Very exciting stuff for the techy in me. I find these utopian visions of the future very interesting and compelling. I wonder, though, how sustainability fits in. Can these products be crafted without destroying the environment? And is this only limited to the rich? Or will the poor of our globe have any benefit from this glorious utopia?
Blog
Social Media Expertise
Lots of folks are running around billing themselves as “social media” experts. Most of my cohort online finds them annoying at best, and fraudulent at worst. In the spirit of self-exploration, and a wee bit of sarcasm, I present reasons that I (little ol’ me) could bill myself thusly.
Reasons I can call myself a Social Media Expert:
- I’ve been reading Wil Wheaton’s blog since before the term “blog” was invented. And I didn’t know what to think when he shifted to Word Press.
- Got a Facebook account back when you needed to request an invite, and the email had to be a .edu email address.
- Had a “blog” before the term was invented. Each update hand-coded (html, if you don’t know…but actually care), with my archive needing a great deal of thought and strategy. (It was hosted on my “free” webpage that came gratis with my Earthlink account.)
- With said blog, was excited to plug in a counter and delighted in watching it tick upward
- I had a Geocites site (multiple pages, so truly a “site) before the Yahoo! acquisition.
- Became part of a Webring.
- I’ve had accounts on MySpace, Friendster, Yahoo!360…
- Got a gmail account back when the only way was via an invite.
- I was involved in many vigorous and interesting Usenet discussions
- Actually know about Usenet…and where the archives are.
- I’ve explained to people what a blog, Facebook, etc are before any reporter (other than tech/geek columnists) had written about them.
- Remember when ZDNet was a tech forum focused on professional IT.
- I’ve made comments on Dilbert’s List of the Day.
- Know what an In-Duh-Vidual is.
- Have actually used Mosaic.
- Have actually used Lynx.
- Had discussions about search engine optimization before the term “search engine optimization” existed.
- Started my Blogger site before Google’s acquisition.
Some of these really should read “why I’m a web geek”, but, well, whatever.
Coffee and Fast Food
This morning got away from me. Took much longer than normal to get out the door, thus got my son to before-school care right about time for him to go meet the bus. While there, the director (a long-time friend) told me she was having issues with her printer (which I had installed last week). So, more time before I finally get breakfast. At moments like these, I’m sorely tempted by McDonald’s breakfast. Today I succumb. I decide to take advantage to this moment and finally try McDonald’s coffee.
You see, I worked at Starbucks back in 2007 when Consumer Reports decided McDonald’s had better coffee than Starbucks. CR dropped in my esteem after this. It seemed crazy to me to compare Starbucks, a coffee roaster to McDonald’s, Dunkin, and Burger King…coffee buyers. On top of this, coffee is procured from a myriad of vendors. Adding to the fun, one of the many companies McDonald’s & Burger King buy coffee from is Starbucks (or its sub-company, Seattle’s Best). I thought it would be hysterical if the CR gang were comparing Starbucks to Starbucks.
Perhaps because of my annoyance noted above, and/or commitment to my (then) employer, I never actually tried McDonald’s coffee. So, here we go. It wasn’t too bad. Well balanced, smooth, a little tangier than I usually go for. With a little sugar, it has a flavor much like soda. Clearly Latin American beans, very light and balanced. None of the earthiness of Asian beans, and no African notes, either. Not horrible, not bad; a pretty “middlin” coffee.
No, I won’t be dropping my regular stops at Ladro or Starbucks. However, I’ll drop some of my annoyance at McD’s. I’ll keep my condescension at Consumer Reports, though.
Star Wars – Episode IV – Trailer (original 1977)
My, how the style of the franchise has changed.
Geek Boat
Found this fellow at the Edmonds marina (WA). Wonder if I’ll find them at
the upcoming comic-con?
iPad Thoughts
As a musician, I think there’s great value with the iPad for music display. No more flipping pages due to breezes, ease in organizing (adjusting play lists), quickly shifting pages (a simple touch) and the ability to have a huge sheet music library at your fingertips. If you’ve ever lugged several Fake books to gigs, you can see the potential. Of course, the device is relatively fragile (as any electronic device is), so there’s a challenge. Nothing should frighten musicians more than the thought of losing your performance materials.
Posterous Thoughts
I was just thinking it would be nice to have lists to manage the blogs I’m following here. Some people post daily, others multiple times during the day, and others infrequently. It would be nice to have a tools to filter through all the posts.
Early Morning Thoughts While I Should Be Asleep
Reading email (or most anything) late at night doesn’t tend to return me to sleep quickly. Rather, my mind awakens, engages, then wants to learn more. Knowledge is a vibrant engagement for me.
Moments
Flash,
Hand lunges.
Strike!
Momentary grasp for power.
Momentary…
Power touched; flees.
Power’s gone, mist:
Angry vacant god.
Emptiness returns.
Desperation’s emptiness
Resumes its
Ice cold
Fury.
College Majors
Oh, I feel this pain…
