When you decide to "get back into blogging" you have a lot of decisions.
1. Should you get back into it at all?
2. If you do, will you post once, maybe six times and quickly retire once again?
3. If it's been awhile, should you start a "new" blog with a new name?
4. Should you focus your topics, or just share random pondering?
For me, it goes back to purpose, and the purpose of this blog has always been aimed at myself. A place to write, because writing helps you think. Then a place to catalog one's "findings" be it web pages, neat things, articles, etc. As such, there's really no reason to start a new blog.
So:
1. Yes
2. So what
3. No
4. TBD
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Convenience Beats Quality
A VC: Convenience Beats Quality: "The ability to do something is so much more important than the ability to do it in high quality. That will come in time of course." - Fred Wilson, VC
Monday, June 2, 2008
Web Generated Travel Guides
Technorati Founder Dave Sifry Takes On Travel Guide Industry
This was perhaps overdue. A website that aggregates all the travel info on the web and makes an up to the minute on demand travel guide. I figure most have spent time surfing the web preparing for a trip making an aggregated document that would be printed (or saved) and carried.
I think this scales to other sorts of things as well, stocks, etc. Research gets automated, it has too, there's just so much stuff out there.
This was perhaps overdue. A website that aggregates all the travel info on the web and makes an up to the minute on demand travel guide. I figure most have spent time surfing the web preparing for a trip making an aggregated document that would be printed (or saved) and carried.
I think this scales to other sorts of things as well, stocks, etc. Research gets automated, it has too, there's just so much stuff out there.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Taste Trip
The Miracle Fruit, a Tease for the Taste Buds - NYTimes.com
Click the link scroll down and start the video. You eat a berry, then everything else tastes different. Sounds intriguing, epically to a foodie.
Click the link scroll down and start the video. You eat a berry, then everything else tastes different. Sounds intriguing, epically to a foodie.
They just keep making it easier
I posted yesterday's authors@Google post via the "post to blog" feature under the share tab on YouTube. Of course, I had to navigate away from the video I was watching to set it up which was a annoying, but once set up: Click Share, More options, there's your blog. Type your take, and post it. There you go. Seamless integration.
It has become so easy to share, go to www.nytimes.com and every story has that little share button. Post it to facebook, or maybe you want to digg it. Where ever you do, it's just a click away.
It has become so easy to share, go to www.nytimes.com and every story has that little share button. Post it to facebook, or maybe you want to digg it. Where ever you do, it's just a click away.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Authors@Google: Michael Pollan, on Food
I make no secret of my enjoyment of Michael Pollan's ideas on food. I seem to be talking about his book The Omnivore's Dilemma on at least a weekly basis. As such, I enjoyed listening to his talk as part of the Authors@Google series (which I hadn't herd of and am now youTube subscribed to it).
He talks about simple things you can to do make sure you're eating food and not processed food like stuff. It's worth the listen if you have an hour. One of the best take aways was from a question asked at the end (around 52 min). What do I do when I'm at a friends and am offered "bad" food when I want to eat healthy? Eat it, he says. And goes on to comment that a great "rule" is to eat bad food, or as might be termed banquet food, so long as you prepare it. He uses french fries as an example, chocolate candy is another great one.
Where's my organic farm delivery service?
Social Networks' Sway May Be Underestimated
Social Networks' Sway May Be Underestimated - washingtonpost.com
Great example of the strength of social networking. My guess is that in 5 years nearly everyone who uses email today will be involved in some type of social networking, web 2.0 type activity. Employers will demand it. It's influence is tremendous and you have to participate to understand.
Great example of the strength of social networking. My guess is that in 5 years nearly everyone who uses email today will be involved in some type of social networking, web 2.0 type activity. Employers will demand it. It's influence is tremendous and you have to participate to understand.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Clean the Space Needle
Spit and polish for a Seattle icon KOMO-TV - Seattle, Washington Local & Regional
Great photos of the Space Needle getting a wash. Thanks MM!
Great photos of the Space Needle getting a wash. Thanks MM!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Scheduled Posts
Google Reader has added post scheduling features, a while ago actually. You just date your post in the future and it posts when the proverbial alarm goes off. I'm a fan. I would ideal like to post once a day though as anyone who blogs knows, that's a lofty goal. More often than not, I get in the mood, or it happens to be a day of stumbling over interesting interwebs and I generate three or four. Most isn't timely, nor to I feel need to be timely, so scheduling creates the desired rhythm.
Perhaps that deviates from my blogs goal of being a way for me to note what I'm reading over time and an exercise in writing daily. None the same, I'll use it.... In fact, right now, it is Friday May, 16 2008 at 9:32 AM.
Perhaps that deviates from my blogs goal of being a way for me to note what I'm reading over time and an exercise in writing daily. None the same, I'll use it.... In fact, right now, it is Friday May, 16 2008 at 9:32 AM.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Karma
desire is the key, it reframes reality - A blog
"How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours."
Buddhist saying
"How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours."
Buddhist saying
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Army Struggles
Army strained to near its breaking point (4/6/07) -- www.GovernmentExecutive.com
Kind of an abstract link but I think the tone of the article is just simply factual. Very Stimulus - Army going hard for 5 years or so / Response - Army is hurting.
I'll always maintain that the U.S. Army will be fine, it's been at it for more than 200 years, but that doesn't mean there aren't hard times ahead. Broken families and broken veterans will happen.
Kind of an abstract link but I think the tone of the article is just simply factual. Very Stimulus - Army going hard for 5 years or so / Response - Army is hurting.
I'll always maintain that the U.S. Army will be fine, it's been at it for more than 200 years, but that doesn't mean there aren't hard times ahead. Broken families and broken veterans will happen.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Touchwall
Touchwall: Microsoft’s Inexpensive Wall-Based Multi-Touch Interface
Forget Surface, how about a touch wall. As TechCruch aptly dub's it, it's the minority report interface. The link above has a video that shows interaction with the TocuhWall Microsoft demo'ed this week. The applications are many, right away I imagine doctors zooming though complex patient records including x-rays and, as later mentioned in the video, architects or other "blueprint" users sorting though huge, complex diagrams.
Forget Surface, how about a touch wall. As TechCruch aptly dub's it, it's the minority report interface. The link above has a video that shows interaction with the TocuhWall Microsoft demo'ed this week. The applications are many, right away I imagine doctors zooming though complex patient records including x-rays and, as later mentioned in the video, architects or other "blueprint" users sorting though huge, complex diagrams.
Monday, May 12, 2008
E-Mail Mistakes
Whats the Worst E-Mail Mistake You Ever Made? - Freakonomics - Opinion - New York Times Blog
Dubner of Freakonomics covers email mistakes. I think we've all at least come close to this. I think a solid rule of thumb for email is don't write anything that you wouldn't want anyone else to read. It's almost like posting things to the web. So easy to make that easy address mistake, or worse, that quick forward.
Dubner of Freakonomics covers email mistakes. I think we've all at least come close to this. I think a solid rule of thumb for email is don't write anything that you wouldn't want anyone else to read. It's almost like posting things to the web. So easy to make that easy address mistake, or worse, that quick forward.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Trends in Dining
http://events.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/reviews/07rest.html
I think what David Chang is doing at Momofuku Ko is exactly where dining is heading. Sure there will always been the ultra luxurious décor but I think you're seeing more and more "neighborhood" hot spots go simple with amazing food. And then, how does one incorporate technology into all aspects, just as the 10am click, six days in advance is required to hope for a seat at Ko. It's simply what's coming to a city near you.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Changing Enemies
Wa Po Article
The flavor changes over time. Several great points in this article.
First, the enemy in Iraq is changing. Al Qaeda is retreating to greener
pastures in Pakistan (and likely Africa). Drug lords remain and have to
protect their crop. So often that is overlooked. The number one export
from Afghanistan is opium. Think about that. I would be frustrated if
I was Columbia, like hey, we were doing that, how come we had to change
and they don't. Isn't it interesting how the goings on of the Middle
East differs so much from American involvement in South America.
The flavor changes over time. Several great points in this article.
First, the enemy in Iraq is changing. Al Qaeda is retreating to greener
pastures in Pakistan (and likely Africa). Drug lords remain and have to
protect their crop. So often that is overlooked. The number one export
from Afghanistan is opium. Think about that. I would be frustrated if
I was Columbia, like hey, we were doing that, how come we had to change
and they don't. Isn't it interesting how the goings on of the Middle
East differs so much from American involvement in South America.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friedman is Back
Dumb as We Wanna Be - New York Times
And back with a roar. Geesh, terrible energy incentives being driven, or not driven by Congress. Same goes for Ag subsidies. I think energy policy is a place where the answers aren't that hard, sadly, the lobbyists make it that way.
And back with a roar. Geesh, terrible energy incentives being driven, or not driven by Congress. Same goes for Ag subsidies. I think energy policy is a place where the answers aren't that hard, sadly, the lobbyists make it that way.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Quote: On the Individual
Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity.
- Christopher Morley
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Feeds I Read
This morning I took advantage of several Google Reader features. For awhile I've wanted to list the feeds (blogs or really any sort of RSS based content) I read on this blog its self. At the moment I have 51 different feeds streaming into Google Reader, nearly more than I can effectively take in. I add and delete on a somewhat regular basis and I like the idea that the right hand information bar of my blogger page will now update to reflect these changes.
Additionally, after some deliberation, I've made my "friend" tag public, if you, friend, would like to be removed from public display of your blog title I'll happily take your link off the public list.
To get a bit technical, here's what I did:
I made both a public and a private tag in reader. Everything except for content I want to be private is tagged with public and you can see the entire conglomerated feed here. I then made each tag that I use (less private) public by clicking the little broadcast button next to the feed name. I then clicked the "add blog roll" button to generate the script that I then inserted into a blogger HTML "section" adding breaks between each rolls script. I could have just added the public tag but I like the feeds split out by category.
Additionally, after some deliberation, I've made my "friend" tag public, if you, friend, would like to be removed from public display of your blog title I'll happily take your link off the public list.
To get a bit technical, here's what I did:
I made both a public and a private tag in reader. Everything except for content I want to be private is tagged with public and you can see the entire conglomerated feed here. I then made each tag that I use (less private) public by clicking the little broadcast button next to the feed name. I then clicked the "add blog roll" button to generate the script that I then inserted into a blogger HTML "section" adding breaks between each rolls script. I could have just added the public tag but I like the feeds split out by category.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sync with Oosah
Oosah: A Hub for Your Personal Online Media
The attached TechCrunch article describes Oosah pretty well and I was curious enough to create an account. It's still pretty "beta" but I think they could be on to something pretty great. I as able to import (or rather, view) my facebook photo albums and my Picasa photo albums (but not the actual photos here, buggy). If I had a flikr account I could pick them up, and youTube as well. I'm sure mySpace and photobucket won't be far behind.
What is great about the idea of convergence of life 2.0 is that I want a single upload point for all my media services. I realize that this requires all the services (facebook, google, etc.) to be pretty open as far a policies and terms of service go and I'm not sure these guys are ready to be that open. In the end, it's going to happen, the convergence of the online space, that is, the value to be added now is synchronizing online life across all of these spaces.
The attached TechCrunch article describes Oosah pretty well and I was curious enough to create an account. It's still pretty "beta" but I think they could be on to something pretty great. I as able to import (or rather, view) my facebook photo albums and my Picasa photo albums (but not the actual photos here, buggy). If I had a flikr account I could pick them up, and youTube as well. I'm sure mySpace and photobucket won't be far behind.
What is great about the idea of convergence of life 2.0 is that I want a single upload point for all my media services. I realize that this requires all the services (facebook, google, etc.) to be pretty open as far a policies and terms of service go and I'm not sure these guys are ready to be that open. In the end, it's going to happen, the convergence of the online space, that is, the value to be added now is synchronizing online life across all of these spaces.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Commodity Prices
Three views on ridiculous commodity prices these days, from Krugman...
Running Out of Planet to Exploit - New York Times:
"The first is that it’s mainly speculation — that investors, looking for high returns at a time of low interest rates, have piled into commodity futures, driving up prices. On this view, someday soon the bubble will burst and high resource prices will go the way of Pets.com.
The second view is that soaring resource prices do, in fact, have a basis in fundamentals — especially rapidly growing demand from newly meat-eating, car-driving Chinese — but that given time we’ll drill more wells, plant more acres, and increased supply will push prices right back down again.
The third view is that the era of cheap resources is over for good — that we’re running out of oil, running out of land to expand food production and generally running out of planet to exploit."
Running Out of Planet to Exploit - New York Times:
"The first is that it’s mainly speculation — that investors, looking for high returns at a time of low interest rates, have piled into commodity futures, driving up prices. On this view, someday soon the bubble will burst and high resource prices will go the way of Pets.com.
The second view is that soaring resource prices do, in fact, have a basis in fundamentals — especially rapidly growing demand from newly meat-eating, car-driving Chinese — but that given time we’ll drill more wells, plant more acres, and increased supply will push prices right back down again.
The third view is that the era of cheap resources is over for good — that we’re running out of oil, running out of land to expand food production and generally running out of planet to exploit."
Friday, April 4, 2008
Global Commodity Inflation
David Ignatius - Perils in The Price Of Rice - washingtonpost.com
With so much turmoil in the financial markets (both globally and domestically) I feel as though I'm missing so much. Here's one that you just can't not consider in every economic related conversation you have. Global commodity inflation. It's rice over there (and sure it will come here), but Americans will settle for oil "complaints today.
And indeed, expensive Cuban Cigars (when the embargo lifts). And what else is a commodity, technology? How does that inflate, or does it, and have I now deviated from my thesis.
Best Quote from Ignatius' piece:
With so much turmoil in the financial markets (both globally and domestically) I feel as though I'm missing so much. Here's one that you just can't not consider in every economic related conversation you have. Global commodity inflation. It's rice over there (and sure it will come here), but Americans will settle for oil "complaints today.
And indeed, expensive Cuban Cigars (when the embargo lifts). And what else is a commodity, technology? How does that inflate, or does it, and have I now deviated from my thesis.
Best Quote from Ignatius' piece:
Independent truck drivers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other states staged protests against high fuel prices this week. What do they have in common with rice consumers in Vietnam and soybean buyers in Indonesia and pasta aficionados in Italy? More than they probably think.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Pitching With Purpose - New York Times
Pitching With Purpose - New York Times
Brooks reminds that practice makes perfect. A timeless tradition. He relates this to baseball. Maybe something you use in a speech one day.
Brooks reminds that practice makes perfect. A timeless tradition. He relates this to baseball. Maybe something you use in a speech one day.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Cuba is Joining the World
Raul Castro: Cubans can have cell phones - Yahoo! News
The first line of this sums it up, "first microwaves, now cell phones." Cuba is joining up. I think it's reasonable to assume that we'll all be smoking Cuban cigars in the U.S. in five year's time. Further, I continue to agree with Tom Barnett in his book where he predicts that Cuba will be a state of the USA in 25 years or less. Wow.
The first line of this sums it up, "first microwaves, now cell phones." Cuba is joining up. I think it's reasonable to assume that we'll all be smoking Cuban cigars in the U.S. in five year's time. Further, I continue to agree with Tom Barnett in his book where he predicts that Cuba will be a state of the USA in 25 years or less. Wow.
Mini Projectors
Coming Soon, to Any Flat Surface Near You - New York Times
The potential here is pretty significant. Sure the article says you'll soon be project movies from you cellphone onto seat backs, but what else. Micro imaging will scale big time. Interesting to see it become affordable.
The potential here is pretty significant. Sure the article says you'll soon be project movies from you cellphone onto seat backs, but what else. Micro imaging will scale big time. Interesting to see it become affordable.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Political Views?
Are you a Repub or a Dem?
Liberal or Conservative?
Can you be a Liberal Republican?
What is a moderate really?
Are the two major U.S. political parties the same as they were 10 years ago?
As I pondered these sorts of questions I turned to the WWW for some answers. I found the following at Ask Meta Filter and is in line with what I've been taught:
Democrats: Socially and fiscally liberal
Lots of personal freedom
Government runs redistributive social programs
Concerned with equality over efficiency
Typically support higher taxes to support social programs
Republicans: Socially and fiscally conservative
Small government that enforces moral standards and protects markets
Low taxes and few redistributive programs
Concerned with efficiency rather than equality (although they argue that a high tide raises all ships)
Libertarians: Socially liberal, fiscally conservative
Small government that basically stays out the the way beyond enforcing contracts and protecting markets
Government doesn't regulate morality
Extreme personal freedoms
I sometimes wonder if the Republicans look more like Dem's used to look these days and vice verse.
I then went to the Political Compass and took the test which really doesn't tell you what you are. Merely, it helps you to reflect then paints you in one of four quadrants (left or right on the economic scale, and Authoritarian or Libertarian on the social scale). It was fascinating reading and I suppose it confirmed what I already knew, I'm a moderate. Just what does that mean?
Liberal or Conservative?
Can you be a Liberal Republican?
What is a moderate really?
Are the two major U.S. political parties the same as they were 10 years ago?
As I pondered these sorts of questions I turned to the WWW for some answers. I found the following at Ask Meta Filter and is in line with what I've been taught:
Democrats: Socially and fiscally liberal
Lots of personal freedom
Government runs redistributive social programs
Concerned with equality over efficiency
Typically support higher taxes to support social programs
Republicans: Socially and fiscally conservative
Small government that enforces moral standards and protects markets
Low taxes and few redistributive programs
Concerned with efficiency rather than equality (although they argue that a high tide raises all ships)
Libertarians: Socially liberal, fiscally conservative
Small government that basically stays out the the way beyond enforcing contracts and protecting markets
Government doesn't regulate morality
Extreme personal freedoms
I sometimes wonder if the Republicans look more like Dem's used to look these days and vice verse.
I then went to the Political Compass and took the test which really doesn't tell you what you are. Merely, it helps you to reflect then paints you in one of four quadrants (left or right on the economic scale, and Authoritarian or Libertarian on the social scale). It was fascinating reading and I suppose it confirmed what I already knew, I'm a moderate. Just what does that mean?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Quote: On Beginning
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Monday, March 24, 2008
Content Distribution
hulu: Watch your favorites. Anytime. For free.
If you haven't heard of hulu, you will, give it some time. I think it will change everything TV/online marriage related. Hulu is a joint venture between FOX and NBC that allows you to go watch your shows, news, sports, or movies online with "limited commercial breaks." We've all seen this set up on NBC's web site or the CW's and whoever else is doing it, but hulu is taking the clearing house approach.
All that's missing as far as I see is TARGETED ads. That is, hulu should make me register, which I'm sure they will, it's still beta, and then my commercials won't be for feminine hygiene products or something else that no matter how great it is, I'm not going to buy it.
In the end though, Hulu changes TV and advertising, first slowly, then watch out. See Google with respect to Web search, maybe not that big, but "domain altering" for sure.
If you haven't heard of hulu, you will, give it some time. I think it will change everything TV/online marriage related. Hulu is a joint venture between FOX and NBC that allows you to go watch your shows, news, sports, or movies online with "limited commercial breaks." We've all seen this set up on NBC's web site or the CW's and whoever else is doing it, but hulu is taking the clearing house approach.
All that's missing as far as I see is TARGETED ads. That is, hulu should make me register, which I'm sure they will, it's still beta, and then my commercials won't be for feminine hygiene products or something else that no matter how great it is, I'm not going to buy it.
In the end though, Hulu changes TV and advertising, first slowly, then watch out. See Google with respect to Web search, maybe not that big, but "domain altering" for sure.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Facebook Privacy
I'll admit I was late to the social networking crazy. I think Fred Wilson, the NYC Venture Capitalist said it best: to understand these emerging technologies one must use them, and so I have and do. I'll go on to say that I like them, the Facebooks and MySpaces, and would prefer to see everyone I know on them. It a great way to share pictures and passively (or actively) keep in touch with the people you've come across over the years.
I'm pleased with Facebook's new feature that allows me to permit "friends of friends" to see photos that I've been tagged in. I like how specific the privacy is getting, I'll admit that I have no desire to use the social networking sites to advertise myself, rather, only to keep in touch, so adding these sorts of features makes that easy. For example, if someone has tagged my friend Joe in a photo, and I don't know that friend, if "friends of friends" for tagged photos was enabled in Joe's friends privacy settings I would be able to see good old Joe wherever he was.
I'm pleased with Facebook's new feature that allows me to permit "friends of friends" to see photos that I've been tagged in. I like how specific the privacy is getting, I'll admit that I have no desire to use the social networking sites to advertise myself, rather, only to keep in touch, so adding these sorts of features makes that easy. For example, if someone has tagged my friend Joe in a photo, and I don't know that friend, if "friends of friends" for tagged photos was enabled in Joe's friends privacy settings I would be able to see good old Joe wherever he was.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Quote: Luck
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Five Years of Iraq
Scions of the Surge Newsweek Iraq War Newsweek.com
The press has done a nice job reviewing the ups (?) and downs of the Iraq situation as 5 years have passed since its inception. This news week article tells the story of a company commander that could likely be replicated for any village or neighborhood in Iraq. The Americans are the glue that is holding Iraq together. The military, in the absence of any real strategic policy, has simply found a way to sustain and hold the country together.
Everyday, the U.S. Military is more glue like and the "how do we get out" question is hard to answer.
The press has done a nice job reviewing the ups (?) and downs of the Iraq situation as 5 years have passed since its inception. This news week article tells the story of a company commander that could likely be replicated for any village or neighborhood in Iraq. The Americans are the glue that is holding Iraq together. The military, in the absence of any real strategic policy, has simply found a way to sustain and hold the country together.
Everyday, the U.S. Military is more glue like and the "how do we get out" question is hard to answer.
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