iGoogle thought

I generally use iGoogle as my RSS reader, as opposed to Google Reader (amongst the myriad choices). I prefer the reading experience in iGoogle, but have come up with one nuisance: adding feeds. I need to click on “add stuff”, then on “add feed or gadget” (not so easy to see, ½ way down the page on the left column), then I drop in the URL. Why not have this accessible from the Main screen, as it is on the Reader page? Just a thought.

 

Yahoo! Thoughts

I saw two blog posts about Yahoo! this weekend, Jeff Jarvis and at Liveside, so I wonder. Considering Jeff’s comments about the new Shine portal, which seems a rather weak offering (I am in complete agreement with Jarvis’ commentary), it doesn’t seem that Yang and co are in a place to truly fight back Microsoft’s bid. I find it similar to, let’s say, Landrover or Jaguar, fighting their takeover by Ford, decided to release an updated Yugo. You’d almost guess that they were trying the poison-pill approach; which always seems to be a daft move (unless you’re so narrowly focused on your short-term power-trip). Now, I don’t think that Shine is meant to make Yahoo! look less attractive as a brand, it just looks like a daft move by someone who doesn’t get the new internet business landscape. But, hey, what do I know?

 

Door To Hell

Behold! Hell has burst forth and legions of demons are looking for Dick Cheney, their long-lost uncle.

Ok, this is the result of a mining mistake in the town of Darvaz. The article says it’s in Uzbekistan, though this Wikipedia article says the town is in Tajikistan. It wouldn’t surprise me that there’s more than one Darvaz in the world. Anyway, this will certainly make arranging the vacation a bit more troubling for Expedia. Tajikistan isn’t within their purview, I’m afraid. You’ll need to explore other options, like Turkish Air.

American Idol

If you must watch American Idol, please know that there will be a positive side to the spectacle.

Announcement

For the second year in a row, Save the Children, whose programs our company supports, has been selected as one of six charities to benefit from funds raised through Idol Gives Back, a television event and music celebration airing Wednesday, April 9 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. This year’s event will feature international talent and sports stars including Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Mariah Carey, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg. During the show, viewers will be able to make donations via toll-free lines and the Internet.

“My CEO walked off with $41 million and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!”

“My CEO walked off with $41 million and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!”

Cute, methinks. A great example of the cynicism that most have of corporate America, even those who live within it, and rely deeply upon this system for their livelihoods. I wonder when corporate leaders will finally realize that they’ve overdrawn their credibility account and that few trust them. Perhaps it’s unjust that all are lumped together, but that’s the nature of things. All within that umbrella need to work together to build trust. First, they must realize that the trust isn’t there; that the relationship is damaged. Hearing executive after executive complain about the distrust and cynicism that they face shows how they just don’t get it. Interesting, really, how many leaders demand and expect trust, but are unwilling to earn it.

Another Seattle Icon Closes – Bud’s Jazz Records

Bud’s Jazz Record’s is Closing

 

I first heard of Bud’s when I was studying Jazz at Edmonds Community College in the 1980’s (with Bob Nixon, Frank DeMiero, Jim Guard, amongst other luminaries) and my classmates and I would make pilgrimages. Bud’s willingness to walk me through the store and introduce me to great trombonists (my horn) was simply awesome. It was Bud who introduced me to JJ Johnson, Bob Brookmeyer, and Steve Turret (amongst many others). No way would I have heard of such performers so easily, especially not in one sitting. Having Bud’s voluminous knowledge at the ready was one of the things I worried about when he sold in 01.

 

The loss of such institutions does hurt our community. Though great and wonderful things have been happening because of our digital connections, this face-to-face experience is a basic, core experience. However, I think that the world will figure out what’s been lost and the pendulum will return…some day. Until then, we (and the whole world) can listen to Bud on KBCS Monday mornings at 9:00 (Pacific).

 

Needless to say, I will be making the walk down to the store one last time and stocking up. My sadness is deep, though.

Big Brother’s Roving Red Eye

Watch out, you’re being watched

 

As I develop more interest in security and its underlying systems, this story is both fascinating and disturbing. It boggles my mind that Homeland Security is monitoring random spots on the main freeway (north-south) through Washington (I5), and that they’re sensitive enough to detect radiation from a cat undergoing cancer treatment. I worry about the tighter net we cast, and, even more so, the underlying fear. Will we sell the soul of our society in a vain attempt to mollify our terror of terrorists? The thought that we’d, rather willingly, thrust ourselves into a Stalinist state rooted in distrust deeply saddens me.

Weirdness of my mind

Here's some insight into the strange things I waste brain-time with.

Why the 6 million dollar man didn't knock his head off the first time he sneezed?

Why Luke Skywalker's uncle and aunt didn't give him a different last name, or at least hide it?

How much time passed between Luke meeting Obiwan, and Obiwan's "ascentiion" on the Death Star. How was Luke able to learn do damn much in so short a time?
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