Whatever Comes to Mind

Alright folks, we're at T minus 5 days(business days). I have one week until I'm free to walk the earth, maybe like Cain, for a month. I have two books to read and probably a number of lectures and discussions I'll be putting on the ipod. If you have any sugguestion for podcasts, send them my way. The countdown will continue.

Crowds lined up. The year long anticipation! It was all built up for this day, June 29th, 2005. The streets lined with cars trying to make their way through the traffic and congestion. Signs everywhere point to different parking zones, free, $5, street, turn here. Cops waiting on corners, security waving flags, orange cones sectioning off lanes for turning.

As I approach this mammouth building, I see people of all shapes and sizes. As I get closer to the parking lot, on my walk in, I see signs for reserved parking, family parking, over-sized vehicle parking. The people leaving the building look tired and beat. As I enter IKEA, a rush of air cleans me of the outside heat and humidity. I see instructions for my shopping endeavor, NO CART NECCESSARY. I just need to take notes and maybe an extra handbag for the little things. For those of you that have been to an IKEA before, you know the shock of a first time visit. The gargantuan maze that winds you around undtil you're sick of seeing every way to improve your 297 sq ft. place. I was amazed at way everyone approached this retail giant; it's like they had never see furniture before. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in the store that wasn't holding something of valve. And I left just the same, with nothing. This place seems like an addition to Target, maybe a little nicer, but the same concept of warehouse, bulk shopping, just for furniture for this one.

As I made my way out, I found myself in the warehouse, self-service furniture section. This seemed like a mix between the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the government secret research warehouse and a Simpsons episode of going to Sams/Costco/(big bulk grocery shopping). How many people go down an aisle and just pick up a couch off a shelf?

I think the best part of a new store is seeing what they put in the impulse area. This place was pretty good: $2.39 travel mug and $3.99 100pk tea candles. "Shit, I forgot my 100pk of tea candle. Sweet they're right here!"

Anyway, I'll probably be going back there at some point. The stuff is really cheap. I just like the spectacle of a new store/new movie/new anything.

Oh, almost forgot -- Ikea is in a new developed part of town, so there are houses and apartment buildings and condos going up around it. I notice on my walk back to the car, that there is a apartment building right across the street from it. That's got to be the worst spot ever to live -- with the traffic on the weekends and the bright blue building screaming at you all day long.

So at lunch today, I got approached by a internet pyramid-scheme guy. These guys always seem to pick me. What is it? Do I look like a good mark, good salesman they want to recuit, a sucker. I've been approached by these guys so many times. Most of the time I'm sitting by myself, working on a journal, drawing, or reading in a cafe, waffle house, or coffee shop. The alone part is the easiest target. A salesman is never going to approach a group. The best approach I've seen are by the Church of Christ recuiters that basically tell you you're going to hell if you don't follow them. They approach in twos, so watch out college kids.

The guy today interupted me while I was reading, asking about the book, and the meal I was eating, looking for the hook to get me to talk to him more. My first thought was he was waiting for a friend, but these guys have no friends, only potential clients/worker bees for his end of the pyramid-scheme. It wasn't until after he mentioned his internet site, in the midsts of the conversation, that I realized what he was about. I was talking about the book, what I was interested in, technology, doing web development. He asked twice if I wanted to do contract work, the second time saying it wasn't on the computer (who does work not on a computer, not me, unless it's manual labor, no sales).

I always hope for conversation with someone just filling their time, trying to branch out and find out more on a subject whether it's about a book I'm reading or something I'm eating. That's what the blogs feel like, why don't people do that in the real world. Just stumble into someone's space and start to inquire about their interests. There isn't much unselfish interaction in the real world.

As for this guy that approached me, he realized I wasn't a sale pretty fast. He used a great exit strategy, the fake cell phone call. Why couldn't he just be honest, and say, "Well, it was nice talking to you, but doesn't look like you're going to fall for my fake money scheme".

I keep thinking about the guy in Garden State that says, "I'd like to tell you two about a great opportunity, for the both of you." while in the K-Mart type shop.

As for the check list on how to spot these guys:

1. he/she(I don't know if girls are dumb enough to go for these things, guys are)approach you when you're alone.



2. he ask about one or two things in the proximity (book you're reading, lunch, the weather)



3. he sways the conversation to talk about their product/service somehow



4. he uses some ridiculous statistic to seem smart/informed(ex.75% of college grads don't read a book all the way through after they finish college"So it's great that you read -- you must be part of the smart group -- Silly Rabbit Trix are for Kids



5. he asks if you have friends that would help you out, only if you've gotten past the part where you might be interested in the scheme.



6. and my favorite -- he asks, "what would do if you had free time" -- like his scheme is going to free up your time - look at him, he's not at work right now, he has all the time in the world to harass me

That's all I've got -- so if any of you out there have been approached by these guys, share your story.

I found this off someone else's blog. I guess it's a spin off of 43folders -- 43things. It's pretty cool to see what others are doing to further themselves, especially when you're trying to do the same thing. You start to understand that a lot of people have the same barriers in their life as you. There are probably some goals or things to do that you wouldn't have thought of but someone with similar goals might open you to new ideas or direction. I'll probably sign up in the next week or so and create a link off my blog.

I am Kong. Strong and passionate, I tend to be misunderstood, sometimes even feared. I don't want to fight, I don't want to cause trouble, all I ask is a little love, and a little peace. If I don't get what I want, I get angry, and throw barrels and flaming oil at whatever's stopping me. What Video Game Character Are You?

Everyday, when I turn on my laptop, I check out some toons before I start working. They make me smile! Doonesbury is the first one I go to, then maybe some Wulffmorgenthaler. Today I went down an alley I haven't been in a while. I hit up some Strong Bad Email off Homestar Runner. I wish I could sit around all day with an illustrator and think up cartoons. I can't really draw consistantly enough to have characters. My stories might be a little weird too, maybe like Sweet Cuppin' Cakes. I think this is freakin' brilliant




I busted out a drawing book of human figures the other day, so my vacation days might be spent drawing and reading. I think I have an anime drawing book too.

I still need book suggestion for my vacation, so get on it. I'm expecting all of you to have at least one book for me to read. I think James is the only one that has replied to my request -- with "The Life of Pi" -- which I tried to start a couple months ago. I have some conversations and books for the ipod and then my journal and sketch pad are both ready to go.

Click the title for the post on World Changing. This article talks about the recent Supreme Court Ruling that allows non-government, private groups to aquire land through emineant domain, siting that private corporations can yield profit while creating a public service and progress. This is a strange argument, does the ends justify the means. Should we be taking away private land from private owners (mainly residential, probably lower income) to meet the demands of a growing corporation because it might yield public good? Is land seizure from the the private to private have anything to do with public?

This court ruling was mainly centered around the 5th Amendment, (nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.). I remember when I was learning about this in 7th grade. The example that was used had to do with a woman that owned a house where the city government was trying to build a hwy exit ramp near Roosevelt Field Mall, when the mail was being constructed. This woman's house ended up being smack in the middle of the exit ramp turn around and she stood her ground. It was a funny site to image. Eventually, she was told to give her house up for saftey reasons.

I see the reasoning behind giving upland for a hwy, or train, or a park system, but how does a private company produce public good by seizing someone's land/house? The only thing I can think of is cleaning up neighborhoods, but that usually yields low-income subsidized housing which would be very low profit for a set number of years. Atlanta did this during the Olympics. They cleaned an area, where it was mainly shacks and burned out neighborhoods and they put in nice, clean housing and Dorms for Georgia Tech and Georgia State, while establishing the subsidized house after the Olympics.

Atlanta is a city where neighborhoods are flipped within 40 years, sometimes as low as 10 years. It seems that the profit machines only gain from poor construction (something that doesn't last more than 10 - 15 year) and the concept of flipping (tearing down only to rebuild). There is so much construction going on, and it never stops. You rarely see areas keeping the old structures and improving on them. I remember being in Amsterdam and seeing the store fronts that were all the same from the last 50-100 years. The construction teams would restore the fronts and reconstruct the insides.

Alright, this post went in couple different directions, but don't like seeing an ever-changing cities. I like cities to have it's own feel, an established architecture that blends with the local landscape, something that personalized for the city, not the same box apartments, target, townhomes, home depot facade.

I'm going to be on vacation for about a month and I need a reading list. Right now I'm reading "Yoga for People Who Can't be Bother to Do it" - Geoff Dyer. I'm still in the middle of Getting Things Done also, but that's not so much a vacation read. So help me out -- tell me what to read. I don't get into fiction as easily as I do Non-Fiction, but if it has a good flow and it's not about 19th Century country houses and family drama, I could possibly read it. Also, I'm going to be in NY, so those of you there, if you have something I could borrow for a couple weeks, I swear I'll send it back. Thanks.

I've given my notice. In three weeks, I'll be up in New York on vacation for a week, then in LA for a week and then Chicago for a weekend -- maybe at home a little while. Yes, I have the month of July off. I might do some freelance, but for the most part -- I'll be bumming around and staying with friends. I can't wait. I also can't wait for the new job, we'll see what this Flash Master T can really do.

Good-bye to a great job that got me into the professional world and hello to career development.

I just got a email about attending a Sierra Club meeting in Atlanta about The Beltline Project. This project would convert unused rail tracks that encircle midtown/downtown and create a low-impact local transit/park/path system to give inner-Atlanta residents a reason to not drive. This idea has been floating around for a while. Those of us in Atlanta know these tracks and sometimes walk along them in Piedmont Park or by North Ave. Can you imagine being able to walk/ride a bike/rollarblade/ take a trolley to get to the park or go to Ru San's or just get to a local Marta station. This system would make Atlanta a travel/tourist friendly location again, let people walk through the city and feel connected to rest of it.

Everyone bitches about public transit and park systems, here is a way to do something about it.

"Only the weight of implacable habit implelled it onward"
- Geoff Dyer from Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do it

I like this quote, it made me think of those reations you have to familar stituations. Everyday actions or methods for going about the day. Coffee gets to the table; immediately, I empty a sweet 'n low packet then proceed to pour cream slowy into the cup. I watch cautiously as the chaos ensues. Tiny white speckles surface and expand into drops falling from the bottom of the cup. As they hit the top, the drops swirl into their center leaving a tail of white. Eventually, the white and brown mix. I watch this every time. Whole cream works the best.

Tech

The Nokia Sensor system was shown to me yesterday and it's a great new concept for local wi-fi personal connections. The systems stores your profile and whatever files you need to keep with you on your phone, like a hard drive. Within the network, or bluetooth range, you can pass messages and files to other people in area that also have sensor or bluetooth. It's more than just a meeting point for people in a close range, but I think that will be mainstream use.

I really like how new platforms and open networking models yields expansive growth in application development. For about 5-8 years in the boom, all the business and application models seemed to be focused on one platform with limited use. Now, the innovation is really taking off and creative technologist have many avenues to run down.

So I went to The EARL this weekend to catch a rock show. I've seen Beulah there, along with some other great local shows. Friday night, The Black Lips were playing. I've never seen them and the reviews said they were a great live act. When they went on, you could just tell these guys were punk. The lead guitarist was pouring a beer down fast and spittig some of it in the crowd without loosing a beat. Towards the end of the show the guitarist was smashed, which isn't bad for a punk show, he didn't stop playing or singing. I went to bathroom though and when I got back, my friend was a good 15 feet back from where I left him. I ask what happened, so he told me. The guitarist that was dancing all over the place, screaming, chugging beers, started puking beer down his shirt but he didn't stop playing, or singing. The next step though was sick. While still rocking out, he whip out his cock and pissed on stage -- while puking beer -- and playing guitar. The band didn't stop, by when the song was over, the other members packed up the stuff pretty fast. I don't think that was the last song.

Dog sitting!

Caroline dancing on the pack n' play.  

Caroline Part Deux!
She's such an angel. Caroline had a good time at Uncle Todd's apt this weekend. I think she's almost twice the size from the last time I saw her, but that was at 2 weeks. She has all these great faces, and she smiles a lot.

I just saw this and I'm in shock. I really don't know how they're a media company in what I think is media. But nonetheless, this is step in the right direction for media control. I just watched Manufacturing Consent, a documentary on Noam Chomsky and his book with the same title, and its great to see the control of information aggregation is moving towards open links and free connections based on content not ad-dollars. Their search and news and blogging, and everything else in that magic hat of theirs has changed the way we think and read and find anything. Instead of depending on one source to tell us what's going on, we are actually searching it out and finding out more than what's fed to us. The many-many model of the net, I've been on a kick about this lately, is realized. Google helped us that a set closer to making this world more democratic by opening the gate to information. Thanks Google! I don't know what I'd do without you.

I got this book for an ex-girlfriend. It seemed like her thing. She always had some weird things to say about little boys, but that was our thing to gross the other out(it went way to far sometimes, I almost got sick just having the words come out of my mouth). Anyway -- this book/magazine is awesome, go out and buy it now, RIGHT NOW! Get the dirty one too. I stumbled on this guy's site, I really don't know how, but it made me recall all the funny/sad/great human emotion in found articles. Enjoy!

Warning: this is for geeky graphic artist and designers who actually know what CMYK values are for.

The top 10 most directional women's ready-to-wear colors for Fall 2005 (along with printing values) are:

I want a Burnt Orange pant suit to go with the Burnt Olive/Glazed Ginger purse
-- Remember these are Woman's ready-to-wear colors, I have to think in terms of those.

Personally, I would dig on some Morrocan Blue Suede Shoes.

Some random blogs I'm reading on lately are posting about inter-connection and the social network of online friends. ( when I say random -- I mean that I haven't met her yet, in person).

So one statement or thought I'd like to continue on is with meeting people with AIM. Can you image if AIM, or whatever chat client you're using, had the capability of showing you, in a speedy format, all your friends online and then a web or net connection of all their friends and friends of friends, etc. in a 3D map of where they are, if they're online, color coded for work/friend/college/hs/etc. reason for the connection. So when the chat session was enabled it could show you -- if you want to have it open -- the reason you're connected (Vinnie's Ex-girlfriends' Sister's Raver Friend from College who is in Pgh (Pittsburgh, took be a while to figure that one out -- I'm not good with town nicknames or abbr.) -- ( I'll continue with this endless thought ) )where you are in relationship to this person (city or street or unknown), maybe put some other useless data in the window too -- like music listening to and weather in both places.

My point -- right, I should have one of those -- this would be a cool app. There would have to be specific advertising based on messaging content, enbedded links through web services like amazon/ebay/drug delivery service SMS/etc. to get it running and be worth while to program -- unless some over-zealous Jython programmer wants to take this on (James, want to expand you chat client) --

Reason #8,934 Not to work for a big, public company
I found this on Boing Boing. This is a great project in social networking and relationships. You can sift through an endless amount of emails regarding specific scandals within Enron according to the amount of emails sent between specific people and the content of the email. There must be some crazy queries being generated from this app. Aside from the privacy issue going on here, this is an incredible resource for anyone looking for that insight into inner workings of a large energy trader.

It's pretty funny that Enron released all the data, even the personal stuff. I'd hate to see my life be displayed in email form in front of the world, not that I write anything bad.

Thanks Vinnie!

This legislation is awesome, mainly because it's referred to as the Right to Eat Enchiladas Act. I guess Taco Bell was getting sued too much.

I guess we can't sue for everything now. Personal negligence, from eating, doesn't hold up in court.

Interesting article on the reaction of furniture designers to the obesity epidemic(yes, we're all too fat).
---Notice that Colin Powell was the keynote speaker at the National Restaurant Association's four-day conference -- what happen to him?