webraw/blog :: uncooked web goodness

Recording Life in Real Time
Matt Wood examines how consistent blogging can improve the skills of aspiring writers. A portion of the article appears below.

About a year ago, I decided I wanted to be a writer. I had spent months agonizing about the state of my career in the IT industry while I sat at work, utterly bored. I was convinced that I had chosen the wrong career and I needed to get out.

I didn't have any delusions that I could become the next Hemingway. I would be perfectly happy as a staff writer for a magazine, penning a column or two for some websites, and publishing a book every few years. It was all very simple. I just wanted to be able to make a living doing something that I enjoyed, instead of sitting at a desk, doing someone else's idea of productive work, and punching a clock to get paid.

Once I came to this conclusion, I did some research on the writer's life. I bought copies of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and William Zinsser's On Writing Well. I read articles and talked to acquaintances that majored in English about their luck in becoming professional writers ('You wanna be a writer? You'd better be good.'). Everything I read or heard told me that to become a good writer, I should practice every day, like a basketball player shooting free throws or a shortstop taking grounders. The amount of practice prescribed by these experts varied, but all agreed that an aspiring writer should set aside a certain amount of time each day to work at the craft. Knock out a thousand words. Spend an hour revising a piece. Describe a scene from the morning commute. I'm a methodical, schedule-oriented person in the first place, so I took this advice to heart and set out to become a "real" writer. Read More >>
posted by Eric J | 1:26 PM

Time to Take Action... but How?
Ok, I just discovered that webraw isn't being "pirated" but is being hijacked. There is a BIG difference (though both are bad). I found this complaint about a site that was being mirrored in real time on a Japanese server and having its CSS stripped out and an ad inserted at the top of the page (which is being done to this site). This is WRONG. It's one thing to borrow someone's design (which I don't condone), but it's another thing to actually make money from someone else's content. They have a name for that type of stuff... I think it's called STEALING.

This is wrong and I'm going to find out how to shut this site down.
posted by Eric J | 11:00 AM

Dude, Beck is Blogging!
Yeah, I love Beck. I was hooked the first time I heard Loser and have enjoyed every song since. Now Beck is Blogging. He's not the first musician to start blogging but he's one I'm most excited about. We'll see what happens but right now I'm just giddy with excitement. Yes, I said giddy. Now get back to work.
posted by Eric J | 2:31 AM

My Tiny Soapbox
Today on slashdot there is a link to a story about a corporate coalition (Microsoft, Disney and Amazon.com) lobbying the FCC to preserve the free-flowing nature of the Internet.

The FCC has been contemplating what to do about Cable and DSL for a long time and this coalition (called the Coalition of Broadband Users and Innovators) wants to be sure that the Internet is not fundamentally altered whent the FCC finally adopts new rules. The issue in question is complicated but it basically stems from the fact that Cable net access isn't regulated like phone access, it's been treated much like Cable Television. The fear is that the FCC will rule that DSL and Cable Internet access doesn't need to be open like phone lines but can be closed like Cable. The result for consumers could mean that Time Warner could provide priority status to the delivery of proprietary content while impeding or even eliminating access to content from other sources.

Lawyer and Net activist Lawrence Lessig discussed this issue a couple of years ago in his book The Future of Ideas (and he continues to discuss the issue). The threat is real. Some, like Doc Searls and David Weinberger, seem to believe that the Internet will always be "stupid" (meaning it doesn't discriminate among types of information). I hope the Net will remain dumb but an FCC ruling favoring Cable and DSL might set in motion the "smart network" that would dramatically alter the Web.

One interesting absence from the lobby coalition is AOL. Obviously they want the FCC to give rule that cable should be treated differently but that is only because they now own Time Warner Cable. Before the merger, AOL was a powerful advocate for free and open access for DSL and Cable. In fact, pre-merger they said that they would continue to support an open access policy. Money has a way of changing minds.

So, what can you do? Well, for starters, join the EFF.
posted by Eric J | 12:18 PM

Sunday Memories: Macrame Owls
Evil Bad Owl

The Macrame Owl is evil. I'm convinced that the ritual of rope twisting and knot tying (like some dark wizard's magic brew) unleashes the mystical forces of doom and channels them through the crafty creations we call the Macrame Owl.

Ok, maybe they aren't quite that bad but Macrame Owls did give me the creeps as a kid. One of my friends had them all over his house and I got this extra-creepy feeling every time I visited. At the age of seven I had no real concept of art but I knew, at that early age, that those abominations hanging from the kitchen wall, were definitely not art.

If you're unfamiliar with Macrame Owls (consider yourself lucky) they are a craft craze that peaked in the U.S. during the late 70s, about the same time as Disco. There is apparently some history to the art of Macrame and, according to one site, Macrame originated with 13th-century Arabian weavers. Cool. But were they making owls? I bet not.

The only good thing about Macrame Owls is that they are highly flammable. This story recounts a burning owl incident with an extra-happy ending, the narrator gives up Macrame forever.
posted by Eric J | 10:37 AM

Google loves these Flavors
Mildly interesting is the fact Google has determined that the 31 Flavors of Blog project should be the number one search result for 31 Flavors. This is sort of interesting because Baskin-Robbins, who created the phrase "31 Flavors," is the number two result. So, according to Google, this site is the spot to learn about "31 Flavors."

Try typing "31 Flavors" into Google and click "I'm feeling lucky" and take a wild guess where Google sends you.

Anyway, I think this is one flaw of the Google design.
posted by Eric J | 9:42 AM

Verizon gets 14 days to ID file-swapper
Verizon gets 14 days to ID file-swapper (linked from News.com).

I know the RIAA is chuckling in some plush office suite right now. Damn courts. Damn RIAA. Dam beavers.
posted by Eric J | 10:44 AM

Editor & Publisher cover the Denis Horgan blog shut down
Regarding a series of previous posts a friend sent me the link to this headline from Editor & Publisher: Hartford Paper Tells Employee to Kill Blog.

The reasoning given by Hartford editor Toolan goes like this: "Denis Horgan's entire professional profile is a result of his attachment to The Hartford Courant, yet he has unilaterally created for himself a parallel journalistic universe where he'll do commentary on the institutions that the paper has to cover without any editing oversight by the Courant"

Agree with it or not we now see "the other side" of the story. I'm still interested in how issues like this will continue to play out in the workplace over the next few months and years.
posted by Eric J | 2:08 PM

For sale
SOLD!

Oh yeah. If you need an old VCR I'm selling one on eBay. It's my first experience with selling something online so I'm sure I screwed something up. And my wife tells me that the starting bid is too high. Oh well, live and learn. But the VCR does work. Honest.
posted by Eric J | 9:58 PM

Clarification
There have been some questions about my previous post that lead me to believe that I should probably clarify my statements.

I said that "the reality of who signs my paychecks continues to play a significant role in the type of content provided on this site." That statement seems to incorrectly indicate that my employer somehow determines what is said or produced on this site, directly or indirectly. In reality, this site has always been an expression of my passion for the Web and Web related subjects (art, media, technology, laws, etc.). Staying true to that passion coincidentally inoculates webraw.com from any possible employer/employee conflicts such as those that have visited Denis Horgan. My response was framed in the context of a question posed by my friend asking how long before webraw.com is shut down by my employer.

Additionally, I listed the fact that I don't espouse religious or political opinions on this site and I also don't bash my employer (I honestly have no reason to). Those are also content decisions made because I feel such rhetoric would be inappropriate on a site such as webraw. For example, if PC Magazine began publishing extreme Right Wing editorials instead of Windows tips, many people would scratch their heads and many more would cancel their subscriptions (some believe they already publish such editorials but that's another story).

So, in staying true to the mission of webraw I have also stayed safely within the realm of "acceptable practices" with my employer but that is more coincidence than actual design. If I had decided to create an anti-American political site instead of webraw then I would have had to closely evaluate the possible risks, legal battles and simple conflict that might have developed as a result. As it stands, I chose something relatively benign and am therefore not really worried about any confrontation similar to Horgan's.

Now, I must also make something explicitly clear, I will never be silenced. I have other publications that people have tried to shut down and have chosen to fight such attempts. Yet, as odd as it may sound, I don't believe that I have the "right" to say whatever I want when not at work. Wait, that's not right. I have the right to say any damn thing I please but my employer also has the right to fire me for saying it.

Example 1: A man is a paid worker at a homeless shelter. A large portion of the homeless in this shelter are African-Americans. The man does his job well and he never receives any complaints. Yet, when he gets home he starts posting to his very popular White Supremacist Web site and is soon interviewed on CNN for a segment they are doing about racism and the Web. Would it be wrong for the homeless shelter to fire this man or ask him to stop posting his Web site?

Example 2: A woman is head of public relations for a large corporation. However, every weekend she can be found at rallies and protests against the War in Iraq. She publishes an anti-war newsletter that gets wide circulation among the protester groups. Word gets out that she works for Company A and soon Company A notices a dip in sales because customers believe that Company A is anti-war and the customers consider that position unpatriotic. Company A spends thousands of dollars trying to dispel the unpatriotic perception. Would it be wrong for Company A to fire her or ask her to quit attending protests?

Maybe those aren't the best examples but the point is that in many jobs, what we do outside of work can affect our job. Most journalists are not allowed to actively participate in a political party. When covering a specific beat many journalists are forbidden from engaging in activities associated with that beat (if you cover food you can't join the Food Club).

There is also just an ethical standard for journalists (and yes, I'm still considered a journalist) to maintain the perception of objectivity and try to remain unbiased in every story they cover. This would mean that publishing strong personal opinions, even on a personal blog, could possibly jeopardize the value of future work (think Geraldo and Peter Arnette).

The main point I'm trying to make is that the whole question of how employers will view the blog publications of their employees is unchartered water and I hope the incident with Horgan is not an indication of which direction the issue is headed. This particular topic is one that has been long debated and will continue to generate discussion for a long, long time. I just hope for the best but fear the worst.
posted by Eric J | 8:37 PM

Blogs and Your Boss
Today I got an e-mail from a friend asking:
How much longer until >>YOUR EMPLOYER<< shuts down your blog like http://www.denishorgan.com? (Screen Shot)

Apparently Denis Horgan works for The Hartford Courant and, according to his blog, is "no longer allowed to operate a column on this web page. Despite the fact that this page is operated on my own time and at my own expense, that it does not compete with the newspaper or draw upon any of its resources, the editor has ruled that its operation is a conflict of interest. "

It's no secret that I work in the "New Media" department of a newspaper. The reality of who signs my paychecks continues to play a significant role in the type of content provided on this site. While the primary goal of this site has always been to provide Web-related content, commentary, experiments, tutorials, art, etc., each content decision is made with the knowledge that my employer is a news publication and has certain expectations of its employees.

Some steps I've taken to meet those expectations:

Keeping political or religious opinions off of this site

Maintaining independence by refusing advertisements, donations or any type of fiscal compensation.

Refrain from negative comments about my employer (not that I ever have any)

Full disclosure - My employer knows about this site

While my friend's question is a legitimate one, I don't think that a pure comparison can be made between this site and Horgan's. From a quick reading it seems that he makes some pretty opinionated comments about the Iraq War and uses some fairly charged rhetoric. I challenge anyone to figure out my opinion of the war. The only issues that I get really excited about here are things like free speech, copyrights, buggy software, Internet restrictions, etc.

The real issue that the Horgan site presents is determining the definition of a blog. Some argue that blogs should be treated like personal diaries while others believe that a blog is a small version of the New York Times. Another question is can your employer legally decide that your blog must come down or risk termination?

These questions and issues will continue to surface because blogs allow anyone, not just Web geeks, to publish to the world. As more people around the globe begin publishing, employers will make decisions about how to handle these new voices. Let's just hope they all read The Cluetrain Manifesto before making their blog-aware policies.
posted by Eric J | 12:56 PM

More "press"

OJR article: Dead or Alive? Fark.com Plays in CNN's Sandbox

An Interview With Webraw.com's Eric Janssen About The Cnn.com Obituary Fiasco

"I'm hungry. Let's get a taco."
posted by Eric J | 11:01 AM

Beware the Ice Cream Van

This is the back of a real Ice Cream "van" I passed on my way to Nashville last week. I tried to get a photo of the side of the van but it was too hard to pull off logistically (I was driving 60mph you know).

When I first saw the back of this van (it was going really slow - typical Ice Cream van speed) on I-40 I wasn't sure what it was. Then I passed it and saw a listing of all the ice cream flavors available, prices and pictures of clowns and knew that it was an ice cream truck.

The guy driving it looked about as scary as the van. I know nothing about the Ice Cream Van/Truck business but I do have some common sense advice: When you decide to go into the ice-cream-truck-for-kids business, spend a few extra bucks to buy a truck that DOESN'T make you look like "Franky the child-molesting Ice Cream vendor." Just a thought.
posted by Eric J | 3:57 PM

Don't Mourn, Yet. These Obits Were Only Designs
The New York Times story about the infamous Obits is up now. David Gallagher is the reporter who contacted me last week about the truth concerning the CNN/Obit snafu. While this site didn't get mentioned in the story (Curt was always the real man behind the link) David did provide a link on his own site saying:

Over at Webraw, Eric has some additional info that I couldn't jam into my story, including his correspondence with the designer last August.

I spoke with Curt tonight and he said that he made a point of keeping the CNN/Obit link off of K10K (a regular contributer) back in March, 2002 "because k10k gets too much traffic and it didn't seem right."

Well, for whatever it's worth, the link is out now. CNN got red-faced. And now the whole mess is hopefully winding down.
posted by Eric J | 11:19 PM

Sunday Memories - Ultraman

The television show that had the biggest impact on my childhood imagination was, without a doubt, Ultraman.

For those who may not be familiar with Ultraman, here is some background.

Ultraman is a Japanese superhero created in 1966.

The basic story was that the Ultraman was a warrior from the nebula of light, and he had come to Earth to keep it from being invaded by giant monsters and other assorted alien menace. But during his first visit to earth, he collides with a fighter jet piloted by Hiata, one of the soldiers of the Science Patrol ... which had the unfortunate effect of killing Hiata. So Ultraman gives Hiata his lifeforce, and the ability to change into Ultraman with the use of the Beta Capsule (a small device which bore a passing resemblance to a toothbrush travel case). But the catch was, Hiata could only be Ultraman for 3 minutes at a time before draining his power and being forced to change back into Hiata again.

Ultraman had, of course, ultra powers. He could fly. He could fire lazer weapons from his hands. (from Ultraman Powered

The coolest thing about Ultraman was the way he shot his lazers. He would form his hands into a sort of cross and the lazer blast would shoot from the side of his hand, kind of like a karate chop. Anyway, we used to run around the yard pretending to be Ultraman and looking for monsters to destroy. Of course nobody wanted to be the monster so we had 5 or 6 Ultramen and no monsters. My dog Pedro usually ended up being the monster but somehow it was hard to imagine that skiddish Beagle as a 2-headed, fire-breathing terror of Tokyo.

Today's version of Ultraman is the Power Rangers, who are infinitely less cool and are rumored to cause tooth decay. Ultraman would kick those Power Ranger's asses.
posted by Eric J | 5:19 PM

Yes, this site is wide...
The biggest complaint I get about this site design is that it's too wide. I agree. I won't revisit why this site is so wide but I will say that "too wide" is a relative term. 5 years ago a site designed for 800x600 monitor resolutions was a big no-no. There were still a lot of people using 640x480 monitors and horizontal scrolling is just something people don't like to do when web browsing. As monitors got better and cheaper, the old 256 color CRTs that came with our 486 PCs became obsolete and Web designers were given the green light to start creating sites for 800x600 resolutions and carefully deviating from the 256 Web-safe color palette.

I have always been a progressive thinker and I'd like to believe that this site design is ahead of the next Web trend because of its obscene (by today's standards) width. I know I'm only kidding myself but let's look at some very rough numbers:

52% visitors to webraw/blog - 1024x768 resolution

15% visitors to webraw/blog - 800x600 resolution

14% visitors to webraw/blog - 1280x1024 resolution

6% visitors to webraw/blog - 1152x768 resolution

2% visitors to webraw/blog - 1600x1200 resolution

<1% visitors to webraw/blog - 640x480 resolution

<1% visitors to webraw/blog - 3200x1200 resolution

No, this doesn't add up to 100%. I left some out because the list was really long.

However, look at the stats. The 1280 folks are about equal to the 800 folks. While 15% is too large a number to ignore, I think that 800x600 resolutions are slowly going the way of the 640x480 folks. Give it another year or two and that 15% will be down to single digits. What I want to know is who the heck has a monitor with 3200 screen resolution! Wow. That's some serious width there. Imagine designing a site 3000 pixels wide.

Hmmm... I think I just got an idea for the webraw.com redesign.
posted by Eric J | 2:20 PM

Asian(?) WrestleMania
This is pretty cool. Strange too.
It's an 2.5 mb mpeg, just so you know.
posted by Eric J | 1:39 PM

Google Benefits
The Benefits at Google aren't too shabby. Even have "same sex domestic partner coverage" for health care.
posted by Eric J | 9:51 AM

Three Scariest Words
Here's a challenge. Try to think of the three scariest words American Web-junkies could ever hear. The three words that strike fear and dread into the hearts of people who work, play, create, communicate and practically exist on the Web. Three little words. One. Two. Three.

Three words. When you hear or read these words you know that it absolutely, within any context, cannot be a good thing. I think I've found those words tonight.

RIAA WELCOMES RULING
posted by Eric J | 10:25 PM

Blast from the past
This CNN/Obit thing has me wondering if every interesting link I stumble across might one day become some similar bizarre Web phenomenon. So, while I doubt this is anything of interest to anyone, here is a post I originally blogged back on November 17, 2002. If you think it's silly, I agree. But I also thought the CNN/Obit thing was silly too and now look what's happened.

>>

I have no idea if I've stumbled across something interesting or something that everyone already knows about. Maybe it's a temporary thing and the directory won't be accessible for long? Who knows.

It is interesting to take some time to poke around this directory for a bit. Found this interesting apology from Jeff Bezos regarding some sort of mix-up over patents or something (?). Anyway, the domain is definitely registered to UserLand folks so I guess it's really their stuff. I had a similar experience with a CNN dev site back in August.

Anyway, I've sent them a heads up e-mail just in case. <<
posted by Eric J | 8:23 PM

Uh, what's this?
Test Blog

UPDATE: It's just a dev-test site for >>edit<< to test out templates. God I'm getting paranoid since this CNN thing blew up. Every site anomaly I stumble across has me thinking that I should link it up just in case it turns into some similar type event. I know, I need a break. I have resumed writing (other than this blog) and that is a great way for me to refocus.

UPDATE Part II: So what would you do if you stumbled across a public site, one that can be accessed by anyone in the world, a site that holds some marginal interest in your Web-saturated mind and after linking it up on your blog or link page, the individual responsible for the site asks that you remove the link? Would you remove the link? Would you keep it up?

So far, my answer to that question is that I take the link down. In fact, I would have never been involved with this CNN/Obit thing if Rentz hadn't given me a thumbs up for posting the link to the sandbox. When he originally asked me to take the link down I took it down. After he said it was no big deal I put it back up. I know of a couple of sites that I just don't link to because the people responsible for them might not want them generally linked. I have also worked on some personal and professional Web projects that were ideally unlinked and anonymous but remained public and theoretically accessible to the world.

The point is that I'm not some Farking link-whore who just tries to link stuff up to make trouble. You don't want your site linked up, give me a good reason and I'll probably take it down. It's generally not a big deal. Maybe I'm all wrong in this. Maybe I should just link stuff up and damn those responsible. If they didn't want the site linked up then they should have made it secure. Why should I remove a link that could easily pop up on 100 other sites tomorrow? Are you going to police the entire Web and ask everyone who links to your public site to remove that link? I think that's what how corporations ended up on Don't Link To Us. I guess I could think that way but frankly, it's just not my style.

I do feel a deep obligation to make it explicitly clear on this blog whenever a particular post has been substantially altered or removed. I think it's important for readers to understand that something has changed and maybe even explain why it was changed. I guess that's what I'm doing now.

Anyway, quit reading this tripe and go enjoy your Saturday.
posted by Eric J | 8:00 PM

Craziness continues...
I was just contacted by an "A-List" reporter about this whole Peter Rentz/CNN/Obit mess. I had absolutely no idea that this thing would generate such a buzz. For anyone who may be wondering here are the e-mails Peter sent me back in August 2002 with minor edits to omit contact information:

In response to a link I had on my site with the question: "Is this real? Is this a goof site or really a CNN dev site?"

> Yes sandbox.cnn.com is real.
> i thought it was password protected from the outside but i guess not.
> It probably would be a good idea to take the link down since a bit of
> that stuff is confidential. Or not.
> --
> Peter Rentz
> Los Angeles | Atlanta

Then I replied to him saying that I took the link down and that I thought his work was cool and just doing some newsie-type chatting.

> Eric
> thanks man. no problem at all really. you did not have to even take it
> down. i do not think there is anything other than the redesign that is
> urgent. and even the redesign is a hack, design by committee anyway.
>
> Yea i have no idea why that is not password protected.
> try this directory» http://sandbox.cnn.com/rfukuda/
> an old art directors sandbox
>
> What do you do for Scripps Howard? Online stuff I am sure, correct? I
> love online news design actually. I wish I could work for BBCi or the
> Guardian. CNN is cool just very corporate now. When Ted ran things it
> was great. The news was important, now the quarterly AOL profits come
> first. Yuk.
>
> When i first started CNN i tripped out on obits and thought how creepy
> it was that news organizations did them ahead of time.
>
> I used to be here» http://www.forcefield.co.uk/index5.9.html
> but i always forgot to update and build out a portolio so i gave up. I
> am not much of writer and i spend my too much of my time reading
> probably all the same stuff you do. Kinda want to learn PHP and mySQL
> for easier publishing but no time.
> I just moved to LA on a whim but i am still doing work for CNN. trying
> to do more print and cultural based stuff. Was sick of Atlanta, etc.
> And the news, even though i love it, after the 5 rounds of layoffs,
> sept 11 and the subsequent round the clock stress i needed a change.
>
> How did Sept11 affect you guys? Slammed?
>
> aight back to work.
>
>
>
>
> Peter

The final e-mail was a response to my question about how he found webraw.com and the link in the first place

>
> Eric
> ahhhh
> no problem. the funny thing is that the server is password protected
> within Turner networks but not outside. and i do not have admin
> rights on it. other than ftp. But now i do not work onsite so i can
> not even change the index. oh well. no problem. keep the link up.
> probably not a big deal.
> and believe it or not, my girlfriend did a google search on my name
> and found it.
>
> thanks.
> i like your site as well. good content.
> kept me busy reading for while.
>
>
> peter

Well, that's it. Not sure if this makes anything clearer but now you know what Peter thought about the site and also that he knew the Obits were publicly available. Anyway, we'll see where this all ends up. Peter does not work for CNN anymore or else I wouldn't have posted this. I don't like getting nice folks fired.
posted by Eric J | 2:40 PM

Ok, this is what we call SPIN
CNN Blames Human Error for Obit Mistake is the headline for an article about the recent "Obit fiasco." What is fascinating is their idea of "briefly" which they mention in the article quote below:

The mock-ups had been on a development site meant for internal review. But the public briefly had access to them after the password protection got disabled.

If briefly means about 9 months or more then yeah, ok. But I actually had this site linked as a static feature of webraw for a few months. I got some PhotoShop brushes from this site. Some graphic elements on THIS SITE are from brushes downloaded from the Rentz/CNN site.

The point is that Rentz knew about this and several other people knew about this for a long, long time but nobody cared until Drudge, Fark, Smoking Gun and others picked up on it. It's really not a big deal in my opinion but the right "spin" was attached to it and it made CNN look like fools.

CNN's biggest sin wasn't preparing the obits but having this dev site public in the first place. A big no-no. However, saying it was "briefly" available is just a lie. Fess up, say you screwed up but don't lie to us. Geez. It's not like you actually Killed Reagan.
posted by Eric J | 4:45 PM

I've Been Farked!
Well, sort of.

In the commenting section of Fark.com there is a discussion about CNN obits that were prepared before actual deaths (common practice in Journalism) and parked at http://sandbox.cnn.com/prentz/. I blogged about this way back in August of 2002 and the good folks at Fark were kind enough to give me some credit for uncovering this months ago. I originally found the link at Lab 404 (thanks Curt) so props to the Professor.

I corresponded with Peter Rentz via e-mail and from what I remember he was surprised that the directory wasn't secure and I think he quit working at CNN a while back. He seemed like a nice guy. Anyway, I can now say I've been Farked, even if it's only indirectly. It sure did spike my traffic today.
posted by Eric J | 10:17 PM

Blogger for Macs
So now that Safari is all fancy-schmancy, I'd like to be able to post to Blogger through Safari instead of Camino with my new 12" PowerB...OUCH! GOD DAMN THIS THING IS HOT!! Agh, no, don't touch it! What? Yes I did used to have hair on both my thighs. Holy crap that hurts! Damn you Yao Ming and your funny commercials!
posted by Matt Wood | 2:23 PM

Is a real time search engine index possible?
One thing the Remaindered links is showing me is that search engines (especially Google) have a few days of lag before they update their directory. I know this should be expected but it has me thinking that it would be cool to have a real time indexing search engine. Something that automatically adjusted its index when pages changed or links disappeared. Keep the ultra-cool Google-cache feature for reference and archives but having a real time search engine would rule (I can dream can't I?).

Oh yeah, my point. This blog has been getting a lot of searches for The Retail Alphabet Game answers. I don't have all the answers and lost interest in the game a few days ago but the original link is listed in the Remainders. Sorry to disappoint but at least now you'll know why the heck Google sent you here in the first place.

FYI: The Remaindered links are archived and can be access by clicking on the little "archive" link right below them on the left. You're welcome.
posted by Eric J | 2:51 AM

YASiR (Yet Another Safari Review)
Well the new 1.0 Safari Beta 2 (v. 73) has just been released and all I can say is?"What kind of freakin' version name is THAT? I mean who comes up with these names anyway?"

Seriously though, whatever you call the newest Safari (I call it Charles) it is one BMF. If you didn't notice, it has TABS (no, that's not an acronym). It also has auto-form-fill but did I mention it has TABS? Not only is it super-fast but it now has TABS!

So, Apple continues to improve the baddest browser on the planet while rumor has it that Microsoft has put future IE for Mac development on hold. One of the reasons given is "We just can't compete with Safari." Microsoft can't compete with Safari! Amazing. Next they'll be saying PowerPoint can't compete with Keynote. I'll grant you that Microsoft probably doesn't care about Mac apps all that much but still, it's pretty amazing that their Netscape-killing application has quickly been supplanted by a fresh-faced new kid, at least on the Mac.
posted by Eric J | 12:54 PM

I admit it, I'm hooked
Just noticed that I'm listed in the BlogShares - Top 100 Players. I'm currently number 79 with a total portfolio of $10,006.36. I'm also in the giving mood. Do you want some shares of webraw/blog? Give me a good reason to give them to you and I'll hook you up for free (while the mood and supplies last of course).
posted by Eric J | 5:52 PM

Sunday Memories - Early Computing

This week's memory is of my very first computing experience — The Texas Instruments TI99/4a. My parents bought this computer as a compromise, a way for them to give me the Atari-like gaming console I so badly desired while providing an educational tool that would teach me the basics of computer technology.

The amazing thing is that I really did learn a few basics of computer programing. The way you coded an application or game was to "record" the code onto an actual cassette tape. You'd type in the code, record it with the tape player and then rewind the tape and presto, the computing magic was executed on the TV. Seemed ultra-cool then but now it seems kind of weird that my programs were running from a household tape recorder.

The other thing is that the computer worked with the television. You could buy a monitor but you didn't need one. So, instead of hooking it up at a desk it sat on the floor just like an Atari. This made it seem much more like a gaming console than a computer and before long I shelved the programming books and opted for games like "Munch Man" and "Parsec."

Munch Man was a particular favorite and the way it differed from Pac-Man was that instead of eating dots you "spun" a chain of something. Basically, you tried to fill the screen with a chain and it was just a lot of fun.

I also remember a friend who also had a TI and his dad had a modem. He'd pick up the phone and place it on this modem and dial into the Internet. I had no idea what was happening but now realize that I was witnessing something pretty cool.

I was always a little jealous of my friends who had Atari 2600s but in retrospect I think I had the cooler machine. Sure, I had to play second-rate game rip-offs but how many of my 2600 friends played their own computer programs from a cassette tape?

What was your first computer?
posted by Eric J | 2:56 PM

Let's do the numbers
The overnight Web-sensation is We Love The Iraqi Information Minister.com and everyone is reporting that the site was shut down because it was getting "4,000 visitors per second". Say what?

There was even a placeholder on the site basically saying the site got 4,000 hits per second for at least 8 hours but it's down now and I forgot to take a screen shot (Lazy Web idea - automatically capture low-res screen shots of sites visited).

I believe this site was extremely popular and also that it really did come down due to overwhelming traffic. What I have a hard time believing is that it was averaging 4,000 visitors per second? For over 8 solid hours? That amounts to 115,200,000 visitors in an 8 hour period. Even half that total (57,600,000) is hard for me to swallow.

Don't misunderstand. I know the power of a popular Web site but over 115 million visitors in 8 hours? C'mon. For comparison the Drudge Report gets 10+ million visitors on a good day and not even Google averages that traffic through a full day (4,000 visits per second would be 345,600,000 visitors in a day).

My Point
The point is that all these news reports are giving the average reader a wrong impression. The site probably peaked at 4,000 hits one second but to indicate that this was a sustained average is ludicrous. While this may not mean much to anyone it is wrong and it's these slightly wrong impressions that often mutate into untrue rumors. Part of the problem is the definition of hit vs. visitor but the real problem is that there is no way to verify any site's traffic claims in real-time. If my site gets Slashdotted I could run around saying I got 4,000 hits per second and there would really be no way for the reporter to verify that information until a possible traffic audit much, much later.

Would a publication report outrageous television, radio or circulation numbers without some sort of verification first? I doubt it. I just really want a qualifier, other than quotations, to let people know that these numbers are unverified. Just like television news did when they broadcast images of Saddam walking the streets by saying "this might be his double" I want some sort of indicator letting people know that these stats are really outrageous.

To put it in even more context it would be like NBC saying that "Friends" had 500 million viewers for last Thursday's episode. Would anyone report that without some sort of indicator that "this is a REALLY big number" and maybe noting that there aren't even that many people in the United States? I doubt it.

Call to Action
I think what we really need is to do, as Web professionals and consumers, is start educating the masses about the Web. Hollywood has done a similar thing in the last few years with their box office receipts. Who the hell knew if a $50 million opening weekend was good or bad before a few years ago? Now we get the weekend box office receipts reported with the rest of the news. The Web should be just as well known. If I say my site gets 115,200,000 visitors in 8 hours then people's heads should be turning and alarms should be sounding. Let's get to work.
posted by Eric J | 2:27 PM

Blog as Cirriculum
the sum of my parts is the blog of student Stephanie Nilsson who is researching the social and linguistic network of blogs, as well as, individual linguistic representation. She asks questions like "what is the prototypical blog?" and "is a blog private or public?"

It won't be long before blogology becomes an actual course in an actual college. How would that look on a resume? BA in Blogology. Or would it be a BS? I want to be the first person to get a PhD in Blogs.

Just call me Dr. Blog.
posted by Eric J | 9:30 AM

Re-Code.com - Is this awesome or what?
From BoingBoing and Salon.com we learn about Re-Code.com : Re-Code Your Own Price for food, electronics, software, movies, music, and more! This site is simply brilliant. Satire or not it's a great idea.

Interestingly, if you simply go to re-code.com you are greeted with a cease and desist letter from Wal-Mart with some free speech posters you can print out. I'm wondering if this is an attempt to fool Wal-Mart's lawyers into thinking that the site is down when it really isn't. Probably not but it wouldn't surprise me.
posted by Eric J | 7:26 AM

Dear Santa
All I want for Christmas is for A List Apart to start publishing again.
posted by Eric J | 6:43 AM

Morbid cards or Money cards?

So, how long till these cards end up on eBay? In just one press conference... er... sorry, briefing, the United States Military created the most sought after and desired product in years. The clamor for these things will be on a scale not seen since Bonds hit home run #72. I think this is the Military's secret strategy to give pay raises to all the GIs. Give them cards that will be worth a bundle as soon as they get back in the states. Brilliant.

I want some cards.

UPDATE: New question. How long till people start making their own and selling the copies on eBay?
posted by Eric J | 6:57 PM

So long, and thanks for all the fish
Cubey, please, please, please do not go.

save cubicle dweller?
posted by Eric J | 4:57 PM

I have an idea
Last Sunday, as I was motoring to Nashville, I had an idea. As odd as that may sound I do occasionally have a thought that evolves into something resembling an idea. And on extremely rare occasions that idea turns out to be quite good and makes me smile a crooked smile that says, "I'm not so dumb after all."

However, last Sunday was the first time I had an idea that could quite possibly change an entire industry and revolutionize the way millions of consumers interact, while making me millions. Millions of dollars that is.

What is that idea you ask? Go ahead, ask. Ok, well I can't really divulge the specifics but I can tell you that my idea involves the Fast Food Industry and that it involves French Fries (no surprise there).

I can also say that I'm completely serious and am looking at ways to patent or sell this idea to a certain Golden Arches chain (or anyone willing to buy really) and I'm not sure how to get all the details ironed out. I found a site that is apparently endorsed by Steve Wozniak (so it must be good right?) and gives tips on getting a patent. However, I really have no idea how someone like me could actually make money from an obviously brilliant idea.

Now, I've told several trusted friends about this idea and everyone was immediately impressed (at least I think they were). Seriously, everyone thinks it's a good idea and so it must be right? The reason I'm not giving specifics here is I guess it could be "stolen" and someone could claim they had the idea first and then I'd be out of luck.

So, anyone who can give good advice on this will receive $10,000 of my first $1,000,000 (if I actually get money from this idea).
posted by Eric J | 4:52 PM

Deja Vu - It's happening again! | !niaga gnineppah s'tI - uV ajeD
I've had an odd history of having this site copied, ripped-off or pirated. I honestly don't mind unless the pirate starts making cash from a site design that is clearly stolen. I don't pretend that every design idea on this site is entirely original or even that great (the goofy golden circle with the three slashes turns out to be the lame logo of some bank) but I do wonder why someone would completely copy this site, including content, and pass it off as their own. Maybe for "testing?"

Just weird. But whatever floats your boat. Just be sure to copy the images to your own server.

So here is the New Asian (?) Version of webraw.com. Enjoy.

PS: The number one criticism of this site design is that it is so freaking wide but that doesn't seem to deter the pirates. Note to pirates: if you rip this site you may want to bring it down to 800 pixels instead of its current browser-busting 1000 pixel width.
posted by Eric J | 10:34 AM

Safari Fairies
I've heard about weird Safari problems and recently experienced my own problems where pages just would not load. The progress bar continued to tease me with "almost finished" status without ever sealing the deal.

Well, today I'm supposed to get an early pre-release of the next beta version of Safari. This one has (momentary pause for emphasis) TABBED BROWSING! (ooooooooh, aaaaahhhhh)
posted by Eric J | 6:54 AM

BlogShares - Kudos and Complaints
Yes, webraw/blog is still for saleand it's still a decent buy. The blog is even listed on the BlogShares - Top 500 for whatever that's worth (it will probably be de-listed by the time you read this). Kudos to Seyed Razavi (pronounced Sue-ya-eed-oh-what-the-hell) for building this fun application and kudos to Ken Ellis for his BlogShares Grabber (that you'll notice on the left side of this blog) which displays the current price and other stats of any BlogShare.

Now the complaints. The sign of a truly successful application (or anything really) is the amount of complaints it generates (up to a point). Ok, maybe that's bunk but I do love BlogShares but there needs to be some sort of method to add or submit sites that you know are linking to your blog but aren't being listed. Currently if a site isn't shown as linked you must pray to the link gods that it somehow shows up. Also, there should be a way of allowing more shares to be available for a given blog (maybe that's in the fee-based version?).

That's about all my complaints. Anyone else have any gripes?
posted by Eric J | 12:21 AM

Dead Artist Syndrome

The next installment of the Save An Artist From Obscurity project is Dead Artist Syndrome (we all know people with this ailment). Dead Artist Syndrome is fronted by big and moody Brian Healy. The band borrows heavily from Joy Division, Bauhaus and other "goth" bands of the late '80s and early '90s. The incredibly deep voice of Healy adds another dimension to an already dark and somber album. Besides the moody tone, DAS has a biting cynicism that I personally enjoy. Instead of being hopeless and miserable Healy seems hopeless and pissed. There is a big difference.
posted by Eric J | 10:31 PM

Welcome to the future Memphis!
Yesterday I visited Cafe Francisco in downtown Memphis. To my knowledge it is the only free WiFi Cafe in all of Memphis. And it's not even really an Internet Cafe. It's just a regular cafe that happens to offer free wireless Net access to customers. So very Palo Alto-ish.

Internet Access Available

Stock Ticker

Cafe Francisco

Back

If you happen to be in Memphis stop by Cafe Francisco at 400 N. Main. Drop me a line and I'll even meet you there for coffee and bagels.
posted by Eric J | 10:33 PM

Blog Attention Span Syndrome
The American Psychiatric Association announced today that it has defined a new mental disorder afflicting users of the Internet. Blog Attention Span Syndrome, or Blog A.S.S. as researchers prefer to call it, is a more acute form of the short attention span syndrome that affects many young people, dogs, and reality TV producers. It most commonly affects people who create a special kind of website called weblogs. Symptoms include:

Inability to read an entire article in a magazine or newspaper. Blog A.S.S. sufferers often report discomfort if they read more than three paragraphs and can't deconstruct the entire piece.

An overwhelming urge to click on any word that is underlined or a different color than the rest of the text, hoping it is another hyperlink to an editorial about the war in Iraq.

Delusions of grandeur, promoting a general belief that thousands of people around the world are waiting with bated breath for the next fix, or "posts" as test subjects commonly called them.

A tendency to summarize every experience in life into two neat paragraphs.

Obsessive compulsive examination of server logs, trying to decide whether it's best to please readers in Finland with an early morning post, or wait until the afternoon when the gang in Fresno wakes up.

Anxiety increasing in proportion to the amount of time one has been away from a computer.

Researchers concluded that although distracting, Blog A.S.S. can be treated with a simple regimen of old fashioned books, social gatherings, and exercise.
posted by Matt Wood | 5:40 PM

Think of the children

Spotted at a Love's gas station near exit 85 on Interstate-40 somewhere on the outskirts of Jackson, TN. Only one thought comes to mind when I view this abomination -- WHY!?!

Please, for the love of all that's Holy, don't do this to a Datsun pickup. It's wrong. Just plain wrong. Wrong on so many levels. Just think of the children. Please, think of the children.

This has been a Public Service Announcement from webraw/blog. It may also be a Redneck Alert but I'm so far out of the loop that I don't really know if this is a redneck thing or one of those whacked out car things or maybe both.
posted by Eric J | 11:03 AM

Finally, a reality show I may actually watch
Comedy Central is producing While You Were Drunk -

"How many beers does it take to get two random, unattractive people to agree to have sex? You choose the victims. We buy the drinks. They get it on. 'While You Were Drunk,' the most intoxicating reality series ever."

And no, this isn't a joke... or is it?
posted by Eric J | 2:38 AM

Dat's some funny ass shiznit, know what I'm sayin'?
Snoop Dogg Shizzolated: webraw/blog :: uncooked web goodness

This is a pretty decent Snoop Dogg rendering of this site. Thanks to Wood-Tang.com for the link.
posted by Eric J | 7:31 PM

Great discussion about Spammers and Privacy
Slashdot has a great discussion about a Spammer who had his private info published on the Web. He's suing to try and get it removed. It was really his business info published but that turned out to be his actual residence too. D'oh.

So he wants his privacy now huh? What a moron. He deserves no privacy. He deserves every bit of grief he is getting. When you open Pandora's Box you gotta be prepared to suffer the consequences. Time to pay the piper Mr. George Allen Moore Jr.

This reminds me of a little tactic I use when someone calls and asks for personal info or some store clerk asks for my phone number. I usually begin with, "Tell me your address, phone number, last name and date of birth first." They usually stammer around and say they can't give that info to me and I say, "then I can't either." It's really fun to do. Especially to the cashiers at Best Buy or whatever. Just ask them for their home number and zip code. Take a tape recorder with you. Fight fire with fire.
posted by Eric J | 11:07 AM

AltaVista: what is a blog?
I've just lost all faith in AltaVista (wasn't really much to lose). Apparently this blog is the first, non-sponsored result for the question what is a blog?

Well, since all 3 AltaVista users are ending up here when they want to know what blogs are I'll take this opportunity to fill them in.

Hey there anonymous AltaVista user. Welcome. I bet you want to know what a blog is don't you? Well, you're in luck. This is THE place to learn about blogs. Many other sites try to confuse and distort the true meaning of blogs but here you'll find candid and no-nonsense answers.

A blog is a small, rodent-like woodland creature that primarily resides in the forests of Germany. Blogs have very long, slender tails and a brownish speckled fur that grows very long in the winter. Often kept as pets during the 18th century blogs were on the verge of extinction until the late 1990s when Dave Winer, Evan Williams and other benevolent souls decided to create a sanctuary for the little critters where today they live and breed happily.

I hope this was helpful. If you're interested in learning more about blogs try using Google.
posted by Eric J | 9:40 AM

Sunday Memories
This week Eric and I are starting a new regular feature at webraw called "Sunday Memories". Each week we will reminisce about some gadget, gizmo, toy, or doohickey from our childhood.

This week's memory is a sad one for me, a tale of unfulfilled boyhood dreams. I was eight years old and Hasbro released the U.S.S. Flagg G.I. Joe aircraft carrier. It was magnificent. It had a seven and a half foot landing deck big enough for all my fighter jets and helicopters. It had its own megaphone and loud speaker for announcing launch sequences. It had refueling vehicles and three level bridge. The kids at school told legends about third-cousins in Pennsylvania who had one and were going to bring it for Thanksgiving. I wanted one so badly I could taste it, like Ralphie and the Red Ryder BB gun in A Christmas Story.

But alas, my heart was broken, as my mom decided it was just too big. The thing would have been as long as my bed but I didn't care. I pleaded with her. I offered to pay her back for it on a savings plan. But Mom won (as moms tend to do), and she told me I should spend my time outside playing baseball or riding my bike. It was probably for the best, since I got a lot more out of sports than from playing with G.I. Joes, but it still doesn't take away the hurt even to this day. Here's to you, U.S.S. Flagg, Yo Joe!

Bonus - Bonus points go to whoever can name the admiral of the U.S.S. Flagg. The answer is on the website through the link above, so you have to guess before you look. No cheating. The winner will get a genuine 31 Flavors of Blog t-shirt, honest, unless we run out again.
posted by Matt Wood | 5:17 PM

NBC's David Bloom, 39, dies in Iraq
Another journalist dies in Iraq. David Bloom joins Michael Kelly and other journalists who've given their lives to cover this war. I saw him on TV the other day when he looked almost scary, covered in dirt and eyes popping out (see video in link). In the newsroom yesterday I overheard one reporter commenting to another that the casualty ratio of journalists to soldiers in this war is the highest of any war in history. Moments like this make me pause and reflect and truly appreciate what journalists do to bring us the story.
posted by Eric J | 9:11 AM

What's Your Anti-Drug?
My Anti-Drug Is Alcohol. The Onion so eloquently parodied the Anti-Drug campaign I have little to add except incessant chuckles (Doesn't "Incessant Chuckles" sound like the title of the next Lloyd Kaufman flick?).

Truth is, I've been having fun with the "Anti-Drug" campaign for years. "What's your anti-drug" is possibly the greatest set up for every armchair satirist. Some that I've come up with in the past:

What's your anti-drug? --

Sex is my anti-drug

Fighting is my anti-drug

Stealing car radios is my anti-drug

Huffing gasoline is my anti-drug

New! Blogging is my anti-drug

Porn is my anti-drug

What can you come up with? What's your Anti-Drug?
posted by Eric J | 9:23 PM

My posse's gettin' big and my posse's gettin' bigger
Big Media wants the FCC to relax regulations restricting ownership of radio, television, cable and newspapers in U.S. markets. The FCC decision is in June. I'm afraid. Very afraid.

What happens when all the television networks and stations are owned by the same three companies that own all the newspapers and radio stations? Do we get better service and more features or do we get exactly what they want us to get? What if the only Web sites accessible on the Internet were sites funded by Microsoft, AOL-Time Warner and Sony? Would it be a better Web? Is that even a valid comparison?

I heard about this on NPR today (God bless them) and was stunned that they had quotes from several reporters saying that they had been "encouraged" to sit on this story. Journalists working for Big Media, the companies that want deregulation, were told to find other stories to cover and leave this one alone. How will deregulation help this already scary climate? How will increased consolidation improve the value of our news and choices?

It's obvious I don't have any answers. I'm just afraid. Very afraid. And I'm not exactly sure why.
posted by Eric J | 11:46 PM

4 out of 5 Psychiatrists say...
4 out of 5 Psychiatrists say that BlogShares is addictive. Who can argue with a psychiatrist? I mean you'd have to be crazy to argue with a psychiatrist right? RIGHT?

If you haven't checked out BlogShares yet then you're a witless moron and have my sympathy. Seriously though, it's a pretty cool little site. It's free and open to any blogger on the planet. And when you sign up you get free "money" (Who can say no to free money?) that can be used to buy shares. Heck, you can even buy some webraw/blog shares. Site even has a stock ticker. It's just the greatest blog goody to come along since... since... uh... Blogrolling I guess. Anyway, check it out.
posted by Eric J | 10:04 PM

BRB
The wildly popular Save an Artist From Obscurity project is taking the week off. In the meantime you can sample some of the songs you may have missed because I put them all back up on the server. Enjoy timeless musical classics such as "Don't Touch Me" and "I'm Drinkin' Milk Now."

See you next week.
posted by Eric J | 9:47 PM

Habits of the Web
It's true of life but it's also incredibly true of the Web: we are creatures of habit.

To me the most thrilling characteristic of the Web is its vastness. That's not the best word to describe it but what I'm trying to describe is that the Web is so big, and so incredibly diverse and changes so rapidly that every day I venture onto its digital landscape I feel like a tiny Columbus or Magellan. Each time I fire up the laptop and start surfing around I get the same exciting buzz I felt the first time I logged onto AOL (yes, I'm a recovering AOL slave, who isn't?).

Ah, and then the maritime tradition of mapping and logging various adventures is transformed into bookmarking and blogging about various "rare finds." Yet the thrill remains intact, especially when that "gem" of a site is uncovered and shared with the world.

However, I can't escape the fact that I'm a creature of habit. Instead of dashing off to discover new and exciting sites I get comfortable visiting the 40-50 sites in my favorite bookmarks folder. I feel like a modern day cruise ship captain must feel, sailing the same route week after week, instead of braving the dangers of the seven seas.

I have only myself to blame. Yet, like all good sailors, I must now return to the vast sea and quench my insatiable thirst for the adventure that the sea so willingly provides to anyone who is willing to embrace it.

(Have I exhausted the maritime metaphor? Well it was the Web that informed me about the recent discovery of a Colossal Squid.)
posted by Eric J | 9:31 PM

Who does Archie Bunker hate on the Web?
Dealing with stereotypes is something modern Americans face every single day. There are some common ones about Communication Media: Jews control Hollywood. Liberals control the major news outlets. Fascist, right-wing bigots control talk radio. The list goes on and on.

What is fascinating to me is that to my knowledge there is not a single, widely held stereotype about the Web. Ok, so there are rampant misconceptions like thinking the Web is only for porn, kidnapping and identity theft but those are faceless fears. There is no "group" with which to blame for the negative aspects of the Web. Nobody says, "Oh, it's those damn Republicans always stealing identities" or "all that porn has got to be an Arab conspiracy."

The Web is too diverse, distributed and accessible to ever develop the sort of stereotypes that seem to cling to "traditional media" (I hate that term). Since there are no "gates" on the Web there is no "gatekeeper" to hate. That's really pretty cool when you think about it.
posted by Eric J | 8:56 PM

Habbo Hotel Furni Contest

Welcome to the first webraw/blog contest. Yes, this contest is real, with real prizes and a real winner. This is not a joke. There is no catch. All you need to do is follow the instructions and hit "enter" and you're eligible to win the big prize.

About
This contest is the Habbo Hotel Furniture Contest. The winner gets 300+ credits worth of Habbo furni and the only catch is that you need to be a member of Habbo Hotel to collect the prize. The total worth of the furniture in dollars is around $100.

The Story
That smiling afro-icon you see is me, fateek. At least that's my Habbo. I admit, I became "addicted" to this chat/game for a while and accumulated a LOT of furniture. Now I'm ready to get rid of it and since it's hard to sell virtual furniture on eBay I'm doing this contest. Fun huh?

Habbo Hotel is a virtual chat hotel where you can create your own rooms and deck them out with furniture or go visit places like the pool, club or Habbo kitchen. It's really a lot of fun but I just don't have the time for it any more and I'm passing my Habbo possessions on to some deserving soul.

Get started now and if you're not a Habbo yet it's still not too late, sign up and play today. All the cool bloggers are Habboing.

This site and contest is in no way affiliated with Habbo Hotel.
posted by Eric J | 11:40 PM