Category: Random

Meg describes my life:

A: So, I’ve done the thing I was supposed to do. I’ve checked it and it’s fine, but I thought I’d let you know before I get X to sign off on it.
B: OK. Can I have a look?
A: Sure Here you go.
C: Hey, what’s that? Can I see?
A: Er, of course. It finished now, though.
C: Oh yes, I realise that. But could you do it in blue?

Wearing a T-shirt makes you a terrorist: People often ask me why I don’t agree with laws that – while they may be vague – if implemented properly will only benefit people. Well it’s the vagueness that worries me. Saying that those who ‘incite violence overseas’, even while not actually doing anything other than writing an editorial, should be considered terrorists is not acceptable. Most of the powers of the act discussed will not be used to subjugate people and take away their freedoms under this government. But any number of them could be used by subsequent governments whose politics we might individually find offensive, destructive or even personally damaging.

Emode helps me decide about the future of my working life. Apparently I’m a rock star.

You crave attention, the limelight, and the fawning admiration of millions. You walk fast and talk loud. You look important (even if you’re not). You like expensive cars. You sculpt your body to perfection at the gym.

You have a bevy of fans and friends, and you like knowing how much others appreciate you. You believe in making a good impression. You like spending money on frivolous treats and nice, stylish clothes — forget the discount bins! But, hey, you’re not some shallow materialist! Your polished outward appearance is a mere reflection of that soulful, strong-willed person inside.

At work, you’re committed to excellence. You’ve got your eye on your boss’s job. You’re a real go-getter, and you really shine under pressure. But you have to love what you do, or else your performance slips. If you don’t see that big promotion in your future, chances are you’ll start combing the want-ads.

Does anyone who reads plasticbag.org have much experience of, or work for, a company called Sapient? If so, could you drop me a line…

According to an old article I found archived today on news.bbc.co.uk, a single mutation in one individual human being could have resulted in the creation of language. This individual is therefore responsible for the explosion of art, culture, science and technology around the world – along with, of course: Thatcherism, hate speech, nagging people, arguments and school. A bit of a mixed blessing really…

What a tremendously strange super-power ‘language’ must have been initially. It must have been particularly strange (and possibly a challenge to the theory) as for at least the first generation it must have been almost useless (of course we don’t know whether or not other human beings required the same mutation to understand language). It makes one wonder about the potentially transformative mutations that might be taking place around us at this very moment – and about the mutations that could have transformed the world but didn’t because of accidents, violence or a lack of serendipity.

Via Blogger I’ve stumbled upon nagportal.com – which appears to be some kind of Icelandic weblog / weblog portal. The most interesting part of it for me is the pulldown menu at the top left of the screen. It appears to contain the full replicated content of the weblog, and it’s placed in a slim frame that allows one to move between the various blogged sites which appear nested beneath it. It’s very well thought out.

It’s inspired me to think about my old ‘consumption’ feature in a different way – perhaps this isn’t stuff that people need to actually see on first arrival to a site – maybe it’s more useful for people to be able to gauge at a glance, by clicking on a pulldown, the range of one’s interests. Blogging entirely to drop-downs might actually be more useful for certain types of site as well – you could form a kind of rolling-directory site for example. Worthy of consideration…

“We do not have to go on the way we’ve been going. For instance, if you like shaving cats, try shaving crayons; it’s as good a way as any to practice shaving.” (What the Fuck?)

I’ve just stumbled upon the first site that I put together with any degree of care – or at least what’s left of it. It looks like I put up a holding page for it many many years ago and completely forgot about it. Nonetheless, I have salvaged this interesting little design item from it, which really reminds of of my first heady days on a cheap Photoshop clone playing with gaussian blur and layers and fudging it all together with a bog-standard animated gif machine. Oh how far from these heady days…

Today I spoke to Stinky Parker [•].