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Wednesday, June 05, 2002 |
MY TOWN FELT LIKE A TOURIST TRAP TONIGHT
This is "fight week" in Memphis. Quite coincidentally, an old friend I haven't seen in six or seven years was doing some training about an hour and a half from here. We agreed we'd rendezvous between 6 and 7 tonight at one of the cities landmark restaurants. Because both of our schedules were iffy we agreed we'd bring something to read or work on, and whomever arrived first would wait patiently. I arrived first.
From the parking garage to the restaurant I was accosted twice - once for money and once for money in exchange for directions. This area of town is not notorious for these types of encounters, but it is during "fight week." Then, when I stepped into the restaurant I was told I couldn't get a table. Both parties needed to be present. I explained that I was planning to order an appetizer and drinks and would likely order more if my wait was long. No deal. Ok, then, I'd like a table for one. Sir, we can't do that.
You could have fired a cannon in this place and not hit anyone at that hour. By the time we left at 8:30p.m., they still didn't have a wait to get in. The food was expensive and a terrible disappointment. Our walk from the restaurant to a coffee shop nearby crossed the paths of three more panhandlers. Memphis during "fight week" isn't a pretty site!
10:50:58 PM 
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THE BLOGGER'S NOTEBOOK PC
This story reminds of the (brief) discussion a week or two ago about laptop/notebook computers for bloggers. I wrestling with iBook, TiBook, subnotebooks, desktop replacement laptops, etc. I really want a writer's notebook PC. I just need to define what that is!
The Miniature Optical Mouse Makes the Big Leap to Cordless. Targus, which specializes in accessories for laptops and other mobile devices, has crossed the two and developed a cordless optical mini-mouse. By Stephen C. Miller. [New York Times: Technology]
10:37:53 PM
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MAKE IT DEPENDABLE
We'll surf the web on it when the display gets better!
Wireless study: Low prices beats features. A survey of more than 2,000 people with wireless phones indicates that the way to win consumers' hearts is through features like lower prices and better coverage. [CNET News.com]
10:33:20 PM
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MY QUESTIONS ARE ELEMENTARY
As always, my questions are simple. I've been viewing source on lots of pages again recently. Two key questions come to my mind:
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How can I figure out what went on between the template with all of its macros to the final HTML I see when I view source? There are some great-looking weblogs that have elements I'd like to imitate, but it's tough to see how to get there working backwards toward a template from the final HTML.
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When you view source on a page created with CSS, don't you get to a dead-end because you can't "view CSS?" Isn't that another files somewhere that you don't have access to?
CSS promise vs. reality. Mark Newhouse: Cascading Style Sheets, Promise vs. Reality, and a Look to the Future. [via Shirley Kaiser: CSS Promises vs. Reality: How Do They Compare?] A very realistic and balanced article.
The comfort and familiarity of table-based layouts make them hard to give up. As you examine some of the promises of CSS in light of both current reality and the longer-term future, I hope I can make a case for encouraging those of you who are sitting on the fence, to come down on the side of CSS and well-structured (X)HTML. I think you'll find the grass really is greener over here. [dive into mark]
3:48:21 PM
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HEALTH CRISIS OR HEALTH INSURANCE CRISIS
Socialized medicine just can't be the answer!
I've never thought of socialized medicine as being the answer to this country's healthcare problems and health insurance crisis. Our premiums as a small group have been quoted at a 43% increase year over year beginning in July. This is for a group of healthy people. It's also for a plan with a relatively high deductible and few "frills."
We prefer "catastrophic coverage" to protect from a serious injury or some dire medical ailment. So far we've not really needed the "cheap drug card" or the $15 doctor's visit. However, 43% of just about any number amounts to an unhealthy premium increase.
This article from the Cato Institute has been in my thinking for several years. I just don't know how to get patients (shouldn't they be called customers?), doctors, hospitals, drug companies, state governments and Congress to think about medicine in free market terms.
Pharmacolony. Nothing says America is messed up from the inside louder than hearing these words: "The medication your doctor prescribed is... [Blurbomat]
3:35:21 PM
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SECONDARY BROWSERS
Mozilla vs. Opera?
With IE and Netscape as primary browsers in my thinking, I've had Mozilla and Opera as secondary. For someone viewing HTML work in various browsers prior to publishing, what does the market share/user count really look like between all of these software packages?
Mozilla finally turns 1.0. The browser software, four years in the making by an open-source project, is released to the Web. [CNET News.com] [lawrence's notebook]
3:24:31 PM
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A LONG WAY FOR FUEL CELLS
Fuel Cell Car Coasts Across U.S.. DaimlerChrysler's Necar 5 goes from San Francisco to D.C. without a major failure. Nevertheless, fuel cells have a long way to go. John Gartner reports from Washington. [Wired News]
8:15:02 AM
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DIGITAL WEB MAGAZINE
D-W Busts Out with CSS. From da boss, Nick Finck, “Summer is in the air and so is word that a new issue of Digital Web Magazine is up with a new theme. This month's... [meryl's notes]
8:12:25 AM
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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Glass Is the Gas for Architects. Safety concerns, energy issues and changing values are shifting the way architects are designing buildings and the materials they build them with. By Nan Chase. [Wired News]
8:09:36 AM
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WHAT LIES BEYOND QUICKBOOKS PRO?
Intuit to Buy Management Reports Inc.. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Personal finance and small business software maker Intuit Inc. continued its expansion into new specialties Tuesday by announcing plans to acquire Management Reports Inc. for $92 million in cash. By The Associated Press. [New York Times: Technology]
12:37:43 AM
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© Copyright 2002 Steve Pilgrim.
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