This clip might hit a bit too close to home for any of you in business, design, or simply have worked on a project that had too many cooks in the kitchen.
If you have a clear vision of what something should be, go with it. Everyone you ask will have an opinion, but if you try to please everyone you wind up with something that pleases no one (that includes you.)
Jul 31, 2008
Jul 29, 2008
Drinks, One Liners, and Courtship
I received a promotional offer from Men's Health Magazine recently in the mail that has made me rethink the current state of courtship today. The flyer was loaded with teasers of reasons to subscribe to the monthly publication. In addition to the usual articles about how to "Lose Your Gut" and "Muscle Up Your Diet" there were articles about dating.
Some highlights include: "Double Her Heat", "Moves that Melt", and "Hottest E-mails You Can Send." Suddenly it struck me. This is the men's version of Cosmo. It's all about looking better and tips on how to score.
But looking beyond the surface, what are media like this saying about courtship today? If you just memorize the right lines, moves, etc you can land a gorgeous gal and have lots of hot passionate sex before moving on to the next one.
In my opinion courtship today has become more of a cheap parlor trick than a formal, well-thought out process. That's why I love the guys over at The Art of Manliness who have posted a call to Stop Hanging Out With Women and Start Dating Them.
Besides flowers leave a much longer lasting impression on a damsel than anything you could run up on a tab at the local bar.
Some highlights include: "Double Her Heat", "Moves that Melt", and "Hottest E-mails You Can Send." Suddenly it struck me. This is the men's version of Cosmo. It's all about looking better and tips on how to score.
But looking beyond the surface, what are media like this saying about courtship today? If you just memorize the right lines, moves, etc you can land a gorgeous gal and have lots of hot passionate sex before moving on to the next one. In my opinion courtship today has become more of a cheap parlor trick than a formal, well-thought out process. That's why I love the guys over at The Art of Manliness who have posted a call to Stop Hanging Out With Women and Start Dating Them.
Besides flowers leave a much longer lasting impression on a damsel than anything you could run up on a tab at the local bar.
Jul 28, 2008
Jul 27, 2008
1,000,000,000,000 Pages on the Web
I heard this weekend that there are now over 1 Trillion pages on the world wide web. According to The Official Google Blog...
"We've known it for a long time: the web is big. The first Google index in 1998 already had 26 million pages, and by 2000 the Google index reached the one billion mark. Over the last eight years, we've seen a lot of big numbers about how much content is really out there. Recently, even our search engineers stopped in awe about just how big the web is these days -- when our systems that process links on the web to find new content hit a milestone: 1 trillion (as in 1,000,000,000,000) unique URLs on the web at once!"
Wow! I can't really comprehend that big of a number. But the real question isn't how many pages are on the internet, but rather how many of them are useful to YOU. The good news is, there's no need to waste hours and hours scouring the web to find relevant content.
Thanks to RSS readers like Google Reader, NetNewsWire, and Bloglines you can now bring the web's best content to you. It's like having your own personal newspaper version of the internet. Pretty cool.
So to all the web designers, bloggers, journalists, comedians, and other content creators please keep it coming! Here's looking forward to a quadrillion pages.
In other news, according to The New York Times China now surpasses the U.S. in number of internet users.
"We've known it for a long time: the web is big. The first Google index in 1998 already had 26 million pages, and by 2000 the Google index reached the one billion mark. Over the last eight years, we've seen a lot of big numbers about how much content is really out there. Recently, even our search engineers stopped in awe about just how big the web is these days -- when our systems that process links on the web to find new content hit a milestone: 1 trillion (as in 1,000,000,000,000) unique URLs on the web at once!"
Wow! I can't really comprehend that big of a number. But the real question isn't how many pages are on the internet, but rather how many of them are useful to YOU. The good news is, there's no need to waste hours and hours scouring the web to find relevant content.
Thanks to RSS readers like Google Reader, NetNewsWire, and Bloglines you can now bring the web's best content to you. It's like having your own personal newspaper version of the internet. Pretty cool.
So to all the web designers, bloggers, journalists, comedians, and other content creators please keep it coming! Here's looking forward to a quadrillion pages.
In other news, according to The New York Times China now surpasses the U.S. in number of internet users.
Jul 25, 2008
"Sunny" Orlando, FL
I just checked the weather forecast for the weekend...and what do ya know? Rain, rain, and more rain. At least Central Florida's consistent this time of year.
Jul 24, 2008
Liberally Thinking
What does it mean to be liberal? Think liberally, vote liberally, worship liberally, etc? And on the opposite side of the spectrum, what does it mean to practice all of those things conservatively?
I would say thinking liberally means you're open minded and free to consider new points of views. You have a very high tolerance, with the possible exception of intolerant people. Voting liberally, in the U.S. today generally means you vote for a Democrat. And as for worshipping liberally, I would think it depends on the context, but you certainly don't follow much of a routine and have a significant disdain for dogma.
As for conservatively thinking...I would say you very much know what you believe and why you believe it. You listen to someone else's opinion, but depending on how much it varies from yours you might be thinking they're a bit crazy to think such things. As for voting, you check the Grand 'Ol Party's box almost to a fault, and sometimes regardless of the candidate. Worshipping conservatively might mean you've attended the same church your entire life and maybe even sat in the same pew, shook hands with the same people, and talked about the same things week in and week out.
Before I continue, please don't think I'm trying to berate or offend anyone. I'm merely trying to lay out two seemingly opposing ideas as I am working through how they affect my views and beliefs. If there's a sliding scale with liberal on one end and conservative on the other, I'm trying to figure out where I land on that scale.
When you get right down to it, each of us has an opinion about where we stand on this sliding scale of ideals. Over the last year, where I land on that scale has shifted. Because of that, I am thinking differently about my particular flavor of politics, faith, etc.
What about you? Have you thought about where you land on the liberal vs. conservative scale? And if so, how does that affect various beliefs in your life?
I would say thinking liberally means you're open minded and free to consider new points of views. You have a very high tolerance, with the possible exception of intolerant people. Voting liberally, in the U.S. today generally means you vote for a Democrat. And as for worshipping liberally, I would think it depends on the context, but you certainly don't follow much of a routine and have a significant disdain for dogma.
As for conservatively thinking...I would say you very much know what you believe and why you believe it. You listen to someone else's opinion, but depending on how much it varies from yours you might be thinking they're a bit crazy to think such things. As for voting, you check the Grand 'Ol Party's box almost to a fault, and sometimes regardless of the candidate. Worshipping conservatively might mean you've attended the same church your entire life and maybe even sat in the same pew, shook hands with the same people, and talked about the same things week in and week out.
Before I continue, please don't think I'm trying to berate or offend anyone. I'm merely trying to lay out two seemingly opposing ideas as I am working through how they affect my views and beliefs. If there's a sliding scale with liberal on one end and conservative on the other, I'm trying to figure out where I land on that scale.
When you get right down to it, each of us has an opinion about where we stand on this sliding scale of ideals. Over the last year, where I land on that scale has shifted. Because of that, I am thinking differently about my particular flavor of politics, faith, etc.
What about you? Have you thought about where you land on the liberal vs. conservative scale? And if so, how does that affect various beliefs in your life?
Jul 22, 2008
The New Facebook
I want to like it. I really do. But I'm not there yet. If you haven't taken a look at it yet, check out new.facebook.com to see the beta version of the new layout for the social network juggernaut that launched yesterday.
Silicon Valley's golden child has made many such changes in it's short history that were initially accepted as drastic and now widely accepted by it's huddled masses. Many of you probably remember the expanding of membership beyond college students, introduction of the news feed, addition of status updates, and the list goes on and on.
With the launch of the Facebook Platform more than a year ago, the network was able to separate itself from the giant that was Myspace (who is ironically playing catch up with a developer platform of their own.)
So back to the latest development in the evolution of Mark Zuckerberg's social platform site. The goal seems be further broadcasting users' online activity by implementing FriendFeed characteristics while simultaneously placing applications closer to the backburner.
Granted, many of the applications on the site are childish and utterly useless...spam really. But many of the apps add tons of value to the site. iLike, Where I've Been, Visual Bookshelf, and others allow users to share content in ways FB's official apps don't currently offer. So right off the bat, I'm not a fan of sidelining my apps in another tab.
Although the new site appears to be a bit cluttered, I do like the emphasis on the wall being a user's mini-feed. If nothing else it should encourage casual users to interact more with their friends by posting content in order to have activity in their profile's main page.
So check it out, and let me know what you think. Is the new version a marked improvement or a step backwards in the evolution of a site that labels itself a social internet revolution?
What say you?
Silicon Valley's golden child has made many such changes in it's short history that were initially accepted as drastic and now widely accepted by it's huddled masses. Many of you probably remember the expanding of membership beyond college students, introduction of the news feed, addition of status updates, and the list goes on and on.
With the launch of the Facebook Platform more than a year ago, the network was able to separate itself from the giant that was Myspace (who is ironically playing catch up with a developer platform of their own.)
So back to the latest development in the evolution of Mark Zuckerberg's social platform site. The goal seems be further broadcasting users' online activity by implementing FriendFeed characteristics while simultaneously placing applications closer to the backburner.
Granted, many of the applications on the site are childish and utterly useless...spam really. But many of the apps add tons of value to the site. iLike, Where I've Been, Visual Bookshelf, and others allow users to share content in ways FB's official apps don't currently offer. So right off the bat, I'm not a fan of sidelining my apps in another tab.
Although the new site appears to be a bit cluttered, I do like the emphasis on the wall being a user's mini-feed. If nothing else it should encourage casual users to interact more with their friends by posting content in order to have activity in their profile's main page.
So check it out, and let me know what you think. Is the new version a marked improvement or a step backwards in the evolution of a site that labels itself a social internet revolution?
What say you?
Jul 21, 2008
Jul 16, 2008
McCain switches from abacus to PC
Sen. John McCain recently announced that he is learning to use a computer (email withstanding.) This comes after a video surfaced on YouTube showing a December interview of several GOP Candidates.
The question was, "Mac or PC?" John McCain answered "Neither" and said he relies on his wife for his computing needs. Really? So what's a guy to do when Cindy McCain is overseas?
The question was, "Mac or PC?" John McCain answered "Neither" and said he relies on his wife for his computing needs. Really? So what's a guy to do when Cindy McCain is overseas?
Jul 14, 2008
Jul 13, 2008
Who's in your phone?
As many of you know I recently got a new phone...or computer that just happens to make calls too. In the process, I had to re-enter all of my contact information. A pretty straightforward process to be sure, but it makes you reacess all of the people's numbers in your phone.
Really I'm not talking about numbers, but people. Who's in your phone? Do you prefer a small list of your closest friends/relatives. Or instead do you like to display nearly anyone and everyone you have ever called (or think you might one day.)
The same philosophy applies to your Facebook list of friends. Do you have 50 friends you know really well, or 500 (including the 50 you know well?)
I happen to fall on the more the merrier side of the scale. If only to play the occasional catch up once a year or so with one of the 450 that I don't know well. And in the meantime, I'm surrounding myself with people that I want to share influence with. They list the latest music their listening to or post photos of their most recent trip to Disneyland. All of which has an influence on me.
So back to the phone. Right now I'm at a little over 50 of my closest friends, family, and co-workers. But I'll be continuing to add to my circle of friends' numbers. So if you've updated your number recently, please by all means be sure to email me.
Thanks!
John
Really I'm not talking about numbers, but people. Who's in your phone? Do you prefer a small list of your closest friends/relatives. Or instead do you like to display nearly anyone and everyone you have ever called (or think you might one day.)
The same philosophy applies to your Facebook list of friends. Do you have 50 friends you know really well, or 500 (including the 50 you know well?)
I happen to fall on the more the merrier side of the scale. If only to play the occasional catch up once a year or so with one of the 450 that I don't know well. And in the meantime, I'm surrounding myself with people that I want to share influence with. They list the latest music their listening to or post photos of their most recent trip to Disneyland. All of which has an influence on me.
So back to the phone. Right now I'm at a little over 50 of my closest friends, family, and co-workers. But I'll be continuing to add to my circle of friends' numbers. So if you've updated your number recently, please by all means be sure to email me.
Thanks!
John
Jul 11, 2008
Jul 10, 2008
You Are What You Blog
In follow up to yesterday's post, I came across this article in Ad Age about your online profile. Most of you reading this blog probably have a Facebook profile and maybe even experimented a little with Twitter. If you're a working professional, chances are you have a LinkedIn account as well.
Those are all good things, but why not blog too? It's a great way to establish your online presence and personality in a way beyond listing what movies you like and bands you follow on Myspace. Blogging is the best way I know to establish an expertise within your industry, document your hike on the AT, or opine about your day to day happenings.
Blogs are blank canvases on which you can paint any picture you wish. So come on, what are you waiting for? After all, you have something to say. Why not share it with the rest of us?
Looking forward to it.
Those are all good things, but why not blog too? It's a great way to establish your online presence and personality in a way beyond listing what movies you like and bands you follow on Myspace. Blogging is the best way I know to establish an expertise within your industry, document your hike on the AT, or opine about your day to day happenings.
Blogs are blank canvases on which you can paint any picture you wish. So come on, what are you waiting for? After all, you have something to say. Why not share it with the rest of us?
Looking forward to it.
Jul 9, 2008
John in Orlando on Google
We did it! I finally was able to get my blog to show up on the first page on Google when searching "John in Orlando". It's currently ranked 2nd on the list to be more exact.
To be honest, I'm not sure just how I was able to find myself in Google's good graces. I'm no SEO expert, and I certainly don't have the traffic of some of my friends' blogs. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I've been proclaiming the good news of Google lately.
Nonetheless, I'm pretty pumped about the ranking. Of course, I could only think of one thing sweeter than this feat: being ranked at the top of the page when you Google "John Blog." A tall order to be sure, since there are approximately 134,987,305 people that share my not-so-unique name.
Heck, John Mayer is currently ranked fourth on that particular search listing. Bring it on Mr. Body is a Wonderland Guy! While you're Waiting on the World to Change, I'll be climbing the Google charts.
To be honest, I'm not sure just how I was able to find myself in Google's good graces. I'm no SEO expert, and I certainly don't have the traffic of some of my friends' blogs. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I've been proclaiming the good news of Google lately.
Nonetheless, I'm pretty pumped about the ranking. Of course, I could only think of one thing sweeter than this feat: being ranked at the top of the page when you Google "John Blog." A tall order to be sure, since there are approximately 134,987,305 people that share my not-so-unique name.
Heck, John Mayer is currently ranked fourth on that particular search listing. Bring it on Mr. Body is a Wonderland Guy! While you're Waiting on the World to Change, I'll be climbing the Google charts.
Jul 7, 2008
Jul 5, 2008
Celebrating with Facebook Status Updates
It's the day after our Nation's birthday bash and I'm void of an original thought at the moment. So it's time to use yours again. Here's this week's Top 10 Status Updates on Facebook:
10. Nick Faris is fat and you know it.
9. Amanda Moore will never put her face in front of a gas stove again!!
8. Nathaniel Barnett finally saw a BEAR!!!!!
7. Jared Davis is gonna cut grass soon.
6. Logan Light is celebrating with drywall...
5. Amy Sauls is in marseille.
4. Randi Tribble should probably not use this to express her true feelings at the moment...
3. Sam Peters loves America more than you.
2. Brad Bellamy is 10 people from the stage at the boston pops/Rascal Flatts spectacular with Marcus.
1. Matthew Nixon is celebrating a "Salute to all nations but mostly America."
10. Nick Faris is fat and you know it.
9. Amanda Moore will never put her face in front of a gas stove again!!
8. Nathaniel Barnett finally saw a BEAR!!!!!
7. Jared Davis is gonna cut grass soon.
6. Logan Light is celebrating with drywall...
5. Amy Sauls is in marseille.
4. Randi Tribble should probably not use this to express her true feelings at the moment...
3. Sam Peters loves America more than you.
2. Brad Bellamy is 10 people from the stage at the boston pops/Rascal Flatts spectacular with Marcus.
1. Matthew Nixon is celebrating a "Salute to all nations but mostly America."
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