Scraps of ideas

Solids Matter by Cecilia Galiena

Threads of thought currently running through my mind:

• What is the most unique way of mapping locations? Click --> here <-- for a curiously fascinating PDF that samples some interesting maps picked up along the decades / centuries. I especially like River / Mountain diagrams, as well as the Yellow on Black US 202 map.

• The above PDF is a find from my Interface Design class. Definitely in the Top 5 Classes I've ever had. The class itself is a mixture of Product Design, Graphic Design, and Goodness Extract. But that's not what I started this bullet to talk about. I wanted to show you --> this <-- PDF, which is an extremely intuitive 'instruction manual'. It talks to you. It is your friend. Or at the very least, an acquaintance whom you must work with to get a job done, but very importantly, SPEAKS ENGLISH (or whatever your native language is. But who am I kidding? I know it's English). (Don't hit me). Anyways, yeah. Just look at the file.
  
  
  
• Wil Shipley has a nice article on the way we view celebrities (Notice how a well composed post becomes an article, while an ordinary one is simply "talking about __(whatever)__"?)
  
  
  
• Grand Theft Auto is to Junk Food as __(video_game)__ is to Ennel Crusted Ahi Tuna with Wild Mushroom Ragout and Roasted Tomato Sauce? Any nominees? (I don't suppose you expected to see that combination of words this week)
  Chris Crawford has said of game design:
  
  

  We are now in a position to address one of the most vexing problems facing the computer games industry: violence in games. The industry's response to the accusations leveled against it (that computer games are too violent) has disappointed me. For the most part, people in the industry circle the wagons and deny the problem. They denigrate their accusers, wrap themselves in the First Amendment, and close their minds to all arguments. This saddens me because all this ruckus is so avoidable. Game designers cling to violence only because they cannot imagine other forms of conflict ... Violence is the most intense, direct, physical form of conflict. What strikes me is the industry's obsession with the most extreme manifestations of these elements ... Violence in games is like chocolate cereal in chocolate milk with chocolate sprinkles and chocolate fudge on top.

  
  Yes, it's a lot of words for when you weren't expecting a lot, but it makes for an interesting read. And an open-ended idea. (Before you say that ideas, by nature, are open-ended, I will say "Not always").
  ... Dang, I suppose this is more than a bullet point. If you're really fascinated with this topic, read more about it --> here <-- and / or just comment.

Whistler, Etc

As you may or may not have noticed, I am back from Whistler. Whistler: Twas good. Highlights were being able to get back out on the slope, and enjoying the semi-exotic foods that Canada has to offer. Like Mozzarella Cheese Balls. OK, so not exotic, but just good.
Downsides were things like finding out I'm back to the level of Beginner on the snowboard, as well as scalding my hand on water that's hot enough to crack a ceramic mug that I had innocently perched in my hand. (It's all better now. Finally)

So yeah. Here I am, back in town, entirely saddled in homework I should have been doing now, but hey I finally got these photos from long ago uploaded so hey at least that's accomplished and next time I feel like procrastinating I will upload the 3 good photos from the entire Whistler trip and gee, my hands are tingly, which aren't so much a sign of my typing out a run-on sentence as they are an indicator of me not having have food in a while. So yeah. I should go eat some food. And read "Lotsa Plato" as well as Aristotle, Kant, [re-read] Descartes, Bacon+Bruno, eat Bacon, and I really have to go eat food. Until next time.

- Eptin "All better now" Michael 

This Blog Is Awaiting Refueling

The only thing that this blog is being used for is a place to put an internet jukebox of sorts. It's on the right side and down a bit. Enjoy.

Testing the 'Hello' software, courtesy of Picasa from Google.
The above picture is by David Shrigley

Neil Armstrong would have had the right words

So, I have a blog. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon / blog-train (although personally, I think it would be rather difícil to jump onto a train). Allthough I'll mainly be using this as a personal diary --a procrastination station of sorts-- hopefully I'll talk about more interesting things as time progresses. Wil Shipley's blog intro seems to be a good basis to hold myself to. Proceed to blockquote!

"Find yourself describing your tummy aches in your blogs? Then stop. Post stuff like, "Didn't do much today, maybe I'll try a new nail-polish..." Stop. Just stop. It's OK. You're probably a good person. You might have other talents. But you aren't a writer."

That, I will try to avoid. If I start flailing into that gray (grey?) area, stop me by all means necessary. Of course, this post is already pacing around that line. I wonder how long Neil Armstrong pondered what to say for the first step (1 millionth blog in existance vs. 1st step on moon, admittedly not a good comparison).

I'll also use my blog for the following goodies:

• A little music player that will highlight my days soundtracks. For those of you who share my eclectic music taste.


• Cool links that I stumbled into. I never got the hang of Technorati, Del.icio.us, or any other bookmark sharing place within the first 3 minutes of use, so I'll write it off as bad design. No, not really.

Thats all for now. Until my next post.