I'm determined to not fall entirely behind on 24 this season, partially so I can read blogs and boards without worrying about hitting spoilers, but mostly so I don't have to cover my eyes and go "LA-LA-LA-LA" any time a 24 commercial comes on.
Random thoughts for Season 6, 6AM-10AM (episodes 1-4) [Spoilers]:
* When are the terrorists going to learn that, for clandestine deployment of Weapons of Mass Destruction, using just-in-time delivery for components and assembling them on the fly is just more trouble than it's worth?
Sure, in theory, it reduces your vulnerability and makes it harder for someone to roll up your entire organization in one go. But it seems needlessly complicated. Especially since the 24 terrorists are always making their connections by yakking away on unsecured cell phones.
* Similarly, would it kill them to procure some WMD that they can use right out of the box? The terrorists always have to go track down parts and find some engineers to custom-rig detonators and assemble the things at the last minute, and they're always leaving circuit diagrams and schematics lying around for anyone to find.
* Nice job of the writers setting up the not-UPS guy (Ray, Hostage Dad) to look like a potential hero (especially after he channeled a little Jack, killing custom detonator guy with a lamp and the floor), then not doing anything except screaming "NOOOOOOO" before the big boom.
* At this point, I don't think we know if Agent Curtis is dead (I get a morbid glee when I see the big "DECEASED" stamped across the character profiles on the 24 site). I'm inclined to think he's only wounded, since if they were going to write him out, they could at least have given him a heroic death trying to stop the suitcase nuke.
* The first 4 hours are available on DVD tomorrow. That's kind of interesting.
* They're good actors, but all I see is Dr. Bashir, Commander Lock, Mick Schtoppel, Ally McBeal guy, Col. McQueen, and of course, Terrorist Kumar.
* I miss the split-screen camera work. They don't use it very much any more.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Playboy has a blog. Oddly enough, it's pretty much SFW.
BoingBoing had an item yesterday dusting off the old "Playboy playmates on the moon" prank. (Remember, if you don't know about it, it's new to you!)
The interesting thing is, the item was a "Link to Playboy.com blog entry."
Since when does Playboy have a blog? (August 2006, apparently.)
I checked out the site, and it's mostly, even remarkably, Safe For Work. They link off to boob-y YouTube videos and such, but it looks like they're making a deliberate attempt to keep it clean, as evidenced by stuff like this in the source code:
It looks like they're using the blojsom platform (v. 2.3, so they're a little behind).
Either they're viciously moderating comments, or they're just not getting any.
Media and publishing companies probably have a little more reason to blog than other types of companies (especially if they're pushing out monthlies), so it's not really a "look who has a blog now" story any more.
I just would have thought that Playboy would have had a more prominent place in the blogosphere, even if they're downplaying the boobies and going for a more standard "editorial plus behind the scenes" blog.
I guess it's a double-whammy: anything on playboy.com is probably still hard to defend when it comes to workplace filters ("I read Playboy for the blog articles"?), and if there aren't any nude pics, why visit?
I do note, though, that the SuicideGirls editorial blogs seem to be doing okay (I check out Wil Wheaton's entries from time to time), so maybe Playboy just isn't doing it "right."
A superficial look at both sites shows that SuicideGirls has community as a core offering (since they're not focused around a print magazine, they need to have a robust Web site, and the community aspects -- boards, social profiles, etc. -- go a long way in providing that) whereas Playboy does not (which explains why their site is primarily a big ad for their premium Web content.)
So it pretty much looks like the standard story of the big, entrenched company trying to move over to a new business model, but not getting the social media bits quite right. Only with more tits.
The interesting thing is, the item was a "Link to Playboy.com blog entry."
Since when does Playboy have a blog? (August 2006, apparently.)
I checked out the site, and it's mostly, even remarkably, Safe For Work. They link off to boob-y YouTube videos and such, but it looks like they're making a deliberate attempt to keep it clean, as evidenced by stuff like this in the source code:
<!-- RIGHT ADS - ALL ADS IN ARTICLES SECTION SHOULD BE #2 NON-NUDE -->
Either they're viciously moderating comments, or they're just not getting any.
Media and publishing companies probably have a little more reason to blog than other types of companies (especially if they're pushing out monthlies), so it's not really a "look who has a blog now" story any more.
I just would have thought that Playboy would have had a more prominent place in the blogosphere, even if they're downplaying the boobies and going for a more standard "editorial plus behind the scenes" blog.
I guess it's a double-whammy: anything on playboy.com is probably still hard to defend when it comes to workplace filters ("I read Playboy for the blog articles"?), and if there aren't any nude pics, why visit?
I do note, though, that the SuicideGirls editorial blogs seem to be doing okay (I check out Wil Wheaton's entries from time to time), so maybe Playboy just isn't doing it "right."
A superficial look at both sites shows that SuicideGirls has community as a core offering (since they're not focused around a print magazine, they need to have a robust Web site, and the community aspects -- boards, social profiles, etc. -- go a long way in providing that) whereas Playboy does not (which explains why their site is primarily a big ad for their premium Web content.)
So it pretty much looks like the standard story of the big, entrenched company trying to move over to a new business model, but not getting the social media bits quite right. Only with more tits.
Tags:
Friday, January 12, 2007
3 Stock Comic Phrases for the Humor-Impaired, Usage of
Are you generally seen by friends, family members, and acquaintances as being "unfunny," "humor deprived" or generally "lacking a sense of humor"?
If you would like to remedy this situation, you will find that judicious use of the following three (3) comedic "stock phrases" will greatly assist you in changing that perception.
Note that you do not have to be "funny" in order to use these stock comic phrases. In fact, the comedic impact of these stock comic phrases may actually be enhanced if you are seen as not normally being funny.
You just need to recognize the trigger events (which can be achieved using rote memorization techniques) that will allow you to deploy your stock comic phrases to hilarious effect.
Ready? Let's begin:
Comic Phrase: "[He/She] isn't even breathing hard yet."
Setup Line: "[Subject] is coming/Is [Subject] coming?/Is [Subject] going to come?"
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Sexual innuendo; Pun/Double Entendre /Exploitation of Ambiguity based on multiple definitions of "coming" [i.e. arriving/accompanying vs. achieving orgasm]
Usage Notes: Adjust as needed to fit situation and maintain subject/verb agreement
Historical Example:
"The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"
"Don't worry, they're not even breathing hard yet."*
*Note the prefacing of the stock comic phrase with "Don't worry," referencing the original usage of the setup line as a warning or call to alarm. Recognizing the context of historical statements and being mindful of other, similar nuance will greatly enhance the comedic impact. Don't be afraid to modify these phrases to best fit your specific situation!
Comic Phrase: "Is it [day of week] already?"
Setup Line: Subject mentions extraordinary, uncharacteristic or otherwise atypical occurrence -- typically, an event of a sexual, scatological, violent, or sexually scatologically violent nature.
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Implies deviant behavior by the speaker is actually part of his or her normal routine; use of irony (incongruity between expected and stated behavior); putdown (impugning the character of the subject, usually with good-natured intent)
Pop Culture Example:
"Man, I had a guy's finger up my asshole tonight."
"Is it Friday already?"
-- The Usual Suspects (1995)
Usage Notes: Be sure behavior described is generally seen as non-standard (deviant) behavior for that person.
Tip for Expert Users: Consider using longer measures of time: months, seasons, or even calendar years.
Comic Phrase: "That's what she said!"
Setup Line: Varies. In all instances, subject makes a statement that might conceivably be used in a sexual situation (i.e. a classic double entendre)
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Calls attention to subject's inadvertent use of double entendre (Implies that similar phrase was heard by you during a sexual encounter.)
Usage Notes:
* Similar in nature to the stock comic phrase, "Is it [day of week] already?" although its usage is limited to dialog that might conceivably be delivered by a sexual partner.
* Must be sure that double entendre was not deliberately invoked by the speaker.
* Verbal emphasis should be on "she"
* Can be applied to situations that would reflect either positively or negatively on yourself (see examples)
Example:
"It was the biggest one they had ever seen."
"That's what she said." (Positive)
"Oh my god, I took one whiff and puked my guts out."
"That's what she said." (Negative)
Important Contraindications: Do not use the gender-reversed construction (female speaker, implied male subject), e.g. "That's what he said." This is because women are not funny.
With practice, you too can instinctively deploy these stock comic phrases and increase your perceived humor quotient!
If you would like to remedy this situation, you will find that judicious use of the following three (3) comedic "stock phrases" will greatly assist you in changing that perception.
Note that you do not have to be "funny" in order to use these stock comic phrases. In fact, the comedic impact of these stock comic phrases may actually be enhanced if you are seen as not normally being funny.
You just need to recognize the trigger events (which can be achieved using rote memorization techniques) that will allow you to deploy your stock comic phrases to hilarious effect.
Ready? Let's begin:
Comic Phrase: "[He/She] isn't even breathing hard yet."
Setup Line: "[Subject] is coming/Is [Subject] coming?/Is [Subject] going to come?"
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Sexual innuendo; Pun/Double Entendre /Exploitation of Ambiguity based on multiple definitions of "coming" [i.e. arriving/accompanying vs. achieving orgasm]
Usage Notes: Adjust as needed to fit situation and maintain subject/verb agreement
Historical Example:
"The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"
"Don't worry, they're not even breathing hard yet."*
*Note the prefacing of the stock comic phrase with "Don't worry," referencing the original usage of the setup line as a warning or call to alarm. Recognizing the context of historical statements and being mindful of other, similar nuance will greatly enhance the comedic impact. Don't be afraid to modify these phrases to best fit your specific situation!
Comic Phrase: "Is it [day of week] already?"
Setup Line: Subject mentions extraordinary, uncharacteristic or otherwise atypical occurrence -- typically, an event of a sexual, scatological, violent, or sexually scatologically violent nature.
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Implies deviant behavior by the speaker is actually part of his or her normal routine; use of irony (incongruity between expected and stated behavior); putdown (impugning the character of the subject, usually with good-natured intent)
Pop Culture Example:
"Man, I had a guy's finger up my asshole tonight."
"Is it Friday already?"
-- The Usual Suspects (1995)
Usage Notes: Be sure behavior described is generally seen as non-standard (deviant) behavior for that person.
Tip for Expert Users: Consider using longer measures of time: months, seasons, or even calendar years.
Comic Phrase: "That's what she said!"
Setup Line: Varies. In all instances, subject makes a statement that might conceivably be used in a sexual situation (i.e. a classic double entendre)
Why It's Funny/Comedic Mechanism(s): Calls attention to subject's inadvertent use of double entendre (Implies that similar phrase was heard by you during a sexual encounter.)
Usage Notes:
* Similar in nature to the stock comic phrase, "Is it [day of week] already?" although its usage is limited to dialog that might conceivably be delivered by a sexual partner.
* Must be sure that double entendre was not deliberately invoked by the speaker.
* Verbal emphasis should be on "she"
* Can be applied to situations that would reflect either positively or negatively on yourself (see examples)
Example:
"It was the biggest one they had ever seen."
"That's what she said." (Positive)
"Oh my god, I took one whiff and puked my guts out."
"That's what she said." (Negative)
Important Contraindications: Do not use the gender-reversed construction (female speaker, implied male subject), e.g. "That's what he said." This is because women are not funny.
With practice, you too can instinctively deploy these stock comic phrases and increase your perceived humor quotient!
Tags:
Thursday, January 11, 2007
You Don't Have to Listen to Me (But You Shouldn't Break the Law)
I was on the way home from the DC Blogs Summit -- I'd parked my car in Clarendon, but ended up Metroing to Rosslyn since I didn't feel like waiting for the Orange Line. I also thought I would try for some photos. In retrospect, this was probably a mistake, since it was cold and my feet hurt.
And I only got one marginally usable photo:
And I only got one marginally usable photo:
I was at the intersection of Clarendon and Barton, when an SUV full of guys rolled up next to me at the red light, asking... something. I couldn't quite make it out.
Since they were apparently Middle Eastern by way of Eurotrash, I finally figured out they were looking for Guarapo, so I told them they'd passed it, and to take a left on Barton and go back around on Wilson.
I'm not sure if they understood me or not (I even pointed and used hand signals).
However, one thing I am quite sure I did not say was "Keep going straight on Clarendon, through the red light," which they did... directly in front of an Arlington County Police cruiser (marked, even).
They immediately got pulled over.
I felt vaguely bad (even though it wasn't my fault), but it was cold, so I didn't stick around to see what happened.
Lastly, I did manage to catch a snowflake in my hand -- I wasn't sure if it was snow or ash from a fireplace or something, but it was a snow flurry.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
This Is Not a Competitive Analysis of the Post's Local Blog Directory
As I mentioned last week, I went to the Washington Post's "First Ever DC Blogger Summit" last night. (Obligatory "dumb things" content: I got there an hour late, partially because I got a late exit, and I forgot how much I-66 eastbound sucks at rush hour -- not to be confused with I-66, who was also there and does not suck -- and I also neglected to write down the cross street.) So I got there at 7pm, during the break after the first session (a panel of Post bloggers):
Blogging and Libel Law
The second session was a "meet a real-life lawyer"-style presentation on blogging and the law. (I don't have his name, since I didn't grab a packet). It was informative, insightful, and as these legal presentations usually do, simultaneously sucked the air out of the room and scared the hell out of people.
I've participated in a bunch of presentations on legal issues on blogging and social media, so I do know that people do get sued (even people who aren't, say, Perez Hilton) and that there are real pitfalls and liabilities, and that people should watch what they say.
However, I thought that the session, which focused on defamation and libel, was not as well suited to this audience, especially since locally-based bloggers on national political topics had been specifically asked not to attend.
For those of us who aren't political reporters, more stuff on copyright infringement, the much abused concept of "fair use" (see the fair use comic book), dealing with frivolous DMCA claims, and where to get photos that aren't , you know, stolen, would have been useful.
Blast from the past: Remember the Communications Decency Act? The parts that were upheld are a good thing, since that's where safe harbor provisions for ISPs come from. (Thank you, pandering to telecom corporate interests!)
Questions asked and answered included:
Random Observation: Condo Boards and Loudoun County land use folks play hardball.
The Local Blog Directory
The final session covered the Local Blog Directory that the Post is putting together, as well as some associated advertising strategies. It was led by Jonathan Krim and Jeff Burkett:
Here's a photo of the Local Blog Directory mockup:
Afterwards, we decamped for the Post Pub; I didn't get very many pictures, but between the event and the bar portion of the evening, other bloggers I encountered included DCist's Sommer Mathis, Celeste Dawn Mitchell, Miss Chatter (sporting very pink hair), Hey Pretty, Jeff, Wayan and a metric shitload (oops, darn that profanity) of Metblogs DC folks; Rob Goodspeed, plus a bunch of Posties (they love it when you call them that), including Jim Brady (who hasn't been in the middle of blog dustup in, months now) and entourage.
Also, a special hello to Mike Grass, the Express dude who I'd been giving a moderately hard time via a few comments to a recent entry where he'd complained about VA drivers on the trip back from Michigan. He seems like a nice guy... even if he was the one who mistook me for a girl in a local blog log item a while back -- I hadn't realized he was the one until he owned up.
Overall, I think it was a useful event, and I like to see if these continue as the Post gets closer to rolling out their directory. Metblogs DC wins the DC group blog attendance award. It's a good thing I brought enough business cards, since that's what I was taking notes on.
Finally, you still can't say "Man Ass" in the Washington Post (but you can say "Manassas.") I don't know what means in this context, but that's just the wacky, irreverent, spontaneous content that makes blogs so... bloggy. Can't you feel the decline in readership and subscribers reversing as we speak?
Blogging and Libel Law
The second session was a "meet a real-life lawyer"-style presentation on blogging and the law. (I don't have his name, since I didn't grab a packet). It was informative, insightful, and as these legal presentations usually do, simultaneously sucked the air out of the room and scared the hell out of people.
I've participated in a bunch of presentations on legal issues on blogging and social media, so I do know that people do get sued (even people who aren't, say, Perez Hilton) and that there are real pitfalls and liabilities, and that people should watch what they say.
However, I thought that the session, which focused on defamation and libel, was not as well suited to this audience, especially since locally-based bloggers on national political topics had been specifically asked not to attend.
For those of us who aren't political reporters, more stuff on copyright infringement, the much abused concept of "fair use" (see the fair use comic book), dealing with frivolous DMCA claims, and where to get photos that aren't , you know, stolen, would have been useful.
Blast from the past: Remember the Communications Decency Act? The parts that were upheld are a good thing, since that's where safe harbor provisions for ISPs come from. (Thank you, pandering to telecom corporate interests!)
Questions asked and answered included:
- Factual Predicates --> Ridiculous Conclusions = Okay!
- Blogging about material obtained from the public record = Fine (but hallway discussions don't count)
- Comments posted to your blog are probably covered under safe harbor, and you don't have to verify that Jesus@heaven.org is a real e-mail address (but don't go sourcing Him with abandon)
- If you photoshop satirical photos where you mess with celeb pics: -- don't be too subtle (i.e. do a crappy job), asked by Listen to Leon
- Paraphrasing the lawyer: If I were going to blog myself, I'd get libel insurance. (I love it when non-bloggers explain how to blog. And when I say "love," I mean "hate." And there's libel insurance?)
- See Libel resources for bloggers, including EFF, and I think MLRC and RCFP
- A really naive question (sorry, it was) about using your employer's name to give yourself credibility, yet trying to cover yourself with the standard "opinions expressed are my own" disclaimer... go talk to HR
- Saying "But everybody else is doing it!" "gives you co-defendants, not cover"
Random Observation: Condo Boards and Loudoun County land use folks play hardball.
The Local Blog Directory
The final session covered the Local Blog Directory that the Post is putting together, as well as some associated advertising strategies. It was led by Jonathan Krim and Jeff Burkett:
- Folksonomy vs. rigid taxonomy
- What to do about profanity (e.g. blog tagline: "I piss excellence!", which I later saw was a Talladega Nights quote)
- How to surface relevant blog content in other areas, and how to emphasize relevant content during interest spikes
- How are people going to get to the silly thing?
- Categorizing blogs/entries that span multiple categories (or none)
- What other visualization methods are useful (e.g. tag clouds)
- The balance between human intervention and automation
- Granularity, especially in geotagging -- how much is too much?
- Related -- how to handle the "general" blogs, and bloggers who live in a neighborhood, but don't have a "neighborhood" blog
- Interest Matching/Customization vs. Serendipity
- Using social voting (a la digg)?
- Abstracts: How much information to expose? Summaries are useful, but costly (in terms of screen real estate)
- Resources for participating bloggers: Widgets? Knowledge sharing? More?
- Submitting and exposing photos (a la the dcist Flickr tag)
- Oh yeah: All the monetization aspects.
Here's a photo of the Local Blog Directory mockup:
Tip: Use English, not Greek. (Oh, I slay myself.)
- Easy to miss (even if it is on the home page), but they do have a sponsored blogroll (under the banner of WPNI) -- they're trying to see if the model is extensible to the local level; see their blog for more info.
- They name-checked DCBlogs (go Pat!)
Afterwards, we decamped for the Post Pub; I didn't get very many pictures, but between the event and the bar portion of the evening, other bloggers I encountered included DCist's Sommer Mathis, Celeste Dawn Mitchell, Miss Chatter (sporting very pink hair), Hey Pretty, Jeff, Wayan and a metric shitload (oops, darn that profanity) of Metblogs DC folks; Rob Goodspeed, plus a bunch of Posties (they love it when you call them that), including Jim Brady (who hasn't been in the middle of blog dustup in, months now) and entourage.
Also, a special hello to Mike Grass, the Express dude who I'd been giving a moderately hard time via a few comments to a recent entry where he'd complained about VA drivers on the trip back from Michigan. He seems like a nice guy... even if he was the one who mistook me for a girl in a local blog log item a while back -- I hadn't realized he was the one until he owned up.
Overall, I think it was a useful event, and I like to see if these continue as the Post gets closer to rolling out their directory. Metblogs DC wins the DC group blog attendance award. It's a good thing I brought enough business cards, since that's what I was taking notes on.
Finally, you still can't say "Man Ass" in the Washington Post (but you can say "Manassas.") I don't know what means in this context, but that's just the wacky, irreverent, spontaneous content that makes blogs so... bloggy. Can't you feel the decline in readership and subscribers reversing as we speak?
Tags:
Anyone Want to Go Halfsies on a DC Strip Club License?
Around the time of the (first) dotcom bubble implosion, I started checking out the site of R.L. Rasmus Auctioneers (they do business liquidation-type auctions) in case I could hoover up a cheap Aeron chair, random hardware, or other symbols of burn-rate excess for pennies on the dollar.
I still haven't got anything from them, but I saw this listing yesterday: Nude Dancing License - District of Columbia.
The auction is next Tuesday. Deposit required: Only $10,000.
Back in November, the DC City Paper had an article of the state of DC strip clubs and how they're being affected by gentrification, development, and the new baseball stadium.
I guess the strip club licenses are like NYC taxi medallions or something.
I think this calls for extensive online research, plus on-site competitive analysis fieldwork.
I still haven't got anything from them, but I saw this listing yesterday: Nude Dancing License - District of Columbia.
The auction is next Tuesday. Deposit required: Only $10,000.
Back in November, the DC City Paper had an article of the state of DC strip clubs and how they're being affected by gentrification, development, and the new baseball stadium.
I guess the strip club licenses are like NYC taxi medallions or something.
I think this calls for extensive online research, plus on-site competitive analysis fieldwork.
Tags:
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
An Obsessive Look at My Chewing Gum Methodology
I chew a lot of gum.
Not only does it help me concentrate, but it also helps prevent my lower incisors and canines from growing up into my brain, which would be fatal.
Also, it makes me look exceptionally attractive in photos where my mouth is partially open and you can see it betwixt cheek and gum.
Chewing a lot of gum means carrying a lot of gum. I found out quickly that just slipping packs of gum in my pockets wasn't a good idea. Unless you like lint gum.
For a long while, I used Starbucks After-Coffee Gum; I would buy a pack, rip through the gum in an afternoon and save the tins, which were pretty cool; I don't have any more of the ones with the translucent plastic band near the top (the plastic, alas, was a failure point), but I do have some of the all-metal ones:
Why not just use the original gum? *rattle* *rattle* *rattle*
Now, chewing full pieces of gum gives me a headache after a while, so I ended up tearing the pieces in half. Eventually, I just cut all the pieces in half ahead of time.
I'd keep the container in my back pocket; it wasn't the most ergonomic thing, which explains why most of my jeans now have holes worn out in the back pockets.
I went looking for some different containers:
Also, both the Green Apple and Fufu Berry flavors taste like ass.
The Altoids Smalls container is the perfect size, though it doesn't work with stick gum. (Cutting the pieces in half wouldn't give the right size, and custom cutting each piece would be silly and not worth the effort. Not that I would know because I tried it for a while or anything.)
However, 8 pieces of Trident gum will fit into the tin perfectly:
And really, how often does that happen?
Not only does it help me concentrate, but it also helps prevent my lower incisors and canines from growing up into my brain, which would be fatal.
Also, it makes me look exceptionally attractive in photos where my mouth is partially open and you can see it betwixt cheek and gum.
Chewing a lot of gum means carrying a lot of gum. I found out quickly that just slipping packs of gum in my pockets wasn't a good idea. Unless you like lint gum.
For a long while, I used Starbucks After-Coffee Gum; I would buy a pack, rip through the gum in an afternoon and save the tins, which were pretty cool; I don't have any more of the ones with the translucent plastic band near the top (the plastic, alas, was a failure point), but I do have some of the all-metal ones:
Why not just use the original gum? *rattle* *rattle* *rattle*
Now, chewing full pieces of gum gives me a headache after a while, so I ended up tearing the pieces in half. Eventually, I just cut all the pieces in half ahead of time.
I'd keep the container in my back pocket; it wasn't the most ergonomic thing, which explains why most of my jeans now have holes worn out in the back pockets.
I went looking for some different containers:
Starbucks After-Coffee Gum, Altoids Smalls Mints, Jones Soda Candy
Also, both the Green Apple and Fufu Berry flavors taste like ass.
The Altoids Smalls container is the perfect size, though it doesn't work with stick gum. (Cutting the pieces in half wouldn't give the right size, and custom cutting each piece would be silly and not worth the effort. Not that I would know because I tried it for a while or anything.)
However, 8 pieces of Trident gum will fit into the tin perfectly:
And really, how often does that happen?
Tags:
Monday, January 08, 2007
Employee Not Terminated
Cow-orker's cubicle, towards the end of December:
DO NOT REMOVE THIS EQUIPMENT
EMPLOYEE NOT TERMINATED
Tags:
My Keychain Is Prepared For Disaster
Here's a photo of my current primary keychain, which I will warrant is more prepared for disaster (both man-made and natural) than most people's pockets, purses and man-bags:
Then, starting at the top and going clockwise, I've got:
The lights are probably the most useful things. Lights are incredibly handy to have even if you're not worried about blackouts or being stuck in elevators or on the Metro. (Flashlight geeks like to say that there's a 100% chance of darkness every night -- what more reason do you need?)
On any given day, I'll use the ARC for looking under my desk, poking in the dark corners of my laptop bag, or checking inside my mailbox.
The knives I use less often, but only because I usually have a handier knife or multitool available.
Now, there's other stuff that gadget and personal preparedness types might carry that I think is overkill, at least for a primary keychain -- whistles, magnifying lenses, hotspark fire starters, pens, mini-compasses, mini-prybars, small multitools, GI can openers, etc.
Plus, I try to avoid any other keychain junk: USB drives, SecureID tokens, buyers club cards, wifi hotspot detectors, coin purses, condom holders, laser pointers, and the like.
(Besides, if I need to carry any of that other stuff, it'll usually be in another pocket or my laptop bag.)
Short legs = short pants = small pockets, so I don't want too much stuff dangling from my keychain.
As it is right now, it's fairly discreet, with no jingling. Everything goes in my pocket except the car remote, which I let drape over the edge of my pocket.
I guess it also helps that I only need to carry two keys.
Then, starting at the top and going clockwise, I've got:
- My car keys and remote; they're together on their own split ring. Also on that section is an orange Photon II keychain light. For fun, there's a now-obsolete NYC subway token.
- An ARC AAA LED flashlight. It looks a lot like a Maglite Solitaire, but it's not -- it costs 3 times as much (so, about 30 bucks) and it is worth every penny. It's incredibly reliable, practically indestructible, and it doesn't have a bulb to blow out -- the LED will last thousands of hours.
- A Swiss Army Knife Rally, which has a blade, bottle opener, phillips screwdriver, nail file/flat screwdriver, tweezers and toothpick.
- A Spyderco Ladybug knife; it's on a quick-release plunger so I can detach it if I need to go somewhere where knives aren't allowed. It's got a partially-serrated blade that's a smidge under two inches.
- A safety pin. Useful things, those.
- My housekey (The cuts are photoshopped so you can't dupe it from the photo, though if you were going to break in, it would be easier to just make a bump key.)
- A green Traser Glowring -- it will glow in the dark for about 10 years, because it has a little vial of Tritium gas, which is radioactive (but perfectly safe). If you want one in the US, you need to find someone abroad who can send you one, since they're not available here and can't be shipped in.
- A storage capsule, also by Bison Designs; I keep a rolled-up twenty and some Pepcid AC antacid tablets (critically important, for reasons I've mentioned before).
The lights are probably the most useful things. Lights are incredibly handy to have even if you're not worried about blackouts or being stuck in elevators or on the Metro. (Flashlight geeks like to say that there's a 100% chance of darkness every night -- what more reason do you need?)
On any given day, I'll use the ARC for looking under my desk, poking in the dark corners of my laptop bag, or checking inside my mailbox.
The knives I use less often, but only because I usually have a handier knife or multitool available.
Now, there's other stuff that gadget and personal preparedness types might carry that I think is overkill, at least for a primary keychain -- whistles, magnifying lenses, hotspark fire starters, pens, mini-compasses, mini-prybars, small multitools, GI can openers, etc.
Plus, I try to avoid any other keychain junk: USB drives, SecureID tokens, buyers club cards, wifi hotspot detectors, coin purses, condom holders, laser pointers, and the like.
(Besides, if I need to carry any of that other stuff, it'll usually be in another pocket or my laptop bag.)
Short legs = short pants = small pockets, so I don't want too much stuff dangling from my keychain.
As it is right now, it's fairly discreet, with no jingling. Everything goes in my pocket except the car remote, which I let drape over the edge of my pocket.
I guess it also helps that I only need to carry two keys.
Tags:
Go See Children of Men
Saturday was unseasonably warm, so I took the opportunity to do something I haven't done for a long while.
I went to a movie.
Yes, I took advantage of the rare January shorts and t-shirts weather by sitting inside a climate-controlled multiplex to see 'Children of Men.'
It was worth it. You should go see it. It was intense.
There are plenty of reviews out there, so I won't give away any of the details.
Technically speaking, there are a couple of ridiculously long uninterrupted tracking shots, including a spectacularly complicated 8-minute battle scene towards the end. (I didn't realize how long it was until reading about it afterwards.)
It's also one of those movies that gives movie theaters a reason to continue existing, at least if you don't have a surround sound setup at home.
Anyway, like I said, it's intense, especially the extended urban combat scene that ends in the apartment building. And the thing that halts it (briefly) is even more intense. I teared up.
It's definitely going on the DVD-to-get list, which is pretty ridiculous, considering my existing backlog of unwatched movies (which I just added to today, getting 5 more: The Matador, Brick, Inside Man, United 93, and Land of the Dead.)
Yes, not only am I procrastinating when it comes to dealing with my life by buying movies, I'm procrastinating in my procrastination by not watching the movies that I buy.
I went to a movie.
Yes, I took advantage of the rare January shorts and t-shirts weather by sitting inside a climate-controlled multiplex to see 'Children of Men.'
It was worth it. You should go see it. It was intense.
There are plenty of reviews out there, so I won't give away any of the details.
Technically speaking, there are a couple of ridiculously long uninterrupted tracking shots, including a spectacularly complicated 8-minute battle scene towards the end. (I didn't realize how long it was until reading about it afterwards.)
It's also one of those movies that gives movie theaters a reason to continue existing, at least if you don't have a surround sound setup at home.
Anyway, like I said, it's intense, especially the extended urban combat scene that ends in the apartment building. And the thing that halts it (briefly) is even more intense. I teared up.
It's definitely going on the DVD-to-get list, which is pretty ridiculous, considering my existing backlog of unwatched movies (which I just added to today, getting 5 more: The Matador, Brick, Inside Man, United 93, and Land of the Dead.)
Yes, not only am I procrastinating when it comes to dealing with my life by buying movies, I'm procrastinating in my procrastination by not watching the movies that I buy.
Tags:
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Logon's Run, or A Long Way to Go for a Stupid Sci-Fi Joke
Sample Web registration form in the world of Logan's Run:
Why yes, I am still very punchy right now.
Why yes, I am still very punchy right now.
Tags:
Another reason why you shouldn't watch the Saddam execution video
From now on, I'm going to yell out
It has a rhythm to it. Moqtada, Moqtada, Moqtada.
Plus, if you say it right, it sounds like a chicken squawk:
Bok, Bok, Bok, Moqtada!
I'm a little punchy right now.
Moqtada!
at inappropriate moments.It has a rhythm to it. Moqtada, Moqtada, Moqtada.
Plus, if you say it right, it sounds like a chicken squawk:
Bok, Bok, Bok, Moqtada!
I'm a little punchy right now.
Tags:
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
The Washington Post's Secret Plans for Local Blog Domination
News.com had an article today about how the Washington Post is looking to more closely integrate its Web and print operations. Here's a perfect (though inadvertent) example:
Gene Weingarten's Sunday column addressed the whole "Christopher Hitchens sez chicks ain't funny" trainwreck (which I'm not going to talk about here because it's, well, tedious -- see a comment I made on the issue in the Too Many Words blog).
Here's the relevant excerpt, faithfully reproduced from the print edition:
The Post and DC Bloggers
Now, I've always liked the way the Post has experimented with integrating community and new media/social media into their primary content. They've usually done it in a careful but substantive fashion (not just throwing up a link to a Web bulletin board up and calling it community).
This dates back to their scheduled Live Online Web chats (they were only nominally "chats," but they were still pretty interactive -- and useful).
More recently, they were one of the first big mainstream news sites (that I recall) to incorporate Technorati modules in articles to show linking blogs (a feature which was discovered by spammers shortly afterwards, of course).
Then, about the time Jim Brady came on board, they started ramping up on the blogs and Web-only features (with the attendant stumbles, of course, but that's to be expected).
Now, as DCist and others have reported (I think it started snowballing -- no, the other kind -- after I-66 blogged about it), they're reaching out to the local DC blogging community for a DC Blogs Summit next Tuesday, Jan. 9.
At a guess, they're making contacts with the local blog community, to take on what Backfence and others are trying to do. It looks to be a follow-on to a similar, but closed, event from this past August (my invite undoubtedly got caught in my spam filter).
In the Web 1.0 world, we thought (well, I thought) that newspaper Web sites were going to be the logical hubs for local community content. Newspapers had local presence, resources and most importantly, name recognition and eyeballs.
It never really panned out fully (hell, I thought that the local free alterna-weeklies were going to get a bigger piece of the local online community pie); maybe the participatory Web wasn't really ready until blogging came around. Or maybe it was because of high walls between the "real" newspaper operations and the "web stuff." Or maybe it was because newspapers pretty much expected everything to happen on their own sites -- a variation of the walled garden.
However, the rise of blogging, as well as old-school social media like Web boards and craigslist, has kind of flipped this around. Instead of newspaper sites trying to incubate and hoard user content, what they can do now is go into the maturing social media space, find stuff like DC Blogs, see what other folks are doing (including DCist, Metblogs DC, Backfence), try it out on a smaller, faster scale (DC Express), then look to see what else they can do simply by aggregating and linking to unaffiliated contributor content.
Is it an attempt to get free content -- a crowdsourcing variation, to use the en vogue term? To an extent, but they've still got eyeballs to spend, which matters. Plus, it gives everyone a degree of freedom -- bloggers are free to talk about whatever they want, which the media site is free to feature -- or more importantly, not feature.
And there's still room to offer wholly-owned content, which now has more stuff -- an active environment -- in which to develop.
On top of that, the newspaper sites can add value by doing the things that only professional media can do really well (primary-source, long lead investigative reporting; writing without using the word "douchebag", etc).
Anyway, I plan on attending the thing next week to see what's up. It should be interesting, even if it's not.
Gene Weingarten's Sunday column addressed the whole "Christopher Hitchens sez chicks ain't funny" trainwreck (which I'm not going to talk about here because it's, well, tedious -- see a comment I made on the issue in the Too Many Words blog).
Here's the relevant excerpt, faithfully reproduced from the print edition:
"I don't have anything to say. I do have something to sing. Here is my song "What Was I Thinking" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/Now, can you imagine someone trying to hand-type those nightmare URLs into a Web browser? (I had to add line breaks to keep them from blowing up my page.) The inclusion of those URLs demands that you visit the Post Web site so you can at least copy-and-paste the URLs. It's brilliant! Synergy!
content/audio/2006/12/13/AU2006121301229.html). And here is a special new verse I added just for Gene -- and Christopher, of course (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
content/audio/2006/12/13/AU2006121301245.html).
-- Christine Lavin, folksinger / songwriter"
The Post and DC Bloggers
Now, I've always liked the way the Post has experimented with integrating community and new media/social media into their primary content. They've usually done it in a careful but substantive fashion (not just throwing up a link to a Web bulletin board up and calling it community).
This dates back to their scheduled Live Online Web chats (they were only nominally "chats," but they were still pretty interactive -- and useful).
More recently, they were one of the first big mainstream news sites (that I recall) to incorporate Technorati modules in articles to show linking blogs (a feature which was discovered by spammers shortly afterwards, of course).
Then, about the time Jim Brady came on board, they started ramping up on the blogs and Web-only features (with the attendant stumbles, of course, but that's to be expected).
Now, as DCist and others have reported (I think it started snowballing -- no, the other kind -- after I-66 blogged about it), they're reaching out to the local DC blogging community for a DC Blogs Summit next Tuesday, Jan. 9.
At a guess, they're making contacts with the local blog community, to take on what Backfence and others are trying to do. It looks to be a follow-on to a similar, but closed, event from this past August (my invite undoubtedly got caught in my spam filter).
In the Web 1.0 world, we thought (well, I thought) that newspaper Web sites were going to be the logical hubs for local community content. Newspapers had local presence, resources and most importantly, name recognition and eyeballs.
It never really panned out fully (hell, I thought that the local free alterna-weeklies were going to get a bigger piece of the local online community pie); maybe the participatory Web wasn't really ready until blogging came around. Or maybe it was because of high walls between the "real" newspaper operations and the "web stuff." Or maybe it was because newspapers pretty much expected everything to happen on their own sites -- a variation of the walled garden.
However, the rise of blogging, as well as old-school social media like Web boards and craigslist, has kind of flipped this around. Instead of newspaper sites trying to incubate and hoard user content, what they can do now is go into the maturing social media space, find stuff like DC Blogs, see what other folks are doing (including DCist, Metblogs DC, Backfence), try it out on a smaller, faster scale (DC Express), then look to see what else they can do simply by aggregating and linking to unaffiliated contributor content.
Is it an attempt to get free content -- a crowdsourcing variation, to use the en vogue term? To an extent, but they've still got eyeballs to spend, which matters. Plus, it gives everyone a degree of freedom -- bloggers are free to talk about whatever they want, which the media site is free to feature -- or more importantly, not feature.
And there's still room to offer wholly-owned content, which now has more stuff -- an active environment -- in which to develop.
On top of that, the newspaper sites can add value by doing the things that only professional media can do really well (primary-source, long lead investigative reporting; writing without using the word "douchebag", etc).
Anyway, I plan on attending the thing next week to see what's up. It should be interesting, even if it's not.
Tags:
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Why Is There Whipped Cream on My Car?
10:08pm: The Spectrum at Reston Town Center parking lot (in front of the Barnes & Noble):
Some of the whipped cream had squirted onto my front tire. Not much.
Hadn't realized that the RTC parking lot was the in-place to do whipits.
I'd had my camera in my pocket in case I could get a shot of tonight's full moon, though this was more interesting.
Turned on the long exposure and 2-second self timer, and set the camera on my front driver's side mirror.
Some of the whipped cream had squirted onto my front tire. Not much.
Hadn't realized that the RTC parking lot was the in-place to do whipits.
I'd had my camera in my pocket in case I could get a shot of tonight's full moon, though this was more interesting.
Turned on the long exposure and 2-second self timer, and set the camera on my front driver's side mirror.
Tags:
Do Have: Podcast Interview. Do Not Have: Goddamned Philly Accent
So last month, I did a phone interview for SFSU campus radio show and podcast No One's Listening. You might know the host, Irene McGee, from MTV's Real World: Seattle (You know, Irene? Curly hair. Lyme disease. Got slapped.)
The show focuses on media issues, and they wanted to talk with someone from AOL on blog and social media etiquette. So they ended up with me.
(This was actually my second-ever work-related phone interview; my first phoner was back in September, 2005, talking about an AOL survey about blogging trends and motivations, though it was for print-only.)
Anyway, I did the interview. It went about 10 minutes and I think I did okay -- you can listen to my segment online here.
(I posted a full writeup in one of my work blogs -- I'm basically repeating it -- but I hadn't gotten around to talking about it here. I did mention it at the last DC Bloggers' Happy Hour. Evidently, one of my resolutions for 2007 is to do more self-promotion.)
It was fairly basic stuff. We looked at each other's blogs, discovered a mutual liking of The Pogues' Fairytale of New York, talked about some etiquette items specific to blogs, then meandered over to discussing profiles and other social media.
I probably should have gotten in a few more plugs for stuff, but I'm generally happy with what I said. After all, I can regurgitate the conventional wisdom on this community stuff with the best of them (be transparent, be authentic, be responsive, etc) and I've given this kind of spiel internally a bunch of times.
However, how I said what I said needs some work. I was too close to the phone mike, so my b's and p's were popping (guess I need a pop filter), yet I was still too soft in spots. Plus, I talked over the host a few times. So I need to work on my delivery.
However, one problem I do not have is any sort of harsh regional accent. I speak pure, flat mid-Atlantic American English. So I don't care what any damn Web site quiz says -- I do not have a goddammed Philly accent:
I was originally prompted to take the quiz by one of Gene Weingarten's weekly chats (now on haitus).
Obviously, I must have misunderstood the quiz questions, or otherwise answered them incorrectly. (I took the quiz twice, though -- same result both times.)
If you've never spoken to me, you have the interview podcast audio to listen to, so you can judge for yourself.
Finally, Happy New Year.
The show focuses on media issues, and they wanted to talk with someone from AOL on blog and social media etiquette. So they ended up with me.
(This was actually my second-ever work-related phone interview; my first phoner was back in September, 2005, talking about an AOL survey about blogging trends and motivations, though it was for print-only.)
Anyway, I did the interview. It went about 10 minutes and I think I did okay -- you can listen to my segment online here.
(I posted a full writeup in one of my work blogs -- I'm basically repeating it -- but I hadn't gotten around to talking about it here. I did mention it at the last DC Bloggers' Happy Hour. Evidently, one of my resolutions for 2007 is to do more self-promotion.)
It was fairly basic stuff. We looked at each other's blogs, discovered a mutual liking of The Pogues' Fairytale of New York, talked about some etiquette items specific to blogs, then meandered over to discussing profiles and other social media.
I probably should have gotten in a few more plugs for stuff, but I'm generally happy with what I said. After all, I can regurgitate the conventional wisdom on this community stuff with the best of them (be transparent, be authentic, be responsive, etc) and I've given this kind of spiel internally a bunch of times.
However, how I said what I said needs some work. I was too close to the phone mike, so my b's and p's were popping (guess I need a pop filter), yet I was still too soft in spots. Plus, I talked over the host a few times. So I need to work on my delivery.
However, one problem I do not have is any sort of harsh regional accent. I speak pure, flat mid-Atlantic American English. So I don't care what any damn Web site quiz says -- I do not have a goddammed Philly accent:
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard. | |
| What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz |
I was originally prompted to take the quiz by one of Gene Weingarten's weekly chats (now on haitus).
Obviously, I must have misunderstood the quiz questions, or otherwise answered them incorrectly. (I took the quiz twice, though -- same result both times.)
If you've never spoken to me, you have the interview podcast audio to listen to, so you can judge for yourself.
Finally, Happy New Year.
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