict, well defined structure. Alexander’s patterns all have a sensitizing example, a context (when to use or apply the pattern), a problem (expressed in terms of conflicting forces), and a solution (a way to balance or reconcile those forces). Application of…
-
With one lobe tied behind my back
In New York my work laptop starting shutting itself off without warning. With the help of savvy Mac users at Yahoo I determined that it was a known bug with aging G4 Powerbooks wherein the trackpad falsely reports a severe temperature spike (“overtemp” according the log) and the system initiates a shutdown to protect itself…
-
Happy Birthday, Peter!
Happy Birthday, Peter! Originally uploaded by xian. One of the highlights of last week’s trip to New York was when Peter, Sara, and the boys drove down from New Haven on Saturday. Pictured here from left to right are Caleb, Peter, and Sam. Later, I’ll post more pictures to Flickr. This one was taken on…
-
On the internet, nobody knows you're fat
I’m no fan of the term “fatblogging” but I do see some value in the idea of inviting accountability by applying the blog (in the sense of public log) format to a health and fitness plan, and reporting one’s weight to a globe full of strangers is surely one way to keep yourself honest. Those…
-
Do these people even read what they write?
This was in a letter from my credit-card company: “So that you have no surprises, know that your APR’s, fees and other terms can change at any time.” –I guess they mean no surprising surprises.
-
Strategery at the New School?
So I’m standing outside of the Parsons , where we were putting on the IDEA 2007 conference this past week when two guys in suits with their arms literally around each other’s shoulders, laughing and schmoozing like the bunch of dyed-in-the-wool politicians I realize they are….
-
New York, just like I pictured it
IMG_0055.jpg Originally uploaded by xian. OK, I’ve used that title before. Just wanted to put up a few photos: An amusing sign in a cab, the Oyster Bar (a favorite of B and mine), and this shot of the Empire State building lit up at night we ran across headed back to our hotel on…
-
Can I blog from my iPhone?
Since I started at Yahoo my workaday routine involves riding a shuttle from Oakland to Sunnyvale with a big laptop computer crammed on my lap so I can work, browse the net, or as I’ve been doing lately, blog.
-
Oakland for Obama?
Just got a call from an organizer named Barbara with the local Barack Obama for President campaign, telling me they are opening a new Northern California campaign office in downtown Oakland….
-
Skin-deep semantics
Somewhere along the way web developers learned that bold and italics tags (don’t even mention underline) were verboten, careless mingling presentation with semantics and structure, but that emphasis and strong emphasis were cool. Heck, even Dreamweaver and related products now automatically insert em and strong tags in wysiswyg mode when the user clicks buttons labeled…
-
Invasion of the *funny* snatchers, you mean
Our survey of the zany madcap futuristic scenarios of the 21st century takes us now to the year 2055, where we will learn from “a post-apocalyptic workplace situation comedy” called Mankind’s Last Hope who conquered the human race, why, and what they’re keeping the remnants of our ragtag band of homo sapiens alive for (hint,…
-
In the year 2000
Friends and cow-orkers alike have heard me make the now clichéd quip about being disappointed not to have a jetpack yet, living as we do in the year 2000. Jetpack has in fact become a sort of shorthand for some awesome feature that probably won’t get included in a final design. I still remember some…
-
How you say I Know You Rider en Francais?
Earlier this year a friend on the Deadwood Society mailing list sent around this video excerpt from a French film called Gimme shelter, l’Airplane et les Stones à Altamont. The first half of the clip shows the Dead playing “I Know You Rider” in Hérouville in 1971. I love the band from that era. Lean,…
-
A corridor of flickering light
The Illuminated Corridor meets the Internet Archive. What does that even mean? To find out, I went to the source, Oakland artist, musician, and impresario Suki O’Kane: wake up!: What is the Illuminated Corridor? Suki O’Kane: The Illuminated Corridor is a next step in outdoor cinema: a nomadic public art installation that creates site-specific illumination…
-
Sisters are doing it for themselves
At BarCamp Block I first heard about plans for She’s Geeky, a tech (un)conference for women by women. Immediately, I was intrigued. It sounds like a great idea, I love the title, and the organizers are some of the coolest folk I’ve met on the geek circuit. One of the prime movers is Kaliya Identity…
-
Shining a spotlight on money in politics
I’ve written about MAPlight before but from time to time I feel the need to post an update about the amazing work it’s doing. (Disclosure: I am an advisor to this nonprofit, although my direct involvement is limited.) Since the last time I mentioned MAPlight it’s gone from just documenting donations to California politicians to…
-
Weird modal dialog box put up by iTunes
Thanks, iTunes! Originally uploaded by xian. Not really sure how to respond to this. Well, actually, I do know how to respond. I had to click Yes.
-
Getting fired up for IDEA 2007
I regretted not being able to attend the first-ever IDEA conference last year in Seattle and I was thrilled when the organizers decided to hold the second IDEA conference in New York City, my home town, at the legendary Parsons School of Design. IDEA has already in one year established a reputation for bringing big-idea…