I have to install new blinds in my apartment because some of the slats are ugly from the street. Don't get me started.
Unfortunately, the blinds seem to be an abnormal size and - so that I can't just move the brackets - they're installed on a metal door.
At least these blinds and the many trips they call for to Home Depot give me a good excuse not to work on my resume.
Stupid resume. Stupid blinds.
Monday, August 25, 2008
debate follow-up
http://chronicle.com/free/2008/08/4336n.htm
Well, Fort Hays State University fired the debate coach and communications professor shown dropping trow in the previous post. I'm amazed by two things that show up in the follow-up articles.
The first is that the university official said that they heard nothing about this whole incident until it showed up on YouTube. I would have thought the debate league's judges might have had a word or two in the ears of Fort Hays reps. If I was throwing a debate and one team's coach showed up acting the fool like this, I'd certainly ask for some sort of explanation/banning from the participating school.
Second, the school's debate team - apparently a pretty good one - got suspended thanks to their coach's antics. The president of FHSU said this was to give them time to look at debate as a whole and to make sure the FHSU team wasn't disadvantaged in coming debates. I figure not being in a debate greatly disadvantages you, but there you go.
Well, Fort Hays State University fired the debate coach and communications professor shown dropping trow in the previous post. I'm amazed by two things that show up in the follow-up articles.
The first is that the university official said that they heard nothing about this whole incident until it showed up on YouTube. I would have thought the debate league's judges might have had a word or two in the ears of Fort Hays reps. If I was throwing a debate and one team's coach showed up acting the fool like this, I'd certainly ask for some sort of explanation/banning from the participating school.
Second, the school's debate team - apparently a pretty good one - got suspended thanks to their coach's antics. The president of FHSU said this was to give them time to look at debate as a whole and to make sure the FHSU team wasn't disadvantaged in coming debates. I figure not being in a debate greatly disadvantages you, but there you go.
Monday, August 18, 2008
You are the vulgarian, you fuck!
In times of a crappy economy, pointless foreign wars, a starkly divided political landscape (the reasons for which this video might illuminate by the way), waxing fundamentalism and anti-intellectualism on the rise, you take your humor where you can get it - even if it's a debate benchclear (lol):
I personally prefer my humor a bit more, you know, "on purpose" than this, but that doesn't make this case study in irony any less succulent. If debate isn't about shouting down an opposing point of view, then what do you call Congress, smarty pants? It isn't smirkingly known as a deliberative body for nothing you know.
Also, do go ahead and watch the whole thing. It isn't a one-note piece of inadvertent performance art. The rambling ad hoc defense the bearded debate coach slings together for flying off the handle is charmingly instructive.
Enjoy - but don't click play if grown up language makes you cry. Finally, please someone make a joke about re-butt-als in the comments. :)
The post title is a line from A Fish Called Wanda.
I personally prefer my humor a bit more, you know, "on purpose" than this, but that doesn't make this case study in irony any less succulent. If debate isn't about shouting down an opposing point of view, then what do you call Congress, smarty pants? It isn't smirkingly known as a deliberative body for nothing you know.
Also, do go ahead and watch the whole thing. It isn't a one-note piece of inadvertent performance art. The rambling ad hoc defense the bearded debate coach slings together for flying off the handle is charmingly instructive.
Enjoy - but don't click play if grown up language makes you cry. Finally, please someone make a joke about re-butt-als in the comments. :)
The post title is a line from A Fish Called Wanda.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Aye! Phone!
Well, I'm compiling a list of things that piss me off about the iPhone. I've signed up for a developer account in hopes of being able to build a GTD application that doesn't make me crazy, but I'm not much of a coder and so I'm not too hopeful.
Among my complaints was the lack of good voice-note software - you know, a dictaphone. I mean, you've got a microphone, a hard drive, and a speaker. What's to stop you from letting me record my spontaneous thoughts?
An early model Zune.Well, I downloaded the evernote app (for free) and it's good. It's probably great if you really jump into the evernote process, putting a XUL thingydoo on Firefox and downloading the software for your desktop. But jeez, I just want to be able to press a button on my phone and say executive shit like, "remember wife's birthday this year" (for which I acknowledge I'd need both software and a wife), "sell shares in Enron", or "cover vent on death star". You know Vader would have gotten to that if that game of Simon on his chest had been equipped with an MP3 recorder.
Anyway, the real downfall of the iApp for evernote is that it wants to connect to my evernote account somewhere on the Internet. This is a pain in the ass in just enough places to make it a proper pain in the ass. I've got 18 gigs of space on my phone for just these sorts of occasions. I should be able to take annotated video and store it locally.
And actually, what's up with not being able to shoot video? It's a trick question because I know your answer already Apple - "the camera isn't up to it". Ah, well you walked into that one didn't you? What up with the camera?
My flickr account would lead you to believe I developed Parkinsons concurrently with acquiring a new phone. I know, various Apple apologists have pointed out it's a phone before it's a camera, but that's like excusing broken AC in a car by saying it's not a fridge. I know it's not a camera, but it cost me a lot of money and Apple made a lot of noise about all this non-phone stuff it can do. You know what, if the lens or the image-capture chip isn't up to snuff, tilt the lens 45 degrees and sell it as a "spy camera". I'm tired of trying to take discreet pictures while holding the phone perpendicular to the ground.
I may have gotten off point there . . . considering that the point was that I finally downloaded YouNote.
It's awesome so far. It supports picture notes, audio notes, web notes, doodles and text notes. Moreover, I can tag the notes while the phone geotags them - you know, in case all I can remember is that I had a good idea in Santa Fe. It looks as though they're working too on letting you add a contact to the note for easy calling - though it doesn't work yet.
And actually, good luck with that. Despite coming with an operating system, the phone doesn't seem to support developers who want to pass things back and forth between programs. Would it be too much to ask to be able to copy? And perhaps paste? If I find a phone number in an email, I can call it, but I can't easily add it to contacts without actually calling the person.
Anyway, I'm daniel harrison and I approve this YouNote app.
Among my complaints was the lack of good voice-note software - you know, a dictaphone. I mean, you've got a microphone, a hard drive, and a speaker. What's to stop you from letting me record my spontaneous thoughts?
An early model Zune.
Anyway, the real downfall of the iApp for evernote is that it wants to connect to my evernote account somewhere on the Internet. This is a pain in the ass in just enough places to make it a proper pain in the ass. I've got 18 gigs of space on my phone for just these sorts of occasions. I should be able to take annotated video and store it locally.
And actually, what's up with not being able to shoot video? It's a trick question because I know your answer already Apple - "the camera isn't up to it". Ah, well you walked into that one didn't you? What up with the camera?
My flickr account would lead you to believe I developed Parkinsons concurrently with acquiring a new phone. I know, various Apple apologists have pointed out it's a phone before it's a camera, but that's like excusing broken AC in a car by saying it's not a fridge. I know it's not a camera, but it cost me a lot of money and Apple made a lot of noise about all this non-phone stuff it can do. You know what, if the lens or the image-capture chip isn't up to snuff, tilt the lens 45 degrees and sell it as a "spy camera". I'm tired of trying to take discreet pictures while holding the phone perpendicular to the ground.
I may have gotten off point there . . . considering that the point was that I finally downloaded YouNote.
It's awesome so far. It supports picture notes, audio notes, web notes, doodles and text notes. Moreover, I can tag the notes while the phone geotags them - you know, in case all I can remember is that I had a good idea in Santa Fe. It looks as though they're working too on letting you add a contact to the note for easy calling - though it doesn't work yet.
And actually, good luck with that. Despite coming with an operating system, the phone doesn't seem to support developers who want to pass things back and forth between programs. Would it be too much to ask to be able to copy? And perhaps paste? If I find a phone number in an email, I can call it, but I can't easily add it to contacts without actually calling the person.
Anyway, I'm daniel harrison and I approve this YouNote app.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Olympics
If this Olympic elk were to take a poo, I'd give it a medal for Canada and choose to watch it over Michael Phelps.
This pic found here
I'm tired of Michael Phelps. He seems like a nice enough guy, but every time he ventures close to something wetter than a damp dishtowel, coverage jumps to him. Sometimes I want to watch gymnastics because, you know, it's interesting - unlike swimming.
Also, while it's cool he's winning like a million billion medals and all, you can only do that in a couple of sports. And those sports are swimming.
Even if you're a talented runner, you only get to run each distance in one direction. If it was like swimming there'd be a different medal for people who ran it backwards, sideways, and bow-legged. Phelps is a sick athlete, but I'd watch the Brazilian volleyball team any day of the week over him bringing another medal home for the U.S. of A.
Softball should be banned. I just don't like the sport. I've never seen players of an Olympic sport look so out of shape. I just watched about 30 seconds of a game and one of our players looks like Babe Ruth. It reminds me of English soccer players before the rest of the world realized that not eating fish and chips or smoking might give you an edge.
Is baseball an Olympic sport? I hope not, and let's keep cricket out of it while we're at it.
And actually, to follow up on the point made above about swimming, I don't only want to watch U.S. medal sports. I know that's an old critique, but if it's a choice between watching paint dry for an American gold and say, Judo (which is part of one of the most rapidly growing sports in the U.S.) then give me China vs. Iran in Judo any day. I didn't shell out all that cash for an HDTV to watch curling or darts. Sheesh.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
iSigh
It's a wonder I didn't get smeared all across Delaware on the way home from NYC this morning.
It's all I can do not to fiddle with my new iPhone. I'd downloaded the Pandora application and I can report that it works nicely. I'm a longtime fan of Pandora since a friend turned me on to it. (Check out Pandora.com now if you'd like an online "radio" station that plays music similar to a song or band you suggest - takes a few seconds to get going after you register).
I assumed it would need WiFi access in order to stream the songs, but as I hurtled along strictly within the speed limit of each of the 4 (?) states I passed through, it managed to play the music I wanted. It even paused when I got a phone call and started up again once I hung up. Radio that waits while you're on the phone is a fancy luxury. The only downside was that as I pulled into Maryland, it started wondering if perhaps by "Gnarls Barkley" I'd meant Dru Hill and some horrifying freestyle crap I most certainly didn't want to hear.
So, Pandora was a success, but now I'm getting frustrated. I'm used to being able to tinker with technology and the iPhone sort of sells on this premise. I'll withhold judgment for a while, but I'd really like to be able to choose on an application-by-application (or even instance-by-instance of an application) basis whether or not the screen was going to lock up after a minute. I guess for drives I could turn that function off entirely.
I'd also like a way to grab a phone number out of an email and turn it into a contact. I can dial it, so the phone knows it's a number. Why can't it let me create a contact? Does anyone know offhand of an app that allows that? While we're at it, is there an app for messing with the camera - which blows. I'd like to affect shutter speed and so forth.
I've got a couple of other wishes on my list - like a good IM client and a way around the stupid texting fees - so I'll probably be jailbreaking my phone eventually. Have to look into that a bit more. Oh, and iTunes makes me just furious.
It's all I can do not to fiddle with my new iPhone. I'd downloaded the Pandora application and I can report that it works nicely. I'm a longtime fan of Pandora since a friend turned me on to it. (Check out Pandora.com now if you'd like an online "radio" station that plays music similar to a song or band you suggest - takes a few seconds to get going after you register).
I assumed it would need WiFi access in order to stream the songs, but as I hurtled along strictly within the speed limit of each of the 4 (?) states I passed through, it managed to play the music I wanted. It even paused when I got a phone call and started up again once I hung up. Radio that waits while you're on the phone is a fancy luxury. The only downside was that as I pulled into Maryland, it started wondering if perhaps by "Gnarls Barkley" I'd meant Dru Hill and some horrifying freestyle crap I most certainly didn't want to hear.
So, Pandora was a success, but now I'm getting frustrated. I'm used to being able to tinker with technology and the iPhone sort of sells on this premise. I'll withhold judgment for a while, but I'd really like to be able to choose on an application-by-application (or even instance-by-instance of an application) basis whether or not the screen was going to lock up after a minute. I guess for drives I could turn that function off entirely.
I'd also like a way to grab a phone number out of an email and turn it into a contact. I can dial it, so the phone knows it's a number. Why can't it let me create a contact? Does anyone know offhand of an app that allows that? While we're at it, is there an app for messing with the camera - which blows. I'd like to affect shutter speed and so forth.
I've got a couple of other wishes on my list - like a good IM client and a way around the stupid texting fees - so I'll probably be jailbreaking my phone eventually. Have to look into that a bit more. Oh, and iTunes makes me just furious.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
NYC
I'm spending this week visiting NYC.
I love it. I left back in the day because I got a job in D.C., and I regretted leaving behind all the cool people even as I was packing my stuff.
Now, after revisiting CU and going out with other folks in the city, I'm extra wistful. It was flattering and wonderful walking around CU and seeing everyone. I badly misjudged how much time I'd need to see everyone and had to go back on Wednesday after being there most of the day on Tuesday.
If I missed seeing you, I'm really sorry.
I'm torn between D.C. and NYC now. I guess wherever i get a job first is the place I'll go.
Keeping all that in mind, being back in NYC with some perspective is funny. The fashionistas are still out and about, but now instead of thinking they're cool and hip I'm a little concerned that they're stunted. Riding down Flatbush Ave in Bklynn I saw a guy who had clearly spent way too long in front of the mirror choosing the right pants and shirt to accentuate his sunglasses. That shit was cool and edgy in high school, but come on.
P.S. - I'm older than Adam apparently
I love it. I left back in the day because I got a job in D.C., and I regretted leaving behind all the cool people even as I was packing my stuff.
Now, after revisiting CU and going out with other folks in the city, I'm extra wistful. It was flattering and wonderful walking around CU and seeing everyone. I badly misjudged how much time I'd need to see everyone and had to go back on Wednesday after being there most of the day on Tuesday.
If I missed seeing you, I'm really sorry.
I'm torn between D.C. and NYC now. I guess wherever i get a job first is the place I'll go.
Keeping all that in mind, being back in NYC with some perspective is funny. The fashionistas are still out and about, but now instead of thinking they're cool and hip I'm a little concerned that they're stunted. Riding down Flatbush Ave in Bklynn I saw a guy who had clearly spent way too long in front of the mirror choosing the right pants and shirt to accentuate his sunglasses. That shit was cool and edgy in high school, but come on.
P.S. - I'm older than Adam apparently
stoopid iPhone
I may not be able to stand myself if I buy my new iPhone in NYC's meatpacking district. Phil, if I come home with my collar popped I'm counting on you to fucking kick my ass.
I was visiting As. - who I'm staying with in NYC - at her job in the Chelsea Market and decided I'd go over to the new Apple Store for giggles. I got there and a very nice young lady informed me that they'd just sold out half an hour before.
No! Way! I guess I'll be coming back tomorrow since the feeding frenzy seems to be over and regular mortals can buy iPhones.
Meanwhile, trendy NYC remains kind of preposterous. I was riding a hipster bike in Brooklyn today (don't ask) and wanted to pull over and push myself down for being such a dork.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Offline validation of the online spirit
I totally stole this!
To complete the joke, Dan Walsh should send me a cease and desist letter.
So, "getting it" is a problematic phrase thrown around way too much by folks who work on the web. It's a shorthand way of saying, we're smarter than "they" are because we're all hip and with-it and we have iPods.
Except when used over beers (or in post-meeting bitch sessions after investors have left the room), it's lazy and more than a little arrogant and cliquish. If you're really all that smart, define what "it" is and explain just what "they" don't get about it.
I thought as much.
Moreover, the secret thing about the Web is that it keeps on changing all the time so no one really "gets it" (except of course Kevin Rose).
So, with that qualifier in mind, a lot of people who are tasked with moving non-Web stuff online are slow to understand the differences in how business can or should be done. I'm looking squarely at you, record labels.
So it's nice to see that Jim Davis does in fact get it. Jim Davis is the guy who created the most syndicated comic in the world, Garfield. Dan Walsh, who seems like a net native, is the guy who had the idea to remove the eponymous cat from Davis's strips leaving just a portrait of his crazy, haunted owner Jon Arbuckle. The result is a distressingly funny meditation on lunacy and modern loneliness that makes me want to laugh and cry in about equal parts. It's better than Cats.
Now, in the usual course of affairs (Hasbro, I'm looking at you now, you jackasses) Jim Davis and his publishers would swoop in, shout sort of heedlessly about intellectual property rights, and crap all over everyone's parade. However, Davis did nothing of the sort. He declared that he liked it and with the help of Ballantine books (who publish Garfield) he's doing a joint project with Walsh.
You just have to breathe a sigh of relief. After Hasbro decided that they were going to shut down Scrabulous rather than ask for a percentage of the profits, it's encouraging to see someone coming from an offline medium who freaking gets it.
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