A request. Please don't tweak the little white-on-orange XML icon. I'm seeing variations out there. That's not cool. Before we started promoting it, there was no such thing. It's value is diluted by varying it. If you don't like it, do something completely different. But a little change here and there, and eventually its value is gone.

Oh PLEASE! It's a godawful ugly little icon and always has been. 90% of Radio users are not designers and/or can't be bothered to spend the time to tweak it. Those who do are just improving the visual landscape for everyone else.

What value exactly is Dave referring to? It doesn't do much by way of "branding" for Userland, so that can't be it. It screams "ugly-orange-here-I-am," but unless you already know why XML might be useful to you (and let's face, most newbies might be looking for "news feed" or... perhaps "RSS") it's not helpful at all.

"That's not cool." Give me a break. His little icon isn't cool. Throwing a hissy fit over the evolution of a teeny-tiny .gif graphic isn't cool. If he wants to make a big trademark issue over it, he will truly be joining the ranks of the massively uncool. Yeah, they promoted it. Yeah, it's catching on to the point other people decide they want something recognizable yet less butt ugly (like for example these from Antipixel). He should be proudly rejoicing instead of complaining.

May I politely (yeah, right) suggest that Dave get down off it? (To further register my protest, I've swapped in the Antipixel version, even though I still hate the orange.)
4:44:48 PM    please comment []

1. White-supremacist. That's the biggie. Uhh..... NO. Not unless we've got the most self-hating black persons ever.

2. Weekend custody of the kids. Apparently NOT. Apparently the "kid" was traveling with him.

3. Tarot card as prank. Nope. It looks as if this was part of the duo (the letters are in a different handwriting.) Maybe the teenager was responsible for this more "flashy" calling card. And maybe the youngster shot the student.

4. Job allows travel. What job?

On the other hand, I seem to have gotten a few things right. Not that it matters.

1. Divorced, late thirties - early forties (4 children by 2 marriages). Yes ~ and his ex-wife lives in the area. No idea whether there's a Michael's store connection.

2. No white van/box truck.

3. Anti-government bias. Maybe.

4. Break in the case from insider tipster. It looks as if the Alabama murder connection was key ~ and that came from a tipster (relationship still unknown).

At least I'm not the only person with egg on the face. Another racial stereotype bites the dust ~ and, a whole bunch of "profilers" are going to have to do some serious revision.

Williams/Muhammed's conversion to Islam (of the Nation of Islam flavor, apparently) seems to have taken place 17 years ago, around the time he joined the Army. It doesn't look like there's any direct al-Qaeda connection there.

The relationship between Williams/Muhammed and his step-son Malvo is likely to be the focus of a lot of research and speculation. One report I heard said that John Lee was restricted to a diet of crackers and honey (diet for his son was also a source of contention between Williams/Muhammed and his ex-wife).

"You have indicated that you want us to do and say certain things. You asked us to say, 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' We understand that hearing us say this is important to you," Moose said.

This whole story is looking more and more perverse. I can't help but be very curious about it, even as my heart grieves for the victims and their families, and for the twisted souls of the perpetrators.
1:53:23 PM    please comment []

Work a lot, and then pray. (Usually, it's the other way around ~ or should be.)

I'm looking forward to the silence, and to a time of community in silence.

In any case, don't expect to hear much from me until I return and get plugged back in. I've been thinking through some big issues and gradually making decisions. November will be a month for implementing them. I'm sure I won't be able to resist sharing the process with you.

Please be patient with me!
1:22:24 AM    please comment []