Guillaume Mardaga, based on a concept by Juhani Jokinen. Jokinen is a concept artist, matte painter and illustrator specializing in producing conceptual ideas and high end artwork for clients within the entertainment industry.
There’s No Such Thing As A Protest Vote
In 2016, (the U.S. electoral system) will offer 130 million or so voters just three options:
A. I prefer Donald Trump be President, rather than Hillary Clinton.
B. I prefer Hillary Clinton be President, rather than Donald Trump.
C. Whatever everybody else decides is OK with me.
That’s it. Those are the choices. All strategies other than a preference for Trump over Clinton or vice-versa reduce to Option C.
Clay Shirky: There’s No Such Thing As A Protest Vote
Calendars
I’ve been creating some short screencasts to help a friend transition from Windows to a new Chromebook. This includes some iOS apps. As I get ready to show him the Google Calendar app, I’m reminded of the calendar I saw on his refrigerator. It’s the “family calendar” where everyone keeps up with who’s where.
This got me thinking about the seven columns/four rows layout of calendars. I always took this for granted until I started using the “schedule” view in Google’s iOS app (see GIF below). This linear, flowing presentation makes perfect sense on a smart phone where you can endlessly scroll (or search). And the 7-by-4 layout of paper calendars don’t work as well on smaller screen.
The 7-by-4 layout makes sense if your calendar is printed on a sheet of paper (as it has been for hundreds of years). And if we’re going to share the calendar, we have to be looking at the same piece of paper. Not so in a cloud-connect, smart phone world.
In front of my laptop, I still opt for the month view in Google Calendar but I’ve gotten used to the schedule view on my phone. Will the 7-by-4 view be with us always or will it become a quaint anachronism for those who never knew anything but smart phones?
Roger Ailes
“He may have wanted to enhance conservatism, but decimated it instead, along with political discourse itself. At 76, he will not have to live much longer with the consequences of his actions, but many of us will. He has made his mark on America, and left the rest of us a lot worse off for it.”
— W. Richard Benash (The Dartmouth)
Where do your text messages go?
Trump clothing made overseas
Above-ground pools suck
But a lot more expensive. And harder to install. And remove. I’ve never had one of these pools but I see lots that have been abandoned. They seem like a good idea, for that first summer. But it soon becomes obvious that you can’t really swim in one of these things so you just stand around in chest-deep water, scooping out dead bugs and leaves.
So here’s my idea for a business (that someone has already thought of): a temporary above-ground pool. Bring it in on a flatbed trailer; fill her up; install the support gear and BOOM, you got a pool. In September you call the truck back, drain the pool and take it away. You have your yard back. (“Hey, mom! Can we put the trampoline back up?”)
The Real America
The Real America can be found in this Social Security Administration waiting room. The lady in the leopard pants talks exactly like the Gary Oldman character in True Romance.
Pooper: Never pick up your dog’s poop again
My first thought was… hoax. But this looks like a real thing. (So don’t tell me there are no jobs out there to be had.) With two big Goldens, picking up poop is a daily ritual for me. One that I enjoy. I have good tools and a little plastic bucket. One swing around the yard and I have made the world a better place.
But paying someone to pick up my dog’s shit? No. Wrong. If you’re not willing to pick up Fido’s load, you don’t deserve to have a dog. The end.
Goodbye Windows, hello Chrome
My friend John has a desktop Windows computer that is infested with malware and update demands. He asked my advice on cleaning it up and I suggested he junk it and get a Chromebook. He agreed and asked me to help so (with the assistance of +George Kopp) I ordered an Acer Chromebook 14. This week I’m headed south to deliver and help make the transition from Windows to Chrome OS.
I signed up to test the early Chromebook from Google and they sent me one to play with (and keep). This was in 2011? It was a good box and had I not already purchased a MacBook, I could have been happy with the Chromebook. The new hardware and software is even better.
He asked me to get him a new printer and George recommended a Brother HLL2360DW wireless laster printer. Again, very impressed and only $150. For less than $500 my friend is getting a new laptop and printer. Not bad. And the printer does Google Cloud Print. Nice.
No more malware. No more constant updates (automatic in the background). Thank you Chrome OS.