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Digital cleansing

Digital cleansing

Several folks (Matt Cutts and John Meyer, among others) have called for a break from our social networking, online everything world.
Sure.
It’s about time.

I sated myself long ago on the digital high of social networking, whether you call it Twitter, Facebook, or something else. We, the Kool-Aid drinkers, will try just about any new technical gadget [...]

A fresh breath

This last year (2009) was the most challenging ever for me, both personally and professionally. Good times, tough problems, people that transformed my heart, and ideas that changed my perspective. It wasn’t always easy, but each challenge had its own reward.
I’m looking forward to writing a bit more this year, opening the conversation up about [...]

Amazing social media customer support from Zemanta

Unedited, here’s a twitter exchange with the gents at Zemanta, triggered when I used Twhirl to shout out for customer support. I had no idea if they were listening, but I thought they might be. And since they just crashed my browser, Twhirl was the app of the moment, just ready to serve my frustration [...]

Social Graph is Plural

Social Graph is Plural

“Social Graph” is not just a singular noun.
“The Social Graph” is a popular misnomer that has plagued the social networking portability conversation ever since Brad Fitzpatrick catalyzed the blogosphere with a vision about the Global Social Graph.
But in fact, “The Social Graph” has little real value outside of computer science elegance. Nobody but Big [...]

Zen and Technology

I’m not sure how I found it, but today I discovered a bit of a gem in the blogosphere: ValleyZen.
For a quick taste, check out the interview with Drue Kataoka on View from the Bay. It is amazing how a few simple words can have such a profound visceral impact.
Drue’s suggestions resonate with my [...]

PocketMod: The origami PDA

I used to carry a small notebook (~2″x3″) with an equally small pen and would jokingly refer to it as my non-digital PDA whenever I took it out in front of fellow digerati. I mostly kept track of to-do items, shopping lists, and inspirations, just stuff.
Forward to 2008 and enter PocketMod. Mash up your design, [...]

ICANN punts… and scores!

Responding to ICANN’s call for comments, I submitted a comment asking ICANN to reject the proposed changes to WHOIS. And they listened.
Actually, I doubt that it was my comment that made the difference, but kudos to everyone who took the time to give their input, even those that disagreed with me. (Note that link only [...]

The future

Future
from xkcd.com

That about sums it up sometimes, doesn’t it?

Open comment to ICANN on WhoIs changes

If you haven’t already, you might considering reviewing the current proposed ICANN changes to Whois and consider sending in your comments. Mine follow.
In short, the proposed changes are more than morally questionable, they undermine the core infrastructure that keeps the Internet working.
(Many thanks to Doc Searls for pointing me to this issue.)
Dear ICANN,

I am [...]

Midland Accent

Doc Searls points me to this accent test.
Tells me I’ve got no accent. Hmph.

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Midland

 

“You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then [...]