Mu-mon-kan

This is a cool little link for those who love ASCII images.

Check it out. It’s fun :)

Currently Rocking Out To: The Scientist - Coldplay

So I now have w.bloggar set up. Looks useful, but there are a few gripes (aesthetically speaking . . . I’m picky.) Maybe I’ll blog a little more now that it’s more convenient.

Please don’t hold your breath :)

Currently Rocking Out To: Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking - Snow Patrol

OK . . . I understand the hype and fascination with Web 2.0–which, incidentally, is an unfortunate name since the web itself hasn’t really evolved, just the flavor of applications being run on it, but I guess you have to market it somehow–but I feel the interactivity is being used for trendy, unnecessary, inaccessible, and, sometimes, annoying purposes. I’m constantly inundated with flashing widgets with drag-and-drop functionality for . . . what purpose? Do I go to a website to play with the widgets? Maybe some, but, most of the time, no. Does this functionality benefit everyone? After listening to the EO Webcast today, these thoughts plagued me throughout the day. A great deal of this new technology is used for it’s slick “wow” factor and much of it that could improve the site’s accessibility falls by the wayside. Sure, I can make the site cool for 85% of the world . . . but what does that make the site for the other 15? I know that I sometimes fall prey to time constraints in my own applications. If I don’t have time to make it 508 accessible, then I skip that step. However, I am always XHTML and CSS compliant. Hopefully, that’s half the battle.

Simplicity is not a bad thing. I try to design the way I live. Objects don’t end up in my house unless they have a functional purpose (at least not the objects I buy.) So, I try to model my web apps the same way. Some of the greatest websites are the simplistically functional (check out dictionary.com if you’re looking for a great, recent example how simplicity can improve usability.) I absolutely encourage experimentation and the sharing of ideas and blogs are a great medium to accomplish this. So, by all means, let me know what you think about this issue. I’m not trying to keep anyone from doing cool things, but I am trying to keep the largest number of users in mind.

Currently Rocking Out To: Goodnight and Go - Imogen Heap

I’m not talking about that root of all evil. Or that one. That one, either.

I’m talking about money.

Always the necessary evil–survival wouldn’t be the same without it–it compounds as you “succeed” in life. For instance, I just closed on a condo, to, finally, be unfettered by the shackles of a monthly rent payment. However, this newfound freedom(?) almost triples my previous monthly liability and, paradoxically, seen as a step in the right direction, by the majority of society. Do I really need it?

The justification of the purchase is deceptively easy since the condo existed prior to my purchase which follows my belief in leaving behind a small footprint on the earth when I die (the less environmental impact, the better.) Is this just the start of exceedingly easier and easier justifications? Will I be able to stop when I before I completely exceed my needs? Have I already?

I’m not looking for answers, I’m just talking to myself . . . online . . . in public.

Currently Rocking Out To: Broken Box - Queens of the Stone Age

I have no idea what Seitz was thinking, but check out this Engadget post.

Just in case everyone was thinking there was hope for humanity, think again.

Drinking and pandas do not mix.

So after a ridiculous amount of work–in development since April–design changes, and css hacks, the Bove’s of Vermont website is finally live. Please feel free to read about Bove’s, order some sauce, use the awesome store locator, or just browse around.

Everyone on the team here at Dual Focus, LLC did an awesome job.

After a long hiatus–and an education of how blogs can actually help one organize and are not always a time-suck–I am back on track with the website project. So, for this week’s assignment:

1. Organize photos to send to Jon.
2. Get additional info for the store and merchant’s account squared away.
3. Get rest of the illustrator files hacked up.
4. Migrate the site to its final resting place.

Hopefully, I’ll maintain the regular updates. Once a night is what I’m shooting for.

We’ll see.

This quote by The Guardian writer, Jonathan Freedland, exemplifies my thoughts of any war–this one pertaining to the harsh Israel-Lebanon conflict:

The greater legacy is the human one. Every bomb dropped by Israel will have broken hundreds of Lebanese hearts. Some will have lost loved ones; others will have seen bridges, streets and houses that were painstakingly restored after decades of war smashed into the ground. Those who witnessed it will not forget it, and they will carry a bitterness towards Israel for the rest of their lives, passing it on to their children. The bereaved families of Israeli civilians will feel the same way about their enemy. From all the rational, strategic calculations, this is the factor that is so often missing: the hatred sowed in the human heart. Both sides have ensured this dreadful conflict spreads, not just across borders - but down the generations.

If you want to see the rest of this article, go here.

So, network neutrality . . . heard of it? It’s the Internet’s first amendment. The network in question operates under the three principles of neutrality: non-discrimination, interconnection, and access. In short, no website’s traffic has precedence over any other’s. The sad thing is that that may be changing (thank you, AT&T, et al.) My advice to you is to go here. However, I’d understand if you would like to read more about it, first. You could always try Wikipedia (an excellent resource) or just check for it on Google. I’m always curious to hear others thoughts on this issue.

Next up: Who loves nature?