October 2011
24 posts
3 tags
September 2011
35 posts
2 tags
3 tags
If you're still using Google+ →
Wow, the article is actually about sharing circles* but the first sentence… time for bloggers mocking Google. Of course these are precisely the same people who gushed over Google+ a few short months ago.
* sharing circles seems like a decent thing but this is a power-user feature that doesn’t make a ton of sense since the circle isn’t updated once you share it. So I have to...
Article: James Burke's Connections: A BBC History...
Wonderful! If you never saw or read Mr. Burke’s Connections they are now free online. If you watch too many in a row the format becomes a bit precious but if you aren’t a little awed by the randomness of how things became then you aren’t paying attention. *James Burke’s Connections: A BBC History of Innovation*...
Article: Zen and the Art of Simplicity at Work
This is going to be pinned to the cork board in my office. *Zen and the Art of Simplicity at Work* http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2011/09/25/zen-and-the-art-of-simplicity-at-work/ (
VITAband - Pricing →
Good idea. I have used RoadID for many years. But wow, $20 per year for a subscription? Why do I need a subscription? Seems like an RFID chip would be sufficient.
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Tools vs. Toys: Why The Timeline Changes Nothing |... →
This article gets it wrong. Facebook isn’t trying to monetize their users, or at least that isn’t the primary mission. The primary goal is to make Facebook the extensible, social hub for the entire Internet. In other words of http and HTML were the tools of the late 90’s, Facebook is setting themselves up to be the required, essential network of the 2010’s. If they succeed...
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Fwd: An Explanation and Some Reflections
Bold move by Netflix. I like bold moves, kudos for that.
But it’s still a disaster. What Mr. Hastings simply isn’t allowing for is
that streaming just isn’t there yet. The choices are too few. Sure, the
website is awful to use, the mobile players are incomprehensible, but the
real flaw is the selection.
But I could overlook that because I too, like Hastings believe this is...
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Drumbi →
stoweboyd:
thenextweb:
Irvine, CA-based startup Drumbi is today launching its new iPhone and Android app that wants to revolutionize the phone call. With Drumbi you’re now able to specify the topic of a phone call, as well as the location from which you’re calling before you place it. You can also designate the urgency of your call, so that when the recipient answers they’re well aware of the...
Article: TechCrunch has become a clown show, and I...
This is the best article I have seen on the whinging going on at TechCrunch. My pinnacle of success will someday being taken to the woodshed by Dan. *TechCrunch has become a clown show, and I totally love it* http://realdanlyons.com/blog/2011/09/17/techcrunch-has-become-a-clown-show-and-i-totally-love-it/ (
Fwd: Bitcasa Beta Registration
I don’t know if Bitcasa is real or not. And by real I mean whether their data claims are true or if this is all a marketing ploy of some sort. At first glance I am skeptical about their backup claims, especially the part about being seamless, always up to date, etc. Having worked on the client-indexing side I know how hard it is to keep up to date with all the changes happening on a system,...
Republicans Call Obama’s Tax Plan ‘Class Warfare’... →
Anyone out there just sick to death of this nonsense? We’ve had class warfare for the past 11 years. Hyper-rich are wealthier. Poor and middle class are poorer. And yet someone thinks that calling this class warfare is going to be a winner. And you know what, I bet Obama caves on this. This is my final straw: stand up Mr President, call it like it is. The Republican Congress is in thrall to...
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Analysis: Laws Restricting Teen Drivers Doing... →
I suspect these studies will go back and forth a few times before settling down. But it seems possible that restrictions on driving aren’t working out. Why? Because kids just delay the insanity. Find me something that can out-perform a teenage boy’s innate stupidity and it would change the world.
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European Union Extends Copyright on Recordings -... →
Last time I checked the Beatles and Stones were fairly wealthy from the songs they wrote and performed in the 60’s. Given that copyright is supposed to reward creativity and genius it seems clear that this current extension isn’t really about helping the artists or fostering a system by which creations are valued (does anyone really think a musician today is worrying about royalties...
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Great Prosperity (1947-77) vs. Great Regression... →
More information about wealth inequality. I think this is a key problem with the US economy today and can certainly dig up articles to show this.
That said… there were a lot of things going on and this infographic conveys correlation but not causation. What else happened at the inflection point? One key I think is under-studied is what the impact of other economies was. For instance Europe...
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How to make very accurate predictions for how long... →
As a long time project planner and manager I laughed out loud at this one. No matter the project we always think we’re smarter/better/more funded/luckier/etc than whoever did it last time.
“You’ll get back an answer that sounds hideously long, and clearly reflects no understanding of the special reasons why this particular task will take less time. This answer is true. Deal...
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Max Levchin And Peter Thiel: Innovation In The... →
This rings true. I like cool apps as much or more than the next person. I too dash from trend to trend, when I’m good I’m a few steps ahead but really it’s not focusing on the hard issues.
And what are the hard problems? There are a few recurring themes, these are generally the same themes I grew up with.
A. Distribution of food and goods. We still over-produce food n some...
“When you get old reading the obituaries is like Facebook”
– Julie is over this morning and reading the newspaper (yep, we actually still get a daily newspaper). We don’t know who actually said this but it cracked me up.
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Robert Reich: Why Inequality is the Real Cause of... →
robertreich:
THE 5 percent of Americans with the highest incomes now account for 37 percent of all consumer purchases, according to the latest research from Moody’s Analytics. That should come as no surprise. Our society has become more and more unequal.
When so much income goes to the top, the middle class…
Why isn’t this causing outrage? Why do so many people who have it so bad in...
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Rocking some good experiences on Mightybell →
Just a quick note on my first few minutes
Nice iPhone experience
Little rocky on the iPad, not optimized for that yet but usable
I really like the cheekiness; what other site can you name that asks for $1 to get in and $1 to create a task? I liked it and happily gave up the buck.
Walking through my first experience is fun, again a little chutzpah there. My only nit is I’d like to suggest...
Google+ API Not Close …Unless You’re “Trusted”,... →
Seems like a smart move. APIs are tricky, you often get them wrong the first time, but once launched you more or less need to live with them forever.
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Don Norman: Google doesn’t get people, it sells... →
For years people have wondered about Google: why can’t they make pretty products or products which are fun to use? I use Gmail and enjoy it but that’s mostly because of the speed. There isn’t much joy there.
This article essentially boils down to:
1. Don Norman doesn’t like Google treating privacy as their own asset. This is a growing meme.
2. The godfather of design...
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Paddleboarding as a metaphor
I recently bought a used paddleboard after surfing on one in Mexico and borrowing a friend’s for lake excursions. Paddleboards can be tricky: look down, you fall off. Paddle too hard, you fall off. Paddle pretty much any way you want and you veer to the left or right. If there is a headwind it’s easier to drop to your knees and paddle.
I don’t know exactly what this is a...
Article: Phytic Acid in Common "Paleo" Foods
Phytic acid (which iOS auto-correct humorously changes to putrid) is
demonized in the Paleo community. Melissa points out that it might be more
complicated, things usually are.
Melissa’s blog, which I often disagree with, is a nice gear change from most
of the canon of Paleo/Primal eating. Good counter-balance once in a while.
Phytic Acid in Common “Paleo”...
Article: Why Tumblr Is Kicking Posterous's Ass
What this article completely misses is why someone would use one vs. another. Tumblr is for mini-blogging, the space between Twitter’s 140 character chatter and WordPress’ fully-formed essays. It’s easy to re-Tumbl and get viral spread as a result.
But where Tumblr stumbles, Posterous shines. Posterous is great for travel sites, news, essays, and photos. If you use these...
That didn't last long
Which begs the question: are there any examples in which a company, especially a tech company, is purchased and the former head honcho sticks around and is successful in the new, bigger organization? *TechCrunch Editor Resigns* http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904583204576545302082353610.html (
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Spotify playlist: The Greatest Cover Songs of All... →
I am only up to #68 so far, but I have a playlist building in Spotify. I can’t find a lot of the material (and obviously the Beatles are still missing)
http://open.spotify.com/user/bricin/playlist/5XJeoPMeMr2AiJXj23Ur3m Best covers of all time
Article: The Greatest Cover Songs of All Time
Here is a fun rainy day thought… Build a Spotify playlist of all 100 originals and their covers. It was surprising, I had no idea “Jersey Girl” was a cover. *The Greatest Cover Songs of All Time* http://popdose.com/the-popdose-100-the-greatest-cover-songs-of-all-time/ (
