This may have side effects. The sun could go nova, or squirrels may finally start talking. Bat-rabbits may attack.
Brent Simmons, NetNewsWire 3.0d53 change notes
QOTD
February 28, 2007 – 11:10 am
Churched
February 25, 2007 – 8:17 pm
Kristan and I have elected to have our wedding at Old Cathedral. The bureau-theo-cratic process for reserving the church assumed we were formally associated with a parish, which I haven’t been for many, many years. (My last one wasn’t really a “parish”, and the politics around my father’s turned me off from formal parish recognition.)
There are a few Catholic churches in walking distance from home, so we had to ask the archdiocese to learn we fall into the area of
Most important for my continued attendance, pastor Msgr. Delaney is a sharp, authentic, and thoughtful speaker. It’s almost jarring to hear him use a conversational style when reciting the Nicene Creed, and a storyteller’s tone for the Gospel. His homilies keep the congregation engaged with relevant commentary and analogies, none of the usual atmosphere of “break time” permeates the audience.
It struck me this morning that the attributes that make his celebration of Mass engaging are the same that define “cluetrain” conversational marketing. This made me wonder where the Church is, as an organization, in modern marketing? Why doesn’t every parish have a blog, with every homily posted for moderated discussion? Where’s the social network for members? Do they even have a CRM database beyond individual parishes keeping simple records?
Daily Bookmarks
February 21, 2007 – 11:45 pm
Links bookmarked on 2007-02-21
- Graffiti Research Lab » L.A.S.E.R. Tag
Projector, camera, and laser pointer to "draw" on large surfaces. - Terra Bite Lounge
HonorCommerce
Daily Bookmarks
February 20, 2007 – 11:45 pm
Links bookmarked on 2007-02-20
- Amazing: Playstation-quality 3D in Flash! at Aral Balkan
Decent rundown of today’s Flash 3D landscape
Bill Gates vs. John Nash
February 20, 2007 – 7:21 am
It is arguable that Apple was more innovative with technology prior to Steve Jobs’s return to power. He dissolved the ATG, home of the original Cocoa, and Apple Data Detectors, and famously axed the Newton, continued development of which might have given us the iPhone as a platform years ago.
But the Newton’s brand had been tainted by the poor handwriting recognition of the first models and a clunky form factor.
New (or returning) to Apple’s innovation DNA is marketing. And I don’t mean just advertising or PR, I mean making strategic business decisions to enter sensible markets that capitalize but don’t dilute brands and have exploitable niches. Any student of game theory and business can appreciate that this is the real genius behind the 21st century’s Apple.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has never really innovated in technology. They have, though, blazed a trail in business; it could even be said that Bill Gates established the practice of selling software. How disappointing that they’ve taken to trying to copy other business models with varying success; the Xbox, Zune, and Windows Mobile Smartphones are all me-too plays. MS has plenty of brilliant minds working on software, they need to get a few of them in strategic marketing.
Daily Bookmarks
February 19, 2007 – 11:45 pm
Links bookmarked on 2007-02-19
- Kelley Computing - rember
GUI for memtest - thorough RAM tester - Unplanned ‘offspring’ at Olympic Sculpture Park get SAM’s blessing
"We were thinking we were all punk rock and under the radar, and instead we were embraced."
Applied thought
February 19, 2007 – 6:35 pm
In 2005 I briefly anticipated Buro Vormkrijgers’s Pong® Clock. I later forgot about it.
But I just discovered John Maushammer’s Pong Watch and have to have one. The concept may not be original, but his design is inspired. The minimalist prototype cases, PIC code that adapts to low battery levels, and aesthetic PCB layout all demonstrate enough perfectionism to ensure a quality build without paralyzing the builder.
I dropped Maushammer an email pleading for a copy, and he responded that he’s looking into salable production. I’m more excited than I could be if I ordered a mass-produced watch, because I can follow how he has thought about the build so carefully. And that’s how I define design: thoughtfulness applied to building.
(If I were writing fiction with a character that carefully designs small things, I don’t think I could come up with a better name than Maushammer.)
As simple as driving
February 18, 2007 – 2:02 pm
GreatCall is advertising mobile phones for “Baby Boomers and their parents” with big buttons, easy-to-read displays, and simplified UI. This is ingenious, and I expect they’ll be quite successful.
One of the phones features three big dial buttons. Although the middle button is configurable (along with a contact list: do-it-yourself, ask a friend or have us update your phone list and features at your personal, secure Jitterbug web page
) the marketing pictures show it labeled “tow”.
Because your elderly parents who can’t manage a phone with actual numbers on it should be driving.
Daily Bookmarks
February 17, 2007 – 11:45 pm
Links bookmarked on 2007-02-17
- The Original Hako Clone
Paper models - Independent - Lawrence Wilkerson
"Feith, it will be remembered, is the individual described by General Tommy Franks, commander of the Iraq war, as "the fucking stupidest guy on the face of the earth". Wilkerson adds, "He was. Seldom have I met a dumber man.""
Monster Trucks
February 17, 2007 – 9:57 pm
Ryan and Kelly talked me into joining them for the Monster Truck Jam. Kelly’s a fan. It was everything I expected.
The national anthem was preceded by a cheesy ritual of military personnel being asked to stand. Then veterans. Then their parents. Then police and fire fighters. I was disappointed that it didn’t continue to include all tax-paying citizens. Then the anthem itself was accompanied by video of monster truck action. It was all very ‘Merican.
The “races” were inauthentic. While there was a noticeable difference in a few driver’s abilities (only two didn’t late-apex every single turn), the announcer’s commentary was amazingly predictive and several very controlled “loss of control” events led to the crowd favorites making it to the final rounds. Very close times were announced, but the scoreboards displayed no actual data, there were no timing lights, and not even a stopwatch was made public.
The highlight, of course, is the “freestyle” event, for which scores are announced but no competition appears to be involved. Mostly this consists of the trucks smashing into things until they “break”, but the only damage they took consisted of losing external parts (a wheel, fiberglass shells) and the only spectacular destruction was the smashing of a Winnebago. Hardly worth the price of admission or the unpleasant reminder of how mainstream redneck culture is.
If you need rural culture and authentic destruction, I’d recommend a real demolition derby.
