GirlHacker's Random Log

Berkeley Breathed has a new children's book out, Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big. Since ceasing production of his Bloom County and Outland strips, Breathed has been creating amusing tales in the children's picture book format. This latest one lists a web site, but it is under construction. He also gives a big thanks to President Bill Clinton for daily inspiration. Look at the title of the book and you'll figure out why. I always miss having the Bloom County perspective on current events. But I suppose a reunion TV movie is out of the question. It's almost too easy to make fun of politicians these days. Pulling out subtle, yet hearty, humor from big targets is something Bloom County excelled at. My favorite quote from Berke Breathed: "what seems funny to a sleep-deprived brain at 4:00 A.M. often reads as merely hallucinogenic when laid down on the sober newsprint of a newspaper comic page. This may explain my initial popularity on college campuses around the country."
8/27/2000 10:40:28 AM - name='716218'

Saturday, August 26, 2000

The U.S. Mint is still trying to get that new dollar coin into circulation. According to a Washington Post article, "the average American is holding onto six golden dollars as souvenirs". Hmph! I've only ever seen one to hoard and someone else obtained it for me. I don't know anyone with more than one, so there must be people hanging onto rolls and rolls! The director of the Coin Coalition claims banks were "livid" that the mint initially passed them over to help in promoting the dollar coins. Instead, Wal-mart purchased 100 million coins to hand out as promotional change. But the American Bankers Association blames retailers for not requesting the coins, since banks will only order as many as they are getting asked for. Now Allfirst, a Baltimore-based bank, has dollar coins available for customers who want it when cashing checks and to give as freebies to those opening checking account. But I'm not sure this will help push it into circulation; people will still hoard those few coins. If the Mint keeps treating the coins like a promotional item, the public will keep treating them like a collector's item. Their usefulness needs to be promoted. If they are indeed going to benefit someone, then those who benefit need to get on the bandwagon.
8/26/2000 9:40:05 AM - name='710946'

Friday, August 25, 2000

I'm very glad I saw this article about the ultra-revealing search x-ray they are using at U.S. Customs. Now I know what I could be up against if I ever was suspected of smuggling items. "BodySearch scans are so sharp that the shape of a person's navel is visible, along with the shapes of other, more private parts." The manufacturer says it's less invasive than a strip search, but it is certainly more eerie to me that someone could save images of all of me. Unless they videotape strip searches, which they certainly may for all I know. U.S. Customs says these scans are voluntary. Does that mean they get to strip search you if you refuse?
8/25/2000 1:41:48 AM - name='704642'

I've been looking for a more "natural" way to store URLs from the printed page (one that didn't involve dragging the paper over to some device hooked up to the computer). Felix Strates sent me a link to the Cross NetPen which stores PaperClick bar codes. You dock the pen later and surf away. Now if someone adds the "press the button when you hear something on the radio you want to remember" technology to the same pen, you'll have a super multimedia URL tool! I wonder how we can get URLs memorized off of billboards? Special radio signals going into your car?
8/25/2000 1:34:29 AM - name='704620'

IMAX, the huge movie projector people, are banking on being at the front of the digital projector market. A Forbes article states that IMAX has a close relationship with Texas Instruments, who has created the industry standard digital movie chip. But IMAX needs some funding to get the digital projector project ramped up. They've been public for a while. Keeping up with the latest technology will serve them well.
8/25/2000 1:26:40 AM - name='704605'

Thursday, August 24, 2000

An awesome site of awesome sights: NASA's Visible Earth, a searchable directory of images of the Earth. This page compares population in San Jose in 1973 vs 1999. 459,000 people to 839,000. I didn't really need to see that.
8/24/2000 11:59:44 AM - name='700898'

Motorola has received permission from the bankruptcy court to destroy the Iridium satellites. A lot of pie in the sky will be going bye bye.
8/24/2000 11:51:35 AM - name='700848'

A consortium wants to use TV signals to serve up big "datacasts". WaveExpress is already testing data broadcasts in select locations. Of course this only works one way, so a phone hookup for "up" is needed. TV folks hope this technology, wrapped around TV content, can give them back the eyeballs they've been losing to the Internet. A TV signal takes up 5 megabits of digital television's 19.4 megabits downstream, so that extra bandwidth is being licensed from various stations as they upgrade to DTV.
8/24/2000 11:49:17 AM - name='700838'

Wednesday, August 23, 2000

Byte has an article on the latest round of pen computers/tablets, which states that this new generation "could change the face of computing forever." Having lived (some may say suffered) through the first try at making pen computing appealing to the masses -- or even just the professional masses, I'm not sure what could bring that interaction method to the UI forefront. It's perfect for specific applications, those "vertical markets" that keep PenRight! (what I worked on at GRiD) alive, and public web kiosks are served well with the tablet or touchscreen model. But the only place actual pen input with handwriting recognition, has caught on big is with the Palm OS. That has become mainstream enough to call the interaction method a success, but it's still an alternative interaction. The keyboard really doesn't marry well with pen input. It's so much easier to get to a mouse than pick up a pen when keyboarding. So unless there is extreme need for a pen, for drawing most likely, or lack of need for the keyboard (e.g. if you never have to type a URL), I don't think the interaction model will catch on big. (via RobotWisdom)
8/23/2000 12:02:38 PM - name='694282'

Tuesday, August 22, 2000

I love the Nissan Pathfinder commercial where the drivers are playing polo on lovely emerald green cliffs. The choreography of the cars and revving engines to The Who's "Baba O'Riley" is perfect. Adcritic has it in Quicktime.
8/22/2000 2:07:19 AM - name='685346'

Commentary from USA Today criticizes most of the networks for blathering too much during the Democratic convention and not giving us much actual convention coverage. I always channel surf during major news events to see the different perspectives. But during both conventions I eventually found myself wishing that C-SPAN didn't change into Bravo in the evening on my cable service. The reasoning for most everything staged by both parties was too obvious to warrant much commentary, and I just wanted to watch what was going on, not what every political analyst, historian, and presidential biographer thought was going on. I did notice major differences in the audio. MSNBC had the loudest crowd noise. PBS had subdued crowd noise and the best podium audio. CNN had a decent balance between the two. (article via MediaNews)
8/22/2000 1:48:51 AM - name='685302'

Feed has an interview with Scott McCloud, the Understanding Comics guy. Most interesting to me was his description of switching over to using a Wacom tablet and other digital tools for his drawing. He had some transition problems, but was ultimately happier on the computer. "Suddenly, I'm so comfortable with these tools that I'm able to give voice to my thoughts more efficiently than I ever have. And in composing these images, combining them with words and painting with light, I'm finding colors and color relationships that I never thought possible." His words remind me of the changes computers have had on architects which I wrote about on August 11. The best creations come from artists who are comfortable with their tools, and it is so uplifting when new tools propel creators to new inspirations.
8/22/2000 1:26:40 AM - name='685257'

Monday, August 21, 2000

iHarvest has a product strikingly similar to one I worked on a few years back at Milktruck/WebEx. Back then our market was "offline web browsing" for people who wanted to download web pages to their hard drive and then surf without delays, or away from their connection (here's a page that still has info about the dead WebEx software). iHarvest saves web pages to their site and also has a client product that saves pages to your desktop. Their marketing spin is that if content changes, you'll still have the information you need available. Good plan. Nowadays, when I wear my WebEx shirt, people think I'm advertising meeting software. It's all part of the Internet evolution.
8/21/2000 2:09:15 AM - name='678615'

I was looking for a flexible spatula to get the last bits of smoothie out from the blender jug. I reached for one in my utensil jar and immediately thought "I can't use that; that's the silicone spatula for hot stuff", instead of realizing that it was a general purpose spatula that just happens to be useable with heat. I had mistakenly pigeonholed a kitchen utensil. I realized that this often happens with people. You see someone in one setting or in one stage of their life and that's how you think of them. I worry about that when giving and being the subject of job references. It can be difficult for people who've worked with you at some point in your career to change their minds about you and realize you've grown unless you get the chance to change their mind over time. Or if you know someone through reputation or have only seen them in meetings and had a biased or narrow view of how they operate, you may mistakenly think they are not effective. It's best to not be so righteous about what you know about someone unless you are certain your information is current and correct. But you do want to make sure you have the right tool for the job.
8/21/2000 1:54:02 AM - name='678575'

Sunday, August 20, 2000

Your cat can have his/her own email at MeowMail. What a relief. I hate sharing email boxes with pets. (thank you Jen!)
8/20/2000 12:15:12 PM - name='675325'

You can check the status of an airport (weather delays, traffic issues, etc) at the Air Traffic Control System Command Center. Not as useful as flight information, but it's good supplemental info.
8/20/2000 12:13:08 PM - name='675317'

Saturday, August 19, 2000

The Powerpuff Girls make me smile. The Gothik Girls parody made me laugh. (via /usr/bin/girl) (It was comforting to hear that PPG creator Craig McCracken intended the show to work on both adult humor and child entertainment levels. I thought I was just being...juvenile -- not that there's anything wrong with that!)
8/19/2000 1:51:20 PM - name='671036'

I had never noticed that two books I enjoyed when I was young: Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain were written by the same author. Browsing in the children's section of a used bookstore, I found sequels to both right next to each other. Jean Craighead George has updated the lives of both characters in the past 10 years. And she has an official web site.
8/19/2000 1:41:08 PM - name='670993'

Friday, August 18, 2000

Carmel-by-the-Sea is so...quaint. Everyone in town goes to the post office to get their mail. There is no postal delivery, no street addresses. But now the post office says they'll deliver mail and, of course, some residents are up in arms. Others who find it hard to get into town are looking forward to the convenience. Going to the post office is a ritual, part of the social fabric of many resident's lives. But others say going into town isn't what it used to be; it's too crowded and touristy. We had a similar, but backwards issue in college when a proposal was made to centralize all mailboxes into a student union instead of having dorm delivery. Advocates argued that it would increase community spirit to have everyone coming through the student union. Others said it would just be a pain, especially in bad weather. As far as I know, it hasn't changed, but I haven't checked back on the issue.
8/18/2000 1:18:52 AM - name='662935'

San Mateo, California is considering restricting dotcom companies from leasing retail and restaurant space in the downtown area. Back when this web thing had just started booming, the little startup where I was working was renting retail space there. Looks like we were ahead of a trend that some folks don't like. "Most people on city councils and planning commissions in these towns are older people. They are not coming from the new-economy perspective. The only things they see are a proliferation of SUVs, million-dollar homes that are tear-downs and Starbucks." My view is that the current proliferation of dotcoms seeking space has nothing to do with San Mateo's "small town" demise. The downtown was already in the midst of a major overhaul five ago, with chains like Starbucks and Noah's Bagels moving in while mom & pop shops were shuttering up. In fact, having tech companies convert retail space may prevent downtown from turning into an outdoor shopping mall, which is what other neighboring downtowns have come to resemble. When I was working there I enjoyed being able to walk to restaurants, the drugstore, ATMs, and even my eye doctor.
8/18/2000 1:07:51 AM - name='662905'

Thursday, August 17, 2000

According to my new issue of Wired, I will soon be receiving a bar code scanner device which is shaped like a cat. It's called a :CueCat and will take your browser to the URL connected to the bar code. Unfortunately, that's not what I'd like. I would prefer a device to store things that I want to look at later when I'm using my computer. I don't like interrupting the flow of reading a magazine or newspaper. If they could add memory to the kitty cat and allow me to use it while I'm reading and then go to the sites later, that would be perfect. (sadly, there appear to be no puns about "cat scans" on the :CueCat site)
8/17/2000 1:51:04 AM - name='656296'

My cat is fascinated when people brush their teeth. She will come right up and stick her head into your personal space. I thought she was curious about the strange brushing activity, but then I acquired some Body Shop Peppermint Food Lotion. As soon as I started applying it, she came sniffing around into my general vicinity, trying to track down the scent. Then she started puzzling over my feet. "Ah ha!" thought I. "It is the peppermint she likes!" A few web clicks later, I verified that catnip is indeed in the mint family.
8/17/2000 1:39:20 AM - name='656251'

ZDNetAsia points out that although American online booksellers are not performing up to expectations, similar sites in Asia are expecting their variations on the online business model will bring in profits. Myepb.com started out online and then opened a supporting physical store. MPH Online is counting on their strong brand name and domain knowledge to give them a big head start in cyberspace. Acmabooks.com is sticking to online only, but differs from Amazon in not investing in any warehousing infrastructure. I suppose the ol' survival of the fittest model will determine which scenarios will succeed. (And my HCI training is nagging "doesn't it matter which sites are the easiest and friendliest to use?")
8/17/2000 1:30:35 AM - name='656219'

Wednesday, August 16, 2000

Living.com closed shop. There were way too many furniture/home decor sites popping up and I figured there would be consolidation and demise. Furniture sales logistics can be hellacious. Still alive in my home decorating bookmarks: Furniture Find, Furniture.com, Goodhome.com, HomePortfolio.com, MyHome.com, and a few more appliance oriented places. Let the mergers commence!
8/16/2000 12:23:11 AM - name='649171'

OK translucent electronics buffs (that would be me), here's the ultimate PC case for you. Detailed do-it-yourself commentary is included.
8/16/2000 12:14:33 AM - name='649132'

David Bowie and Iman's baby has arrived: Alexandria Zahra Jones, 7 pounds, 4.6 ounces.
8/16/2000 12:11:28 AM - name='649122'

There are nice little Buffy tidbits from the new season, covering who's leaving and who may come back (purists may call 'em spoilers, so be warned) on the E! Online Watch With Wanda.
8/16/2000 12:08:35 AM - name='649106'

Tuesday, August 15, 2000

I've had this bookmarked for a long time (translation: I have no idea who I swiped this from, so thank you to whomever it was) but never had time to read it: The Story Behind the Lisa (and Macintosh) Interface. It lists the original Goals and Guiding Principles, which are now common UI design principles, a few of which are often just taken for granted. The email introduction to the paper notes that screen shots which pre-date the legendary visits to Xerox Parc by Steve Jobs show that the user interface was not entirely lifted from the Star design. Included also is The Pictorial History of the "Apple Desktop Interface".
8/15/2000 3:32:02 AM - name='642179'

Bad spelling proliferates in the media thanks to easy electronic access to already faulty news items. Jerry Lanson's July column in the Online Journalism Review describes how easy it is for misspelled names to spread from news databases into new stories, which in turn go into the archives and compound the perception that these mistakes are accurate. These little mistakes may not seem as dire as reporting Internet urban legends as fact, but, as Lanson writes: "If for no other reasons than that readers care and that writers turn to news' archives to find facts, not falsehood, correcting even the littlest things should become a priority for all." I was that annoying person in class who pointed out everyone's spelling errors in their overhead slide presentations, so I can't say I disagree with him.
8/15/2000 3:17:57 AM - name='642134'

Monday, August 14, 2000

Welcome to "Library Day" at GirlHacker. I used to be a faithful library user, but then my local library dropped their lending period from four weeks to three weeks and I just couldn't make that three week limit. When I was younger I used to think four weeks was a huge amount of time to finish a book. But nowadays I have less time to read plus I read more pithy stuff and actually pay attention to it. I mentioned the lending period change to my parents when I was in Connecticut and it turns out that my old library, the one I grew up with, also dropped to three weeks. It must be a library trend. But my dad's pet theory is that libraries are buying the same new software which arrives defaulted to a three week lending period which no one changes. He might be right.

North Carolina residents now have rights to check out e-books from public and college libraries. This is the result of "a $288,000 deal that gives state residents perpetual access to 10,690 titles from netLibrary, a Boulder, Colo.-based company that distributes e-books to libraries." After obtaining a netLibrary password, users can check out books for 72 hours. The books are "returned" automatically. I am not sure if there is a limit to how many users can check out one title simultaneously. The concept of "borrowing" an e-book has never crossed my mind, but I guess it makes sense in the old paradigm of library lending. If publishers are confident that users can not make and distribute copies of the books at no charge, then they should be satisfied with the business model. In fact, having users check out an e-book or purchase it outright for their own personal viewing system gives publishers an advantage: you can easily lend or give the physical books you've read to friends or sell them to used bookstores, but you can't do that with a locked electronic copy. (article via LTSeek)
8/14/2000 1:51:41 AM - name='634961'

Sunday, August 13, 2000

I watched Say Anything on a cable network last night and realized that I had forgotten a lot of details. I almost didn't watch it because I figured I knew it too well. But I was surprised at all the cool little things I hadn't retained. Also, I noticed more "known" actors. Bebe Neuwirth has a small role as a school counselor. Chynna Phillips (yes, the one from that singing group you thought you'd forgotten, Wilson Phillips) played Mimi.
8/12/2000 11:45:06 AM - name='627029'

Billy Joel owns a patent on a boat hull design and collects royalties for each one built. A NY Times writer spent some time with him on the yachts he helped design. He was inspired by Long Island lobster boats. (One of the quaint, respectable characteristics of the NY Times is its continued use of formal address for Mr. Mrs. and, new in the '80s and used often now, Ms. Mr. Joel's daughter, however, gets the first name treatment.)
8/12/2000 11:32:29 AM - name='626985'

Friday, August 11, 2000

I was, of course, aware that the computer has altered how many professions do their work, but I did not realize the extent of its affect on architects. The NY Times describes how computers are creating a Renaissance of sorts in the field of architecture. It is not only the ability to quickly communicate with suppliers and to cut down on paperwork, but to actually spark the creation of designs beyond the usual right angles and boxes. Architect Greg Lynn says: "Before computers, you'd start designing using shapes of cubes. Now I can start with something like a handkerchief, an object that doesn't have strong inside and outside boundaries or much closed volume." That is a superb example of how software can remove barriers to facilitate the creative process.
8/11/2000 12:43:44 PM - name='622305'

Thursday, August 10, 2000

There's a Blockbuster video every few blocks up and down El Camino Real, and I never considered that their business model may fail someday in the future. I've read various articles about the advent of broadband video on demand and so on, but the public still seems stuck in the DVD/VCR rental mode, even with pay-per-view and satellite availability. The checkout line on weekends seems to indicate no shortage of customers. But, according to this BusinessWeek article, Blockbuster's stock price is down in the dumps, though their sales are doing OK. "Since 1997, Blockbuster's revenue has grown about 15% each year, almost all of that coming from video rentals and sales." But investors don't expect them to last in the future, which to me seems ironically backwards as those astronomic valuations on ecommerce companies who are actually tanking in their sales. Blockbuster is making serious moves to get on the broadband pay-per-view wagon. I wonder how long it will be before those ubiquitous stores disappear?
8/10/2000 12:42:27 PM - name='615511'

Apple has made the tech world more colorful with the iMac colors seeping into peripherals and even non-Mac computer cases and accessories. But one place I did not expect to see a colorful trend was when I opened up my Strings magazine. Violinists can now choose colored shoulder rests, brightly dyed bow hair, and even colored composite bows. That's a big change from the boring black, white, and wood world of the classics. I assume these accessories are popular for kids learning to play and perhaps musicians in the pop world. I doubt they will become trendy for classical players. I don't think I'll take the plunge.
8/10/2000 12:31:10 PM - name='615442'

Wednesday, August 9, 2000

Something scared me at Macy's today. It wasn't alive. It wasn't even undead. It was...a purse. You may or may not remember the Bermuda bag fad in the eighties. It is briefly mentioned with a photo on this eighties fashions page. I grew up in preppy-ville, so I could not escape it and my parents decided that we had better things to do with our money than keep me furnished in expensive, trendy items. The purse consists of wooden handles and a base fabric with buttons to which you can attach covers in different fabrics. The idea is to match your outfit, as exactly as you may wish, with your ever growing collection of cloth covers. It seemed that everyone had one (except me, sniff) along with multitudes of covers to match each monogrammed sweater. I'm over that lack of fitting in now, but, back in the present, I saw one in the purse section of Macy's and nearly fainted. It was like a bad dream from long ago, coming back to haunt me. And I admit that for a couple seconds I thought "Ha! I can afford to buy this for myself now and my parents can't say anything!" But, I realized it just wasn't me (and probably never was me). Someone has posted patterns for making your own bag and covers, a route I never even considered back then! Well, I suppose the eighties retro fad is up next. Where did I put my Official Preppy Handbook?
8/9/2000 2:56:00 AM - name='606159'

I received my free Xenote iTag in the mail. This is the device that allows you to "bookmark" when you hear something you wish more information about on the one radio station it works with. I assume it consists primarily of a clock and memory; it doesn't need to do much more than that. It comes with a serial cable for downloading. The device is translucent blue and has one button on it. It makes a little peeping sound when you press it. I've pressed it a few times (actually everyone I've shown it to has pressed it), but haven't actually listened to the station I'm supposed to be using it with yet! It is a decent first pass at an interesting market concept. I could use an easy way to remember URLs of interesting items on the radio, even some of the ads. It's unsafe to write them down when I'm driving. Usually I try to invent some kind of mnemonic device, but then I forget that I made one to remember it by.
8/9/2000 2:35:15 AM - name='606112'

Tuesday, August 8, 2000

I loved this article about a naturalist in Australia who uses slugs to clean the mold in his bathroom. The unsightly mold is a yummy treat for them. He experimented with various species to determine which ones were most effective. Some would wander off to other parts of the house (squish!) and others would try to go down the drainpipe. Some would do the shower curtain but not the grout. But the best ones would stay in the little house he provided during the day and come out at night to munch and clean all the mold away. (via Rebecca's Pocket)
8/8/2000 2:43:48 AM - name='599336'

There actually are organizations and historians attempting to collect computer devices, from the old Crays and Eniacs to newer items like PalmPilots and iMacs. The LA Times article also describes attempts to archive the constantly changing Internet. Alexa has crawled the Internet seven times since 1996, but there is much web history before then that has been lost. I bet the organizations and individuals who first had web sites haven't saved their original postings either. There was a project that archived the 1996 presidential sites, which I suppose has some historical value, though I'd rather we kept track of the more nebulous things that won't be chronicled in history books. For example, what were people first buying off of the Internet (books at Amazon?). And how much email was sent in 1990 vs 2000? The Internet landscape changes so quickly that most data is historical before it even gets tabulated.
8/8/2000 2:38:36 AM - name='599329'

Monday, August 7, 2000

I've participated in two sand sculpting endeavors (Mount St. Michel and The Sphinx), and highly recommend them as a creative and fun group activity. All you need is a beach (or lots of sand), a few people, and some basic tools. It's not that hard to make something amazing! Sand Castle Central has tips, contest listings, photos, and a directory of sand castle instructors (there's a new career in there somewhere).
8/7/2000 10:36:02 AM - name='594535'

This eWeek review of the new Palm m100 says: "The most compelling new feature of the m100 is its plastic digitizer, which is less prone to breakage than the glass digitizers in other Palm devices." Hmmm. Other than that, it isn't as appealing to me as the higher end models.
8/7/2000 10:30:35 AM - name='594493'

Pottery Barn has finally opened up online. I prefer actually going to PB for the tactile experience, but having a catalog online does facilitate linking to household accessories that I can then yak endlessly about. Take these "glass wax" candles, for instance. They are completely transparent (except for the wick) and have an amazing glow when lit. And unlike those gel wax candles, they aren't almost liquid and goopy, instead they are actually pretty hard like normal wax candles. I bought one (it was on sale), but when I got it home, it stank up the place. I'm not sure what to do with it (I am terrible at throwing things out) but the smell makes me unhappy and sneezy, so right now I have it underneath an overturned vase. So, unless they've reformulated them (perhaps that's why they were on sale), be aware that "lightly scented" is an understatement.
8/7/2000 10:25:48 AM - name='594464'

Sunday, August 6, 2000

MAC Cosmetics has finally launched their online store. It's a bit too "multimedia" and flashy for me. It's never fun buying nail polish online because it is impossible to get a true idea of how the colors and finishes will actually look.
8/6/2000 11:45:34 AM - name='589217'

Saturday, August 5, 2000

My cell phone service provider is GTE Wireless, which is now Verizon Wireless. GTE merged with Bell Atlantic into Verizon and created a formidable nationwide communications company. Back east, I had seen James Earl Jones doing Bell Atlantic commercials (ohhhh that voice!) and he's now doing the Verizon ones, but I haven't seen them nationwide yet. I've seen other commercials with people making two-finger "V" symbols. However, according to the press release about their ads "James Earl Jones, who served as the spokesperson for Bell Atlantic, will greet callers to Verizon's national directory assistance." I can just hear it: "Luke! Call your father."
8/5/2000 12:20:47 PM - name='585098'

My brother uses the Pelikan Level I fountain pen, which he especially likes because it has a large ink capacity and he writes pages and pages of stuff at work. There's a review of it on Penoply which surmises that it's Pelikan's way of getting fountain pens into the hands of teens and gen-exers. It's a plastic fountain pen with a steel nib so I was skeptical until I wrote with it. It's smooth smooth smooth. Nice. To refill the ink, you dock it to a special bottle. So, if you're a fountain pen snob but don't like to carry a snobby fountain pen all the time, you can give this one a whirl. But if you think the docking refill system is cool and want a high-end model, they also have the Level 5 series. But for some reason they couldn't design the cap to fit back on the top for the Level 5s, which is a big minus.
8/5/2000 12:05:22 PM - name='585051'

Friday, August 4, 2000

Can't remember when or where I found this, but if you need to find out what a plane looks like, airliners.net probably has a photo of it.
8/4/2000 10:55:28 AM - name='579879'

I traveled with my PalmPilot out of its case and the screen cracked. Ouch. I should know better; I really should. But it's an old model anyway, so I was already thinking of getting a new one. But I'm undecided about which model to get. And they'll keep making more, so this may turn into the old "I'm going to wait until they add nifty feature TLA" before I buy a new one.
8/4/2000 10:50:50 AM - name='579849'

Somehow this seems a little...contrived. It's a ZDNet article about programmer's block which is actually based on a Slashdot thread. I suppose I shouldn't be critical; it's an interesting topic and Slashdot is as good a source as any for news stories. The whole Web thing is based on links and sharing information anyway. But I guess I wish more news sites would come up with their own creative story ideas. In this case, though, the mainstream readers don't read Slashdot, so I suppose it is a way to introduce their readers to something interesting in the programmer world. Wired News thought the ZDNet article was interesting enough to link to in their "Elsewhere Today" section. Ah well, I'm just another jaded programmer :-). Programmer's block doesn't fascinate me, it is just a fact of life and I keep my life balanced to avoid it.
8/4/2000 10:42:26 AM - name='579794'

Thursday, August 3, 2000

My reading for the plane and layover tomorrow is Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill. I started it already and have discovered a reason why some stores have greeters at their entrances. Research shows that having someone say hello to a customer reduces the chance that they'll steal something. Of course the friendliness may also make you more likely to buy something. Or it could drive the introverts away. I've often found, especially during the temporary employment Christmas season, that the greeter knows the least about the merchandise in the store. If I know exactly what I'm looking for, I usually ask them where it is after they say hello. Most of the time, they smile blankly, but nicely, and point me to someone else lucky enough not to have door duty.
8/1/2000 8:04:14 PM - name='564277'

"The world's first museum dedicated to fermented herring will open in northern Sweden next year, daily Vasterbottens Kuriren reported" (from an Oddly Enough News item on Yahoo) Ahh yes, the Swedes and their herring. Sour herring. Very sour, pungent, odiferous herring. But, it is not the only museum dedicated to a meat product. A friend once told me about an encounter with a "Musee du Jambon", which is, for you non-French readers, a Ham Museum. I daftly inquired what he found inside the museum, to which he replied, "well, strangely enough...ham." I found their web site, unless there is more than one Musee du Jambon.
8/1/2000 7:53:17 PM - name='564228'